The European Court of Justice ordered Poland to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in Germany, deciding that the “free movement of persons” includes the right to have marriages recognized across borders, even in states that do not allow same-sex marriage. The Catholic bishops of the European Union released a groveling statement asking the court to perhaps reconsider. John M. Grondelski writes, “The Church has been a cheerleader of the EU project for decades; to change course would be to admit that it has failed.” 

For further reading: The Vatican had a heavy hand in promoting the formation of the EU. Though intended, from the Catholic perspective, to revive the dream of unified Europe the Church has been chasing since Charlemagne, Matthew Cantirino wrote in “Is The European Union a Catholic Plot?” (2012) that the plan is backfiring.

Manny Miranda, a longtime mover and shaker in the conservative political, Catholic, and legal realms, died last month. Jacob Adams examines the legacy of the man who kept abortion out of Georgetown’s campus and hospitals, got Justice Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court, and served his country in various political posts. Adams writes, “The conservative movement has lost an irreplaceable giant, one who was unafraid to challenge the popular opinion of the day in favor of the timeless truths of the Catholic Church and the American tradition.”

For further reading: Miranda did his best to keep Georgetown Catholic, a fight that has been inches from loss for many years. In 2012, the school invited pro-abortion Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to be guest of honor at its commencement. Matthew Cantirino wrote “A Lament for Georgetown” (2012) about his alma mater.

John Wilson recommends some of his favorite books of the year you may consider for gift-giving. Among them is an illustrated book of Japanese words for rain, a Latvian book about horses in the Middle Ages, and a book about what to do with all those books.

For further reading: For more book recommendations from John Wilson, read “Cherokee, Cornfields, and Catalogues” from August.

Upcoming Events

• TODAY: The January issue is live.

 

• February 1, 2026: Second Annual Neuhaus Lecture at the New College of Florida: "Recovering the University's Soul" ft. Bishop Robert Barron | Sarasota, FL. Register here.

• March 7, 2016: Annual D.C. Lecture: "Our Crisis is Metaphysical" ft. Mary Harrington | Washington, D.C. Details coming soon

Until next time,

VIRGINIA AABRAM

Newsletter Editor