Archbishop José H Gomez invited all local Catholics to participate in a Mass that marked the beginning of a day of prayer on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In response, thousands of protesters gathered outside Dodger Stadium on Friday evening to express their opposition to the team's Pride Night ceremony, which honoured the queer and trans nuns.

The event, organised by Catholics for Catholics, saw a massive crowd block the ballpark's main entrance, holding signs with messages like "Stop Anti-Catholic Hate" and chanting "Save our Children."

The local chapter of the Sisters, known for their drag performances in traditional Catholic nun habits, was to receive the Dodgers' Community Hero Award for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community during the team's 10th annual Pride Night.

However, critics have labelled the group a "blatantly perverted, sexual and disgusting anti-Catholic hate group."

While law enforcement maintained a strong presence inside and outside the stadium ahead of the game, a sizeable group of protesters congregated outside Dodger Stadium hours before the event.

"We're hoping that the Dodgers will see the amount of Catholics and Christians showing up here today peacefully," protestor Anthony Rodriguez said.

"We're showing that we're not budging. We've drawn a line in the sand and we're putting our faith first."

Amid the protests, two "nuns" from the group appeared near the third base line to accept the award, sparking a mixed reaction from the small crowd in the stadium.

Sisters "a hate group"

The Dodgers' decision to invite the Sisters had stirred national outrage, leading to a series of events where the team initially rescinded the invitation but later reinstated it.

Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, US senator Marco Rubio, former Mets pitcher Trevor Williams and Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw objected to the group's inclusion, emphasising the importance of respecting religious beliefs.

Dodgers ace and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw expressed frustration over the group's event.

"I don't agree with making fun of other people's religions," Kershaw said. "It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don't think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else's religion. So that's something that I definitely don't agree with."

The controversy also prompted the involvement of various organisations and individuals, including the Catholic League president Bill Donohue and Brian Burch, president of the advocacy group CatholicVote, who called the Sisters a "hate group."

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, anticipating the protests, expressed their support for the right to demonstrate against them. They emphasised their dedication to their work, viewing being a nun as a lifelong service to the LGBTQ+ community and various religious denominations.

"We use humour and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit," the Sisters' website says.

The group called the national controversy a "silver lining."

"Our group has been strengthened, protected and uplifted to a position where we may now offer our message of hope and joy to far more people than before," the organisation said on its website.

Sources

Fox News

New York Post

CathNews New Zealand

"We have asked the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th," a team statement said.

"We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades."

The group will receive the Community Hero Award in a ceremony before the Dodgers' home game against the San Francisco Giants.

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