Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

Are you smarter than a 4th grader, trumpet playing, Cinderella’s glass slipper, and plarn (7 Quick Takes)

September 28, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Our older son gets to read a book of his choice for 20 minutes each night. I love that this week that homework assignment turned into reading aloud to his little brother.

Wrap mother-to-be in prayer

September 28, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church

Instead of baby showers, Rita Buettner has been throwing prayer gatherings for friends and relatives who are awaiting the arrival of their babies.

Our lucky 13th wedding anniversary

September 25, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

How do you celebrate 13 years of marriage?

Swinging into fall, hats, the joy of soccer, prayer lives, and more (7 Quick Takes)

September 22, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Between soccer, Sunday School, and learning all the states in the U.S., we don’t have much free weekend time.

Making memories on an evening walk

September 21, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church

As a mother of two growing children, I’m getting used to following along behind. I want them to be cautious and hang back and stay young just a little while longer. But they see a wide open world ahead of them, without a danger in sight. They want to run free.

Finding God in a geography lesson

September 19, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Our fourth grader has to be able to label all the states in the U.S. on a map in five minutes.

School days, backup cameras, fun homework, and our brush with Dog Man fame (7 Quick Takes)

September 14, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

As I was walking our boys toward the school entrance yesterday morning, Leo ran on ahead to get inside. Daniel stayed back with me, but when we were still a distance from the school, he said, “Can you walk back to the car now?”

Talking birthday wishes and what a little boy wants to be when he grows up

September 13, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

It’s not often I get one-on-one time with one of my nieces or nephews, and I love learning more about each of them.

Catapulting into a new faith opportunity

September 11, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

God gives us each different talents. Some of us are better with cats or catechesis than catapults, but there’s a role for each of us.

Mothers are detectives, celebrating brothers, a lesson in humility, and a trumpet (7 Quick Takes)

September 8, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

At the end of each school day, you might think that our children happily share every detail about recess, math class, lunch, what their teacher told them, and how many friends they made.

The emotions of the first day at a new school

September 5, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Today, you see, was not just the first day of the school year. It was the first day of a school year at a new school.

The cat at the crab feast

September 4, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

He wasn’t even supposed to be there. The 15-year-old cat had been at the vet the day before. His health was failing, and there was nothing more that could be done.