The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is asking Catholics “to stand together in prayer” leading up to the Dodgers’ Pride Night celebration on June 16, when the team will honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
The California-based group has been accused of mocking the Catholic faith, desecrating the cross and Eucharist, and making light of religious sisters.
In response to the June 16 event, the archdiocese has called on parishes and parishioners to pray special prayers on that day, specifically the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Mass or during a Holy Hour with the Blessed Sacrament.
Leading up to June 16, the archdiocese included special petitions to be included during Prayer of the Faithful at daily and Sunday Masses.
“The forthcoming Dodgers event honoring a group that mocks women religious, and worse, desecrates the Cross, profanes the Eucharist, and disrupts Holy Mass has caused disappointment, dismay, and pain in our Catholic community, as well as among our fellow Christians and people of good will,” an archdiocese statement read. “The Archdiocese of Los Angeles stands for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which means we stand against any form of bigotry, hate, or sacrilege.”
#SacredHeartSacredTruth // The Archdiocese of Los Angeles stands for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which means we stand against any form of bigotry, hate, or sacrilege.
The Archdiocese calls on Catholics to stand together in prayer.
🙏 https://t.co/swxTfwlUJf pic.twitter.com/99HO8EbImV
— Archdiocese of LA (@lacatholics) June 8, 2023
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be honored along with other LGBT-advocacy groups during its June 16 game against the San Francisco Giants.
When the group was first announced as receiving the Dodgers’ Community Hero Award, several individuals and organizations denounced the honor, including The Catholic League, Catholic Vote and Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
After initially announcing on May 17 that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence would no longer receive the award “given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion in our evening,” the Dodgers reversed course and on May 22 apologized and reinvited the group to “receive the gratitude of our collective communities” for their charity work.
In a statement released the following day, the archdiocese said it “stands against any actions that would disparage and diminish our Christian faith and those who dedicate their lives to Christ.”
The message also called on Catholics to “show our care and respect for our women religious” in a variety of ways, including by sending messages of support to sisters through phone calls, letters, or social media or donating to their orders and/or charitable causes they support.
After pitcher Clayton Kershaw said in an interview that he didn’t “agree with making fun of other people’s religions,” he and the Dodgers announced Christian Faith and Family Day at Dodger Stadium on July 30.
