Catholic Major League Pitcher Trevor Williams Rebukes Dodgers for Honoring Anti-Catholic Hate Group

Washington Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams said Tuesday in a statement posted to Twitter the move by the Los Angeles Dodgers to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an anti-Catholic hate group, “makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion.”

“As a devout Catholic, I am deeply troubled by the Dodgers’ decision to re-invite and honor the group ‘The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ at their Pride Night this year,” Williams began his message, explaining to his followers that a “Major League Baseball game is a place where people from all walks of life should feel welcomed, something I greatly respect and support.”

“This is the purpose of different themed nights hosted by the organization, including Pride Night,” Williams noted, and added:

To invite and honor a group that makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion, and the religion of over 4 million people in Los Angeles county alone, undermines the values of respect and inclusivity that should be upheld by any organization.

“Creating an environment in which one group feels celebrated and honored at the expense of another is counterproductive and wrong,” Williams asserted. “It is a clear violation of the Dodgers’ Discrimination Policy, which explicitly states than any conduct or attire at the ballpark that is deemed to be indecent or prejudice against any particular group (or religion) is not tolerated.”

Williams said it appears the Dodgers’ organization has “made an exception in this case, doubling down that this group – which grossly disrespects and openly mocks many of the traditions and beliefs that Catholics hold most dear – should be celebrated.”

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence celebrated the Dodgers’ decision to apologize to them and honor them at their pride game night event.

Williams was praised by many other Twitter users, including some well-known pro-family, pro-life, Christian, and constitutionalist commentators, while others mocked him with messages of contempt.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a Catholic, has also opposed the Dodgers’ decision to honor the group that has become notorious for staging obscene events that mock and desecrate Jesus Christ.

Catholic civil rights organizations, including the Catholic League and CatholicVote, have launched campaigns that urge a boycott of the Dodgers, while the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and bishops around the country, have condemned the Dodgers’ move to honor the anti-Catholic hate group.

“I believe it is essential for the Dodgers to reconsider their association with this group and strive to create an inclusive environment that does not demean or disrespect the religious beliefs of any fan or employee,” Williams said in his message. “I also encourage my fellow Catholics to reconsider their support of an organization that allows this type of mockery of its fans to occur.”

“I know I am not alone in my frustration, hurt, and disappointment about this situation,” the pitcher added. “As Catholics, we look to Jesus Christ and the way He was treated and we realize that any suffering in this world unites us to Him in the next.”

– – –

Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Trevor Williams” by Trevor Williams.