Immaculate Heart of Mary School in the city of Harvard renounced its participation Thursday in the annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, scheduled for March 15, in response to the acceptance of an LGBT veteran organization, OUTVETS, joining in the celebration.
A 5-4 vote on Dec. 15, 2014 by the Allied War Veterans granted the OUTVETS’ participation in the parade, The Daily Free Press reported on Dec. 20, 2014. This decision marks the first time an LGBT organization is allowed in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, said Brian Mahoney, of the South Boston Allied War Veteran’s Council, the organizers of the parade.
“Anybody that applies to be in the parade is voted upon,” Mahoney said. “It’s disappointing to us, but they have a right to do what they want to do and they decided to stay out. It hurts a little, but we understand.”
The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts stated in a Thursday press release that the school’s decision to withdraw is “an act of courage, integrity and fidelity to the moral teachings of the Catholic religion.”
The League commended the administrators, teachers and students of the private school for the withdrawal of their float and band after the OUTVETS were accepted into the parade by the Council.
“At a time when so many Catholics conform to the culture, it is profoundly edifying to see the splendid example of Catholic witness offered by Immaculate Heart of Mary School,” said C.J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League, in the release.
Doyle is critical of the parade continuing to hold the name of Saint Patrick, the release stated.
“The Catholic Action League also joins with Brother Thomas Dalton [principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary] in urging parade organizers to change the name of the parade to the Evacuation Day Parade, commemorating the civil holiday, as the event no longer has any meaningful connection to the religion of Saint Patrick,” Doyle said in the release.
Although the final decision has been made, Doyle said he does not agree that the LGBT veterans should be allowed to march.
“How do you honor a Catholic saint by providing a forum for people who radically reject and express pride in rejecting Catholic morality?” he said in the release. “It’s radically incompatible with the Catholic celebration.”
Mahoney said getting the snow off the parade route is of larger concern to the Council than the Immaculate Heart of Mary School.
Bryan Bishop, founder and chief executive officer of OUTVETS, met with the Allied War Veterans to discuss the reason for non-political groups joining the parade.
“We’re not trying to make a political statement or even a social statement,” Bishop said. “We’re trying to make a veteran statement, and that is, we’re here to solely honor the service and sacrifice of LGBT veterans, their families and their allies and supporters, as well as all veterans.”
The OUTVETS’ mission includes honoring and recognizing the sacrifice and service of LGBT veterans, said Ryan McGill, the senior vice commander of OUTVETS. The OUTVETS intend to focus on community service initiatives to help other veterans and organizations give individuals who have served in the military a second chance to serve in another realm, he said.
“It’s unfortunate that the school doesn’t want to march,” McGill said. “We’re a group of focused people that want to do good to help others. Our orientation has nothing to do with that. We just want to say that although we were unable to be recognized during Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, it’s just a good thing for us to be able to say we did sacrifice. We did serve alongside our straight brothers and sisters.”
Representatives at Immaculate Heart of Mary School declined to comment on the issue.
Several residents said no group should be barred from participating in a parade because of their beliefs, and groups with opposing beliefs should be able to march together without issue.
Fatimah Alsalah, 22, of Allston, said she sympathizes with OUTVETS and it is time that the LGBT community is accepted.
“It’s a sensitive issue for some people,” she said. “So it might be weird for them, but it’s actually something in culture. Some people [are] gay, and they don’t speak because people would not accept [them], but [they’re] there. We have to appreciate it.”
Dana Shamitz, 21, of Allston, said she respects the right for independent thought but disagrees with Immaculate Heart of Mary’s decision to withdraw.
“They should pay that respect and actually be in it with them rather than taking themselves out,” she said. “They could just suck it up. Living in a place like [Boston,] it’s something you would have to suck up because we’re all supposed to be together as one. You’re just trying to divide yourself away over one little tiny thing. It just doesn’t make us any stronger.”
Wilson Galvez, 20, of Allston, is a current member of the Navy. As a future veteran, he said he wouldn’t want to feel uncomfortable marching in a parade based on a personal characteristic.
“Veterans [should] have all the rights that they want,” he said. “They’re the reason [they can] march [and] even have a St. Patrick’s Day parade. The veterans are in every right to join and be in that parade, and the Catholics should also be in that parade.”
