Bishop Robert Barron, a popular Catholic cultural commentator, urged Christians to “keep raising our voices” against the Paris Olympics after the committee attempted to quell outrage over an anti-Christian scene from the opening ceremony.
Barron castigated the Paris Olympics committee after it apologized for depicting the Last Supper of Jesus with sexualized drag queens. Barron, who delivered a viral reaction to the “gross mockery of the Last Supper,” called the committee’s attempt at an apology patronizing.
In another video posted to social media, Barron walked through some of the points of the apology, beginning with the claim that “there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group.”
“Give me a break. So, we have a group of drag queens cavorting in a kind of sexually provocative way, clearly an imitation of Da Vinci’s Last Supper, which presents to the world the last supper of Jesus, and no disrespect was meant? You think anyone takes that seriously?” Barron asked.
“Everyone’s welcome. Everyone’s tolerated,” he said sarcastically, referencing the committee’s claim of espousing tolerance with the depiction. “All this lovely diversity until you get to anyone who disagrees with your ideology. Like these 2.6 billion [Christians.]”
Finally, Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said of the display, “If people have taken any offense we are really sorry.” Barron said the statement, rather than being conciliatory, was only more provocative.
“Christians were offended because it was offensive, and it was intended to be offensive, so please don’t patronize us with this condescending remark about ‘well, if you had any bad feelings, we’re awfully sorry about that,’” the bishop said. “A real apology would be something like, ‘this was a mistake, it never should have been done, and we’re sorry for it.’ I don’t think Christians should be mollified. I think we should keep raising our voices.”
To the Paris Olympics organizing committee, not good enough. #OlympicGames #Olympics2024Paris @Olympics pic.twitter.com/p8urrYLhA0
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) July 28, 2024
Barron reiterated his displeasure with the apology and his call to action for Christians in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. The bishop said that Western civilization stands to “suffer enormously” with the loss Christianity in its culture.
“Here’s what really bugs me. You know, if we just keep mocking Christianity, what will happen when in our culture, people no longer hear the story of the prodigal son? They no longer hear the story of the Good Samaritan? They no longer see the depiction of the Last Supper for what it is? They no longer see the crucified Christ? What will happen to our culture when those things are mocked out of existence? I think the culture will suffer enormously from it,” Barron said.
Friends, on Saturday I spoke with Eric Shawn about the offensive Olympics opening ceremony. Today’s apology from the Olympic committee isn’t good enough. pic.twitter.com/8vZmtpb8Ra
— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) July 28, 2024
