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.
The Word from Lansing / Posted October 2, 2023
As a package of dangerous anti-life bills remain stalled in the Legislature, some of our elected officials need the courage to stand firm in their convictions and oppose the Reproductive Health Act (RHA), and faithful Catholic citizens can help them do that by sending elected officials a message to vote no on the RHA.
The Word from Lansing / Posted September 15, 2023
The clergy abuse crisis inflicted on today’s Catholics has been a tragic chapter for the Church. Yet amidst the tragedy and scandal, there is hope for renewal and healing. To help advance understanding and awareness of a cultural change within the Church, the upcoming edition of Michigan Catholic Conference’s quarterly Focus publication shares how the Church in Michigan works to protect children and prevent abuse through safe environment protocols considered among the strongest in the nation.
The Word from Lansing / Posted June 1, 2023
The sheer impact of gun violence on human life should demand a response from Catholics, and MCC’s latest edition of Focus explains and clarifies how lay and ordained Catholics can support gun policies in the interest of protecting human life, with the goal to keep guns from people who may cause harm to themselves or others.
The Word from Lansing / Posted May 18, 2023
In this column, MCC describes the recent trend of lawmakers acting to expand abortion in Michigan after Proposal 3, and urges them to take a different course and find ways to prevent abortion from happening.
The Word from Lansing / Posted April 25, 2023
Despite the uphill battle it entailed, MCC staff earlier this year deployed essentially every tool in the advocacy toolbox to fight for the rights of schools, charities, and organizations who wish to serve others in the public square according to the teachings of their faith.
The Word from Lansing / Posted March 16, 2023
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.
The Word from Lansing / Posted March 3, 2023
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.
The Word from Lansing / Posted February 3, 2023
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.
The Word from Lansing / Posted November 17, 2022
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.
The Word from Lansing / Posted October 7, 2022
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.