The Word from Lansing is a regular column written by Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) staff for Catholic news outlets. Through these columns, MCC outlines current advocacy issues of importance to the Conference and discusses the Catholic position and role in the political process. This publication complements the more regular updates provided by Michigan Catholic Conference’s Catholic Advocacy Network.
MCC so far this legislative session has supported policies that have won bipartisan support, just Democratic support, or just Republican support—sometimes all in the same day. It is a reflection of how MCC’s advocacy is guided by principles grounded in Catholic social doctrine and aimed at promoting the common good. Read more…
With the release of the biennial Blueprint for the Common Good, Michigan Catholic Conference shares how public policymaking—which should be directed toward advancing the common good—must be evaluated by how it advances or diminishes the life of the individual person. Read more…
As a new legislative session begins, MCC reflects on its advocacy from the past two years of the previous legislative session and provides a preview of some of the issues it expects to be active on in the next two years. Read more…
While the approval of Proposal 3 presents a major challenge to securing the legal protection of the unborn in Michigan, it does not have to inhibit the Church’s mission to make abortion unthinkable by working to support mothers and families facing difficult pregnancies. In this Word from Lansing column, we lay out why this approach can achieve the goals sought by the pro-life movement to protect the unborn and uphold the dignity of all human life. Read more…
Proposal 3 has been framed as just ensuring abortion is legal like it was before Roe was struck down. But voters need to know that it is not simply making sure abortion is legal in a post-Roe Michigan. In this Word From Lansing, we explain how the proposal goes much further and allows abortion for any woman or girl at any point in the pregnancy for any reason — and then some. Read more…
Pregnancy centers, which are dedicated to helping women and their unborn and born children, have been attacked, disparaged and denied state funding. Yet they are doing the work to support a culture of life and to prevent the tragedy of abortion, and they deserve our help. Read more…
In the wake of several mass shootings, we join with the U.S. bishops in urging lawmakers to address gun access and gun regulations in addition to other measures intended to curb gun violence, such as school safety measures and mental health improvements. Read more…
On the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, and after a similar tragedy that recently played out in Grand Rapids that resulted in the death of another African-American man in a police encounter, we encourage the Legislature to take up a series of law enforcement reforms aimed at trying to address these issues. Read more…
The U.S. Supreme Court could rule to overturn Roe v. Wade. Or it might not. That was true before, and after, a draft decision in the current Dobbs case before the court recently broke out into the public. But what we know — and have known — is regardless of what happens next, the mission to ensure legal protection of the unborn and to build up a culture of support for mothers and children remains unfinished. Read more…
Amidst the uncertainty in the ongoing COVID landscape, parents are assessing all options and seeking choices they feel best furthers their kids’ learning. With that in mind, a campaign has launched to put more money directly in the hands of parents to pay for the education expenses their kids need, regardless of the type of school they attend, whether it’s public, private or home school. Read more…
For a complete list of all The Word from Lansing columns, please visit the archives.