California Republicans are castigating their Democratic colleagues for honoring a member of the anti-Catholic group, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, on Monday.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, sent a letter to Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, D-San Diego, on Thursday requesting that she retract an invitation to "Sisters" member Michael Williams, who goes by the stage name "Sister Roma" and is scheduled to appear at a ceremony honoring members of the LGBTQ community.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who identify as a group of "queer and trans nuns," are known for mocking Christian beliefs, including holding an annual "Foxy Mary" and "Hunky Jesus" contest, pole dancing on crosses, and using the saying, "Go forth and sin some more!"
"We feel that that’s just not appropriate for the California State Senate and that type of display doesn’t rise to the level that should be honored in the State Capitol," Jones told Fox News Digital.
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Jones said, "Senate Democrats have shown a blatant disregard for the 10 million Catholic Californians in our state."
"Were this group to spread hateful messages about Jews, Muslims, Hindus, or any other religion, Senate Democrats would certainly not extend this invitation," Jones said.
Atkins, who is a member of the LGBTQ community, has called Republicans’ request to remove Sister Roma a "misguided distraction" and accused them of "leaning in to polarization."
"I stand with the members of the LGBTQ Caucus – Sister Roma and all of this year’s honorees are deserving of being celebrated for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community and California," she said.
In a letter responding to her Republican colleagues, Atkins pointed to comments "Sister Roma" gave to The San Francisco Chronicle stating that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence has "no hate for people of faith who do not weaponize their religion and use it to justify their own homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and racism."
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"We are not mocking nuns. We are nuns. We feed the hungry, tend to the sick, care for the unhoused, support the LGBTQ+ youth, and provide ministry to our community," "Sister Roma" said. The members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are not nuns.
Atkins acknowledged that some Catholics "may be dismayed by what they see as an affront to their religion."
"I respect their right to feel that way, and I also believe that, in the end, faith is stronger than any parody could possibly be," she said.
The Dodgers recently came under fire after announcing their plan to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with the "Community Hero Award" before their June 16 game.
After religious groups voiced their concern over the award, the team said it would no longer be honoring the group at the Pride event. Just days later, the Dodgers backtracked and reinvited them to the event, an announcement that garnered even more backlash from the religious community and players within the baseball league.
Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
