Newsroom

Recent MCC advocacy has included support for policies to protect vulnerable adults, cut red tape for Catholic schools, promote affordable housing, and more.

The inclusion of nonpublic schools in a bill to make the state’s expanded school meals program a permanent part of state law is another MCC advocacy accomplishment on behalf of nonpublic students. Also this week, two new resources with important information for parents of schoolkids are available for download.

MCC is offering support to legislation to improve access to and preserve affordable housing, which responds to the need for more housing in Michigan, and is aligned with the Catholic principle of promoting a preferential option for the poor.

The House and Senate both approved budget proposals for next year that fund many MCC priorities, with the House education budget in particular funding all MCC requests for supporting nonpublic schools, from school safety to teacher recruitment programs and more.

Michigan families of both public and nonpublic students could soon apply for and receive funding to pay for out-of-pocket education expenses under a federal education tax credit program. The state of Michigan must formally opt into the program for families and students to benefit.

Protecting children from harm while nurturing their growth is a goal both parents and policymakers often share, a goal aligned with the Church’s concern for families and children. This is why Michigan Catholic Conference has recently offered support to legislation limiting children’s access to artificial intelligence companion chatbots and addictive social media feeds.

As the process for a new state budget begins, MCC shares how its advocacy efforts last year played a critical role in securing the support Catholic and nonpublic schools received in the current year budget.

The Christian faith demands more than just lip service; it requires action. The principles of Catholic social teaching show us what that action looks like; they also help us to engage more deeply with Jesus’s instruction to “love thy neighbor.”

In its public policy advocacy on behalf of the Church, MCC works to secure funding in the state budget to support the Church’s ministries that serve Michigan families and children in need. The new edition of Focus shares specific examples of how state funding secured by MCC helped programs that assist families in need of diapers, parents seeking to adopt and foster children, and homeless and runaway youth in crisis.

As members of the body of Christ, we are each called to live out the Gospel not only in words, but in action. Catholic social teaching provides a blueprint for how we put our faith into action. This edition of focus presents the seven themes of Catholic social teaching and invites Catholics reflect on how they can incorporate these principles into their lives, so as to more actively proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ both in word and deed.

This edition of Focus looks at how Catholic schools serve a diverse population of students and families, transforming lives by forming children into virtuous members of society. Rich or poor, Catholic or non-Catholic, and children of all learning abilities are welcomed into Catholic schools across Michigan, primarily due to the Church’s efforts to make Catholic education financially feasible to those who want it, and despite constitutional restrictions on public aid for nonpublic schools.

How should Catholics think about immigration and the migrants who land here? This edition of Focus shares how the Church’s perspective on immigration is guided by the fundamental Catholic social doctrines of upholding human dignity and caring for the poor and vulnerable. This publication features the stories of immigrants who have traveled to Michigan, explains why and how the Church serves migrants, and answers frequently-asked questions about Church teachings on immigration.

Over the course of the 2019–2020 state legislative session, Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) worked diligently with lawmakers and legislative staff of both political parties to advance the common good. In a February report, MCC details its advocacy work from the past two years and highlights critical legislative achievements for Michiganders, especially those that recognize the dignity of the human person and address the needs of the vulnerable.