BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY
In the tenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, we hear of the Mission (v. 1–4) and Commissioning (v. 5–15) of the 12 apostles. As Jesus sends out (commissions) his apostles, he also warns them, in verses 16–25, of “coming persecutions” and, in verses 26–33, tells them three times (v. 26, 28, and 31) “do not be afraid” when persecution comes. While we know that these predicted persecutions did come to pass for the apostles and for Christians in many times and places over the course of the past 2,000 years, we are grateful that we are not experiencing that type of severe, physical persecution at this time (or any time) in the history of our country.
I turn to this section of Matthew’s Gospel at this time, not (so much) because it speaks of persecution, but as a reminder of what Jesus tells us we should do during “challenging times” — “… When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say, for it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
As Christians, there are times when we must speak. As Christians who live in a democratic republic in which there is a constitutional guarantee of both “Freedom of Speech” and “Freedom of Religion,” we have a particular obligation and responsibility to be part of the “Public Debate or Conversation.” I have shared before that, for a long time, I have struggled to understand those who say that we should not “mix” religion and politics or that “the Church should not get involved in politics.” There may come a time when this could be the topic of a full column, but I mention it here because I believe that the recent decision by the Los Angeles Dodgers to honor a group known as the “Sisters of the Perpetual Indulgence,” while not overtly political, is a clear example of a moment when we, as Christians, must raise our voices and be part of the public conversation.
I would think that most readers are by now aware of the decision by the Los Angeles Dodgers to invite, then “dis-invite,” then re-invite (and honor) this clearly anti-Catholic group. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles issued a statement that said, in part, the Dodgers’ “decision to honor a group that clearly mocks the Catholic faith and makes light of the sincere and holy vocations of our women religious who are an integral part of our Church” has caused “disappointment, concern, anger, and dismay from our Catholic community.” There has been a great deal reported and written about this story. I would recommend a very good article in America Magazine, titled “Dodgers’ faith night ‘not enough’ to make up for honoring ‘drag queen nuns,’ some Catholics and players say.”
The article quotes Bishop Robert Barron from a video statement that he posted to Twitter. I would recommend readers listen to the full statement from Bishop Barron, but I think that he asks a very important question:
“Suppose this group had dressed up in a kind of simulacrum of a rabbi and had done something deeply disrespectful to the Torah, or ... (in a) mockery of a Muslim cleric or imam, and then had desecrated the Quran. What would the reaction be?” he asked.
As I come to the end of my third year as Bishop, I am not sure whether I can still say that I am (somewhat) still “new” to the responsibilities of “episcopal ministry” (being a bishop). I can say that I wondered and prayed as to whether I should make some kind of public statement (as many other bishops have done) about this decision by the Dodgers. I do want to share my thoughts at this time.
First, I would like to echo the sentiment from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and many others that this decision by the Dodgers to honor this group is “disappointing,” to say the least. As I stated above, I believe that we all have a responsibility, according to our own circumstances, to “speak up” when any group is disrespected and when any religion or faith community is mocked, especially in public demonstrations in which sacred symbols are desecrated. It was encouraging to hear some of the players on the Dodgers and other teams as they expressed their displeasure and disappointment. The statement by Dodgers’ pitcher Blake Treinen was very impressive, especially his witness to his faith. His full statement and statements from some other players can be found here.
Secondly, when we do realize the need to “raise our voice,” we should return to the instructions of Jesus that I referenced at the beginning of this article. As human beings, when we are offended, disrespected, or victims of discrimination, there is a natural temptation to respond with emotion and with anger. As Christians, with the help of prayer, we need to resist those temptations and then, with more prayer, ask Jesus, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to “give us the words.” It has struck me that this story has unfolded in the days following Pentecost. I know for myself that I have been asking for that “seven-fold gift”: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord. In the interest of time and space, I won’t comment on the way in which each of those gifts can be applied to this situation, but I would invite readers to remember that we each should be asking for those gifts on a daily basis and, especially, when we confront challenging situations in which our faith is tested.
As I (we) consider and ask for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we should also be asking in prayer that the Gifts of the Spirit bear “fruit” in our lives. In our conversations with one another and in the moments when we discern a need to “raise our voices” in the “public square” (debate, conversation), we should hope that others could see and hear the presence of the “Fruits of the Holy Spirit” in each of us. Are we aware of the 12 “Fruits of the Holy Spirit” as identified by the Catechism? (I had to look them up, just to be sure). They are Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control, and Chastity.
Finally, I believe that this decision by the Dodgers’ organization and the reactions to it is also a reminder of the way in which Pope Francis is calling us to be a “Synodal Church,” with a focus on the way in which we “encounter” one another on the journey — even when those we encounter may disrespect or offend us. Pope Francis speaks of the steps of “encounter, listen, and discern.” Listening and discernment can lead us to say that some decisions and actions are objectively wrong. At those moments, let us always remember Jesus’ promise and pray that we will be “given” the words we need to say. As people of Christian faith, we act and speak in defense of anyone marginalized by mockery and ridicule. In calling for respect for those who often serve the despairing and vulnerable joyfully and selflessly, we are speaking in defense of our own treasured religious women and, as they themselves would have us do, all those who call God their Father.