The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is calling on all Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 16, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Along with practicing this popular devotion, the call to prayer comes as an act of reparation for the “spiritual damage caused by sin.” In this case, the issue in question is the LA Dodgers’ plan to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an activist group that mocks the Church and consecrated women by dressing men as nuns and performing blasphemous acts.
Aleteia has previously reported on the rollercoaster of decisions made by the LA Dodgers. First the team invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to be honored at the baseball team’s annual “Pride Night,” but these plans were canceled at the urging of Catholics and Christians who did not appreciate an MLB team placing laurels on the heads of those who mock their faith. The Dodgers would later reverse this reversal, caving to pressure by the LGBTQ community to renew their invitation to the group.
Now, as the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus approaches, the USCCB is organizing Catholics around the world to pray. The bishops explained the significance of the Sacred Heart:
“Catholic Christians traditionally recognize June as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During this time, we call to mind Christ’s love for us, which is visible in a special way in the image of His pierced heart, and we pray that our own hearts might be conformed to His, calling us to love and respect all His people.”
The open letter to the faithful went on to lament that a MLB team would honor an organization that has for years shown its disregard for people of faith, “mocking our Lord, His Mother, and consecrated women.” They called the move “offensive and painful” to Christians, and reiterated that it is considered “blasphemy” to those of faith.
“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.”
The bishops provided links to LA Catholic, the website for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where the prayerful mission is being organized, as well as a link to the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Visit LA Catholic to learn more.
