Catholics in Los Angeles, Nearly 2,000 Attend Mass and Many Protest and Pray in Reparation of the Dodgers Honoring of a Group that Mocks Nuns



In Los Angeles, California, Archbishop José H. Gomez held a Mass in reparation of the decision of an American baseball team to honor a group that mocks Catholic nuns. The archbishop called for “respect for the belief of others” at the noon Holy Mass held hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers team honored a controversial drag group at its yearly Pride Night event.
“When God is insulted, when the beliefs of any of our neighbors are ridiculed, it diminishes all of us,” said Archbishop Gomez in his homily during Mass honoring the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
UPDATE: In addition, prior to the Dodgers’ game, Catholics organized a gathering in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium at 3 p.m (see pics at bottom) - according to reports thousands more attended:
  “When we reward such acts, it hurts our unity as one city and one nation, as one family under God.”
Close to 2,000 people were at the Mass for healing and reparation in response to the Dodgers’ choice to award the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a self-described “leading-edge order of queer and trans nuns” that often mocks Catholics, biblical figures and traditions.

In his homily, Archbishop Gomez said that only through the Sacred Heart of Jesus and his love can Catholics and the Church persevere through persecution.
"Religious freedom and respect for the beliefs of others are hallmarks of our nation. When God is insulted, when the beliefs of any of our neighbors are ridiculed, it diminishes all of us. When we reward such acts, it hurts our unity as one city and one nation, as one family under God....Jesus commands us to forgive those who trespass against us, and to pray for those who persecute us. And he taught us to oppose what is wrong and ugly, with what is beautiful and true. Just as he did. 
The Facebook Page of the Archdiocese wrote:
Today we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ Sacred Heart. We remember how much He loves us, and we ask Him to give us a heart like his, meek and humble and filled with compassion. We will also be praying in a special way today for our city and country, for an end to prejudice, and for renewed respect for the religious beliefs of all Angelenos and all Americans.
Archbishop José H. Gomez dedicates today's Mass for healing due to the harm caused by the Dodger’s decision to honor a group that intentionally denigrates and profanes the Christian faith. We call on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart offering this prayer as an act of reparation for the blasphemies against our Lord we see in our culture today.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops called on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on June 16th:  “This year, on June 16—the day of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a professional baseball team has shockingly chosen to honor a group whose lewdness and vulgarity in mocking our Lord, His Mother, and consecrated women cannot be overstated. This is not just offensive and painful to Christians everywhere; it is blasphemy." “It has been heartening to see so many faithful Catholics and others of good will stand up to say that what this group does is wrong, and it is wrong to honor them. We call on Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on June 16, offering this prayer as an act of reparation for the blasphemies against our Lord we see in our culture today.” (USCCB)

Before the Dodgers’ game, Catholics organized a gathering in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium at 3 p.m. to protest with prayers, music and key speakers. (Image from the protest from Facebook h/t Anthony Pirozzi


The Dodgers’ game against the San Francisco Giants begins at 7:10 p.m. The team will be awarding the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence its Community Hero Award during its Pride Night celebration.
With Information from LACatholic.org - Archdiocese of LA Facebook Page and the USCCB

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