What the Dodgers Got Wrong, Then Right, Then Wrong Again About Their Pride Night Guests
And Why Catholics Stink at Defending Their Faith
The argument that people opposed to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence appearing at the LA Dodgers Pride Night on June 16 are anti-LGBTQIA+ is a deflection from the truth of the matter. Inviting the “leading edge order of queer and trans nuns” to partake in the evening’s festivities insulted many Catholics who see the organization as a sacrilege to the faith; reinviting the sisters a week after rescinding their invitation was a giant “F-U” to the Church.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence had initially been invited to Dodgers Pride Night to receive the organization’s Community Hero Award. The announcement was met with criticism from several Catholic organizations and individuals. Based on that feedback, the Dodgers decided in mid-May “to remove them from this year’s group of honorees.” A week later, the Dodgers changed course yet again, asking for forgiveness from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and reinviting them to the celebration. The sisters accepted.
"We are pleased to share that they [the sisters] have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades,” the Dodgers organization said in a recent statement.
Who Are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have been around for almost 45 years. They made their first appearance in San Francisco on an Easter Sunday. They were founded, according to a statement from the organization, “in response to the AIDS crisis, when gay men, who their faiths and families had abandoned because of their orientation, were sick and dying.” Today, “sisters are regularly called upon to minister to the sick, the dying, and the mourning.” In addition, the “order” seeks to “use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency, and guilt that chain the human spirit.”
According to the website, membership in the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence means committing to “community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment.”
Opportunities are available to volunteer with the sisters, although according to the website, it is primarily for events ranging from “tawdry to swellegant.” Easter Sunday of this year, the sisters hosted a show that included “burlesque, drag queens and miracles” and featured the annual “Foxy Mary and Hunky Jesus” contest.
Mixed Reviews
Not all Catholics consider the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to be anti-Catholic, as a recent batch of letters to the editor in the LA Times reveals.
Sharing her thoughts on the organization and the controversy with the Dodgers, an elderly nun and Dodgers fan said, that the sisters “are performing what we have traditionally called the corporal works of mercy. Those who feed the hungry, visit the sick and elderly and care for people with AIDS should be honored for the ways they minister to people.”
A self-proclaimed progressive Catholic lauded the sisters as “creative peacemakers who love the community in a Christ-like way.”
On the other hand, a man who described himself as a gay Catholic called the sisters “a fringe group that often parodies sacred Catholic rites in a very offensive manner. I believe they have a right to exist — and I have the right to repudiate them.”
Back at the Ballpark
The Dodgers kinda-sorta listened to Catholics who were concerned about including the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in Pride Night. Then, the organization apparently disregarded their objections.
At the very least, those Catholics deserve an explanation on the reversal. What did the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence whisper in the Dodgers’ ears that made them change their minds, and why did it carry more weight than what the opposing side had to say? Were there so many complaints about the sisters being uninvited that the Dodgers feared it would hurt attendance to the game?
The problem is not just with the Dodgers; it’s also with Catholics. They expect to be the brunt of jokes; it’s supposed to make them stronger. (“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” Matt 5:11) So when some Catholics decide the jokes have gone too far and they complain, it comes off as angry and whiney. It also opens up the Catholic Church to all sorts of criticisms, including its history of clerical abuse. (And a doozy of a report was recently released on that.)
Christians, especially Catholics, are notoriously bad at defending their honor. They’re very good at defending their faith, but they stink at sticking up for themselves against nonbelievers. Think about other major religions in this country. You think a group called the Imams of Perpetual Ramadan would fly? Do you think anyone would accuse Muslims of being anti-inclusion if they protested such a group appearing in Pride Night at a baseball game? Yet, that’s exactly what’s being said about Catholics at the moment. It doesn’t help that Catholics are divided in their own house, with some clinging to traditional values and others preferring modern adaptations.
A Missed Opportunity for Mutual Understanding
This could have been the perfect time for the Dodgers to discuss what diversity means to the organization. Does it take into consideration the values and traditions of all people, or only a few? Or was this simply a case of this is Pride Night and the Church’s concerns on this matter are in the end unimportant? If so, why did they bother uninviting the sisters in the first place?
For Catholics, this should be a moment of understanding what the faith really means, deciding whether that’s worth defending and, if so, shouting it for all to hear.
None of that will happen, though. Instead, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will receive their award and the unhappy Catholics will shake their heads in defeat.
The Dodgers are leading the NL West, and they’re batting at least 500 against Catholics.
According to what I read yesterday, the reversal came because the powerful LA Pride organization back the sisters and threatened to pull out of the event totally. So the Dodgers, realizing the power of that threat caved. They know LA Pride and it's members would be a more detrimental loss than a few Catholics who are not an organized group. Until they feel it in the pocketbook it doesn't mean much that Catholics are upset. If the LA Dioscese or the Conference of Bishops spoke out louder then they might listen. Instead you have the conservative Catholic League and that's about it. I just looked up the story and of course anyone against this is being called homophobic. Pretending these people are like real nuns is the problem. They are performance artists and while they might have some deeds with good intentions, overall their message is not that of the Catholic church.
Truth: "Christians, especially Catholics, are notoriously bad at defending their honor. They’re very good at defending their faith, but they stink at sticking up for themselves against nonbelievers. Think about other major religions in this country. You think a group called the Imams of Perpetual Ramadan would fly? Do you think anyone would accuse Muslims of being anti-inclusion if they protested such a group appearing in Pride Night at a baseball game? Yet, that’s exactly what’s being said about Catholics at the moment. It doesn’t help that Catholics are divided in their own house, with some clinging to traditional values and others preferring modern adaptations."