We ask you, urgently: don't scroll past this
Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.Help Now >
Michigan considers two pro-life ballot initiatives
FREE Catholic Classes
The Michigan Catholic Conference is urging state residents to support a petition drive for an initiative to ban "dismemberment abortions" instead of a separate petition drive that seeks to ban abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat.

Highlights
Lansing, Mich., (CNA) - The two competing initiatives are backed by different groups. The dismemberment abortion ban is being conducted by a group called Michigan Values Life, while the heartbeat ban is supported by the Michigan Heartbeat Coalition. The Michigan Catholic Conference and Right to Life of Michigan are both supporting Michigan Values Life.
The ban on "dismemberment abortions" would make it a felony for a physician to perform a dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion, and the ballot initiative seeks to update the state's existing ban on partial-birth abortions.
D&E abortions are typically done in the second trimester of pregnancy and involve the dismemberment of an unborn child.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has said she would veto any pro-life legislation. The ballot initiative push is a way for these bills to become law outside of her signature.
Presently, Michigan law prohibits all abortion. This law is not enforced due to the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, but would go into back into effect if the decision were ever to be overturned. If the proposed heartbeat bill were to become law and Roe were to be overturned, it would actually liberalize existing Michigan abortion law and permit the abortion of infants prior to the detection of a fetal heartbeat.
"At worst, the heartbeat ban could be interpreted to create a conflict in the law and replace the 1931 ban, actually allowing abortions up until a baby's heartbeat is detected," said a fact sheet released by the Michigan Catholic Conference.
While it is not uncommon for pro-lifers to oppose heartbeat legislation due to the potential of expensive legal and constitutional challenges, this is relatively unusual as pro-life groups are opposing the heartbeat bill due to the existence of an even stronger piece of anti-abortion legislation.
Several states have passed "heartbeat bills," and those bills have been signed into law. None of the bans have been allowed to actually go into effect due to legal challenges. "Heartbeat bills" will not be considered constitutional until the Supreme Court either overturns the Roe v. Wade decision or makes a different ruling on an abortion case.
Supporters of either petition drive must get approximately 350,000 signatures to force the legislature to vote on the legislation.
Ed. note: This story has been updated for clarity.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
- Easter / Lent
- Ascension Day
- 7 Morning Prayers
- Mysteries of the Rosary
- Litany of the Bl. Virgin Mary
- Popular Saints
- Popular Prayers
- Female Saints
- Saint Feast Days by Month
- Stations of the Cross
- St. Francis of Assisi
- St. Michael the Archangel
- The Apostles' Creed
- Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
- Pray the Rosary

The Human Brain Never Stops Growing — A Wonder of God’s Creation

Texas Flood Tragedy Deepens: Catholics Called to Pray as Death Toll Rises Past 100

‘Young Women of Deep Faith’: Catholic School Mourns Sisters Lost in Texas Hill Country Floods
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Wednesday, July 09, 2025
St. Veronica Giuliani: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, July 09, 2025
Prayer for a Happy Death: Prayer of the Day for Wednesday, July 09, 2025
Daily Readings for Tuesday, July 08, 2025
St. Grimbald: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, July 08, 2025
- Look over me lord : Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, July 08, 2025
Copyright 2025 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2025 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.