Image by Benedictine College
CV NEWS FEED // In his May 11 commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker urged graduates to become Catholic witnesses in “a post-God world” by fearlessly living out their vocations.
Butker, an active Catholic, also offered thoughts on the state of Catholicism and Catholic leadership in the United States, calling for the Class of 2024 to revitalize the Church through authentically Catholic lifestyles and adherence to tradition.
“As members of the church founded by Jesus Christ it is our duty and ultimately privilege to be authentically and unapologetically Catholic,” he said, continuing:
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.
The Class of 2024 graduated from high school amid a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which meant they were not strangers to the confusion and poor leadership that arose from it, Butker noted.
“As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don’t stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society,” he said. “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.”
“While Covid might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique,” he continued:
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. 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.
Bukter added that Biden is not the only self-professed Catholic who has publicly gone against Church teaching.
“This is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn’t cut it,” he said, continuing:
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.
Butker additionally noted that authentic Catholicism is facing a crisis in the United States, as even some of the clergy, the Church’s leaders, have ceased to prioritize shepherding and fighting for their flocks.
“The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes and sadly in our cathedrals too,” he said. “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.”
Butker said that considering the role of Catholic clergy also made him reflect on his own vocation and how his own talents can be used to build up the Church. He added that praying, fasting, and adhering to traditions, like the traditional Latin Mass, are useful tools to continue living in the world, but not of it.
“It is essential that we focus on our own state in life, whether that be as a lay person, a priest, or religious. Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2024, you are sitting at the edge of the rest of your lives,” he said. “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.”
“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,” he emphasized:
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.
