News Release: Michigan Catholic Conference Celebrates 40th Anniversary

LANSING—Since 1963 the Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) has been guided by the biblical imperative for a commitment to justice as it has advocated on numerous social issues. Today the Conference celebrated with its staff and board of directors the past 40 years of social and political action.

“The culture keeps modifying itself and the Michigan Catholic Conference keeps giving us answers to the questions of the day,” said chairman of the MCC board of directors, His Eminence Adam Cardinal Maida. “They keep giving us a direction which has a spiritual and religious dimension. Somebody has to be there to advocate for those who have no voice, and the Michigan Catholic Conference is a voice of the people on so many issues.”

“For 40 years the Michigan Catholic Conference has been an active voice for the Church to ensure that social justice is prevalent across the state,” said MCC President and CEO Sister Monica Kostielney, R.S.M. “I am proud to be a part of such an outstanding organization, which is guided by the wisdom of the bishops, that makes certain all citizens, especially the most vulnerable, are treated equally and fairly.”

Joining the staff of the MCC was the 14-member board of directors, including the seven diocesan bishops, who celebrated the Conference’s 40th Anniversary with a lunch that featured a 12-minute film highlighting the accomplishments of the Conference. In addition, the Conference distributed its latest FOCUS publication, which was penned by Most Reverend James A. Murray, Bishop of Kalamazoo, and dedicated to the Conference’s 40th Anniversary.

In his essay, Bishop Murray states that a good benchmark against which to evaluate the efficacy of the Conference is Pope John Paul

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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