On June 29, the Boston Public Library, an institution supported by public funds, hosted a storytime for children featuring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a self-described organization of “queer nuns” who purport to serve the community in various service projects and in fighting hatred and discrimination against members of the LGBT community. Unfortunately, the central strategy they’ve adopted is one of mocking Catholicism, in general, and the commitment to a life of service to God’s people made by women religious, in particular.
The “Sisters” adopt fictitious names, often with not so subtle sexual innuendos, such as, “Sister Mina J’Trois,” “Sister Betti Crotcher,” and “Sister Rhoda Priest,” (these are among those I could publish here). Some also adopt names that are unabashed attacks on Catholic culture and spirituality, such as, “Sister Rose of the Bloody Stains of the Sacred Robes of Jesus,” or “Sister Mysteria of the Holy Order of the Broken Hymen.”
The motto of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is, “Go forth and sin some more!”
Dr. Robert George of Princeton University makes an interesting and convincing point that one of the goals of the “Sisters” is to offer an alternative religion that promises salvation through sexual expression and excess. He also points out the obvious, as others have, that such bigotry would never be tolerated by a public institution were Jews, Muslims or any other religious tradition the target. Anti-Catholicism is by no means the only prejudice remaining in American society. It is, however, as the historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. described it decades ago, “the last acceptable prejudice.” The Boston Public Library thought it fine to invest public money in this display of anti-Catholic bigotry because they reasoned that anti-Catholicism is acceptable. Judging by the support, and even praise, the Library has received, they were correct in their assessment.
It’s disheartening, to say the least, that a public institution would invest public monies in a program entertaining such in-your-face anti-Catholic bigotry. It’s even more disheartening that the Boston Public Library did so under the guise of a program for children and that some parents, perhaps suffering a momentary TIA (or, more generously, not realizing what they were getting their kids into) would bring their children to participate. The above picture, from the BPL website, shows a child who looks about the age of six or seven, dressed in drag and surrounded by adoring “Sisters,” no doubt ecstatic over their influence on the minds and hearts of youngsters and on the minds and hearts of parents who think they’re teaching their children tolerance by teaching them to hate others for their faith and commitment to Christ and His Church.
If so inspired, you can contact David Leonard, the President of the Boston Public Library at: dleonard@bpl.org
Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.
Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful 