Here is a really cool opportunity to join members of our community for the Prayer of the Church!  Thank you to St. Bernard’s for hosting Vespers!

It seems that the story is more complicated, and significantly less rosy, when it comes to legal “medical” marijuana and its relationship to opioid deaths.  The claim has been that more legal “medical” marijuana –> fewer opioid-related deaths.

Seems maybe not…

We applaud the AMA for maintaining its stance against Physician Assisted Suicide and continuing to use honest language!

American Medical Association: Call It ‘Physician-Assisted Suicide,’ Not ‘Aid-in-Dying’

Excellent news from the AMA!

From Suzanne Stack, Life Issues Coordinator of the Diocese of Rochester

In an interview last week, Governor Cuomo prioritized legalization of surrogacy contracts for passage before the end of the session (scheduled for June 19!). Attached is the NYS Catholic Conference Memo of Opposition on this, which highlights the harm of surrogacy to the women who are impregnated and the children born of such contracts.  Commercial surrogacy has been banned in almost all of the European Union, and more recently in India, Nepal, and Cambodia due to the exploitation of poor and vulnerable women. It has also been banned in New York since 1992 when Governor Mario Cuomo signed the ban into law.  Now his son is pushing to inexplicably reverse that law.

Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo is new to Albany as she was elected to former Assemblyman Joe Morelle’s district last November. Her position on commercial surrogacy is unknown, and there are some fiercely pro-choice women in the Assembly Democratic conference who have loudly voiced their concerns on this. They are undoubtedly trying to win her over.  We urgently need to let Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo know that plenty of concerned voters in Rochester oppose commercial surrogacy as exploitive of and dangerous to women and children (Jamie is the proud mother of a young boy). Callers from anywhere in the Rochester area are helpful.  This is especially urgent for those who live in Assemblywoman Romeo’s district: Brighton, Irondequoit, Charlotte and western parts of the city as well eastern parts of the city. https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Jamie-Romeo/map/

Please call Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo’s Albany office right away: 518-455-5373

Here’s a sample script of what to say:

“I’m calling as a concerned doctor/nurse/etc to oppose commercial surrogacy. 

It exploits vulnerable women, who will be enticed to rent out their wombs and put their health at considerable risk.

It also exploits children, treating them as products to be manufactured and sold.

Lifting New York’s ban on commercial surrogacy will lead to grave human rights violations.”

Thank you for standing up for the inherent value and dignity of women and children!

You may not get to say all of this, so emphasize that commercial surrogacy exploits women, or exploits women and children. It will be helpful if you can also share health concerns. If you would like to share more on health concerns, please send an email as well as calling.  You can personalize the email message at the NYS Catholic Conference Action Center. https://www.nyscatholic.org/nys-catholic-conference-action-center/

Thank you for standing up for the inherent value and dignity of women and children!

Suzanne Stack

Life Issues Coordinator

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester

1150 Buffalo Rd

Rochester, NY 14624-1823

585-328-3210 x1304

suzanne.stack@dor.org

www.dor.org

Please RSVP to:   RSVP.FLG.event@gmail.com

Please join us for a discussion about an important : Devastating Consequences of Sex Trafficking on Women’s Health in the Linacre Quarterly Review.

23 May 2019 from 7:15-8:45pm, St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry

Click here for full text of article

Please join us on May 9th at St. Bernard’s!  Click here for more details.

We are excited to announce that our new address, and home of the FLG, is at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry!

Finger Lakes Guild
120 French Rd.
Rochester, NY 14618

We are looking forward to working every closer with this wonderful group of people.  A special thanks to Dr. Loughlin and Dr. Kuhner for making all of this possible!

Please join us on May 9th at St. Bernard’s!