Today, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) and all members of the California Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to the Senate President pro Tempore requesting that she retract the invitation to a member of the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” during the Senate’s ceremony on Senate Resolution 33, which is planned for Monday, June 5.
Leader Jones issued the following statement on behalf of the California Senate Republican Caucus:
“The California Senate Republican Caucus strongly condemns the invitation to honor ‘Sister Roma,’ also known as Michael Williams, who is characterized as ‘one of the most outspoken and globally recognized members of San Francisco's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.'
“The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is well-known for their public denigration of the Catholic Faith and have long engaged in outrageous displays of mockery and ridicule against more than a billion Catholics worldwide.
“By inviting a prominent leader of this hateful group, 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.
“Frankly, it’s a slap in the face to Catholics who cherish their faith and hold it as a cornerstone of their identity. Sister Roma and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence do not share the Senate’s values of tolerance and understanding, and honoring them on the Senate Floor is simply inexcusable.
“Californians expect this legislative body to minimize distractions like Sister Roma’s invitation and focus on tackling the countless issues that continue to go unresolved across the state. Senate Republicans stand ready to work with our Democrat colleagues to fix California.”