(LifeSiteNews) — Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw disagrees with his team’s decision to welcome the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, though he is not willing to protest their appearance.
“I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion,” the 16-year veteran told the Los Angeles Times in late May.
The Dodgers have come under fire from a wide array of Catholic bishops and laity after re-inviting the debauched drag troupe to their annual Pride Night game on June 16.
Before speaking with the Times, Kershaw organized a players-only meeting. It is not known what was said at the meeting. Kershaw did, however, inform the Times he does not plan on boycotting Pride Night.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to honor the blasphemous anti-Catholic drag group, the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence”, with a Community Hero Award on June 16, the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
This blatant contempt for the Catholic faith cannot go unchallenged.
SIGN: The LA Dodgers must revoke their plan to honor these ‘transgender nuns’
The Major League Baseball franchise said it had decided to honor the group — which engages in deliberately offensive sexualized burlesque mockeries of Catholicism — after initially canceling plans to do so when the public expressed outrage.
“After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse 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, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families,” the statement read.
In one move, you managed to turn off conservatives and slap Christians in the face with disgusting drag nuns. What a disgrace you’ve become. Was recently at a game. Won’t be coming back.
— Courrielche⚡️ (@courrielche) May 23, 2023
The baseball team said it will ask the sacrilegious group “to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th.”
SIGN: The LA Dodgers must NOT allow this mockery to take place
The Dodgers’ Monday announcement comes after it previously agreed to dis-invite the group after outrage by Catholics and other conservatives.
Among others, Catholic Vote and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida vocally objected to the decision to honor the so-called “sisters.”
“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,” the team said in a since-deleted May 17 announcement.
San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone had previously thanked the Dodgers for their decision to roll back the invitation.
In its Monday statement, after apologizing for temporarily dis-inviting the anti-Catholic hate group, the Dodgers promised to “work with our LGBTQ+ partners to better educate ourselves, find ways to strengthen the ties that bind and use our platform to support all our fans who make diversity part of the Dodgers family.”
Make your voice heard NOW, before this blasphemy takes center stage.
SIGN: The LA Dodgers must not honor anti-Catholic, anti-Christian drag ‘nuns’
Conservatives responded on social media by slamming the baseball team for caving.
“Yes, it is vital that the national pastime honor and support those who mock religion and decency,” reacted Daily Wire co-founder and podcaster Ben Shapiro.
“The Gay Mafia will always extract their payment for ‘protection,’ said Crisis magazine editor-in-chief Eric Sammons.
Some social media users hinted that the team should face the same backlash as beer company Bud Light, which is continuing to endure a massive boycott after its decision to honor transgender-identifying TikTok activist Dylan Mulvaney.
But the Dodgers weren’t always woke and divorced from traditional religious practice.
Former Dodgers great Sandy Koufax, a left-handed pitcher who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in fame in 1972, famously refused to pitch during Game 1 of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, the most important holy day in the Jewish calendar. He previously opted out of games that landed on Passover and Rosh Hashanah.
And Koufax wasn’t alone in living an active faith. Legendary announcer Vin Scully, the “Voice of the Dodgers” for 67 years, was a staunch Catholic. Scully, who passed away last year at age 94, was described by Catholic News Agency’s Jonah McKeown as “a devout Catholic who found in his faith a source of joy and comfort and sought to share it with others through personal kindness and philanthropy.”
As LifeSiteNews previously reported, Scully was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and even narrated a two-CD audio recording of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2016.
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“This has nothing to do with the LGBTQ community or pride or anything like that,” he explained. “As a follower of Christ, we’re supposed to love everybody.”
Before relocating to Los Angeles in 1958, the Dodgers called Brooklyn, New York their home. The team famously signed Jackie Robinson in 1947 as the first black player in league history. They have been one of the most successful franchises in MLB history, with their most recent World Series coming in 2020.
The Times reports that Kershaw contacted Dodgers’ upper management to share his thoughts on their decision, and that it was his idea to speed up the announcement of “Christian Faith Day” on July 30, an event that hasn’t taken place since 2019, allegedly due to COVID protocols.
Excited to announce the relaunch of Christian Faith and Family Day at Dodger Stadium on July 30th. More details to come— but we are grateful for the opportunity to talk about Jesus and determined to make it bigger and better than it was before COVID. Hope to see you on July 30th! pic.twitter.com/yNu7HyEgR9
— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) May 26, 2023
Several other MLB players have condemned the team’s decision, including Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen, who noted that the Sisters’ performances are filled with “hate and mockery of Catholics and the Christian faith.” Washington National pitcher Trevor Williams, a devout Catholic, likewise said he was “deeply troubled” by the Dodgers’ decision.
— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) May 30, 2023
An organization called “Catholic Athletes for Christ” denounced the team’s decision as well. The group was founded in 2006 and was supported by Dodgers’ broadcaster Vin Scully, who passed away in August 2022.
Kershaw, 35, is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. His career 203-91 record and lifetime 2.50 earned run average puts him among the best pitchers to have ever played the game. He and his wife Ellen are high school sweethearts. They operate a Christian-themed charity called Kershaw’s Challenge that raises money for children.
The Dodgers are currently owned by Guggenheim Baseball Management, a consortium of individuals that includes basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson of Los Angeles Lakers fame. Front office personnel includes Mark Walter (Owner and Chairman), Steve Kasten (President & CEO), Andrew Friedman (President of Baseball Operations), and Lon Rosen (Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer). For respectful contact only, please call (866)-363-4377 x9.