The controversy surrounding Harrison Butker’s commencement speech at Benedictine College continues to escalate, with the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Scholastica denouncing his comments for not aligning with the school’s values. The nuns criticized Butker for fostering division rather than unity and stated that his comments did not represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that their founders envisioned. Specifically, they took issue with Butker’s remarks about women, where he suggested that a woman’s highest calling is to be a homemaker, a sentiment that the nuns believe does not acknowledge the significant contributions that women have made in various roles.
The nuns at Mt. Scholastica highlighted the importance of teaching young women and men to create a Gospel-centered, compassionate home within themselves where they can welcome others as Christ, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves. In contrast to Butker’s stance on traditional values, the nuns reject a narrow definition of what it means to be Catholic and emphasize the importance of inclusivity and creating a welcoming community at the school. They believe that the values promoted by Butker in his speech do not align with the teachings and principles that the school upholds.
Butker’s speech has sparked significant backlash, particularly over his comments about women and his criticism of societal acceptance of practices such as abortion, IVF, surrogacy, and Pride Month. These remarks have led to calls for the Kansas City Chiefs to dismiss Butker, with an online petition garnering over 200,000 signatures. The NFL has distanced itself from Butker’s speech and reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion, while others, including Chiefs’ star Mitch Schwartz’s wife Brooke Schwartz, have publicly criticized the speech.
Despite the backlash, Butker also has some high-profile supporters, including Tavia Hunt, the wife of the Chiefs’ CEO Clark Hunt, who praised his speech and defended his views on motherhood. Teammate Chris Jones also expressed his support for Butker, highlighting the differing perspectives on the controversial speech. The fallout from Butker’s commencement address continues to provoke debate and discussions about traditional values, inclusivity, and the role of women in society. The conflicting reactions to the speech underscore the deep divisions that exist on these issues and the importance of promoting understanding and respect in discussions on controversial topics.
