The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back their Christian Faith and Family Day in the wake of a controversy related to their decision to invite, uninvite, and then reinvite a group of drag performers who dress in drag garb. nun to the team's Pride Night.
Without revealing many details, the team announced Friday that Christian Faith and Family Day will be held at Dodger Stadium after the July 30 game.
โExcited to announce the relaunch of Family and Christian Faith Day at Dodger Stadium on July 30. More details to come, but we're 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 30!โ pitcher Clayton Kershaw tweeted.
The team did not immediately respond to an email from NBC4 asking if the move was in response to the Pride Night bug controversy.
The Dodgers faced a torrent of criticism from fans, the LGBTQ community and elected leaders following their original decision to remove the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from their list of honorees at the team's Pride Night next month.
The sisters describe themselves as trans and queer nuns. They dress as women while wearing the traditional nun garb, mostly bugles.
The Dodgers took the sisters out of their Pride Night the day after Bill Donohue, president and CEO of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, emailed the Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred to urge the team to pull the group.
In an interview with NBC4, Donohue said the sisters offend thousands in the Catholic Church.
His letter to Manfred, dated May 16, called the sisters "an obscene anti-Catholic group."
The move sparked backlash among supporters of the sisters, who say they are dedicated to community service, ministry and outreach to marginalized communities.
The Dodgers then backed off last week after saying they spoke to the sisters and "our various communities." The team apologized and invited the group back to Pride Night.
โAfter much thoughtful feedback from our various 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 sincere apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Perpetual Indulgence, LGBTQ+ members. community and their friends and family," the team said in its statement.
The sisters accepted the apology and will accept the Dodgers Community Hero Award at Pride Night on June 16.
However, that decision by the Dodgers also provoked its own reaction. This week, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles criticized the team for reneging and called on Catholics to unite against the team's recall.
โThe decision to honor a group that clearly mocks the Catholic faith and belittles the sincere and holy vocations of our religious women who are an integral part of our church is what has caused disappointment, concern, anger and dismay in our Catholic community. the Archdiocese said in a statement.
