MCC supports call for school funding ruling

LANSING — The Michigan Catholic Conference “expressed its support” for a decision by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to seek an advisory opinion from the Michigan Supreme Court on state reimbursement of funding for health and safety-related mandates at private schools. Gov. Snyder requested the opinion after a state budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year included $2.5 million to reimburse non-public schools — including Catholic schools — for carrying out the state-required mandates. The MCC supported the governor’s request “in order to clarify the legal nature of this policy that seeks to protect the health and safety of all students, regardless of the school they attend.”

Memorial honors slain Armada teenager

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — Friars, staff and others from the Capuchin Retreat Center in Washington Township took part in a memorial service July 24 in honor of an Armada teenager who was killed two years ago. Fr. Jerry Kessel, OFM Cap., a friar at the center, led the service to pray for April Millsap, a 14-year-old parishioner of St. Mary Mystical Rose Parish in Armada who was attacked and killed in the summer of 2014 while walking her dog, for her attacker and for those who continue to mourn her. The service was conducted at the April Millsap Memorial Garden in the village of Armada.

Credit union, CHSL announce partnership

SOUTHFIELD — The Catholic High School League and Alliance Catholic Credit Union announced a partnership July 28 in which the credit union would become the exclusive financial institution sponsor for the league, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2016. The CHSL oversees boys and girls sports for 27 private high schools in southeast Michigan, the majority being schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit. As part of the agreement, Alliance will offer a pair of $5,000 scholarships in support of Catholic education in southeast Michigan.