The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts today condemned the decision of the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus to march—after a decades long absence—in Boston’s 2015 Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. This is the first year in the history of the parade that a homosexual group has been invited to participate by the parade organizers, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council.
As a result of OUTVETS being permitted to march carrying signs and banners identifying their sexual behavior, the faithful Catholics of Immaculate Heart of Mary School—whose float of Saint Patrick blessing the children was for 25 years the iconic symbol of the Boston parade—have withdrawn their band and float from this year’s event.
The Catholic Action League called the decision by the Knights “a grave scandal, and an unconscionable betrayal of Catholic moral principles, which displays an appalling lack of solidarity with the believing Catholics of Immaculate Heart of Mary School.”
Catholic Action League Executive Director C. J. Doyle made the following comment: “Whatever their motivations or pretensions, the Knights are giving cover to Mayor Walsh, the parade organizers, and most of all, to OUTVETS, by perpetuating the impression that the parade is still a Catholic friendly and a family friendly event.”
“The K of C is also shamefully undermining the admirable Catholic witness of Immaculate Heart of Mary School, which is refusing to march in a parade with a group that expresses pride in repudiating Catholic morality.”
“The overt message of OUTVETS is that homosexual relations—including same gender so-called marriages—are not only morally acceptable, but something to be proud of. Their implicit message, therefore, is that Catholic moral teaching is nothing more than bigotry, prejudice and hatred.”
“The Knights are helping OUTVETS spread their message by pretending nothing is wrong, and pretending there is nothing morally objectionable to a homosexual group exploiting a parade in honor of a Catholic saint to advance its anti-Catholic ideology. The Knights of Columbus are dishonoring Saint Patrick, and ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
