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The Word from Lansing
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.

Disparaged & Under Attack, Pregnancy Centers Deserve Support in Mission to Love
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…

Addressing Gun Violence is Complicated, But Must Include Gun Reform
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…

Time to Discuss Law Enforcement Reform Again After Tragic Death in Grand Rapids
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…

Defense of Life, Support of Mothers Didn’t End with Roe — and it Won’t End with Dobbs
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…

Scholarship Proposal Helps Families Choose Best Education for Children
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…

As Catholics, We Serve Both Mothers and Their Babies
Our Catholic faith is a both/and faith. Catholics believe it is essential to both oppose the tragedy of abortion and support mothers both before and after they give birth. To illustrate, we sought to explore in-depth the various ways Catholics walk with mothers in need in Michigan. Read more…
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.

St. Vincent’s Settlement with Michigan Is a Big Win for Religious Liberty
A settlement reached in a state lawsuit filed against the St. Vincent Catholic Charities was an important win for religious liberty and also for the most vulnerable children in the State of Michigan, upholding the constitutional right to religious liberty that is a cornerstone of our state and nation. Read more…

How Expanding One Tax Credit Would Reduce Poverty; Put More People To Work
MCC is urges support to expand a tax credit for working families that would alleviate poverty and help get people back to work. It's the best anti-poverty, best pro-family, and best job creation measure this Legislature could pass. Read more…

What the Dobbs Case Could Mean for Abortion In Michigan
Nearly fifty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a controversial decision, established a constitutional right to abortion. But now, the nation’s highest court has been asked to reconsider the decision it made in the 1973 case known as Roe v. Wade. MCC’s Word from Lansing column takes a look at how a successful outcome in Dobbs, potentially coming in June 2022, could prohibit abortion in Michigan. Read more…
More The Word from Lansing
For a complete list of all The Word from Lansing columns, please visit the archives.