Tearing Apart the Butker Speech
A carnival barker of the worst kind
There are a lot of opinions out there regarding Harrison Butker’s speech. I’ll come out and say it - I did not like it one bit. I originally wanted to call it insidious. But insidious really means building a harmful message that is gradual, subtle. His speech was anything but. It was obvious from the immediate jump.
As a background, I was raised Catholic. I guess over time I’ve been accustomed to seeing and hearing folks wield the religion as a cudgel for their own twisted and - at times - archaic beliefs. And while I’ve routinely struggled with my spirituality and lack there-of, I have no problem taking down Butker on this.
It takes a certain perverse person to accept to give a commencement speech at a college that has majority women students, prepare a speech, and give that speech that - for all intents and purposes - undermines the very degrees that the women are earning!
See, this would be very different if Butker was giving a speech at a homemaker’s convention (do these exist?). But this is a commencement speech.
Before getting into the speech, I should say that the Bible in no way, shape, or form forbids women from having a career. A generous interpretation of various books/chapters (for example: Titus, Proverbs) is that a woman’s priorities are her children and husband. The thing about this is that it doesn’t mean that the husband gets carte blanche to demand whatever. There are still very clear guidelines that the Bible and Jesus requires of men and women. This would be no different than, say, the man not taking care of his child.
Anyways, I just wanted to set the stage, because folks that either never read the Bible or selectively read passages from TikTok or from sinister graduation speeches are somehow running with the idea that what Butker is saying is what the Bible demands. It’s not.
OK, without further ado, here is a full takedown of Butker’s “speech” (his in bold, italic my response in normal characters):
Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2024: I would like to start off by congratulating all of you for successfully making it to this achievement today. I'm sure your high school graduation was not what you had imagined, and most likely, neither was your first couple years of college.
This started off innocent enough. It was a throwback to years ago when everybody was impacted by COVID. This is about the only pure, somewhat uplifting portion of the speech.
By making it to this moment through all the adversity thrown your way from COVID, I hope you learned the important lessons that suffering in this life is only temporary. As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don't stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society. It is through this lens that I want to take stock of how we got to where we are, and where we want to go as citizens and, yes, as Catholics. One last thing before I begin, I want to be sure to thank President Minnis and the board for their invitation to speak.
This might read like Butker tearing down how poorly Donald Trump handled COVID, but what he really is attacking here is anybody that was pro-vaccine (Fauci, Biden, etc.). And he makes it a point to tie it back to Catholicism. Let’s be clear, his messaging in this speech isn’t Catholic. It’s politics masquerading as a religious speech.
Catholicism is very clear in its beliefs particularly around Civil Allegiance. You can read it here, but here’s the passage that is applicable:
As nature and religion prescribe to children dutiful conduct towards the parents who brought them into the world, so nature and religion impose on citizens certain obligations towards their country and its rulers. These obligations may be reduced to those of patriotism and obedience. Patriotism requires that the citizen should have a reasonable esteem and love for his country. He should take an interest in his country’s history, he should know how to value her institutions, and he should be prepared to sacrifice himself for her welfare. In his country’s need it is not only a noble thing, but it is a sacred duty to lay down one’s life for the safety of the commonwealth. Love for his country will lead the citizen to show honor and respect to its rulers. They represent the State, and are entrusted by God with power to rule it for the common good. The citizen’s chief duty is to obey the just laws of his country. To be able to distinguish what laws of the civil authority are just and obligatory, it will be advisable to lay down the principles of Catholic theology respecting the nature, subject-matter, and limits of the obedience which citizens owe to the State.
Vaccines have long been encouraged by the Catholic Church. And adherents of the faith were actually not just one of the most vaccination religious groups, but the most vaccinated!
If anything, the Catholic faith was very much against folks like Harrison Butker and Donald Trump. By being vaccinated, you were taking care of your fellow citizens.
When President Minnis first reached out a couple of months ago, I had originally said No. You see, last year I gave the commencement address at my alma mater, Georgia Tech, and I felt that one graduation speech was more than enough, especially for someone who isn't a professional speaker. But of course, President Minnis used his gift of persuasion. [Laughter] It spoke to the many challenges you all faced throughout the COVID fiasco ,and how you missed out on so many milestones the rest of us older people have taken for granted. While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique. Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values in media, all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder.
Let’s be clear here. When COVID hit - nearly everybody was wrong about it. From whack-jobs like Joe Rogan pushing Ivermectin, Donald Trump claiming COVID would go away/vanish in a few months, and everything in between. There were certainly more heavy-handed policies, certainly those impacting businesses in certain circumstances. But COVID killed well over 1 million Americans and over 7 million people worldwide. It was novel in the sense that most Americans (me included) never lived through a pandemic like this - and certainly not one completely mismanaged by Trump. Compare it to, say, the way previous pandemics were managed by the Obama administration, and it’s quite a stark contrast.
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 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.
Joe Biden is a Catholic. There aren’t degrees of Catholicism. You can certainly be pro-choice and a Catholic. Pro-choice does not mean that you/yourself would have an abortion. It means that you don’t want to police others, their decisions, and their bodies. There’s a reason why I’m not a fan of categorizing folks as pro-life. No, they’re anti-choice.
FWIW, I am very much pro-choice. But that doesn’t mean that I or my wife would have an abortion. It’s something we’d discuss as a couple - we have a choice here in Maryland. Thank God.
He is not alone. From the man behind the COVID lockdowns to the people pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America, they all have a glaring thing in common. They are Catholic. This is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn't cut it.
These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up. You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history, we need to stop pretending that the "Church of Nice" is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice.
It is safe to say that over the past few years, I have gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind. I never envisioned myself, nor wanted, to have this sort of a platform, but God has given it to me, so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it.
As members of the Church founded by Jesus Christ, it is our duty and ultimately privilege to be authentically and unapologetically Catholic. Don't be mistaken, even within the Church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent. There even was an award-winning film called Silence, made by a fellow Catholic, wherein one of the main characters, a Jesuit priest, abandoned the Church, and as an apostate when he died is seen grasping a crucifix, quiet and unknown to anyone but God. As a friend of Benedictine College, His Excellency Bishop Robert Barron, said in his review of the film, it was exactly what the cultural elite want to see in Christianity -- private, hidden away, and harmless.
This is absolute hogwash. There is a reason why the actual nuns at Benedictine College - yes, the same college that Butker gave the commencement speech - came out full throated against Butker. Let’s be frank here. Butker is a kicker in the NFL. He’s not a priest. He’s not a nun. Hell, he’s not even well studied in the very faith that he is wielding as a cudgel!
Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.
Further hogwash. And if you want a meaningful takedown from somebody other than myself, look no further than The Catholic Review:
The bill would require the Department of Education to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal anti-discrimination law. The bill targets federal funding for colleges and universities that fail to restrict antisemitic behavior.
Contrary to Butker’s claim, the bill does not impose jail sentences on anyone, including for such behavior.
The IHRA working definition — which the U.S. government adopted in 2019, and which according to the bill text has been used by the Department of Education since 2018 — states that “antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
But make no mistake, before we even attempt to fix any of the issues plaguing society, we must first get our own house in order, and it starts with our leaders. The bishops and priests appointed by God as our spiritual fathers must be rightly ordered. There is not enough time today for me to list all the stories of priests and bishops misleading their flocks, but none of us can blame ignorance anymore and just blindly proclaim that “That's what Father said.” Because sadly, many priests we are looking to for leadership are the same ones who prioritize their hobbies or even photos with their dogs and matching outfits for the parish directory.
I think it is mighty telling that Butker chose to focus on bishops and priests that might be more progressive in their beliefs than focusing on the priests that have bastardized the Catholic faith both as pedophiles and/or abusers of the religion. His qualms appear to be with those that take photos of their dogs or outfits or have hobbies. The funny thing about leadership in Catholicism is that it used to be very elite. I went to a Catholic high school that followed a more liberal brand of Catholicism (Franciscan). And of the awesome traits of the friars is that they were accessible! They went to sporting events, they were in the community. What Butker wants is a more authoritarian brotherhood. Which is a deeply troubling desire. He talks about the TLM later on, but he wants priests not talking to us, he wants them talking away from us. Kind of elitist, yeah? More on that later.
It's easy for us laymen and women to think that in order for us to be holy, that we must be active in our parish and try to fix it. Yes, we absolutely should be involved in supporting our parishes, but we cannot be the source for our parish priests to lean on to help with their problems. Just as we look at the relationship between a father and his son, so too should we look at the relationship between a priest and his people. It would not be appropriate for me to always be looking to my son for help when it is my job as his father to lead him.
St. Josemaría Escrivá states that priests are ordained to serve, and should not yield to temptation to imitate laypeople, but to be priests through and through. Tragically, so many priests revolve much of their happiness from the adulation they receive from their parishioners, and in searching for this, they let their guard down and become overly familiar. This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time, because as my teammate's girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt. [Laughter]
Saint Josemaría continues that some want to see the priest as just another man. That is not so. They want to find in the priest those virtues proper to every Christian, and indeed every honorable man: understanding, justice, a life of work — priestly work, in this instance — and good manners. It is not prudent as the laity for us to consume ourselves in becoming amateur theologians so that we can decipher this or that theological teaching — unless, of course, you are a theology major. We must be intentional with our focus on our state in life and our own vocation. And for most of us, that's as married men and women. Still, we have so many great resources at our fingertips that it doesn't take long to find traditional and timeless teachings that haven't been ambiguously reworded for our times. Plus, there are still many good and holy priests, and it's up to us to seek them out.
This is yet another example of cherry picking and, to be quite honest, an inaccurate depiction of what St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás stood for.
First and foremost, St. Josemaría Escrivá was a deacon. He also studied law. And while a deacon is not a priest, there was (and continues to be!) a lot of controversy around St. Josemaría Escrivá and his Opus Dei organization. It is looked at as very cult like. Additionally, St. Josemaría Escrivá’s approach and Butker’s interpretation of it aren’t rooted in the Bible. It’s exactly that: an interpretation. And a misinformed one.
Furthermore, you can just read the “A Priest Forever” homily that Butker is pulling from. But a key takeaway is here:
Their competence in the various branches of human knowledge such as history, natural sciences, psychology, law and sociology is a necessary feature of this lay outlook. But it will not lead them to put themselves forward as priest-psychologists, priest-biologists or priest-sociologists: they receive the sacrament of Holy Orders to become nothing other than priest-priests, priests through and through.
The big item there is that he applauds history, science, psychology, law, and sociology for these priests. But he wants them to be priests first. The funny thing about Butker is he is building up a strawman: a priest that reads psychology as a hobby but isn’t a priest through and through. I’d say this is just another example of creating a caricature of the priesthood that either doesn’t exist or exists in such a minority that isn’t worth the oxygen of a commencement speech to tear down. The real frauds aren’t priests that use Instagram or have hobbies, but - say - people like Joel Osteen. They are the worst.
The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes, and sadly, in our cathedrals too. As we saw during the pandemic, too many bishops were not leaders at all. They were motivated by fear, fear of being sued, fear of being removed, fear of being disliked. They showed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don't actually matter. Because of this, countless people died alone, without access to the sacraments, and it's a tragedy we must never forget. As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the Church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries, there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, Church leaders leaned into their vocations and ensured that their people received the sacraments.
The problem with this statement is that Butker is anti-vaccine. And his quotes regarding vaccination and his faith are completely at odds with Catholicism. And while I do agree w/ Butker that it was incredibly tragic that people weren’t able to be there for their children, nieces/nephews, or grandkids birth or for them to receive sacraments (either at the beginning of life or death), it’s important to note that the COVID situation, especially early on without vaccinations or therapeutics, was both incredibly novel and incredibly deadly. It was a shitty situation all around. And yet Butker has no empathy whatsoever. So many of us lost our loved ones because of the anti-vaccine nonsense. And yet Butker is here tearing down folks that didn’t want to spread the disease instead of those that did exactly that.
Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.
I challenge this with a simple question: what is more useful to the future of Catholicism: a dead priest or a careful one? Because the careful one will find creative ways to spread the word of God. There is a very thin line between bravery and stupidity. And while St. Damien can be applauded, those that didn’t intentionally spread COVID should also be applauded.
That goes even more so for our bishops, these men who are present-day apostles. Our bishops once had adoring crowds of people kissing their rings and taking in their every word, but now relegate themselves to a position of inconsequential existence. Now, when a bishop of a diocese or the bishop's conference as a whole puts out an important document on this matter or that, nobody even takes a moment to read it, let alone follow it.
No. Today, our shepherds are far more concerned with keeping the doors open to the chancery than they are with saying the difficult stuff out loud. It seems that the only time you hear from your bishops is when it's time for the annual appeal, whereas we need our bishops to be vocal about the teachings of the Church, setting aside their own personal comfort and embracing their cross. Our bishops are not politicians but shepherds, so instead of fitting in the world by going along to get along, they too need to stay in their lane and lead.
I say all of this not from a place of anger, as we get the leaders we deserve. But this does make me reflect on staying in my lane and focusing on my own vocation and how I can be a better father and husband and live in the world but not be of it. Focusing on my vocation while praying and fasting for these men will do more for the Church than me complaining about her leaders.
This is all just drivel, but the last line is mighty inane. He’s spent the entire speech thus far complaining about the Church’s leaders! Now he’s saying he focuses on his vocation and not complaining. Complete drivel.
Because there seems to be so much confusion coming from our leaders, there needs to be concrete examples for people to look to in places like Benedictine, a little Kansas college built high on a bluff above the Missouri River, are showing the world how an ordered, Christ-centered existence is the recipe for success. You need to look no further than the examples all around this campus, where over the past 20 years, enrollment has doubled, construction and revitalization are a constant part of life, and people, the students, the faculty and staff, are thriving. This didn't happen by chance. In a deliberate movement to embrace traditional Catholic values, Benedictine has gone from just another liberal arts school with nothing to set it apart to a thriving beacon of light and a reminder to us all that when you embrace tradition, success — worldly and spiritual — will follow.
I am certain the reporters at the AP could not have imagined that their attempt to rebuke and embarrass places and people like those here at Benedictine wouldn't be met with anger, but instead met with excitement and pride. Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it, but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify him. Reading that article now shared all over the world, we see that in the complete surrender of self and a turning towards Christ, you will find happiness. Right here in a little town in Kansas, we find many inspiring laypeople using their talents.
President Minnis, Dr. [Andrew] Swafford, and Dr. [Jared] Zimmerer are a few great examples right here on this very campus that will keep the light of Christ burning bright for generations to come. Being locked in with your vocation and staying in your lane is going to be the surest way for you to find true happiness and peace in this life.
Once again, it takes quite a narcissist and perverse person to give a commencement speech, herald Benedectine College and its leaders, and then completely underline the majority of its students by undermining their future careers that they just spent 4+ years dedicating their lives to furthering.
It is essential that we focus on our own state in life, whether that be as a layperson, a priest, or religious. Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2024, you are sitting at the edge of the rest of your lives. Each of you has the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves and this era of human existence. In the small ways, by living out your vocation, you will ensure that God's Church continues and the world is enlightened by your example.
About the only part of the speech aside from the opener that comes across pure.
For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? 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.
I really have to ask Bill Maher and others that aren’t finding a problem with this statement. How do you not have a problem with this? There isn’t any attention put towards the professions that these women are attempting to enter. It is completely watered down to just “promotions and titles” instead of what they really are: a way to better the planet and not just your future family. Because let’s be frank here: you are a hell of a lot more than just a dad or just a mom or just a husband or just a wife. The fact that Butker goes on for an inordinate amount of time talking about Tradwives is so problematic for somebody giving a commencement speech.
I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I'm on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.
[Applause lasting 18 seconds]
She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core, and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we will both attain salvation.
I say all of this to you because I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God's will in their life. Isabelle's dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, “Heck, No.”
She’d say “Heck, No” because she has children and a husband that is a breadwinner. I’d challenge this revisionist history to say, “If Isabelle could go back in time before Harrison Butker and her got together, would she want to have a career?” I’d love to hear that answer. Not some 20/20 obvious, pre-canned rally cry, motivational speaker drivel.
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. Everything I am saying to you is not from a place of wisdom, but rather a place of experience. I am hopeful that these words will be seen as those from a man, not much older than you, who feels it is imperative that this class, this generation, and this time in our society must stop pretending that the things we see around us are normal.
Heterodox ideas abound even within Catholic circles. But let's be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children — whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.
Yet another strawman. The Catholic Church is very clear that they oppose artificial contraception. But nearly 100% of Catholics in the United States have used some form of contraception in their lives! So, yes. This is normal. Sorry, Harrison. Another strawman. And oddly placed.
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, and as a man.
To the gentlemen here today: Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the U.S., and a correlation could be made in their drastically lower violence rates, as well.
First and foremost, I think we can agree that we’d rather children have both their parents. Absentee mothers, absentee fathers…these are both problems. I don’t think anybody can disagree with that. I also don’t think anybody can disagree with the violence rates in the United States. But it is an incredibly complicated topic.
The US and the UK have surprisingly similar single parent rates, but the violent crime rate in the US is dramatically higher than the UK. We can give plenty of other examples. Argentina has a better single parent rate, but a similar violent crime rate as the US. Denmark has a very high single parent rate, but an incredibly low violent crime rate.
It’s complicated.
Be unapologetic in your masculinity, fighting against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don't necessarily enjoy, but if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that over something that you might think suits you better. I speak from experience as an introvert who now finds myself as an amateur public speaker and an entrepreneur, something I never thought I'd be when I received my industrial engineering degree.
Doing hard things isn’t uniquely masculine.
I’m not sure Harrison can really define what masculinity really means, but instead he’s creating a strawman while trying to be a martyr at the same time. Masculinity is a social construct. Instead of focusing on masculinity or femininity, we should instead focus on being good humans. I’d argue women graduating from college to further their careers in fields that help your fellow human is something to applaud.
Instead do good things for your community. For your fellow human. These aren’t inherent masculine or feminine traits.
The road ahead is bright. Things are changing. Society is shifting. And people, young and old, are embracing tradition. Not only has it been my vocation that has helped me and those closest to me, but not surprising to many of you, should be my outspoken embrace of the traditional Latin Mass. I've been very vocal in my love and devotion to the TLM and its necessity for our lives. But what I think gets misunderstood is that people who attend the TLM do so out of pride or preference. I can speak to my own experience, but for most people I have come across within these communities this simply is not true. I do not attend the TLM because I think I am better than others, or for the smells and bells, or even for the love of Latin. I attend the TLM because I believe, just as the God of the Old Testament was pretty particular in how he wanted to be worshipped, the same holds true for us today. It is through the TLM that I encountered order, and began to pursue it in my own life. Aside from the TLM itself, too many of our sacred traditions have been relegated to things of the past, when in my parish, things such as ember days, days when we fast and pray for vocations and for our priests, are still adhered to. The TLM is so essential that I would challenge each of you to pick a place to move where it is readily available.
A lot of people have complaints about the parish or the community, but we should not sacrifice the Mass for community. I prioritize the TLM even if the parish isn't beautiful, the priest isn't great, or the community isn't amazing. I still go to the TLM because I believe the holy sacrifice of the Mass is more important than anything else. I say this knowing full well that when each of you rekindle your knowledge and adherence to many of the church's greatest traditions, you will see how much more colorful and alive your life can and should be.
Another cake and eat it too moment for Harrison. Abandoning things like Civil Allegiance, a long-accepted tenet of the Catholic faith, but he wants to harken back to the TLM (Traditional Latin Mass).
Folks, there is nothing in the Old Testament that clamors for the TLM vs the Novus Ordo. Catholicism didn’t exist until well after the Old Testament was over. Additionally, both the TLM and Novus Ordo have constructed. It’s repetitive by nature of how they were constructed. The Novus Ordo, however, ditched Latin for any number of languages to make it more accessible. I’ve long been to both masses, and I’ll tell you Harrison is being nothing but elitist here. The Catholic Church has been offering the local vernacular for well over half a century at this point.
It’s quite interesting that Harrison harkens for a time where most of the people at mass don’t understand what was being said, but is deeply angered that the priest faces the people (a Novus Ordo vs. TLM quality) and that it doesn’t…contain more explicit references to sacrifice? The Eucharist *is* is a sacrifice. The Novus Ordo dedicates an entire part of the mass to it in the Liturgy of the Eucharist! I don’t know about you, but wanting very explicit parts of the liturgy but also wanting it less accessible or understandable doesn’t really jive. It just screams elitism.
As you move on from this place and enter into the world, know that you will face many challenges. Sadly, I'm sure many of you know of the countless stories of good and active members of this community who, after graduation and moving away from the Benedictine bubble, have ended up moving in with their boyfriend or girlfriend prior to marriage. Some even leave the Church and abandon God. It is always heartbreaking to hear these stories, and there is a desire to know what happened and what went wrong.
Or supporting people that have sex with porn stars while married…oh wait.
What you must remember is that life is about doing the small things well, setting yourself up for success, and surrounding yourself with people who continually push you to be the best version of you. I say this all the time, that iron sharpens iron. It's a great reminder that those closest to us should be making us better. If you are dating someone who doesn't even share your faith, how do you expect that person to help you become a saint? If your friend group is filled with people who only think about what you're doing next weekend and are not willing to have those difficult conversations, how can they help sharpen you?
Joe Biden is a Catholic. Donald Trump isn’t. I’d argue he isn’t even religious. I’ll give you one guess who Harrison Butker supports. Him rambling about surrounding yourself with people who share your faith is just virtue signaling. Just remember that.
As you prepare to enter into the workforce, it is extremely important that you actually think about the places you are moving to. Who is the bishop? What kind of parishes are there? Do they offer the TLM and have priests who embrace their priestly vocation? Cost of living must not be the only arbiter of your choices, for a life without God is not a life at all, and the cost of salvation is worth more than any career.
If your duties (according to Harrison Butker) are God and family, then cost of living has to be one of the biggest arbiters as it sets you and your family up for success. The choice of TLM or NO has absolutely zilch to do with being without God. Pushing TLM this much is cult-like elitist crap. All priests embrace their priestly vocation aside from the corrupt ones. Yes, even those that have *gasp* hobbies. Just like St. Josemaría Escrivá that Butker is infatuated with.
I'm excited for the future, and I pray that something I have said will resonate as you move on to the next chapter of your life.
Never be afraid to profess the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, for this is the Church that Jesus Christ established, through which we receive sanctifying grace.
I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches, but I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly about who we are and where we all want to go, which is Heaven.
I thank God for Benedictine College and for the example it provides the world. I thank God for men like President Minnis, who are doing their part for the Kingdom. Come to find out you can have an authentically Catholic college and a thriving football program. [Laughter and applause]
An authentically Catholic college with nuns that disagreed with Harrison Butker. Yes, those nuns are authentic. Butker is not.
Make no mistake: You are entering into mission territory in a post-God world, but you were made for this. And with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint.
Christ is King.
To the Heights.
A post-God world but giving a speech at a Catholic university. Ah, the cognitive dissonance and loaded God complex involved to make this asinine closing.
Folks, Harrison Butker is sanctimonious. And just like he and his ilk say about priests and having hobbies, maybe Butker should just uh…shut up and kick.