(LifeSiteNews) — God allows evil because He knows that it can serve as a catalyst for greater good. Indeed, there is no evil that could possibly take place that can be an equal counterweight to God, who is Infinity itself.
My guests today on this special episode of The John-Henry Westen Show are those who helped organize the prayer rally of reparation for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a blasphemous group of men that do unspeakable things to Our Lord on the Crucifix and in pantomime.
Guests include Jesse Romero and his brother Johnny, Terry Barber of Virgin Most Powerful Radio, John Yep from Catholics for Catholics, as well as those here at LifeSite that helped organize the event and our coverage of it.
Discussing the build-up to and organization of the rally, Johnny Romero tells me that the idea for a prayer vigil of reparation came from discussing the matter with family friends, emphasizing that what the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence do constitutes the “definition” of discrimination. After speaking with his brother Jesse and several others, he contacted a former Los Angeles police officer he knew to help plan the rally and organize it, including with the help of non-Catholics.
“This was historic,” he tells me about the rally. “And … we claimed this ground back. This city is not called Los Angeles. It’s called Nuestra Señora, Reina de los Angeles. In English, Our Lady, Queen of the Angels. This ground was claimed back to the Mother of God, who it rightfully belongs to.”
Jesse Romero, also offering his reaction to the rally, says that the rally is a “perfect definition of ecumenism” on account of both Catholics and non-Catholics united in one cause in defense of the faith. He also insists that life is a spiritual battle that will last until the Second Coming of Christ, pointing to the transgender movement as a diabolical movement. Jesse concluded emphasizing devotion to the Our Lady, saying “Our Lady’s promise, once we think that … our backs [are] up against the wall … the Reign of Mary is going to come.”
READ: ‘Huge success’: LA Dodgers protest rally dwarfs support for blasphemous ‘Pride Night’
Discussing his reaction to the event, John Yep highlights that the event was organized without the support of the local Church, and that about 5,000 people showed up to pray and make reparation for what the Dodgers did in spite of the lack of support.
“I believe [this event] is historic because in such a short time we massed such a strong response,” Yep states, affirming his belief that people showed up at the event after feeling “drawn to show up to the event,” adding that the event is “going to set a tone.”
In his address to the rally, Yep said that people like the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will never understand the reaction they receive, because the rally was “from love.”
“This is Christ’s love,” Yep said. “This is God’s love. This is the love for our family. This is love for our way of life. The love for our religion, for those that came before us.”
Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, who led a procession of reparation at the rally with a first class relic of St. John Paul II, held a similar sentiment.
“We must be people of love, but real love,” he said addressing the rally. “We look to Jesus on the Cross for our image of love. It is an image of sacrificial love and truth that He died to share with us. We need to look to Him as our model, our hope, and our Lord.”
READ: Thousands gather in defense of Christ as LA Dodgers honor blasphemous drag ‘nuns’
Terry Barber, reflecting on the rally, tells me that people told him the rally gave them courage to defend the faith in their places of work, something that they wanted to do but have never had the courage to do. He also reminds me that “one Hail Mary can convert a soul,” adding that “Our Lady of Fatima said ‘souls are going to Hell because no one is there to pray and make sacrifices.’”
I also speak with several LifeSite team members, including Alejandro Rodriguez.
Recounting the events leading up to the rally, Rodriguez tells me that organizers had to contend with spiritual attacks, such as family discord, doubts about having the right motive for the rally, and moments of despair. What caused him to continue, however, was the knowledge that “a lot of the things that I was experiencing … were … largely because we were doing something very good.”
Echoing Barber, Rodriguez said that people should pray for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and those like them. “We just have to pray for these people,” he says. “Obviously they need prayers. That’s the most important thing. So it was really necessary for us to do the rally. And in spite of all the difficulties we faced, it was very successful.”
Rodriguez also notes that Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles is facing backlash for speaking about the Dodgers in a homily, saying that while he would have liked Gomez to make an appearance at the rally, he asks people to pray for him on account of the backlash.
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