Ever since the pedophile scandal in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston spilled into the national media last year, the scandal has generated an enormous amount of commentary, virtually all of it negative, regarding the Church's handling of the problem, the way it selects priests, and the fact that the Roman Catholic Church requires its priests to be celibate.

Unfortunately, most of the commentary has come from ex-Catholics with an axe to grind, or people who aren't Catholic, and who generally don't approve or understand what the Catholic Church stands for. Although the scandals were not unique to the Catholic Church, and touched only a tiny percentage of the Catholic clergy, the scandal was enough to unleash a firestorm of media abuse directed at the Church and all its clergy. Because of the sins of the few, the good and difficult work our Catholic priests do has become more difficult than it needs to be.

Recognizing that fact, the organizers of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Manassas this year have invited every priest and deacon of the Diocese of Arlington to march with them in the parade. According to spokesmen for Inisfail Inc., the organization that plans the parade, the invitation was offered as a gesture of support for our beleagured Catholic clergy, and to demonstrate that the St. Patrick's Day Parade -- in Manassas at least -- is not just an Irish cultural event. It's a Catholic event, a celebration of Ireland's first Catholic saint.

The Inisfail spokesmen pointed out that one of the principal sponsors of the parade is the Reverend Edwin Kelley Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America. The Reverend Kelley Division, which meets in Manassas, was formed in the traditions of a Catholic fraternal order that began over 400 years ago when Catholicism in Ireland was besieged by a foreign power, and its clergy were hunted down and summarily, brutally executed.

Organized under the motto "Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity," the Hibernians in Ireland were formed expressly for the purpose of protecting the Catholic clergy. The show of support for Catholic clergy at the Manassas St. Patrick's Day parade is in keeping with Hibernian tradition. The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, on Center Street in Old Town Manassas.

Several thousand spectators enjoyed last year's Manassas St. Patrick's Day Parade, which has grown in size and spectator enthusiasm since its inception four years ago. Parade organizers expect that this year's parade will have an even larger turnout to watch the U.S. Marine Corps Band and Color Guard, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Old Guard Fyfe and Drum Corps, the Fairfax Firefighters Fyfe and Drum Corps, and over 50 units of colorful pipe bands, Irish dancers, marching bands, and Irish culture groups participate in the St. Patrick's Day Festivities.