NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk area priest, his congregation, and several Catholic schools will boycott the local St. Patrick’s Day Parade after Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe was announced as Grand Marshal of the event.
McAuliffe’s support for same-sex marriage, as well as his support for a women’s right to choose were listed as the reasons the church would no longer take part in the event.
“Governor McAuliffe stands contrary to the Catholic Church in not one but many of the most essential teachings of the Church in the political arena. He himself promised to be a “brick wall” against restrictions on abortion, has taken away commonsense protections for women in abortion facilities and lowered safety standards, and consistently takes money from pro-abortion lobbying groups,” wrote Father Dan Beeman, in a letter to parishioners.
Beeman is the Pastor of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church based in Norfolk.
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“Further, he not only favors the re-definition of marriage, he himself performed a gay ‘marriage’ as soon as a court overturned the law of the Commonwealth,” he wrote.
Six local Catholic schools have joined in their boycott of the event.
Norfolk Knights of Columbus Council 3548 has organized the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration every year since 1967.