This is an article on the commencement speech made by the Kansas City Chiefs Football player, Harrison Butker that Fr. Hewko referred to in the above sermon:
Liberals seek to cancel Harrison Butker after epic anti-woke, pro-family commencement speech
Traditional Catholic NFL kicker Harrison Butker is under fire for his recent commencement address at Benedictine College in which he denounced abortion, 'Pride Month,' Joe Biden, cowardly U.S. Catholic bishops, and the 'tyranny' of DEI.
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May 16, 2024
(
LifeSiteNews [slightly adapted]) — The mainstream media and liberal activists are trying to cancel traditional Catholic NFL kicker Harrison Butker after he delivered an
epic anti-woke, pro-family commencement address to graduates at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, this past Saturday.
Benedictine is a Catholic liberal arts school with just over 2,000 undergraduates. It carries the endorsement of The Cardinal Newman Society as being a reliably Catholic institution.
During his
20-minute remarks, Butker, who is
unvaccinated, unapologetically pushed back against abortion as well as so-called Pride Month, which he called a “deadly sin.” He also singled out President Joe Biden, cowardly U.S. Catholic bishops, and the “tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Speaking to female graduates specifically, Butker warned them to be aware of the “diabolical lies” the world tells them about putting a job ahead of their family.
“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world,” he said. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
Dozens of media outlets, feminists, and former female athletes flipped out after watching Butker’s insightful and thoughtful remarks, which reflect nothing more than a basic Christian outlook on family life.
NBC, Fox News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN, Rolling Stone, The Today Show, People magazine, and scores of others published ridiculous articles this week decrying Butker’s speech as “sexist,” “anti-Semitic,” and “hateful.”
A Change.org petition was also launched. It calls on the Kansas City Chiefs to dismiss Butker from their roster.
The petition was started on Monday, May 13 and surpassed 101,000 signatures Thursday morning.
NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane distanced the league from Butker’s remarks in a statement.
“His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,” he said.
LifeSite has reported on the many professional accolades Butker has earned during his career. A three-time Super Bowl champion, he has kicked game-tying and game-winning field goals in multiple high-pressure playoff games. He currently holds the record with most field goals (nine) in the Super Bowl. His career 89.1 percent conversion rate makes him the second most accurate kicker in league history.
READ:
Super Bowl champ Harrison Butker: ‘The Traditional Latin Mass has really transformed my life’
A devout Catholic who exclusively attends the Latin Mass, Butker, who is only 28, was signed by the Chiefs in 2017 after being waived by the Carolina Panthers. The franchise won its third Super Bowl in five years in 2024. He has constantly given “glory to God” after his many impressive performances.
During the Chiefs’ White House visit in June 2023, Butker
wore a tie that read, “
vulnerari praesidio,” which means “protect the most vulnerable” in Latin. He also wore a gold pin replicating the precise size and shape of a 10-week-old preborn baby. During his speech Saturday, Butker made reference to Biden and his pro-abortion policies.
”Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally,” he said. “He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”
Butker also admonished Catholic bishops in the U.S. who were “motivated by fear” during COVID-19. “They showed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don’t actually matter,” he said.
Two of the main themes Butker, who has two children, stressed in his speech Saturday were how the Traditional Latin Mass has helped him “order” his life and how men today need to embrace masculinity.
“It is only in the past few years that I have grown encouraged to speak more boldly and directly, because as I mentioned earlier, I have leaned into my vocation as a husband and father,” he said. “As a man who gets a lot of praise and has been given a platform to speak to audiences like this one today, I pray that I always use my voice for God and not for myself.”
