Immaculate Heart of Mary School Pulls out of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston

Immaculate Heart of Mary School of Still River has decided to pull out of the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade after learning that a homosexual advocacy group will be allowed to march in this year’s parade. According to a press release from the school they note that for almost 25 years the school band has been happy to march in the parade and to provide a float depicting the culture and faith of the Irish people around the central figure of “Saint Patrick.”
Brother Thomas Dalton, principal, stated, “This float has become the icon of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston appearing in all types of media whenever the parade is mentioned. The familiar scene of Saint Patrick joyfully giving his blessing to the crowds has, sad to say, come to an end.  In the footsteps of Saint Patrick, IHM does not condone and will not appear to condone the homosexual lifestyle.
“We must stand firm with the Church which states in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, that ‘homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity’ and ‘are intrinsically disordered…Under no circumstances can they be approved.’(#2357)”
Last year the school canceled its planned appearance in the Worcester St. Patrick's Parade because its assigned political sponsor held views not in accord with the Catholic teaching on abortion and gay marriage.
In a press release, Dennis Maney whose eight children attended 12 years at IHM stated, “I had the honor of portraying Saint Patrick a number of times on the school’s float. This parade is meant to honor him and should not be used as political leverage for any special interest group. It’s a shame that Saint Patrick and what he stood for can no longer be respectfully represented in his own parade.”
The school stated that it sympathizes with the Allied War Veterans and the pressure they have been under ever since the US Supreme Court gave them the authority to invite whom they wanted. “We have been with Wacko Hurley from the beginning of this struggle to keep the parade family oriented,” said Brother Peter Brackett, the director of IHM School Band. “We testified in Superior Court in 1991 and explained why we pulled out of the parade that year. Ever since, we have admired Wacko and the Veterans for their courageous defense of traditional family values despite vilification and sparse support.
“This would have been the band’s 25th time in the parade; you can imagine the disappointment of the students on not going and yet they are happy to stand up for their faith. They believe that the veterans and the loyal Irish of South Boston, with the help of Saint Patrick, can turn things around once again.”
The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts Monday commended the administrators, teachers, and students of Immaculate Heart of Mary School for withdrawing their band and float from Boston's Saint Patrick's Day Parade after parade organizers invited the same sex marriage advocacy group, MassEquality, to march.
The Catholic Action League issued a statement that  called the school's decision to withdraw "an act of courage, integrity, and fidelity to the moral teachings of the Catholic religion."
Catholic Action League Executive Director C. J. Doyle stated: "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. The Catholic community ought to be grateful that there is at least one Catholic institution left in Massachusetts whose members have the faith, fortitude, and sovereignty of mind to act unreservedly in defense of their Catholic principles.  Clearly, at Immaculate Heart of Mary School, they not only profess the Catholic Faith, they live it."
"This valiant example of unflinching devotion to Catholic Faith and morals deserves to be both emulated by other Catholic organizations and affirmed by the leadership of the Archdiocese of Boston."