logo
WNY Catholics respond to hospitalization of Pope Francis

WNY Catholics respond to hospitalization of Pope Francis

Yahoo26-02-2025

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As Pope Francis approaches nearly two weeks in the hospital battling heath concerns, Western New York Catholics are responding with their support and prayers.
WIVB News 4 spoke with Mike Taheri and Patrick Gorman, parishioners who have been vocal in the fight to keep churches open during the Buffalo Diocese's 'road to renewal.'Gorman said if the pope were to die, he would go down as one who led through the hardest time of being a Catholic, losing the amount of faithful with many going through what the Buffalo Diocese has the last year.
Gorman added that the next pope will have to bear that cross if Pope Francis does die.
'You and I both know what we're going through here in Buffalo,' Gorman said. 'So, I think that the priests and the Buffalo Diocese and our bishop, they're still going to be our bishop, they're still going to be our priest. We need a pope that's going to help bring us all back together again.'
News 4 asked the question of what legacy the pope has left over the years.
'I think the pope will go down as just a great, great pope for teaching us about the role of Jesus and his teachings and concern,' Taheri said. 'One of his sayings was, you know, you want the church to be a field hospital for those who are most wounded, those who are most broken and most in need, and frankly, I think he's really taken some great steps to achieve that.'
Gorman also said if the pope were to die, it would leave a big hole in the world as the pope, among politicians and world leaders, is the one who so many people know and respect.
'How this illness impacts on his ministry and his capacity to perform, we don't know, but what we do know is God is working through him and God is going to continue to work through him and through the Catholic faith, so it's up to us as the Catholic faithful to pray for the pope, but to help the pope in any way, he asks us to help him,' Taheri said.
The pope's official X account acknowledges the outpouring of support and thanked everyone for the prayers.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval
NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval

Yahoo

time9 hours ago

  • Yahoo

NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval

ALBANY – State Senate Democrats passed highly controversial legislation that would allow terminally ill people to take their own lives with the help of doctors in a razor-thin vote Monday — leaving it up to Gov. Kathy Hochul whether to sign it into law. 'This is one of the great social reforms of our state,' state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), the bill's sponsor in the upper chamber, touted at a press conference earlier in the day Monday — putting the measure on the same tier as the legalization of gay marriage. 'This is about personal autonomy, this is about liberty, this is about exercising one's own freedom to control one's body,' Hoylman-Sigal continued. The measure passed 35 to 27, with six Democrats – Senators April Baskin, Siela Bynoe, Cordelle Cleare, Monica Martinez, Roxanne Persaud, and Sam Sutton – voting against it. 'The governor will review the legislation,' a spokesperson for Hochul said. The bill's passage follows a years-long campaign that was fought tooth and nail by a diverse group of critics, including disability rights activists and the Catholic church, as well as many black and Orthodox Jewish communities. 'The Governor still has the opportunity to uphold New York's commitment to suicide prevention, protect vulnerable communities, and affirm that every life—regardless of disability, age, or diagnosis—is worthy of care, dignity, and protection,' The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide wrote in a statement following the vote. A Catholic group slammed the bill's passing as 'a dark day for New York' and also called on Hochul to refuse to sign it. 'For the first time in its history, New York is on the verge of authorizing doctors to help their patients commit suicide. Make no mistake – this is only the beginning, and the only person standing between New York and the assisted suicide nightmare unfolding in Canada is Governor Hochul,' Dennis Poust, Executive Director of the New York State Catholic Conference, wrote in a statement. Ahead of the vote, the nearly three-hour debate on the Senate floor got emotional, with several lawmakers holding back tears as they explained their votes. Syracuse-area state Sen. Rachel May (D-Onondaga) shared the story of her late husband, who was receiving morphine in the final stages of his battle with cancer, which he eventually succumbed to at 32 years old. 'I don't know if the last largest dose he took also took his life, but I know that he died in peace,' May said. 'It isn't about controlling the disease or controlling the pain, it's about having control at the end of your life,' she said before voting in favor. Critics fear the legislation lacks critical safeguards over how doctors approve patients looking to receive the prescription for a lethal cocktail of drugs, such as a statutory waiting period, establishing clear chain of custody for the pills, mandating the doctor and recipient meet in-person, and requiring a disclosure that someone indeed used the drugs to take their own life. Under the bill, recipients would need approval from two doctors and a sign-off from two independent witnesses, after which they would receive a prescription for drugs they could use to take their life at a time of their choosing. Doctors also do not have to conduct a mental health screening for each patient, but may refer a patient for one under the legislation. 'I don't think requesting end-of-life medication when an individual is suffering and in pain and dying suggests a mental health condition, if anything, I think it's quite rational,' Hoylman-Sigal said. Hoylman vowed the bill would not lead to such 'unintended consequences.' 'It was a professional organization that provided us crucial guidance, that helped us develop the state-of-the-art safeguards in this legislation that gave my colleagues and the general public, I believe, the assurance that there will not be unintended consequences,' he said. The legislation is referred to by its supporters as the 'Medical Aid in Dying' bill. 'The option of medical aid in dying provides comfort, allowing those who are dying to live their time more fully and peacefully until the end. I am profoundly grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins for giving her conference the space to have this important and emotional discussion,' Corinne Carey, Senior Campaign Director of Compassion and Choices, the main group driving the effort to pass the bill, wrote in a statement.

NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval
NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval

New York Post

time15 hours ago

  • New York Post

NY state Senate approves doctor-assisted suicide bill, sends it to Hochul's desk for approval

ALBANY – State Senate Democrats passed highly controversial legislation that would allow terminally ill people to take their own lives with the help of doctors in a razor-thin vote Monday — leaving it up to Gov. Kathy Hochul whether to sign it into law. 'This is one of the great social reforms of our state,' state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), the bill's sponsor in the upper chamber, touted at a press conference earlier in the day Monday — putting the measure on the same tier as the legalization of gay marriage. 'This is about personal autonomy, this is about liberty, this is about exercising one's own freedom to control one's body,' Hoylman-Sigal continued. 3 The 'Medical Aid in Dying Act' passed the state senate Monday evening, meaning it only needs Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature to become law. Vaughn Golden The measure passed 35 to 27, with six Democrats – Senators April Baskin, Siela Bynoe, Cordelle Cleare, Monica Martinez, Roxanne Persaud, and Sam Sutton – voting against it. 'The governor will review the legislation,' a spokesperson for Hochul said. The bill's passage follows a years-long campaign that was fought tooth and nail by a diverse group of critics, including disability rights activists and the Catholic church, as well as many black and Orthodox Jewish communities. 'The Governor still has the opportunity to uphold New York's commitment to suicide prevention, protect vulnerable communities, and affirm that every life—regardless of disability, age, or diagnosis—is worthy of care, dignity, and protection,' The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide wrote in a statement following the vote. A Catholic group slammed the bill's passing as 'a dark day for New York' and also called on Hochul to refuse to sign it. 'For the first time in its history, New York is on the verge of authorizing doctors to help their patients commit suicide. Make no mistake – this is only the beginning, and the only person standing between New York and the assisted suicide nightmare unfolding in Canada is Governor Hochul,' Dennis Poust, Executive Director of the New York State Catholic Conference, wrote in a statement. 3 The state Senate voted 35-27 Monday night to legalize physician-assisted suicide for people with terminal illnesses. AP Ahead of the vote, the nearly three-hour debate on the Senate floor got emotional, with several lawmakers holding back tears as they explained their votes. Syracuse-area state Sen. Rachel May (D-Onondaga) shared the story of her late husband, who was receiving morphine in the final stages of his battle with cancer, which he eventually succumbed to at 32 years old. 'I don't know if the last largest dose he took also took his life, but I know that he died in peace,' May said. 'It isn't about controlling the disease or controlling the pain, it's about having control at the end of your life,' she said before voting in favor. Critics fear the legislation lacks critical safeguards over how doctors approve patients looking to receive the prescription for a lethal cocktail of drugs, such as a statutory waiting period, establishing clear chain of custody for the pills, mandating the doctor and recipient meet in-person, and requiring a disclosure that someone indeed used the drugs to take their own life. Under the bill, recipients would need approval from two doctors and a sign-off from two independent witnesses, after which they would receive a prescription for drugs they could use to take their life at a time of their choosing. 3 Gov. Kathy Hochul has not signaled whether she will sign the assisted suicide bill. Lev Radin/ZUMA / Doctors also do not have to conduct a mental health screening for each patient, but may refer a patient for one under the legislation. 'I don't think requesting end-of-life medication when an individual is suffering and in pain and dying suggests a mental health condition, if anything, I think it's quite rational,' Hoylman-Sigal said. Hoylman vowed the bill would not lead to such 'unintended consequences.' 'It was a professional organization that provided us crucial guidance, that helped us develop the state-of-the-art safeguards in this legislation that gave my colleagues and the general public, I believe, the assurance that there will not be unintended consequences,' he said. The legislation is referred to by its supporters as the 'Medical Aid in Dying' bill. 'The option of medical aid in dying provides comfort, allowing those who are dying to live their time more fully and peacefully until the end. I am profoundly grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins for giving her conference the space to have this important and emotional discussion,' Corinne Carey, Senior Campaign Director of Compassion and Choices, the main group driving the effort to pass the bill, wrote in a statement.

Rochester-based organization providing aid to Haiti reacts to international travel ban
Rochester-based organization providing aid to Haiti reacts to international travel ban

Yahoo

time19 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Rochester-based organization providing aid to Haiti reacts to international travel ban

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – The Trump administration has imposed a travel ban on 12 countries, which took effect Monday. The ban is prohibiting those primarily in Africa and the Middle East from entering the U.S. out of concerns of national security and terrorism. Haiti is among the countries affected. News 8 spoke to the leader of one local organization overseeing mission work there for years. Dr. Ralph Pennino co-founded Intervol in the late 80s and for more than three decades, the Rochester-based organization has helped to provide countless medical supplies and equipment in developing countries each year. In 2017, Dr. Pennino helped to create a school in Leogane, Haiti, which is not far from the country's capital of Port-Au-Prince. 'Right now, we've got grades 1 through 9. These are kids that wouldn't have a choice in education otherwise,' said Dr. Pennino. Regarding the travel ban, Dr. Pennino says the future of volunteerism is unclear. With a population plagued by poverty and violence, he says it only makes matters more complicated. 'Haiti, interestingly enough, has the highest number of volunteers per capita for a population that comes down to try and help Haiti. To be quite honest, there's probably going to be a lot of repair work to do because people are going to be afraid. And I understand. They're not going to go want to go there,' said Dr. Pennino. Catholic Charities closing certain refugee resettlement programs While there's no immediate answer as to when the travel ban will lift, Intervol continues to meet with students online for services like medical checkups or educational lessons. 'We'd normally send doctors down that would go to some of the remote villages to do primary care and the surgeons would go to part of the hospital. That part of what we do, I don't know how long it's going to be,' said Dr. Pennino. Dr. Pennino added for the first time in the Haitian school's history, their ninth graders are about to complete their national exams. He says that has been a positive in the midst of uncertainty. More information on ways to donate or help support Intervol's cause in Haiti can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store