The Diocese of Rochester is urging Catholics to travel to Albany on June 12 to show their opposition to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Women’s Equality Act, which Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan has said would ease restrictions in state law on late-term abortion and could broadly expand abortion across all stages of gestation.
New York state’s Catholic bishops are encouraging Catholics to participate in the rally at the State Capitol Building in Albany to demonstrate their opposition to the bill. Participants will gather and pray together at noon, and at 1 p.m. some of them will lobby at lawmakers’ offices while others stand outside with signs protesting the proposed legislation, according to Deacon Claude Lester, who is organizing bus transportation to Albany from three locations within the Rochester Diocese. The bus will depart from the Park-n-Ride lot at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford at 8:15 a.m., from the lot at Thruway Exit 44 in Farmington at 8:30 a.m. and from the lot at Thruway Exit 40 in Weedsport at 9:05 a.m.
Deacon Lester said he’s hoping many local Catholics will take part in the event.
"It’s part of who we are as Catholics, and the legislation that is being looked at is a further erosion of the moral fabric of our country," he said.
The bus transportation will cost $25 for adults and $15 for students. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the fee. Anyone interested in riding the bus must make reservations by 5 p.m. on June 10. Reservations may be made by contacting Deacon Lester by phone at 585-750-7524 or via email at albanyvigil@dor.org.
Those who cannot participate may wish to click here for a link to the Catholic conference’s action alert on this issue.
