Thousands Pray and Protest in Front of Dodgers Stadium
June 17, 2023 / 3:20 p.m.
By Diego López Marina
Thousands of Catholic believers and other Christian denominations gathered in front of the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, United States, to pray and peacefully protest. This came as a response to the decision made by the professional baseball team to honor an anti-Catholic group known as the “drag queen.”
“HUGE SUCCESS! Prayer Rally Officially Concludes. Over 5K strong!! Massive outpouring!” – Catholics for Catholics (@CforCatholics) June 17, 2023
Local media outlets such as NBC and Fox News, along with various users on social networks, shared images and videos of the crowd that gathered on Friday, June 16, at the stadium gate. Protesters held signs that read “stop anti-Catholic hatred” and “They shall not mock God.”
The concentration began several hours before the baseball team awarded recognition to “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” during their “LGBTQ Pride Night.” This group is known for using religious-themed clothing to mock the Church, Jesus Christ, and the sacraments.
During the award ceremony, images showed a nearly empty stadium, in stark contrast to the thousands of protesters praying outside.
“DODGER STADIUM – The ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ are recognized for Pride night to a mostly empty audience. Two Dodgers fans nearby begin loudly booing after they’re announced.” – Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 17, 2023
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The secular group Catholics for Catholics, one of the main organizers of the protest, stated in a tweet that approximately 5,000 people participated, considering the rally a “huge success.”
“WATCH: Thousands of Catholics praying the rosary outside Dodger Stadium blocking the gate during the ‘Drag Nun’ ceremony.” – Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 17, 2023
A day prior to the protest, Archbishop José Gómez of Los Angeles expressed his offense during a homily, stating that “many of us are offended by the decision to honor a group that insults Jesus and mocks Catholic believers.”
“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 belittles us all,” he emphasized.
Archbishop Gómez also reminded the attendees of Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness and prayer for those who persecute us.
“Jesus taught us to oppose what is wrong and support what is true and beautiful. So today we ask you to give us the strength to do it,” he added.
At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Gómez led the attendees in praying the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This prayer was requested by him and the other US bishops as an act of reparation for the “blasphemy” that was planned to take place at Dodger Stadium.
Diego López Marina is a professional communicator and journalist. He has been a part of ACI Prensa since 2016 and currently works as one of the agency’s web editors.
