Catholic Clergy FUMES at Mamdani After His Latest Move Infuriates Church

New York City’s first Muslim mayor just shattered a tradition older than most New Yorkers, and the fallout reveals a rift that threatens to redefine the city’s religious landscape.

Story Snapshot

Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped Archbishop Roland Hicks’ installation on February 6, 2026, breaking a mayoral attendance tradition dating to 1939
Mamdani excluded Catholic priests from his inauguration, interfaith breakfast, and appointed a controversial transgender activist linked to a 2024 St. Patrick’s Cathedral incident
Catholic leaders, representing one-third of NYC’s 2.5 million Catholics, accuse the mayor of deliberate anti-Catholic bias
The mayor defends his actions as scheduling conflicts while pledging future collaboration with church leadership

Breaking a Near-Century Bond

Every New York City mayor since 1939 attended the installation of new Catholic archbishops at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The ceremony represents more than pomp; it acknowledges the Catholic Church’s role serving millions through schools, hospitals, and social services. When Mamdani chose not to attend Archbishop Hicks’ installation, he didn’t just miss an event. He sent a message that reverberated through parishes across all five boroughs, triggering accusations of hostility toward the city’s largest religious denomination.

The Accumulation of Perceived Slights

The installation absence capped a troubling pattern for Catholic observers. Mamdani’s January 2026 inauguration featured no Catholic clergy among speakers, despite the faith’s dominant presence in New York. His interfaith breakfast on the same day as Hicks’ installation similarly excluded Catholic priests, prompting the UJA-Federation, New York Board of Rabbis, and Anti-Defamation League to withdraw sponsorship. The breakfast focused on immigration advocacy and anti-ICE messaging, themes dear to Mamdani’s progressive base but alienating to those who expected balanced representation.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue labeled these actions the “third stiffing” of Catholics, calling them outrageous and accusing Mamdani of hiring anti-Catholic bigots. His reference pointed to Mamdani’s appointment of Ceyenne Doroshow, a transgender activist, to his inaugural committee. Doroshow presided over a controversial February 2024 funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for transgender activist Cecilia Gentili. Church officials called the event sacrilegious and deceptive, a wound still raw when Mamdani elevated Doroshow to a ceremonial role.

The Political Firestorm Ignites

Queens City Councilwoman Joann Ariola didn’t mince words, declaring Mamdani’s disdain with the phrase “Communism knows no faith,” and warning that his mask was slipping. Princeton professor Robert George expressed gratitude for Mamdani’s candor in revealing what George perceives as no respect for Catholic faith. The mayor attempted damage control, stating he looked forward to meeting with the archbishop, though he mistakenly called Hicks a cardinal. No such meeting materialized in the immediate aftermath, leaving Catholic leaders waiting for substantive outreach.

The criticism reflects more than hurt feelings. The Archdiocese of New York educates hundreds of thousands of children, operates hospitals, and runs social programs woven into the city’s fabric. Former Mayor Eric Adams consistently praised the Church’s foundational role, a stark contrast to Mamdani’s approach. When a mayor treats such an institution as optional, he risks fracturing partnerships critical to city governance. Political adversaries sense blood in the water, mobilizing Catholic voters who feel dismissed by a leader who campaigned on inclusivity.

Scheduling Conflicts or Strategic Distance

Mamdani attributed his absence to a scheduling conflict, offering no specifics that might explain missing a decades-long mayoral tradition. Critics note the timing: hosting an interfaith breakfast minus Catholics on the exact day of the installation suggests priorities, not accidental overlap. The mayor congratulated Hicks on social media, a gesture that rang hollow to those expecting his physical presence at the cathedral. For a politician who emphasizes diversity and representation, the optics are disastrous, handing ammunition to those who question whether his progressive vision includes space for traditional religious communities.

The broader interfaith community’s withdrawal from his breakfast underscores the problem. Jewish organizations and rabbis who typically champion pluralism saw something amiss, refusing to lend their names to an event that sidelined Catholics while purporting to unite faiths. This collective rebuke suggests Mamdani’s missteps transcend Catholic grievances, revealing a deeper failure to honor the religious diversity he professes to celebrate. Whether this signals ideological rigidity or political miscalculation remains debated, but the damage to his credibility is undeniable.

What Comes Next for Church and City Hall

The standoff places Archbishop Hicks in a delicate position. As the 11th leader of the Archdiocese, succeeding the influential Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Hicks inherits a relationship now strained by mayoral indifference. The Church provides indispensable services to New York’s poor, immigrant, and working-class populations. Severing or weakening City Hall collaboration threatens programs that transcend religious boundaries. Mamdani’s claim of future engagement will face scrutiny; actions, not words, will determine whether this rift heals or calcifies into lasting animosity.

For Catholics, the question is whether Mamdani’s behavior reflects personal bias or political calculation aimed at energizing a secular, progressive base. Either interpretation troubles those who remember when mayors understood that governing New York meant respecting the institutions that bind its fractured communities. The city’s Catholic population, roughly 2.5 million strong, holds electoral power. Alienating them may embolden Mamdani’s supporters but could also galvanize opposition in future races, turning religious tradition into a flashpoint for cultural and political warfare that benefits no one.