Dodgers pull Pride Night invitation from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence after objections
Following public outcry and criticism from a number of Catholic groups, the Los Angeles Dodgers have opted to withdraw an invitation that they previously extended to a local organization that has been accused of mocking Christianity.
"This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited a number of groups to join us," said a statement from the Dodgers. "We are no aware that our inclusion of one group in particular — The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — in this year's Pride Night has been the source of some controversy."
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who are self-described on their website as a "leading-edge order of queer and trans nuns," were initially selected to participate in the team's annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night and were set to receive a Community Hero Award at the game scheduled on June 16 for their efforts to promote human rights, diversity and spiritual enlightenment.
"Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters' inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night, we are deciding to remove them from this year's group of honorees."
Part of that backlash included a letter from Republican Florida state Senator Marco Rubio, who penned a letter to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, alleging that the group "mocks Christians through diabolical parodies of our faith."
"Do you believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers are being 'inclusive and welcoming to everyone' by giving an award to a group of gay and transgender drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians — and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others?" Rubio's letter said.
According to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence website, "We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday 1979, the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit."
In response to team's announcement that their invitation was being rescinded, Sister Roma, one of the group's longest tenured members took to social media to address the team's giving in to "right-wing pseudo-Christian media."
"So disappointing to see the Dodgers cave to the conservative pseudo-Christian homophobes," Sister Roma said on Twitter. "This weaponizing of religion is exactly what the @LADragnuns and @SFSisters have been protesting for decades."
The organization released a lengthy statement on their website on Wednesday, which read in part: " We are disappointed they have chosen to un-ally themselves with us in our ongoing service to the public, many of whom enjoy the Dodgers's heroic efforts in sports.
"Some errant information presented by persons unfamiliar with our work needs clarification: We are a charity organization and we are human rights activists. Our mission is to uplift our community and all marginalized groups, especially the ones ignored by larger organizations, spiritually oriented or otherwise."
The Dodgers originally announced their decision to honor the group as part of their 10th annual Pride Night celebration. However, that instantly drew criticism from a number of Catholic organizations, namely the Catholic League.
"The Catholic League has been the leading critic of this bigoted organization for many decades," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue on the organization's website. "Just last month, they held an event mocking our Blessed Mother and Jesus on Easter Sunday."
After the Dodgers announced that the invitation was withdrawn, the Catholic League issued a statement, which read in part: "Justice was done in the end. There is no room for anti-Catholic bigotry in any gay or trans celebratory event."
While the decision was cause for acclaim from many, it was also met with criticism.
"If they're not invited, I'm not going," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath via Twitter. "Celebrating Pride is about inclusion. Do Better."
The Dodgers organization has faced backlash in the hours since announcing the decision, resulting in one of Los Angeles' largest nonprofit LGBTQ+ organizations, LA Pride, withdrawing from the event on Thursday.
