NEW YORK (OSV News) — With standing-room only at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York noted it was his first time presiding over the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Mass, which kicks off the city’s celebration.
“It is good for us to begin here, rooted in prayer, rooted in faith and rooted in gratitude to God,” said Archbishop Hicks in his March 17 homily, six weeks after his installation as the 11th archbishop of New York.
The Mass is the traditional spiritual beginning of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, including the hourslong parade that this year drew an estimated 2 million onlookers.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended the Mass along with parade’s grand marshal Robert McCann, members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and representatives from other Irish organizations from across the country and abroad.
Ahead of the celebration, the mayor met privately with Archbishop Hicks on March 16 at the archbishop’s residence and returned for a March 17 reception. The two leaders also embraced outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral ahead of the parade.
Irish immigrant legacy
St. Patrick is the patron saint of the Archdiocese of New York. Located on Fifth Avenue along the parade route, the cathedral bears his name, reflecting the deep devotion of Irish immigrants whose faith helped build the Church in New York during the 19th century.
That legacy is now reflected inside the cathedral, including a new mural at the rear of the church depicting Irish immigrants arriving in New York and entrusting their journey to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Knock.
In his homily, Archbishop Hicks reflected on the perseverance of Irish immigrants who helped shape both the cathedral and the city.
“They persevered. Through their faith, their hard work, and their devotion to family and Church, they helped build parishes, schools, neighborhoods and communities,” he said. “They helped shape the Catholic Church in the United States. They also contributed greatly to the life and strength of this country.”
Spreading faith ‘like St. Patrick’
Some participants traveled from Ireland to take part in the celebration in New York. For many in attendance, the Mass remains the most meaningful part of the day.
“It’s a day of joy, but more importantly, it’s a day in which we remember our faith and how generation to generation, we have the responsibility of spreading that faith, like St. Patrick did with Ireland,” one unidentified attendee told The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the New York Archdiocese.
As the Mass concluded, the sound of bagpipes echoed along Fifth Avenue as parade participants made their way into the streets. From the cathedral to the parade route, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day once again brought together faith, heritage and the enduring legacy of those who helped build the Church in New York.
Mary Shovlain writes for The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York. This story was originally published by The Good Newsroom and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.
