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New mural at St. Patrick's Cathedral sparks comment on immigration and a rebuke
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 8, 2025
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courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Content Services for the Archdiocese of New York
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 8, 2025
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A new mural inside the grand entrance of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown is gaining attention for its sweeping size, artistry and pro-immigrant statement, but also for sparking comments from within the church about the archdiocese leadership’s own recent messaging on immigrants.
The nearly 2,000-square-foot mural by Brooklyn-based artist Adam Cvijanovic honors New York City’s immigrants and their champions, from 19th-century Irish newcomers to today’s global arrivals. It also comes amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
“Some have asked me, ‘Are you trying to make a statement about immigration?’” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said upon the recent mural unveiling. “Well, sure we are. Namely, that immigrants are children of God.”
But Dolan’s own recent statements have sparked a rebuke from within the church community. In a recent interview on Fox and Friends, Dolan called slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk "a modern-day St. Paul.”
That praise drew criticism from the Sisters of Charity of New York, a Catholic religious charity group that includes over 170 members and 130 associates, in a public statement released shortly after the mural’s unveiling.
“What Cardinal Dolan may not have known is that many of Mr. Kirk’s words were marked by racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric, by violent pro-gun advocacy, and by the promotion of Christian nationalism,” the Sisters of Charity’s leadership team — including Sisters Donna Dodge, Margaret O’Brien, Mary McCormick, Mary Ann Daly, Sheila Brosnan and Margaret Egan — said in the statement.
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of New York, which serves 2.5 million Catholics in nearly 300 parishes across the New York City area, declined to comment about the controversy.
The mural, titled “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding,” is the largest permanent artwork commissioned for St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the institution’s 146-year history, according to the archdiocese. One wall shows Irish immigrants disembarking in New York Harbor in the 19th century, while the other depicts a crowd of contemporary immigrants from around the world, carrying duffel bags and plastic shopping bags.
The key figures featured in the mural include St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages serving immigrants, and Pierre Toussaint, a formerly enslaved Haitian philanthropist. Also featured is former New York Gov. Al Smith, who championed social reforms and was the son of Irish immigrants.
In an interview with Gothamist, Cvijanovic that he aimed “to make a portrait of New York.”
“New York is a city of immigrants,” Cvijanovic added. “It’s part of the DNA of this place.”
Historical figures with ties to New York City are positioned throughout the mural, including immigrant saints, priests, politicians and philanthropists, as well as others who supported immigrants.
The mural was unveiled as the Trump administration attempts to carry out the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
Dolan said at a recent press conference that the idea for the mural, two years in the making, pre-dated the latest political battles over immigration, though he acknowledged that those debates added to the painting’s relevance.
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Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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