Criticism of Mayor Mamdani’s Actions
Last week, Mayor Mamdani’s absence from Archbishop Roland Hicks’ office stirred discontent among the city’s approximately 2.5 million Catholics.
Some critics argue that Mamdani, a Muslim mayor who has previously faced claims of anti-Semitism, seemed to take a jab at the church by appointing trans activist Seen Dorosho to his inaugural committee. This marks a potential first in his long tenure.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral has publicly accused Dorosho of tricking them into hosting a “blasphemous” funeral for transgender activist Cecilia Gentili back in February 2024, coinciding with the start of Lent. Friends remembered her as “Saint Cecilia, the mother of all prostitutes,” at a chaotic service attended by around 1,000 mourners dressed in miniskirts and fishnet stockings.
“The cathedral only knew that family and friends were requesting a Catholic funeral Mass. We had no idea that our welcome and prayers would be degraded in such a sacrilegious and deceitful manner,” stated Pastor Enrique Salvo.
At a later press conference, Dorosho demanded an apology from the church for what she described as “decades of degradation and hatred” toward the LGBTQ+ community.
Catholic League President Bill Donahue criticized Mamdani, saying he clearly does not wish to engage with Catholics and instead collaborates with “sneaky anti-Catholic bigots” like Dorosho.
The Catholic community was further offended that not a single Catholic priest participated in Mamdani’s inauguration or at the subsequent interfaith breakfast. This breakfast is traditionally held at the New York Public Library and includes faith leaders from across the city. In contrast, last year at an event hosted by Mayor Eric Adams, two Catholic priests were present.
City Councilwoman Joanne Arriola, who is Catholic, expressed her surprise at the situation. “I want to say I’m surprised, but communism doesn’t know faith,” she remarked. “He was already showing contempt for his Jewish neighbors, and now he’s showing it to his Catholic neighbors as well. Little by little, the mask begins to come off and we see who this mayor really is and what he really thinks about the believers in New York.”
Mamdani notably did not attend Archbishop Hicks’ inauguration on February 6, which is significant as it’s the first time a New York mayor has missed such an event in nearly a century. A city representative explained that scheduling conflicts were to blame.
Hicks, who is 58, succeeded Cardinal Timothy Dolan and is now the 11th archbishop of New York since the archdiocese was established in 1850.
“I’m grateful [Mamdani’s] made it plainly clear to New York’s Catholic community that he did not respect their faith and was not their friend,” said Princeton professor Robert George, a Catholic intellectual. “That way they know where they stand with him and his administration.”
Despite their earlier disagreements, recent reports indicate that Mamdani and Hicks met at the NYPD’s State of the Union address and spoke by phone afterward. Mamdani’s city spokesperson, Joe Calvello, suggested they even discussed pizza.
Calvello stated, “They talked about their shared values and their desire to work together for the betterment of the people of this city. Additionally, they discussed pizza—deep dish or dollar slices—and the mayor recommended Coronet as a great place.”
