The following letter lays out the Catholic League position on an issue that it is wrongly cast as a political controversy.
June 18, 2026
Mr. Robert Manfred
Commissioner
Major League Baseball
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Dear Commissioner Manfred:
As president of the nation’s oldest Catholic civil rights organization, I am writing in support of Sen. Josh Hawley’s recent letter to you regarding the controversy over some members of the San Francisco Giants who are protesting “Pride Night” by wearing a biblical verse on their caps.
I will not repeat what Senator Hawley has said, only to say that I am in complete agreement with his concern about the way Christian players are treated by the MLB. There seems to be a double standard: one for left-wing activists and one for practicing Christians.
At the heart of this issue is something that others who share my position have not addressed; ergo, I make no pretense that I speak for them.
This controversy is not about people with different political views on contemporary issues. It is about something much more serious: the right of those whose religious convictions does not allow them to affirm a set of behaviors they find morally offensive.
To be specific, to demand approval of the LGBTQ agenda—which is exactly what “Pride Night” proponents seek—is to violate the religious rights of objecting players. They have every right not to sanction behaviors that require them to prostitute their core moral values.
Sincerely,
William A. Donohue, Ph.D.
President
cc: Sen. Josh Hawley
Contact Manfred: [email protected]
