One unforeseen result of the Covid shutdowns is National Review Institute has been able to reach more people than ever through virtual programming. Both before and after the Mississippi abortion case that ended Roe v. Wade, we’ve had a series of events talking about the case and its implications and now realities. There’s so much work to be done, and it has been a blessing to be able to focus on practical ways to continue to build a culture of life. Most recently, we’ve had a Fridays for Life virtual series, marking each week’s anniversary since Roe ended.
As we’ve always sought to do with in-person events, these events create a constructive community looking in the present toward a future with more flourishing for women and children and families. In these and other events, we bring together people who do the real work of helping make life possible, and advocate for conservative policies that will help make life possible and bolster families, including in faith. We highlight some of the mediating institutions, including the faith-based ones, and what they need to function and flourish. That, of course, in no small part includes religious freedom.
When I was editor of this website many moons ago now, I relished the ability to bring people together online. We’re doing it again in new ways at NRI, including bringing people together in common cause with conservatives, even if we don’t see eye to eye on everything. That’s so in the tradition of William F. Buckley Jr., who founded both the magazine and the Institute.
We can do all of this only because of the generous support of those who contribute to us. I know there are many people asking for money, but would you consider a vote of confidence in what we do here?
I’ll also mention something I’m humbled that NRI lets me do — talk about personal faith and virtue. A few falls ago, during an election year, we co-sponsored a series in Washington, D.C., called “Making Virtue Great Again.” Because people have no idea how powerful living virtue is. Power isn’t just in politics.
Also, occasionally, I have done conversations with former Magnificat editor and bestselling author Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. about what it means to be a person of faith. One of my favorites was when we talked about Jesuit priest Fr. Alfred Delp , who wrote amazing meditations about courage and faith while imprisoned by the Nazis who would kill him for his commitment to truth. And just this month, we talked about hope in the midst of the confusion and chaos we’re seeing with so many friends. Last I checked, over 1,000 people had watched — many of whom have sent me humbling notes (some even have stopped me in person to thank me or ask me for some of the texts we referenced).
We want to keep doing so much of this and more. Would you consider letting us know such programming is important to you by making a contribution to support our work? And I’ll be frank: Is the pro-life, faith-based, religious-freedom work important to you? If so, please make that clear with a contribution of whatever size is possible for you. And we’ll keep highlighting the good and bringing people together and issuing the challenges we need to in these times. We can meet them in so many ways if we work together.
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