Catholics Bring Their Concerns to Albany

By Linda Busetti

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and members of the diocese were in Albany to lobby the state government on the annual New York State Catholic Conference Public Policy Day March 11, the day after Gov. Eliot Spitzer was linked to a prostitution ring.

The Bishop, Cardinal Edward Egan and other New York state bishops had been scheduled to meet privately with Gov. Spitzer on March 10 to discuss his stands on abortion legislation, education tax credits and other issues, but the meeting was cancelled.

A focus of the meetings and lobbying was to be Gov. Spitzer’s proposed “Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act.”

Members of the diocese arrived in Albany on Tuesday to lobby against Gov. Spitzer’s abortion bill, (S.5829); against legalization of same-sex marriage; and in support of education tax credits, increased supports for poor and middle-class New Yorkers, supports for immigrants and migrants, and reductions in greenhouse gases.

 Linda Busetti Photos 

AN HONOR for Dr. Irene Impellizzeri was presented by Cardinal Edward Egan and picked up by her cousin Adele Grande and her daughters Virginia and Barbara.

Buses transported parishioners from five points in the diocese: St. Therese of Lisieux, East Flatbush; St. Anselm, Bay Ridge; St. Paul & St. Agnes, Cobble Hill; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Astoria; and Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston.

Sister Mary Davies, who oversees St. Brendan’s House for seniors, caught the bus at St. Anselm’s. She hoped to speak with legislators about the abortion bill, education tax credits and support for immigrants.

Ingrid Seunarine of St. Jerome’s, Flatbush, works for Catholic Charities as director of Bereavement Services. She was interested in speaking to members of the Assembly about immigrants. Lucette Bishop of St. Therese of Lisieux, East Flatbush, is president of the legislative commission of the National Conference of Catholic Women. Human trafficking was the subject that most concerned her. It was important enough for her to take a day off from work to make the trip to Albany.

It was the first time that Irina Lewiusko of Guardian Angel, Brighton Beach, had come to the annual Public Policy Day. A native of Poland, she was disappointed that more people hadn’t taken the opportunity to voice their opinions. She felt strongly that she had to speak out against the abortion bill.

LOBBYING in Albany, Ingrid Seunarine, left, and Lucette Bishop meet and share position papers with Roberta Sims, right, a legislative aide to Assemblyman Nick Perry.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio was one of two keynote speakers at the Public Policy Day General Assembly of about 3,000 New York State Catholics in the Swyer Theatre of The Egg, a performing arts center.

Along with Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard, Bishop DiMarzio addressed the day’s participants at 11 a.m. The focus was on the importance of responsible citizenship.
Cardinal Egan and the New York State bishops celebrated Mass at 11:30 a.m. in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, within walking distance of the Capitol, for all participants.

Cardinal Egan said that with 1,200,000 abortions performed each year, “we have the championship in this outrage.” He said of the pre-born, “All are you and I in miniature.”

He spoke of other issues of “morality and ethics,” including support for working families, “tax credits for 20% of children” in New York schools, the schools “that succeed,” “care of the stranger – the immigrant and migrant,” and about the same-sex marriage issue, he said, “stop the nonsense about what the fundamental unit is.”

“The press is interested in other questions today,” the cardinal said, alluding to the governor’s problems. “Stay focused on what we will be saying here.”

During the intentions of the Mass, prayers were included for the governor and government “especially at this challenging time.”

After Mass, Cardinal Egan presented awards from the State Catholic Conference to Tom Maul, Dr. Irene Impellizzeri, which was picked up by her cousin Adele Grande and her daughters, and to Bishop Robert Brucato, Vicar General of the New York Archdiocese.

Bishop Brucato challenged all young people in attendance to “bring the Gospel up the steps of the government buildings.”

After lunch there was time to make their way through crowded halls and packed elevators to visit legislators in the Capitol offices.

Before heading back to Brooklyn, Ingrid Seunarine and Lucette Bishop went to lobby at the office of Assemblyman Nick Perry of District 58, Brooklyn. He was tied up in a joint session but they were welcomed by Roberta Sims, legislative aide.

POWER OF PRAYER: Cardinal Egan delivers the homily during Mass celebrated at the New York State Catholic Conference lobbying day in Albany. To his left are Bishops Douglas Kmiec of Buffalo, Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, and Howard Hubbard of Albany.

Bishop, originally from Jamaica, expressed her concerns about human trafficking. Seunarine spoke about the need for better health care for immigrants as she passed Catholic Conference position papers to Sims.

About the immigrants, Bishop said, “They came to work. I was one of them.”

Seunarine said that at Catholic Charities she sees many immigrants who suffer from depression. “We do what we can for them. I see them every day on the seventh floor coming for Pampers and other items they need.” Sims said she would pass on the papers to Perry.

Later Susan Steinhardt who works for Catholic Charities Services for People with Disabilities, stopped in to see State Senator Martin Golden of Brooklyn. She had a chance to share with him some position papers before catching a bus for the three or more hour ride back to Brooklyn.

The position papers they distributed concerned:

The proposed “Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act,” which will look to establish a “fundamental right to privacy” in state law so abortion would be available through the nine months of pregnancy. This would preclude parental notification for abortions performed on minors. The target was the State Senate where the bill was introduced.

Support for education tax credits. Gov. Spitzer supported education tax credits, but did not include them in his proposed budget.

Providing essential services to immigrants and migrants including access to health care and education. Ensuring that immigrants are not victims of exploitation and human trafficking.

Increased supports for low-income working families including childcare, affordable housing, education and training, health care and transportation. Expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and an increase in the public assistance grant for people to transition from welfare to work.

Expanded health insurance coverage to all uninsured children.

Opposition to the legalization of same-sex unions.

Eliminating heat-trapping “greenhouse” gas emissions from all sources in New York State to protect public health.

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