Saint Friends October 29, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, Saints, The Domestic Church Every year as the new year begins, I use a random generator online to pick a saint for the year. The idea is to have a saint to learn about and maybe turn to in the days ahead. Some years, I’ve been matched with a saint I already knew. Often, though, it’s a saint I know less about, which is always an adventure. This year, I was matched with St. John Vianney.
Soup time October 9, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, Feature, The Domestic Church When I was a teen, we all participated in community service while we were preparing to receive the sacrament of confirmation. I signed up for several activities, but the one I remember the best was making soup.
Front-row seat September 16, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, Feature, The Domestic Church We bring our children to Mass. We slide into the front row in hopes it will bring our children closer to God. We pray for them every day. We ask God to help us be everything they need us to be. And they do find their way.
A big birthday July 14, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church Life is short, after all. Life is worth celebrating. And life is better because of the many people who laugh and cry with us, listen to us, share their stories and accompany us along the way.
Special delivery June 10, 2026By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church I know there are people who say that a child learns best when they need to deal with the consequences. But I think there are enough hard consequences in life. The lessons I want to teach my children are to respond with compassion.
A surprise painting May 14, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church “I love thinking of how God was watching, guiding us toward one another, always knowing how it would come together. He must have enjoyed seeing how we connected over a much-loved painting of a little girl and a dog.”
The slow work March 30, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church As much as we want to keep trying to fix a problem, maybe this is the time to hand it over to God. We can place whatever is troubling us into his hands, trusting that he will walk with us, moving mountains we cannot move and preparing us for the next step on our journey.
Being here March 18, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, Lent, The Domestic Church During Lent, God offers us a special invitation to recognize his presence in our lives. We can add prayer time or take on more works of charity or give in numerous ways. And maybe we can simply prioritize time with God, listening to him and looking for his fingerprints on our lives.
What a surprise February 12, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church Even with our best plans, life is full of surprises. Whether they bring joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain, light or darkness, they offer us an opportunity to grow in love and relationship with God and others who walk life’s journey with us.
Discover a New Year December 31, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church We might see this new time in muted sepia tones or we might see it unfolding in vibrant technicolor. However we feel about this new year, we have the chance to begin again. And we hold onto the faith that we are not alone.
While you wait December 1, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Commentary, The Domestic Church During this time of preparation for Christmas, Advent offers us a beautiful opportunity to grow in faith while we are waiting.
Grace times two November 24, 2025By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church During this season of gratitude, we might offer standard words or new ones to thank God for his many blessings. He is with us at our dinner table, following along with the conversations, enjoying the connections and perhaps marveling at how the little ones are growing and participating in new ways.
