He los angeles dodgers he will follow through on his initial decision to honor a group on Friday night that has been at the center of controversy for the past few weeks for what critics have called the organization’s anti-Catholic messages.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which features cross-dressing performers in traditional religious garb, will be honored with a community award for their «life-saving work» during the team’s 10th annual meeting. pride night celebration at Dodger Stadium.
Three Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence pose for a selfie during the Gay Pride March in Paris. Thousands of LGBT members and their supporters took part in the Gay Pride March in Paris to celebrate Pride Month. (Gregory Herpe/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The weeks leading up to Friday’s events featured several reversals of opinion by the Dodgers and included harsh backlash from politicians, religious leaders and some. MLB players.
DODGERS HONOR SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE
The Dodgers announced on May 4 that they would host their 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium on June 16, where the Los Angeles chapter of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence would be honored with the 2023 Community Hero Award» for his countless hours of community work. service, ministry, and outreach to the marginalized, as well as promoting human rights and respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment.»
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES TO HOLD A DAY OF PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO THE DODGERS GAME EVENT TO HONOR THE ‘DRAG NUNS’
The announcement was met with immediate backlash for what many called the group’s «anti-Catholic» message, which included Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
DODGERS RESPOND TO OUTRAGE
A member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence attends a Jewish-Christian religious service on Christopher Street Day at St. Mary’s Church in Berlin on June 20, 2014. (Daniel Naupold)
After mounting pressure, the Dodgers released a statement two weeks later announcing that they had rescinded their invitation to the group «given the strong feelings of individuals who have been offended.»
«This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited several groups to join us. We are now aware that the inclusion of one group in particular, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, at this year’s Gay Pride Night year has been the source of some controversy,» the team said at the time.
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«Given the strong feelings of those who have been offended by the inclusion of the sisters in our soiree, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits we have seen over the years from Pride Night , we decided to take them out of this pool of honorees of the year.»
But advocates for the group’s inclusion hit back, with many groups, including LA Pride, announcing that they would no longer attend the event as a result.
ABOUT THE FACE
A Los Angeles Dodgers fan waves a flag during a game between the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on October 12, 2022. (Photos by Rob Leiter/MLB via Getty Images)
The Dodgers reversed their stance yet again on May 22, issuing an apology to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and inviting them back to the event, where they would receive the 2023 Community Hero Award.
«After much thoughtful feedback from our various communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, and generous discussions with The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Los Angeles Dodgers would like to offer our sincerest apologies to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, LGBTQ+ members. community and their friends and family,» a team statement said.
«We have asked The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16. We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for their life-saving work. they’ve done — they’ve done tirelessly for decades.»
KERSHAW SPEAKS
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw takes the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on April 29, 2023. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Clayton Kershaw, A three-time Cy Young Award winner, spoke days after the Dodgers welcomed the group, saying the organization was relaunching its Christian Faith and Family Day for the first time since 2019.
«I think we were always going to do christian faith day this year, but I think the timing of our announcement was sped up,» Kershaw told the Los Angeles Times last month. «Picking a date and doing those different things was part of it as well. Yes, it was in response to the highlight of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. [by the Dodgers].»
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Kershaw said it was «difficult» to view the explicit videos that were shared on social media that showed the group portraying Christianity in a negative light.
«I don’t agree with making fun of other people’s religions,» he said. «It has nothing to do with anything more than that. I just don’t think that no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of someone else’s religion. So, that’s something I definitely don’t agree with.»
MLB PLAYERS JOIN THE REACTION
Trevor Williams of the Washington Nationals throws during a game against the San Diego Padres at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on May 24, 2023. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
washington nationals Pitcher Trevor Williams also issued a statement saying he was «deeply concerned» by the Dodgers’ decision.
«A Major League Baseball game is a place where people from all walks of life should feel welcome, something I highly respect and support. This is the purpose of the various theme nights hosted by the organization, including Pride Night. Williams wrote. «Inviting and honoring a group that makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion, and the religion of more than 4 million people in Los Angeles County alone, undermines the values of respect and inclusion that any organization should uphold.» .
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen also issued a statement condemning the group.
«This group openly mocks Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of my faith, and I want to make it clear that I do not agree with or support the Dodgers’ decision to ‘honor’ the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,» he said.
PROTESTING WITH PRAYER
Archbishop José H. Gómez presides over a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on April 15, 2022. (fake images)
Archbishop José H. Gómez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles invited all area Catholics to a Mass that kicked off a day of prayer on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus scheduled for Friday.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the US bishops’ conference, issued a statement Monday urging Catholics to pray the Litanies of the Sacred Heart as an act of reparation.
«This year, on June 16, the day of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a professional baseball team has surprisingly chosen to honor a group whose lasciviousness and vulgarity in mocking our Lord, His Mother, and consecrated women cannot be exaggerated.» said the bishops.
«This is not just offensive and painful to Christians everywhere, it is blasphemy.»
Fox News’ Christine Rousselle and The Associated Press contributed to this report.