“I’m a Catholic wife, Catholic mother, Catholic realtor,” said Laura Breunig, when she sat down with the Catholic Herald for an interview on how she brings her faith and work together.
In getting to know Breunig, she is certainly all of those things.
A wife of 30 years; a mother of three daughters; a parishioner of St. Aloysius Church in Sauk City, part of Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate; and a realtor in the Sauk City area for 30 years as well, Breunig and her family try their best to incorporate their faith in everything they do.
But being authentically Catholic, Breunig explained, given the realities of life, isn’t always easy as a realtor.
Notoriety and morals
For one, she said, being a realtor grants her knowledge about the personal lives of her clientele — financial, of course, but also living situations, and other details that aren’t easily noticed by the outside observer.
At times, those details are at odds with the Catholic faith and the Church’s teachings, which could make it seem like accepting a client is also automatically accepting that client’s choices.
This isn’t always the case, Breunig said, but that also doesn’t make it necessarily easier.
Another example Breunig explained was more nuanced.
She said, “I’m in a job where, basically, notoriety gets you business,” and continued, saying, “Some of the ways that realtors get business is by going to places and establishments that you know are maybe not in line with Catholic teaching.”
As a realtor, “Sometimes you go to a restaurant for dinner and you see three or four people you know, and you start talking to them.
“Next thing you know, you’re talking about real estate, and they mention either they’re interested in buying or selling or they know somebody that’s interested in buying or selling.”
Because of this, “there are places that I don’t go because: It might further my business but it’s not really in line with the morals of my family and the morals of my faith.”
Through everything, “I try to live my faith, not just at home, not just out in public as a person, but in my role as a realtor. I always try to treat people with kindness and respect,” Breunig said.
In trying to keep grounded, “I often pray the Litany of Humility,” Breunig added.
She said that “It’s the gold standard of how to live your life,” and that praying the litany most days is how she moves through tough situations and how she balances her faith and career.
Additionally, Breunig doesn’t shy away from being Catholic at work.
From giving Catholic gifts as closing gifts to clients, to having iconography in her office, Breunig tries to share the faith with others.
“You cannot walk into my office and not know that I’m Catholic,” Breunig jokingly said — because of her crucifix, statue of St. Joseph, and several images of Mary.
But more than that “I would like to think that people know that I’m Catholic without having to walk in my office and see the tangible signs,” Breunig said.
“The way that I conduct myself, that I’m honest, I’m fair, I treat people with kindness and respect — not that that’s necessarily exclusively Catholic — but I do think that people have a sense that God is important to me, and usually that comes out in talking to people,” she continued.
One telling story Breunig shared was when a friend “dropped off a random box”.
This friend “cleans houses, and if someone’s deceased, she’ll help the family clean the house and get it ready to sell.
“[The deceased] must have been someone who was very Catholic. She had a box full of crucifixes, prayer books, Rosaries, small statues, medals.
“The family didn’t know what to do with them, [my friend] didn’t know what to do with them, so she dropped them off at my office.”
“I think I must be doing something right to let people know what I’m Catholic,” Breunig concluded because “There’s just a whole lot of Catholic stuff that seems to fall my way,” she said.
Do you know someone who shares their “faith at work” and serves to evangelize others? We want to tell their stories! Send your ideas to [email protected].