St. Leo the Great Parish will welcome Timothy Logsdon for the educational presentation "Alcohol and Drug Use: What Everyone Needs to Know!" at 1 p.m. March 18.

"So many families have been forever changed by the loss of young lives caused by this terrible plague in our community," said Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish. "Our parish family at St. Leo's is pleased to offer this educational outreach that can give people hope, spiritual strength and access to information to help them heal."

The drug and opioid epidemic in Western New York seems to make the news headlines most days. Dr. Gail Burstein, Erie County Health Commissioner, reported there were already 50 suspected opioid overdose deaths in Erie County in the first two months of 2017. It would be difficult to find anyone in WNY who has not in some way been touched by this tragedy.

Drugs "are a wound in our society, a venom that corrodes, corrupts and kills," Pope Francis said in November of 2016 when he was addressing more than 50 scientists, judges, politicians and religious who participated in a Vatican-sponsored conference on the problem. "We cannot fall into the injustice of classifying a drug addict as if he [or she] was an object or broken junk," calling instead for their rehabilitation. 

Logsdon, a counselor for over 25 years, will offer insight into how we can all do our part and give a presentation to help us better understand addiction as a disease. 

All are welcome to this free educational presentation at St. Leo the Great Parish, 885 Sweet Home Rd. Amherst. 

For more information, visit the parish website.