Protesters gather as Dodgers host Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on Pride Night
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on the team's LGBTQ+ Pride Night after a month-long public debate that drew national headlines.
Leading up to the Friday, June 16 LGBTQ+ Pride Night, it has been a public relations roller coaster ride for both the Dodgers and the Sisters over the last several weeks as both organizations faced backlash from individuals and groups from various walks of life – including the Boys in Blue's own Clayton Kershaw.
The Sisters, who aren't actual nuns but are known for dressing like them in public, made headlines earlier in the Spring after religious organizations and Sen. Marco Rubio accused the group of mocking Catholics and Christians.
On Friday, an estimated 2,000 people – mostly from Catholic groups – gathered in Chavez Ravine to briefly crowd the gates leading to Dodger Stadium.
The controversy surrounding The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence prompted the Dodgers last week to exclude the organization from the upcoming pride night festivities.
The decision placed the Dodgers under more scrutiny as LA Pride criticized the team and threatened to rip their own invite to the June 16 Pride Night.
"As a longstanding partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, we are very disappointed in their decision to rescind their invitation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to be honored at the 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night," LA Pride wrote, in-part, on social media.
Less than two weeks after rescinding the invite, the Dodgers ended up apologizing to The Sisters and extended a second invite to the organization. The organization accepted the Dodgers' apology and effectively made peace with one another.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dodgers apologize to Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, extends 2nd invite to group for LGBTQ+ game
Days after the second invite was issued, the Dodgers announced the team will bring back the "Christian Faith and Family Day," for July 30.
The faith-based event was first announced by Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, who went on to admit that his team's decision to honor the Sisters prompted the star pitcher to get the word out regarding the Christian Faith day.
"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 said last month. "Picking a date and doing those different things was part of it as well. Yes, it was in response to the highlighting of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (by the Dodgers)."
Kershaw said in May that his issues were with the Sisters, not the LGBTQ+ community. Despite his stance against the Sisters, Kershaw does not plan to boycott the team's Pride Night.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dodgers to host Christian Faith and Family Day following backlash from Pride Night
Catholic groups in Southern California were not pleased with the Dodgers' decision to bring back the Sisters.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez approached the team's scheduled Pride Night like a personal attack as he vowed to dedicate a Mass Friday "for healing due to the harm caused by the Dodgers decision to honor a group that intentionally denigrates and profanes the Christian faith."
"In a message to the faithful, the Archdiocese emphasized the 'disappointment, dismay and pain' caused by the actions of the group against the Christian faith and the Dodgers decision to honor the group even after acknowledging the concerns of the community," Gomez said in a statement earlier in the week.
The Dodgers declined to comment on Gomez's remarks, City News Service reports.
CNS also reported a group known as Catholics for Catholics held a procession in Elysian Park as a "prayerful response to Dodgers' godless decision to honor blasphemous, Christ-mocking Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence."