A Texas church drew protests on Sunday over its support of LGBT activists known for dressing in mock nun outfits.
The Cathedral of Hope in Dallas held a “Drag Sunday” service to bless members of the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” according to The Dallas Express.
The service was held in response to a new Texas law, currently held up in court, that protects children from being exposed to sexual performances.
Pastor Neil G. Thomas said the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are “a force to help us understand that there is something still very deeply spiritual about us.”
“They’re modeled after the Roman Catholic nuns who were some of the first people to be in hospitals and working with gay men, specifically as they were dying of AIDS,” he told the Express.
During the sermon, Thomas said, “Drag queens are often targets of hate and violence. But we know that they are often powerful and resilient people who show us what it means to be truly authentic and expressive.”
As seen in a video circulated on social media, congregants pledged to be “allies to the drag community” and said, “We celebrate this divine diversity and commit to lifting up the voices of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Congregants at the Cathedral of Hope Protestant Church in Dallas were led in a prayer pledging allegiance to drag queens and LGBTQ+.
This is blasphemy. pic.twitter.com/S33M4JwQ4M
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 19, 2023
About 40 protesters gathered outside the church during the service.
“We’re protesting against this abomination that’s occurring here,” said Jim Miller of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property.
“Catholic nuns are something that’s very sacred, very beautiful,” said Cesar Franco of the group America Needs Fatima. “For them to mock the purity of nuns, to mock this beautiful institution of the Catholic faith, it’s abominable.”
Yesterday, members in Dallas hosted a Rosary Rally outside of the “Cathedral of Hope” who were conducting a “blessing” for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Members also stood with TFP and various locals in prayer.
Anti-Catholic perversity is not welcome in our communities. pic.twitter.com/hyrZS8JfaA
— The New Columbia Movement (@NCMvmt) September 18, 2023
Thomas said those who believe the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are anti-Catholic should “actually get to know” them.
But Catholic speaker Trent Horn said he knows all he needs to know.
“[The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence] mock what is sacred to over a billion people through their cartoonish depictions of nuns and by hosting events like ‘Hunky Jesus’ contests,” he said, referring to an Easter event in which performers “dressed up as Jesus Christ and danced in a sexually provocative manner in front of a cross,” the Express reported.
“Respectful people would never celebrate a group that hosted ‘Hunky Muhammad’ contests or mocked the appearance of Hasidic Jews,” Horn said. “Those who claim to be inclusive and respectful towards all faiths likewise shouldn’t celebrate the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.”
The city of Dallas honored the “Sisters” this year with the “Outstanding Leadership in Arts and Culture Award.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers also recognized the group before a game in June, drawing outrage from current and former MLB players, a U.S. senator and thousands of Christians who protested the decision.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
