50 Days of Rejoicing April 1, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Easter, Open Window Somehow it seems easier to lean into the penance and sacrifice of Lent than the extended exultation of Easter. Maybe a day or two—or even a week—of rejoicing seems manageable. But 50 days? How will we ever be able sustain it?
All That We Can Do March 27, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Bridge Collapse, Commentary, Open Window Prayer is so powerful. Telling someone you are praying for them—and following through—can be an extraordinary gift.
Heading into the Homestretch of Lent March 20, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window No matter how we plan, or the expectations we set for ourselves, the actual Lenten journey never seems to look the way we might have hoped it would.
Cardinal Shehan to the rescue March 18, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, Feature, Open Window “I think he realized I was troubled as a father. You have to fight for your children,” Don said. “He said, ‘I’m glad you came to me.’ What a fine example of what God calls us to do. He truly was a man of God.”
A Balloon at Mass March 3, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Lent, Open Window As we turned to leave Mass, I saw that a little boy in the back had snagged a balloon.
Gratitude at the grocery store March 1, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Lent, Open Window A few months ago, I noticed that our grocery store no longer had hand-held shopping baskets. If you wanted to shop, you had to use one of the large rolling grocery carts.
A Lenten lesson from a bicyclist February 22, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Lent, Open Window Lent is young, and we have such a beautiful opportunity to grow in love for Jesus in the days ahead. What a wonderful journey this can be.
Remembering our Valentine’s Day proposal February 12, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Lent, Open Window I knew he had the ring. I knew he was going to propose that night.
How Toby Keith’s Music and Faith Inspired Me February 6, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window, Uncategorized When I saw that Toby Keith had passed away at 62, I was stunned. Somehow it didn’t seem possible. I’m a country music fan, and his music was part of the soundtrack running in the background of my life. I remember listening to his music with my sister Treasa during the ’90s when he was […]
A Goal for 2024 January 30, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window Then I thought of going to Mass. I should be able to get to 100 Masses over the next 12 months.
Why did the colleague cross the road? January 23, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window It was sunny and cold. Somehow it felt even colder because of the graying snow lining the curbs. I was leaving work, and I had just texted my son to let him know I was on my way. Just getting out of my parking spot into the flow of traffic was a challenge, with a […]
Nighttime conversations with children and God January 15, 2024By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window The wonder of the Bible reading might be that—even though he’s tired and half-asleep—Eli realizes that God is calling Samuel and tells him how to respond the next time he hears the voice. Eli tells Samuel to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
