CV NEWS FEED // The New York Commission of Religious Leaders this week strongly denounced the Olympic Opening Ceremony scene featuring a group of people in “drag” appearing to parody Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper as “an affront to people of all faiths, and a betrayal of the values and ideals that the Olympic games are meant to uphold.”
CRL Chairman Cardinal Timothy Dolan, CRL President Rev. Dr. A.R. Bernard, Sr., and Vice President Rabbi Joseph Potasnik signed the July 30 statement condemning the display. Cardinal Dolan is the archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York.
The leaders quoted Pope Francis, who recently spoke of sport’s capacity to “peacefully [unite] people of different cultures.” Cardinal Dolan and the other leaders then lamented that the Opening Ceremony organizers “chose to present a scene that could only drive people apart rather than bring them together.”
The leaders also highlighted a quote from the French Bishops Conference. The Conference stated that they “deeply deplore” the “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity” at the Opening Ceremony.
The July 30 statement signatories continued, “As leaders of CORL, the Commission of Religious Leaders, here in New York, we know the importance of mutual respect and cooperation. When one faith group is attacked, all faith groups are attacked.”
“We are proud to stand together to not only condemn what took place in Paris, but to serve as a reminder that people of different religious beliefs can and do stand united as models of peace, friendship, and understanding,” they concluded:
Please God, let the remainder of these Olympic Games be an occasion of fine competition and good sportsmanship, and the beginning of a new era of peace and understanding among people of all nationalities, ethnicities, and religions.
As CatholicVote previously reported, a group of Catholic bishops and cardinals this week penned an open letter calling for a formal apology from the International Olympics Commission about the display. Bishops have also called for prayers and fasting in reparation for the display.
