Many of you are aware that the next St Patrick's Day parade in New York City will feature a gay group - first time ever that a St Patrick's Day parade will celebrate the mortal sin of sodomy. To add even more shame to this event, Cardinal Timothy Dolan will be Grand Marshall for this orgy-parade.
Following Dolan's scandalous example, organizers of Boston's St Patrick's Day parade decided that they too would allow a gay group to march in it. One Catholic school, Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Stillwater, MA, upon learning of the gay group's inclusion in the parade, pulled out of the parade. Although they've participated for 25 years, they rightly understand the scandal to which their students would be exposes. I for one commend this school administration for their stance. Happily the school children themselves understand the reason that they will not be in the parade.
However, the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus, who never marched in the parade before, has announced that it will join the parade along with the gay group. As you read this coverage by the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, you might understand their theory that they are joining this year to give the appearance that this parade remains respectable when it no longer is. It's quite remarkable that school children have more moral sense than does an organization of ostensibly Catholic men. The link above has contact information for your use in lodging a protest.
Today I learned of yet another scandal involving the Knights and St Patrick's Day parades. This one originates from Norfolk VA. From my friend at Les Femmes we read that Council 3548 runs a St. Patrick's Day parade and this one is scheduled for March 14th. The person whom they selected to be Grand Marshall is rabid pro-abort Terry McAuliffe. Read the Les Femmes article for a full history of the debacle and the courageous stance taken by the local pastor. Here is a link to that local St Patrick's day parade. In addition to the contact info on that page, here is contact information for local KofC officials for your use in lodging protests.
VIRGINIA KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS STATE OFFICERS:
State Deputy, Stephen
Burnley, home, 703-971-4598, cell, 703-927-6074 - statedeputy@vakofc.org
State Chaplain, Most Rev. Paul Loverde, Bishop of
Arlington, office, 703-841-2500.
Assoc. State Chaplain, Rev. Frank Ready, Chaplainready@vakofc.org
Assoc. State Chaplain, Rev. John Abe, Chaplainabe@vakofc.org
State Secretary, Stephen Raschke, home,
804-695-9912, cell, 757-509-0177- statesecretary@vakofc.org
State Treasurer, Michael Gasper, home,
804-303-3355, cell, 804-921-0325 - statetreasurer@vakofc.org
State Advocate, Stephen Kehoe, home,
703-591-6813, cell, 793-946-6550 - stateadvocate@vakofc.org
State Warden, Roy Blakeburn, home, 757-671-8092,
cell, 757-581-9659 - statewarden@vakofc.org
Immediate Past State Deputy, Tony Fortunato,
home, 804-364-6157, cell, 917-519-5795 - IPSD@vakofc.org
Executive Secretary, Kelly Mortensen, home,
804-674-6895, cell, 804-651-3772 - kmortensen@verizon.net
Vice Supreme Master, Richie Head, home,
804-378-5301, cell, 703-963-8282 - rghpsd@verizon.net
Master of the Fourth Degree, former, Cy Alba,
home, 703-455-6010 - current, Tom Trudeau.
In these three scenarios, it would appear that decisions were made by relatively few Knights who occupy leadership roles. Many of the "rank and file" probably do not approve - and may well be unaware - of these matters. We are grateful for them and now ask them to take action to insist that their brother Knights act in a manner worthy of Father McGiveney and the Church.
