Quoted Text

Catholic Charities to give syringes to drug users
Church agency's needle exchange aims to cut disease risk

By PAUL GRONDAHL, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, January 29, 2010

ALBANY-- After 20 years of alleviating suffering for people touched by AIDS, Catholic Charities will take one of its boldest steps yet on Monday: passing out free syringes to IV drug users in two urban neighborhoods to prevent the spread of the disease.


Anticipating criticism, the social services agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany spent five years planning and vetting the needle exchange program, which received approval from its trustees and board chairman, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard.
"I understand there will be questions, but this is common sense," said Sister Maureen Joyce, CEO of Catholic Charities. "I strongly believe in this. It will save lives."
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=894728#ixzz0e0D6JsGd

Because Catholic Charities has sold out to the government so they can receive government funding...aka..our tax dollars, it appears that they just sold their soul to the devil.

This is clearly a government call that Catholic Charities has accepted under the blanket of using government tax monies. If they didn't, bet they'd lose their government funding. God forbid, huh?

Next.....abortions!!!!

Sad.

Bumble you couldn't be more wrong on this one.  I applaud Sr. Maureen Joyce's effort to take the lead in the Capital District with the syringe program.  This program is backed by countless organizations in the Capital District from every religious tradition as well as governmental agencies, state, county and city.   It is totally within the mission of Catholic Charities to reachout to the poor and those who are vulnerable.  This will save lives for sure.

The abortion issue is quite, quite different.  No need to be sad--rejoice at this initiative.  All religions are called to this type of ministry.

Yes you are probably right. If all of the religions are called to this ministry, it must be the right thing to do. I'm sure they have all prayed about it and God told them (or they read it in their bible) that providing 'clean' syringes to crack head, coke addicted, drug dealers and prostitute sinners will stop the insanity.

God said to love the person and hate the sin. So I guess giving them 'clean' syringes is showing God's infinite love for his sinful creation. I'm sure the pope put his seal of approval on this also, even though the catholic church is a staunch believer in artificial birth control. .......... but clean syringes.....that's cool!

As far as catholic charities even aligning itself with the catholic religion is a hypocrisy at it's best. They are clearly nothing more than the arm of the liberal government, supported mainly with 'government tax dollars' hiding under the guise of the CATHOLIC religion!

Well, Hubbard runs it .. 'nuff said.

The countdown to his retirement continues, and is much anticipated and prayed for.

Just as national healthcare will make sure no one smokes/drinks/gets fat etc....so it will make sure the drug users are safe.....

which brings a question up-----disease or choice?

if it's choice, go get your own damn paraphanalia.....no different than purchasing condoms or having an abortion.....it's CHOICE....always has been and always will be.......we ARE that weak.....

Quoted from bumblethru

Yes you are probably right. If all of the religions are called to this ministry, it must be the right thing to do. I'm sure they have all prayed about it and God told them (or they read it in their bible) that providing 'clean' syringes to crack head, coke addicted, drug dealers and prostitute sinners will stop the insanity.

God said to love the person and hate the sin. So I guess giving them 'clean' syringes is showing God's infinite love for his sinful creation. I'm sure the pope put his seal of approval on this also, even though the catholic church is a staunch believer in artificial birth control. .......... but clean syringes.....that's cool!

As far as catholic charities even aligning itself with the catholic religion is a hypocrisy at it's best. They are clearly nothing more than the arm of the liberal government, supported mainly with 'government tax dollars' hiding under the guise of the CATHOLIC religion!

Here we have some ignorant thinking at best.  People with a confused moral compass because they try and assign  moral principals to a political agenda-  Most Health Departments in most states has some sort of ' viral Hepatitis prevention and control program' or action plan.  I doubt terminal and bumble have any ideas that would resemble an ' action plan - except what ever anyone is doing - stop-



  

Quoted from Sombody

  People with a confused moral compass because they try and assign  moral principals to a political agenda-  
  

Either I'm not expressing my thoughts correctly or you are clearly ignorant to the english language. My point was............'CATHOLIC' Charities is under the umbrella of the CATHOLIC CHURCH....correct? Does the name 'BISHOP' Hubbard ring a bell to anyone?

Confused? You betcha! I'm not imposing MY moral compass on anyone here. I am questioning 'CATHOLIC Charities' moral compass and who's they choose to follow. The 'CATHOLIC' church or the secular CHURCH OF THE UNITED STATES?

When an entity such as 'CATHOLIC' charities (under the guise of the 'CATHOLIC' church), begins to change their core moral values and beliefs to co-inside with the governments view of morals and choice of free expression, it tends to make one....yes confused! AIDS, which is a horrible disease can infect anyone.  However, I'm not talking about the innocent bystander who becomes infected with AIDS. (and I know many innocent bystanders who are now living with AIDS) But when one freely chooses to break the 'CATHOLIC' moral law of homosexuality, drug addiction, prostitution and promiscuous sex ....which increases the odds of passing on AIDS, ..... well I just don't get it!

Giving out clean syringes? They are clearly treating the aftermath of personal bad moral choices as opposed to the morals  set forth by the 'CATHOLIC CHURCH' instead of treating the root cause.

So in conclusion....these are not my moral values I am imposing. They are clearly the stated moral value of the CATHOLIC CHURCH. aka 'CATHOLIC CHARITIES'? I call it hypocacy at it's best.

Catholic charities should change it's name to 'government charities'. It makes more sense dontcha think since it is just an arm of the liberal government and paid for by us, the taxpayers.

Well said Bumble.

Catholic Charities passing out syringes to drug users is kinda like passing out condoms or the "morning after pill" to prostitutes.  They're mitigating the consequences of the sinful, and destructive behavior. IMO

go have a fund raiser to get the syringes and pass them out all you want......the addict really doesn't care if you show up with a clean'
one or not.......

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Needle giveaways getting a mixed reaction Advocates contend programs limit spread of HIV, hepatitis
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter


    It turns out getting free, clean needles for drug abuse isn’t as hard as one might think.
    Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, which hit the news last week when it announced a program to give out free needles to drug addicts in Albany, has actually been giving out needles throughout the region for more than a year.
    It has partnered with pharmacies from Schenectady to Catskill to give out free packs of 10 needles to anyone holding a syringe voucher card. Those cards can be picked up anonymously at the Damien Center and Hometown Health in Schenectady, the offices of the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York and many other places.
    And many pharmacies that aren’t involved in that program are giving away needles on their own, said Angela Keller, executive director at Catholic Charities AIDS Services.
“There’s many others that are doing it that aren’t connected to us at all,” she said. Locally, Rite Aid gives out free syringes, as does the pharmacy at Hometown Health. Those efforts are not well-publicized and have generally flown under the radar. So Catholic Charities has borne the brunt of the criticism since it went public last week.
Many conservatives say giving needles to drug addicts is not only a waste of money, but actually harmful.
    “You’re basically giving people a weapon to kill themselves,” said Thomas Buchanan, who leads the Schenectady County Republicans. “You can still OD on this stuff. It’s still destructive. Sure, HIV, maybe that will help, but you should be getting people off this stuff, not enabling them.”
    Some church members have sworn to stop donating to Catholic Charities in response to the exchange program, saying their money should not go toward helping drug addicts. But others offered support. ...............>>>>..................>>>>.............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00102&AppName=1

NOW Buchanan speaks?? On this??

Quoted from 147

NOW Buchanan speaks?? On this??

Exactly!

I thought the same thing.....it's a podium puck....stay away......