The White House’s annual National Security Strategy (NSS) was greeted with consternation and appall because it dares to question Europe’s value as an ally. The real problem, editor R. R. Reno writes, is that it questions the post-war consensus: “To chastise Europe, as the NSS does, is to condemn the post–Cold War project. That project was led by American elites. The harsh words about Europe condemn those American elites.”

For further reading: The post-war consensus held up the open society, free from any of the harsh loves of place and people, as the ideal. Now, the strong gods of nationalism and religion are returning. Reno wrote about this in his book Return on the Strong Gods, reviewed by Ryszard Legutko in “Against the Open Society” (December 2019).

Conservative scholar Henry Olsen attacked family-policy researcher Scott Yenor in the Atlantic last week, accusing the Heritage Foundation of discriminating against women for putting Yenor in charge of its Center for American Studies. Yenor, a contributor to First Things, is a critic of feminism. Rachel Bovard dismantles Olsen’s attack: “Olsen frames his essay as an indictment of Yenor cum chivalric defense of Republican women. The first problem is, he never actually indicts or defends anyone. Every sentence seems biased, every attack feline and indirect.”

For further reading: Scott Yenor wrote that the breakdown in family life over the past decades can be traced back to “Compulsory Feminism” (March 2024), which demands, under threat of lawfare, that no one acknowledge that men and women as different. His research and work is always a compelling addition to our magazine.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, the second in a trilogy of Marian feasts this week that started with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Monday and ends with the commemoration of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday. Fr. Raymond de Souza notes that the Blessed Virgin’s patronage “tends toward the particular, not the general. . . . Marian devotion is particular, associating Mary’s presence with various places, conditions, or states of life. Jesus works on the largest imaginable scale; Mary works beside me.” 

For further reading: This particularity might explain why the two Marian titles that that Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith cautioned against last month—Co-redemtrix and Mediatrix—have never worked themselves into the faithful’s hearts and homes in the same way as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima, Częstochowa, Kibeho, and Knock. Fr. Brian Graebe outlined the controversy over the titles last month in “Hallowed Be Thy Names.” 

The common wisdom that the bishops of the United States are deeply divided among themselves and hostile to the Vatican is entirely unfounded, George Weigel writes in today’s column. In fact, they are among the most deferential to Rome and much more united than some would present. 

For further reading: Philip Lawler wrote in “Pope Francis and the American Bishops” (2019) that the bishops have been rejecting the conception of a rift between themselves and Rome for many years. However, tensions at their public meetings often suggest the opposite.

Upcoming Events

• February 1, 2026: Second Annual Neuhaus Lecture at the New College of Florida | Sarasota, FL. Details coming soon.

Until next time,

VIRGINIA AABRAM

Newsletter Editor