Chiefs’ Harrison Butker chides Catholic leaders in Benedictine College commencement address 

Butker, 28, kicked the game-tying area purpose for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs late within the fourth quarter in Tremendous Bowl LVIII this previous February, a yr after kicking the game-winning area purpose late within the Tremendous Bowl in February 2023.

A practising Catholic who attends the Latin Mass, Butker is married and has two youngsters. 

In Might 2023, he drew consideration along with his graduation deal with at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, throughout which he suggested graduates to keep away from being “alone and devoid of goal” and to fight loneliness, anxiousness, and melancholy with what he known as “one controversial antidote that I imagine can have an enduring impression for generations to return: Get married and begin a household.” 

Benedictine is a Catholic faculty in northeastern Kansas related to the Benedictine spiritual order that has been endorsed by The Cardinal Newman Society as “a devoted Catholic school.” The varsity has about 2,100 undergraduates. 

Butker’s roughly 20-minute speech at Benedictine had little of the sunshine banter and motivational encouragement sometimes discovered at commencement ceremonies, a degree he famous. 

“I do know that my message at present had rather less fluff than is anticipated for these speeches, however I imagine that this viewers and this venue is the perfect place to talk brazenly and truthfully about who we’re and the place all of us wish to go, which is heaven,” Butker stated. 

To be devoted, he stated, Catholics should deal with publicly hot-button cultural points. 

“These are the types of issues we’re advised in well mannered society to not carry up. You understand, the tough and ugly issues. But when we’re going to be women and men for this time in historical past, we have to cease pretending that the church of good is a successful proposition,” he stated. “We should all the time communicate and act in charity, however by no means mistake charity for cowardice.” 

Butker stated closing the church buildings throughout the coronavirus shutdowns of 2020 is an instance of bishops shirking their accountability. 

“As we noticed throughout the pandemic, too many bishops weren’t leaders in any respect. They have been motivated by worry, worry of being sued, worry of being eliminated, worry of being disliked. They confirmed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don’t really matter,” Butker stated. “Due to this, numerous folks died alone, with out entry to the sacraments, and it’s a tragedy we should always remember.” 

Butker didn’t title any explicit Catholic clerics. However together with bishops he additionally criticized clergymen. 

(Story continues under)

Subscribe to our day by day publication

“There’s not sufficient time at present for me to checklist all of the tales of clergymen and bishops deceptive their flocks, however none of us can blame ignorance anymore and simply blindly proclaim that ‘That’s what Father stated,’” Butker stated. “As a result of sadly, many clergymen we wish to for management are the identical ones who prioritize their hobbies and even images with their canines and matching outfits for the parish listing.”

“Specializing in my vocation whereas praying and fasting for these males will do extra for the Church than me complaining about her leaders,” Butker stated.

To all of the graduates, he really helpful that they evangelize wherever they go.

“By no means be afraid to profess the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, for that is the Church that Jesus Christ established, by way of which we obtain sanctifying grace,” Butker stated.