Connections Podcast

The Vatican recently released a statement – a "responsum," in official terms – regarding whether the Church could bless same sex unions. The responsum contained a single word: "Negative." There was an explanatory note attached that explained the Church "does not and can not bless sin." For Catholics who have hoped that Pope Francis was moving the Church in a more progressive direction, this was a difficult piece of news to take in. Is this the end of their dream of a Church that supports the

The Center for Dispute Settlement has a new CEO. How will Shira May lead this organization that is designed to handle difficult disputes? The center works with students; teachers; neighbors; companies; and more. In the age of social media outrage, and public shaming, and police/community tensions, what can the center teach us about resolving our conflicts? Guests include: Shira May, new CEO for the Center for Dispute Settlement Lynda Bell, director of training and restorative initiatives for the

We sit down with Gates Police Chief James VanBrederode and Officer Mike Furia. Officer Furia was recently praised for his interaction with a man who said he was homeless, and who officers thought was experiencing a mental health crisis. Furia brought the man to a shelter, just one day before he was shot and killed by an RPD officer. We talk with him and the chief about responding to calls that involve mental health issues. Our guests: James VanBrederode, Gates Police Chief Mike Furia, Gates

A photographer in Geneva is documenting how the city has navigated the pandemic. Photographer Jan Regan teamed up with longtime journalist Chris Lavin to tell Geneva's story through photos and essays. Their work is now available in a new book called "#porchportraits." We talk with them about what they've learned about their city and its residents. Our guests: Jan Regan , photographer, and co-author of "#porchportraits" Chris Lavin, longtime journalist, co-author of "#porchportraits," and

One year ago, Rochester Police encountered Daniel Prude in the early morning hours. One week later, Prude was dead. His story continues to change Rochester. We talk about the impact of his life, his death, and what is known as Daniel’s Law. Our guests: Samra Brouk , New York State Senator, who introduced Daniel’s Law Harry Bronson , New York State Assemblymember, who introduced Daniel’s Law Serena Viktor, member of the Black Healers Network of Rochester

A new initiative aims to help local restaurant owners during the pandemic. CurAte delivers mystery dinners to customers throughout the Rochester area; the meals are made by local restaurants -- many of them minority-owned businesses. CurAte's founders say they want to help restaurants survive the pandemic, and by taking the customer work and deliveries off of their plates, restaurants can focus on making meals. This hour, we talk about CurAte, the restaurants they've worked with, and the state

Body Mass Index, or BMI, has been strongly criticized in recent years as a health metric. Now, many states are using BMI to decide whether adults should be eligible for a COVID vaccine. We examine the history of BMI and put it in context with the experts. Our guests: Steve Cook , M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Golisano Children's Hospital Holly Russell , M.D., medical director for clinical and community-based programs the Center for Community Health & Prevention at UR Medicine,

The Levine Center to End Hate is partnering with Monroe Community College to present a series of conversations exploring the history of racism and xenophobia aimed at Asian and Asian American communities in the U.S. The series, "Asian Matters: Standing with Rochester's Asian American Communities," comes after recent attacks on Asians and Asian Americans. Our guests discuss how we can work together to support our Asian and Asian American neighbors. Our guests: Karen Elam , director of the Levine

Research shows the pandemic has had significant mental health burdens on young adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 63 percent of 18-24-year-olds surveyed reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, with 25 percent reporting increased substance use to deal with that stress. 25 percent said they seriously considered suicide. This hour, we talk to mental health experts about this issue, as well as young people who share their personal experiences. Our guests: Megan

Rochester City Council member Mitch Gruber and University of Rochester professor Stewart Weaver say the university has recently made strides when it comes to meeting moral obligations, but it can do much more when it comes to those responsibilities in the community. They've written an op-ed for the Democrat and Chronicle about gaps they see. They join us to discuss their perspectives on the university's role in the community. We also address how other large local employers factor into this issue