A Catholic school in Harvard will not march in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston after learning that a gay military veterans group will be allowed to participate in the parade.The Immaculate Heart of Mary School's band and students have marched in the annual South Boston parade for nearly 25 years alongside a float depicting the culture and faith of Irish people around the central figure of Saint Patrick.Watch report"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," Principal Thomas Dalton said.Organizers of the parade have decided to ease its two-decade ban on gay organizations, a MassEquality official said Saturday.A group of gay military veterans will be allowed to march under its banner in a tentative deal brokered by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. Marchers from the gay rights group would not be allowed to wear clothing or hold signs that refer to sexual orientation."Homosexual acts are gravely immoral and are not to be promosted in any way," Dalton said.Walsh had threatened to boycott the city annual parade unless gay groups are allowed to march."This is important for the City of Boston," Walsh said. "Twenty years of not being able to march in the parade, and having in 2014, even to be having this discussion. I've spent far too much time on this issue."He met parade organizers Saturday and hopes that a solution that works for all involved."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,'" Dalton said.The parade draws an estimated 1 million spectators to South Boston every year.

A Catholic school in Harvard will not march in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston after learning that a gay military veterans group will be allowed to participate in the parade.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary School's band and students have marched in the annual South Boston parade for nearly 25 years alongside a float depicting the culture and faith of Irish people around the central figure of Saint Patrick.


Watch report

"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," Principal Thomas Dalton said.

Organizers of the parade have decided to ease its two-decade ban on gay organizations, a MassEquality official said Saturday.

A group of gay military veterans will be allowed to march under its banner in a tentative deal brokered by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. Marchers from the gay rights group would not be allowed to wear clothing or hold signs that refer to sexual orientation.

"Homosexual acts are gravely immoral and are not to be promosted in any way," Dalton said.

Walsh had threatened to boycott the city annual parade unless gay groups are allowed to march.



"This is important for the City of Boston," Walsh said. "Twenty years of not being able to march in the parade, and having in 2014, even to be having this discussion. I've spent far too much time on this issue."

He met parade organizers Saturday and hopes that a solution that works for all involved.

"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,'" Dalton said.

The parade draws an estimated 1 million spectators to South Boston every year.