March 13, 2013

Albany -  Stopping Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed Reproductive Health Act will be the priority of Catholics gathering for the annual Catholics at the Capitol lobby day March 20 in Albany.

While the lobby day includes a slate of issues of concern to Catholics, with the abortion bill, "we're talking about innocent human life and a bill that can have long-lasting effects," said Dennis Poust, communications director for the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents New York State’s Bishops in matters of public policy.

The bill in question is the Reproductive Health Act, which has been introduced by governors every year since 2007.

In his January State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo grouped it with his proposed Women's Equality Act, which prioritizes nine other women's equality issues the bishops support, like equal pay, zero tolerance for sexual harassment and human trafficking laws. "All these laudable initiatives for women are being held hostage by this Reproductive Health Act," Mr. Poust said.

The bill would add a broad health exception into state law, which currently allows late-term abortions to protect the mother's life, could allow healthcare professionals who are not physicians to perform abortion procedures, could undermine maternity and prenatal care programs and could be used to compel all hospitals to allow abortions.

In addition to the fight against abortion expansion, participants from all eight dioceses of New York State will lobby on issues related to Catholic schools, poverty, Medicaid and prisons.

The participants will attend a workshop on the issues, meet with  legislators, pray the rosary with he Knights of Columbus and process to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for 1:30 p.m. Mass.

For more information and to register for the lobby day, online, go to www.nyscatholic.org or contact the diocesan coordinator  Daughter of Charity Sister Donna Franklin, director of Catholic Charities at (315) 393-2255, ccdirect@wadhams.edu.