New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan was this year’s grand marshal. (CNS photo)
NEW YORK — For the first time in its history, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, the nation’s oldest and biggest parade, allowed a gay contingent to march, alienating some Catholics and angering others who wanted more gay organizations to be included in the event.
New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan was this year’s grand marshal, leading the 254th annual procession for a ways on Fifth Avenue. He then returned to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, to review the parade from the steps of the church.
Earlier, he had been the main celebrant of a special noon Mass at the cathedral to honor St. Patrick, the fifth-century bishop, apostle of Ireland and patron saint of the New York Archdiocese.
Last September, organizers of the New York parade announced they would allow Out@NBCUniversal, an organization of gay employees of NBCUniversal, the parade broadcaster, to march.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, who attended the Mass, boycotted the parade because more groups were not allowed to participate. He boycotted the event last year when he was newly elected to head the city.
This year, an estimated 2 million spectators turn out to watch the New York parade and about 250,000 people marched in this year’s parade.
Other U.S. cities’ parades may not be as old or as big, but they are still major events in places like Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego.
“I’m as radiant as the sun, so thanks be to God for the honor and the joy,” Cardinal Dolan told CBS New York about his duties as grand marshal.
Last September, the parade’s organizers announced the cardinal would be grand marshal and also said a gay organization would be allowed to participate in 2015.
Cardinal Dolan in a statement at the time said he was honored to lead the parade and also said it was not up to him to decide who would march.
“The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee continues to have my confidence and support,” he said. “Neither my predecessors as archbishop of New York nor I have ever determined who would or would not march in this parade — or any of the other parades that march along Fifth Avenue, for that matter — but have always appreciated the cooperation of parade organizers in keeping the parade close to its Catholic heritage.”
He said he hoped “the parade would continue to be a source of unity for all of us.”