Organizers of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade said they will allow a gay group to march in the parade. In previous years, the organizers had denied gays and lesbians permission to march under their own banner, which prompted boycotts and the loss of corporate sponsors. The St. Patrick’s Day parade is an important event for many Irish American Catholics, and next year it will be led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. Dolan said he supports the organizers’ decision.