Pride Parades

Usually I'm pretty down with my Celtishness, I'm proud of my Bandon forbears.
But as both drinkers and the genuinely involved in Irish culture will tell you, St Patrick's day in this country is for amateurs.
It's a day to hear Mass, and maybe grow  little teary thinking on those who have gone before as you toast them with a bit of Tullamore Dew... or, come to think of it, combine the two, grow a little teary thinking on those who have gone before you while at Mass, (as our pastor did in his homily.)

And besides, there's a more important Saint's day cheek by jowl with it, no reason to make it the center of attention.

Anyway, I knew there had a fracas, or rather, a repeat of the annual fracas about the NYC parade several months ago, but since I'm no longer anywhere near New York, and as I don't like parades, I didn't pay it much mind.

My impression was vaguely that although the cardinal archbishop was to be the grand marshal, it was no longer to be considered a "Catholic" event. And oganizations holding contentious or unpopular positions, folks with "agendas" could march under their own banners, in support of gay "marriage," in support of life, etc.

"I always appreciated the cooperation of parade organizers in keeping the parade close to its Catholic heritage!”

So, who knew that lying liars had lied their lies to the Catholics involved, well, to the catholics involved who actually care about Catholics, and Catholicism, and Catholic teaching and Catholic principles?
Not me, Mrs O'Blivious.
Even professional umbrage-taker Bill Donohue had been copacetic with the arrangements at one point, but as he said, "My own people, Irish Catholics, [e.g. John L. Lahey, parade committee member and nest year's chair, I believe,] did me in and I'm walking away from it."

“That won’t be happening,” Lahey said of the idea of a right-to-life group marching. “What we want to do is keep 2015 focused on the gesture of goodwill we made towards the gay community.”

Because, you know, like a 2nd grader at recess, you can only be nice to one person at a time.

By the way, isn't this a SWELL way for a Catholic to talk?

[A parade committee spokesperson] said that if a group opposed to abortion rights applied, parade organizers would look at the application favorably, but that none did so.[emphasis supplied]

See? Not opposed to abortion, opposed to abortion rights.