MCC from the Capitol

MCC Executive Director Jamie Morris sits down with Jessica Woolbright, Executive Director of the Saint Martha’s domestic violence center in St. Louis, and Deacon Tyler McClay, Director of Advocacy at Catholic Charities of St. Louis, to discuss the impact of guns in domestic violence situations, federal and state legislation, and the upcoming gun violence summit.

MCC Executive Director Jamie Morris sits down to discuss which MCC priority bills passed during the 2023 legislative session and which did not. To see the complete MCC 2023 End of Session report, click here .

In this episode of MCC from the Capitol, the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) lobbyists give an update on the first half of the Missouri legislative session. We discuss child care and adoption tax credits, postpartum care, campus religious liberty, and more.

In this episode of MCC from the Capitol, the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) lobbyists discuss the happenings of the early 2023 Missouri legislative session. The team converses school choice, postpartum care, and criminal justice reform.

Have you ever wondered what the foster parent process looks like? Hear one mom’s journey about feeling called to foster and eventually adopt a group of siblings. Shelly Sconce discusses the surprises and rewards of expanding her family in this episode of MCC from the Capitol. 

Dr. Michael Meehan is the CEO of Marygrove, a child welfare agency near St. Louis that helps children, teens and young adults learn how to transcend an abusive past or overcome other life challenges and move toward a brighter future. In this episode, he discusses how individuals and parishes can get involved in supporting youth and foster families. 

Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clean Fuels Alliance America, headquartered in Jefferson City, discusses the impact biodiesel fuel has on the environment, public health, and the state of Missouri. 

Mike Hoey, former director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, explains the history of the Blaine Amendment in Missouri and how its anti-Catholic language kick-started the MCC’s role in defending Catholic education at the capitol. 

Marie Kenyon, attorney and director of the Peace and Justice Commission for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, details her experience at the border and explains how Catholics are called to support immigrants and the law. 

Aimee Murphy, a Catholic, describes why she created Rehumanize International, a nonpartisan, secular organization dedicated to bringing an end to all aggressive violence against humans. 

Bishop Shawn McKnight (Diocese of Jefferson City) discusses  how Catholics can form their consciences in order to answer the Church’s call to faithful citizenship. 

Carter Snead, law professor and director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, and Jamie Morris, legislative counsel for the MCC, discuss the significance of the Court’s decision in Dobbs and what is next for the pro-life movement in this episode of MCC from the Capitol podcast.

The Missouri Treasurer’s office is rolling out the new Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, passed into law in 2021, that allows qualifying students to apply for a scholarship to attend a private or other qualifying school. Guests Jeremy Lillig from the Bright Futures Fund and Nicolette Gibson from MoCAPE dive into the program, how it works, and what it means for the students i...

What happened – and what didn’t happen – in Jefferson City during the 2022 legislative session? Find out by listening to the Missouri Catholic Conference’s latest legislative roundtable episode of MCC from the Capitol , MCC's podcast. Be sure to let us know how much you enjoyed the podcast by giving it a rating afterward.

What happened – and what didn’t happen – in Jefferson City during the first nine weeks of the 2022 legislative session? Find out by listening to the Missouri Catholic Conference’s latest legislative roundtable episode of MCC from the Capitol , MCC's podcast. Be sure to let us know how much you enjoyed the podcast by giving it a rating afterward.

In this episode of MCC from the Capitol, the three Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) lobbyists discuss the happenings of the early 2022 Missouri legislative session along with the MCC's public policy priorities. The team converses about increasing the minimum wage for state employees, bitter divisions regarding the new congressional map, and parental rights in education.

Few issues are as morally challenging for Catholics as the death penalty. Since capital punishment was re-instated in 1976, the United States has executed 1,536 individuals. Missouri, with 91 executions, is in the top five states resorting to capital punishment. While support for the death penalty has steadily decreased over the years, the majority of Americans favor it. But what does the Catholic...

The world’s leaders recently met in Glasgow, Scotland to discuss climate change and to reassess the agreements set out in the 2015 Paris climate Accord.  The meeting ended with the attendees agreeing to a new “pact” to continue addressing global climate changes.  Dr. Benjamin de Foy, Professor of Atmospheric Science at St. Louis University, joins the podcast to discuss what was accomplished in Gla...

Like many states, Missouri faces a shortage of affordable housing.  Military veterans, low-wage earners, families, the physically and mentally disabled and the elderly all struggle to find an affordable place to live. How do federal and state low-income tax credit programs help to encourage developers to build housing for those in need?  Meleah Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of The Kitchen, and...

During the 2021 legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly unanimously voted to denounce the 1852 Missouri Supreme Court decision which denied Dred and Harriett Scott freedom from slavery.  Joyce Jones, MCC Public Policy Committee Chairwoman, and Monsignor Michael Witt, Professor of Church History at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, join the podcast to discuss this historic vote along with other...

Catholic healthcare institutions work tirelessly to provide faith-based healthcare to the people of Missouri. They also offer employment opportunities for healthcare workers seeking to practice their profession in accord with their Catholic faith. MCC Public Policy members Jared Bryson, Vice President of Mission and Church Relations for Mercy Health, and Chris Baechle, Chief Executive Officer for...

In May of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization , a case that challenges the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi law banning abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy with few exceptions. A ruling by the Supreme Court that the law is constitutional could upend its own landmark decisions in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey ....

Central Missouri has been a safe harbor for people seeking refuge from wars and natural disasters for several decades, and the Catholic Church has been active in their settlement. Though the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. varies from year to year, the ministry to those hoping to find a new home continues. Dan Lester, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missour...

Catholics and the Catholic Church have been present in the Midwest since before Missouri was officially recognized as a state. History records that the Church in Europe sent priests and religious to the New World as missionaries to bring the faith to native peoples and to establish schools and parishes for Catholic settlers. Monsignor Robert Kurwicki of the Diocese of Jefferson City, who currently...

In this episode of MCC from the Capitol, MCC Executive Director Tyler McClay discusses Fulton v. Philadelphia   with Lance Kinzer of the First Amendment Partnership, and MCC lobbyist Jamie Morris joins in to discuss Sanchez v. Mayorkas, an immigration case, along with the decision on the Affordable Care Act.