Father Roger Landry, Catholic chaplain at Columbia University, discusses the protests at Columbia University in New York City on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” on May 2, 2024. / Credit: EWTN News The World Over / Screenshot
Washing… […]
French farmers stand next to their tractors as they block the road during a demonstration at the French-German border in Ottmarsheim, eastern France, on Feb. 1, 2024, as part of nationwide protests called by several farmers’ unions over pay, tax… […]
Less than a week after being violently attack outside of a Baltimore Planned Parenthood on May 26, 2023, Dick Schafer, 80, returned to the abortion facility to continue his pro-life work. “It’s not for everybody, but I like being there, that’s f… […]
Thousands protest outside Dodgers Stadium June 16, 2023, while the Dodgers’ honored the controversial group the “Sisters of the Perpetual Indulgence.” / Photo courtesy of CatholicVote
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 19, 2023 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
Thousands of Catholics and other Christians marched in a prayerful procession Friday protesting the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring an anti-Catholic drag group called the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.”
As thousands marched outside of Dodger Stadium, inside the stadium the Dodgers honored the drag group with a “Community Hero Award.”
The recognition ceremony took place 40 minutes before the game and was sparsely attended, with Dodger Stadium largely empty when the Sisters received their award, according to Savanah Hernandez, a reporter for Turning Point USA.
Video taken by Hernandez shows the Dodgers announcer recognizing two of the Sisters to scattered applause and a couple of people booing inside the stadium.
DODGER STADIUM-The “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” are recognized for Pride night to a mostly empty audience.
Two Dodgers fan nearby begin loudly booing after they’re announced: pic.twitter.com/OO6NT5RIc8
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 17, 2023
Outside thousands prayed the rosary, chanted, and sang hymns in reparation and protest for offenses against Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Controversy over the group erupted in May after the Dodgers announced they would be honoring them.
The Sisters are known for using Catholic religious imagery and themes in sexualized performances. The performers call themselves nuns and regularly use the likenesses of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and women religious in ways that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has called “blasphemous.”
Prominent Catholics and other Christian leaders across the country criticized the Dodgers’ decision to honor the Sisters, including Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, who called the Sisters “a group that insults Jesus and mocks Catholic believers.”
Gomez celebrated a special Mass on the day of the game in reparation for the group’s performances.
“Religious freedom and the respect for the beliefs of others are hallmarks of our nation,” Gomez said during the Mass. “When God is insulted, when the beliefs of any of our neighbors are ridiculed, it diminishes all of us.”
Tommy Valentine, a spokesman for the Catholic advocacy group CatholicVote who attended and spoke at the prayer protest, told CNA that the Mass was “simply beautiful.”
“The environment was truly one of love, prayer, and reparation,” Valentine said, adding that he estimated “at least” 5,000 people participated.
“Many people brought religious art and family heirlooms and rosaries — the traditions and symbols which are so important to us which are mocked by this hate group,” Valentine explained. “It made quite a contrast between the huge prayerful crowd inside compared to the two bigots being honored inside a nearly empty stadium.”
Shortly after the Dodgers announced they would honor the Sisters, CatholicVote revealed it would be raising $1 million for an ad campaign to boycott the team.
According to Valentine, CatholicVote’s boycott campaign is “just getting started.”
“We smashed our million-dollar fundraising goal and put some of the money aside to keep running,” Valentine said, adding that “people are still donating.”
Valentine said that the ad campaign has thus far garnered nearly 10 million views and listens on TV and radio.
The campaign has faced some opposition as well, according to Valentine.
After purchasing airtime for an ad on Spectrum SportsNet LA, the channel then rescinded its agreement with CatholicVote and refused to run the ad. Spectrum SportsNet LA is partially owned by the Dodgers.
Valentine said that Lamar, Clear Channel, and Outfront also refused to rent out any billboards for the boycott campaign.
“We asked them what specifically they objected to and how we could revise the wording. They ignored us,” Valentine said. “So, we got mobile billboard trucks to circle Dodger Stadium before, during, and after all games.”
CatholicVote also had billboard trucks circulate outside Dodgers’ co-owner Mark Walter’s Malibu house as well as in Manhattan for the MLB owners’ meetings last week, according to Valentine.
Valentine also said that though plans for additional ads are still in the works, he could not disclose any more details.
Michael Phelps of Good Counsel Homes prays the rosary with others as they pass Trinity Church in the shadow of the Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan on March 25, 2023. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/CNA
St. Louis, Mo., Mar 27, 2023 / 17:05 pm (CNA).
Pr… […]
Riot policemen clash with demonstrators during a protest in Lima on Jan. 24, 2023. / Photo by ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images
CNA Newsroom, Jan 26, 2023 / 10:45 am (CNA).
Violent protests have been taking place for more than a month in d… […]
Protesters clash with members of the Peruvian riot police during a demonstration in the city of Cusco, Peru, on Jan. 11, 2023. / Photo by IVAN FLORES/AFP via Getty Images
CNA Newsroom, Jan 11, 2023 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
The Standing Council of the … […]
Representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office arrive to dissuade the protesters in Peru, December 2022. / Credit: ANDINA/Dissemination
CNA Newsroom, Dec 13, 2022 / 17:45 pm (CNA).
The Peruvian Bishops’ Conference issued a statement “in view of the recent and painful events of violence” that the South American country is experiencing.
In a Dec. 12 message, the Peruvian bishops expressed their condolences to the relatives of those who died “as a result of the confrontation between protesters and law enforcement.”
The confrontations began after President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7 declared a state of emergency, dissolved Congress, said he would rule by decree, and set a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew. Hours later, Congress in turn voted overwhelmingly for a motion to declare the office of the presidency vacant for moral incapacity on the part of Castillo.
In addition, at least eight government ministers, including Alejandro Salas, the minister of Labor and Employment Promotion, submitted their resignations.
Castillo’s attempted usurpation of power took place amid a large number of corruption accusations against him, in which relatives of the president are involved.
After his removal from office, the now former President Castillo was arrested, and Dina Boluarte took office Dec. 7 as the new president of the Republic of Peru. Boluarte served as minister of Development and Social Inclusion of Peru and is also being investigated for corruption.
The removal of Castillo from office and his arrest caused his followers to start a wave of violent protests in the country’s south, which so far has claimed the lives of at least five people.
During the demonstrations, followers of Castillo invaded the runway of the Arequipa airport, which had to be closed to guarantee operational security.
Also in Arequipa, protesters looted and set fire to the Gloria company’s milk plant.
In addition, at least 25 points on the Peruvian highway network were blocked in protests demanding the release of the dismissed Castillo and the dissolution of the Congress of the Republic.
The violent protests caused President Boluarte to declare a 60-day state of emergency in the Apurímac district.
Faced with these acts of violence, the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference called for “building bridges of dialogue” and asked that the National Police of Peru ensure the people’s safety.
The Peruvian bishops called for all institutions “to seek the stability of the country, because we cannot afford the luxury of misrule in our country.”
“Violence is not the solution to the crisis or to differences. No more acts of violence! No more deaths! Peru must be our priority!” the bishops said in their statement.
Finally, they invoked the Virgin of Guadalupe, whose feast was celebrated the day of their statement, to “guide us along paths of justice and peace.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Citizen protests against the Cuban regime in Nuevitas, Camagüey, August 2022. / Photo credit: Video capture / Twitter
Denver Newsroom, Aug 30, 2022 / 11:00 am (CNA).
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