I was hurrying into church on a busy morning, running just a few minutes late, when I heard the sound. The panel for the security system next to the church door was beeping. I went into the church and slipped into a pew. But the beeping carried into the church, so I could still hear it during Mass. It was persistent, beating a steady rhythm. Just when I was starting to get used to it, I heard the whir of a lawnmower start outside. catholicreview.org/praying-t… #FaithBlog #Blog #commentary @OpenWindow_CR

A “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to venerate relics of St. Bernadette Soubirous! The relics – rib fragments, kneecaps and samples of muscle, hair and skin from the French saint – were at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes as one of the first stops on a “Journey of Grace” tour of 140 locations across the country. Also on hand were two sizable rocks from Lourdes, France. catholicreview.org/st-bernad… #LocalNews #Saints #WesternVicariate @GrottoofLourdes

Taking young children to Mass is so wonderful as they begin to discover God and their role in a faith community. But it can also be challenging. For a few years, my husband and I tried a “divide and conquer” approach. We would each take one of our children and sit separately. That was surprisingly effective, and our sons always remembered whose turn it was to be with which parent. You do what you have to do. catholicreview.org/front-row… #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @OpenWindow_CR

Rita Buettner @OpenWindow_CR speaks with Ilka Knüppel, author of “Finding Ruth: A Personal Story of Hitler’s Secret Euthanasia Program, Action T4.” Knüppel recounts the life of her great-aunt Ruth Muehlmann, a young woman with a disability who was murdered in 1941 as part of the Nazis’ secret program that systematically killed people with disabilities. She shares her years-long search through German archives, her visits to the institutions where Ruth lived and died, and the emotional journey of uncovering long-hidden family history. The author also reflects on how her Catholic faith sustained her while researching such profound evil and why remembering these forgotten victims is essential today. This conversation offers a powerful reminder of the dignity of every human person, the importance of confronting history honestly and the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable. Listen to the #podcast here: catholicreview.org/author-sh… or anywhere you listen to podcasts!

When you think of the Blessed Mother, how do you picture her? Most often, I think of her as a joyful new mother, holding her baby, the Savior of the World, in her arms. Those images are so beautiful and moving, showing motherhood at its most peaceful and serene. There is nothing like the wonder of holding a precious new life, a child with a whole future to experience. And, of course, Mary was holding an extraordinary child, a child who was the Son of God. But there are other images of our Blessed Mother, those showing her at her most sorrowful. catholicreview.org/our-mothe… #MarianDevotion #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @OpenWindow_CR

If you knew Jeff Nattans, you must remember his smile. He was always pleasant, always upbeat, and always eager to connect with people around him. I didn’t know Jeff personally, so when we talked in person, I never expected him to recall who I was. But whenever we connected, Jeff made me feel like I was just the person he wanted to see, the very person he was hoping to talk to at that moment. He was interested and engaged and curious in all the best ways. He generally didn’t really want to talk about himself, except to share his gratitude and enthusiasm for the people and organizations that had made an impact on his life. Jeff, who passed away this week at 59, had that way of making you feel seen and valued. He was a great listener who led with kindness and humility. And he did it all with that warm, genuine smile. catholicreview.org/the-gift-… #Commentary #Blog #faithBlog

Especially as the summer ends and a new school year begins, I am thinking of how our children rise to the occasion and dig deep to try new things. They plunge into harder classes and new social settings. They take on extracurricular activities that might stretch them and help them grow. They find themselves studying in a classroom with stricter standards or more complicated assignments. It’s a time of change and the start of another chapter in life. catholicreview.org/the-girl-… #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @ArchbaltSchools @OpenWindow_CR

For years, Tom Tirpak’s mother, Therese, thought about writing a book. She had a deep love for the Divine Mercy, and she wanted to share the personal stories and miracles in her life that reflected what she called Mercy Moments. She started writing some of her stories in a notebook, and she told others to one of her grandsons, who recorded them. After Therese passed away, Tom was moved to pull together his mother’s stories and reflections into a book, “Get on Board the Mercy Train: Journeys of a Marian Helper on the Road to Heaven.” Tom, who is an expert in business process management and Artificial Intelligence applications, is a published writer, but this book is his first major faith-based publication. In the Aug. 30, 2026, episode of Catholic Review Radio, Rita Buettner speaks with Tom about his own faith journey, describes how the book came to be, illuminates his mother’s deep Catholic faith, and talks about the impact he hopes the book will have on others. Tom also shares a powerful story of a miracle his mother recalled experiencing during the canonization of St. Faustina – a beloved family patron and the saint who awakened a love for the Divine Mercy among Catholics worldwide. Listen to the #podcast here: catholicreview.org/radio-int… or anywhere you listen to podcasts! @OpenWindow_CR

As I was driving home, I pulled off the highway and stopped at a light. I’ve sat at the end of that ramp many times. But today, I glanced up and saw a white SUV slowing down to make room for me to move in front of them. I was surprised. I’ve never had a car pause there so I could enter that stretch of road before. Everyone is always in a hurry. Suddenly, I realized the driver was waving vigorously at me. And I realized, “I know her! That’s Molly!” catholicreview.org/a-blessin… #Blog #FaithBlog #Commentary @OpenWindow_CR

Dolly was one of the good ones. It’s hard to believe that she won’t sing another song or create another production or launch another campaign to save whatever part of the world she can—helping children learn to read, fighting against Covid, and trying to make the world just a little better and a little brighter. As she once said, “I like trying to make people happy and lift people up and glorifying God. That’s my mission in life.” What a beautiful mission—a mission that anyone could embrace with success. @OpenWindow_CR catholicreview.org/dolly-we-… #rip #DollyParton #MusicLegend #InspiringWomen #RememberingDolly #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog

What happens when 1,200+ people named Ryan get together? 🤔 Meet the **Ryan Meetup** — a growing series of gatherings where people named Ryan come together to make friends, celebrate their shared name and, this time, try to break a world record. One Baltimore-area Ryan, Ryan Butts, traveled to Minnesota for the latest meetup, where the Ryans took over the Mall of America’s “Ryancoaster.” 🎢 Did they break the record? Find out! catholicreview.org/ryan-meet… @OpenWindow_CR #RyanMeetup #Ryan #WorldRecord #MallOfAmerica #Minnesota #Baltimore #CatholicReview #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog

Some might call the timing of the release of the latest Spider-Man movie on the Feast of St. Ignatius (July 31) coincidental. But I don’t tend to believe in coincidences. Instead, this is a chance to contemplate a few connections between our favorite arachnid-bitten superhero and the inspiring founder of the Jesuits. So, let’s consider how much these two great legends, one real and one fictional, have in common: catholicreview.org/two-heroe… #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @OpenWindow_CR

#SpiderMan: Brand New Day hit theaters last week, and it did not disappoint. What. A. Ride. It got me thinking about what Spider-Man can teach us about living as Catholics. Whether he knows it or not, he’s a person of faith, and he’s committed to self-sacrifice and service to others. Without any spoilers, we can find a few faith lessons in this superhero’s story, along with some echoing words from a few of our friends in heaven, the saints: catholicreview.org/thwip-fai… #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @OpenWindow_CR

🎉 Happy 50th Birthday, Rita! 🎉 Our own columnist Rita Buettner just turned 50 — and she marked it with a beautiful reflection on what that milestone taught her about love, connection, and heaven itself. "This must be what heaven is like," she wrote, watching a room full of people she loves sing to her. Join us in wishing Rita a very happy birthday! Drop your wishes in the comments 👇 and read her full reflection here: catholicreview.org/a-birthda… #Commentary #Blog #FaithBlog @OpenWindow_CR