The Immaculate Heart of Mary School, a Catholic grammar school located near Boston, has withdrawn from the city's St. Patrick's Day parade. After the event's organizers decided to allow a gay veterans' group to walk, the school, which usually sends its marching band to the parade, pulled out, the school's principal saying that participating in the event would send the message that "we were condoning it."

The school announced their withdrawal Friday following the decision by the event's organizers, the Allied War Veterans' Council, to allow LGBT veterans group OutVets to walk in the parade.

Principal Brother Thomas Dalton told reporters in a phone interview that the school can no longer associate with the event. "We can't associate with that, " he said. "It would appear we were condoning it."

Dalton said that he had not consulted with the Boston archdiocese about the decision. The school also withdrew from the event last year when it appeared that OutVets would be participating, though the group ultimately chose not to walk.

The decision in the last couple of years to allow the gay veterans group to walk reverses a decades-long policy of barring openly gay groups from participation in the parade due to Catholicism's stance against homosexual acts.

While the Boston parade committee chose to allow OutVets to walk because they are veterans, New York St. Patrick's day organizers are also allowing a group of NBC Universal gay and lesbian employees to march. NBC Universal is broadcasting the event.