2014
Michigan Catholic Conference offers print copies of Focus free-of-charge in any amount. To order, please email Karah May or call (517) 372-9310.
The Michigan political cycle will move into full swing this summer. At the Primary Election in August and the General Election in November, voters will head to the ballot box to select men and women they believe will best lead their communities. Many important political offices will be up for election this year, including one of two Michigan seats in the United States Senate. This FOCUS publication strongly encourages Catholics to evaluate their political candidates through the lens of Catholic social teaching, to ask important questions of those running for office, and to vote for candidates based upon a well formed conscience.
The practice of sentencing individuals under the age of eighteen to life in prison without the opportunity for parole has become a matter of intense legislative and legal scrutiny, both in Michigan and throughout the country. The juveniles who received this sentence have been found guilty of committing or participating in a deadly crime, profoundly impacting both family of the victim and members of the greater community. While the U.S. Supreme Court, Michigan courts and the Michigan Legislature have weighed in on this sentencing policy, the Catholic Church has followed the issue with concern for all involved—guided by the principles of restorative justice and dignity of the human person.
In recent years the Catholic Church—through the USCCB, local dioceses and parishes—has become a national leader in helping victims of human trafficking. Because of the work of the Church, the trafficking of human persons has become more widely documented and confronted. Many highly effective programs have been developed at the national level to raise awareness and to assist victims, both spiritually and physically. The purpose for this FOCUS publication is bring to the attention of the Catholic population in Michigan the problem of human trafficking, to help raise awareness of warning signs, and to further discuss ongoing efforts to promote the dignity of every human person in our midst.
