Lansing Update: Marching for Life in DC, Celebrating School Choice in Michigan
Posted January 19, 2024
Join in Prayer for the National March for Life and the Pro-Life Movement
Today marks the 51st national March for Life in Washington, D.C., where thousands of people will peacefully and joyfully demonstrate for the protection of human life.
The March takes place near the Jan. 22 anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court decision. It’s estimated as many as 63 million lives have been lost to abortion since the Supreme Court ruling. While the ruling was overturned and a nationwide right to abortion was ended, advocacy for protecting every human life is still desperately needed.
That is especially true here in Michigan, where the constitution now includes a “right” to an abortion and where limits on abortion have been rolled back by the Legislature and the Governor in the past year.
Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) commends and offers prayers for the many pilgrims from Michigan and across the country who are journeying to Washington to demonstrate for the dignity of human life.
The March for Life also takes place during the 9 Days for Life Novena, the annual prayer initiative that began Jan. 16 and runs through Jan. 25. To join the novena, click or tap here.
In addition to the novena, on Monday, Jan. 22 — the anniversary of the Roe decision — the Church has set aside a day to pray for the legal protection of the unborn. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states that “in all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22…shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.”
Celebrate School Choice at the Michigan Capitol Next Week
Next week — Jan. 21 to 27 — is National School Choice Week, which serves as an annual opportunity to promote the right for all parents to choose the best education options for their children.
MCC is offering support for Michigan’s School Choice Celebration at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Catholic school students and staff in Michigan are invited and encouraged to attend the event Tuesday, which will include time to visit the Senate and House Galleries and meet with legislators. To register for the event and for more details, click or tap here.
National School Choice Week is also an opportunity to advocate for the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a bill in Congress to enact a tax credit scholarship to expand school choice and other educational choice options to families in all 50 states.
As a member of the Catholic Advocacy Network, you are encouraged to reach out to your representative in Congress to urge support of the ECCA legislation.
Officials Consider Increase to Child Tax Credit; Bishops Urge Faithful to Contact Congress
Members of Congress recently announced news of a bipartisan deal to possibly increase the federal Child Tax Credit, which would ease the tax burdens for millions of families.
Those who announced the deal have said the intention is to pass an increased credit in time for it to take effect for the upcoming tax filing season that covers the 2023 tax year.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) support the Child Tax Credit given its intention to improve the economic security of families, the core social unit of society. Further, the U.S. bishops have been advocating for improving the federal Child Tax Credit so that it can do more for the poorest of children.
The USCCB is encouraging Catholics to reach out to their congressional representatives to encourage them to improve the Child Tax Credit by ensuring it benefits the lowest-income families and making it available a year before birth, among other suggestions.
To send a message to your congressional representatives to pass improvements to the Child Tax Credit, click or tap here.