Every ten years, the United States conducts a nationwide census, or count, of its population. The 2020 Census will begin in mid-March, and all individuals living in the country as of April 1, 2020 are invited to respond by phone, by mail, and for the first time ever, online. This edition of FOCUS addresses the significance of the 2020 Census—including its impact on legislative representation and the distribution of federal funding—and encourages efforts to ensure all Michiganders are counted.
MCC’s advocacy agenda places a heavy emphasis on supporting policies that positively impact vulnerable persons and others in need. From protecting the Children’s Clothing Allowance to expanding Medicaid coverage, to weatherization assistance and prioritizing marriage in state assistance programs, MCC is an advocate for the poor and vulnerable. This edition of FOCUS touches on these subjects while highlighting the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers.
For decades, Catholic agencies have partnered with the State of Michigan to place children in loving homes. Despite their exemplary work in this area, governments and other hostile organizations have sought to push Catholic adoption and foster care programs—in Michigan and across the country—out of the public realm. MCC’s latest FOCUS publication delves into current religious freedom challenges for these agencies and ways the Catholic Church is responding.
Water is an essential resource within the Great Lakes State, impacting so many aspects of life: cleaning, growing and cooking food, transportation, entertainment, and especially, nourishment. The latest FOCUS publication, “Clean and Affordable Water for All,” details the importance of water safety, affordability, and accessibility for each Michigander, as well as the Church’s insights from the Gospel teaching to “give drink to the thirsty.”
The Catholic Church calls for engagement in society, including in politics, to create a better world. At the state level, MCC actively engages in the public policy process on behalf of the Church, seeking policies that recognize the inherent value of every person and promote the common good. In its January FOCUS, MCC outlines the ten guiding principles that will guide staff advocacy throughout the 2019–2020 Michigan legislative session.
Questions about this proposal considered by the MCC Board of Directors, which includes the diocesan bishops of the state, asked if this measure promotes the common good and uplifts the moral fiber in the state. After careful review, the MCC Board is urging a No vote on the measure, citing the harm it may cause for Michigan families, health outcomes, communities and workers.
The Catholic Church calls for Catholics to promote the common good and to engage in the public realm, including through voting. The U.S. bishops do not instruct Catholics for whom to vote but encourage all to develop a well-formed conscience and to consider candidates carefully before casting their ballot. In preparation for the November 2018 election, this edition of FOCUS offers issues and questions to consider before voting.
Religious freedom is a cornerstone value for all Americans. Promoting Religious Freedom Through Interfaith Dialogue, June’s FOCUS, illustrates how collaborative efforts with individuals of other faiths can help to defend this important value. The FOCUS also highlights the comments given by Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit, at the November 7, 2017 Interfaith Religious Freedom Conference.
Medical advances such as vaccinations have reduced the rates of many serious diseases in the United States. March’s FOCUS, Vaccinations and the Common Good, highlights Church teaching about vaccinations; examines the impact of vaccines on individuals, schools, and communities across the state; and promotes educated decisions about their use.
Creating a society that recognizes the dignity of every person is a task for all people of faith. The Catholic Church and Catholics across Michigan live this teaching in a number of ways, including by providing alternatives to abortion for expectant mothers, post-abortive counseling, and compassionate and life-affirming care at the end of one’s life. Michigan Catholic Conference’s latest FOCUS publication examines these services, highlights legislative successes that protect human life, and offers ways that Michiganders can recognize the dignity of all persons in their own communities.
