DETROIT — As speakers made presentations on having the “Courage to Defend Life,” one of the exhibitors at the Jan. 26 Life is a Gift conference was signing up attendees to make their voices heard in Lansing.

Annie Garnett was promoting the Catholic Legislative Advocacy Network, a program of the Michigan Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of all seven dioceses in the state.

Those who sign up receive an occasional email from the MCC alerting them to issues before the state Legislature and asking them to support the MCC’s position by writing to their state representative and senator.

“We don’t send out a lot of emails, but our Lansing Update lets people know what’s happening at the state capitol that affects the Catholic Church or the common good of the state,” said Garnett, a communications and outreach associate with the MCC.

One recent alert asked Catholics to send emails in support of Senate Bill 975, which is intended to guarantee conscience rights to health care workers and institutions, she said.

“We want to make sure elected officials hear the Catholic voice, and legislators have told us they’ve been receiving a lot of emails on some of the issues we’ve highlighted,” Garnett said.

To sign up for the Catholic Legislative Advocacy Network, visit www.micatholic.org/legislativenetwork/.