The founders of the Catholic liberal arts school where Harrison Butker gave his controversial speech have now blasted the Kansas City Chiefs star.
The three-time Super Bowl winner took the stage at Kansas’ Benedictine College on Saturday and has faced intense adversity since.
Butker congratulated the women who earned degrees and said most of them were probably more excited about getting married and having children. He also said some Catholic leaders are “pushing dangerous gender ideologies into America’s youth.”
Butker, whose own mother is an accomplished physicist, also criticized Pride month and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.
The controversial speech has sparked strong reactions, and a day after his speech, a petition was created to remove the Chiefs kicker from the team’s roster ahead of the 2024 NFL season, which has now received more than 187,000 signatures.
The founders of the Catholic liberal arts school where Harrison Butker gave his controversial speech have now blasted the Kansas City Chiefs star
A petition to have the kicker removed from the Chiefs roster has more than 187,000 signatures
In a statement, the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica – who are co-founders of the school – said: “We do not believe that Harrison Butker’s comments in his 2024 Benedictine College address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders had in mind. and in which we have invested so much.
“Rather than promoting unity in our church, country and world, his comments appear to have promoted division. One of our concerns was the claim that being a housewife is a woman’s highest calling.
“We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God’s people, including the many women we have taught and influenced over the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship and their careers.
“Our community has taught young women and men not only how to be ‘homemakers’ in a limited sense, but how to create within themselves a Gospel-centered, compassionate home where they can welcome and empower others as Christ give to be the best. versions of themselves. We reject a narrow definition of what it means to be Catholic.
“We are faithful members of the Catholic Church who embrace and promote the values of the Gospel, St. Benedict and Vatican I, and the teachings of Pope Francis.
‘We want to be known as an inclusive, welcoming community, embracing the Benedictine values that have existed for more than 1,500 years and have spread across every continent and country. We believe that these values are at the heart of Benedictine College.
“We thank everyone who supports our Mount community and the values we cherish. With St. Benedict we pray: ‘Let us prefer nothing to Christ, and may He lead us all together to eternal life.’
Tavia Hunt (left), wife of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark (second from left), appears to defend Butker (right) during his controversial speech
But Hunt has seemingly voiced his support for the Chiefs frog in a post on Instagram
Butker gave his roughly 20-minute speech at the private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, which is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Kansas City.
He received a standing ovation from some graduates and other attendees.
“I think it’s you, the women, who have been told the most diabolical lies,” Butker said.
“Some of you may have successful careers in the world, but I would hazard a guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly began when she began living her calling as a wife and as a mother.”
Butker said his wife embraced “one of the most important titles of all.” Housewife.’
The 28-year-old referred to a “deadly sin kind of pride that a month is dedicated to” in an indirect reference to Pride month.
Tavia (pictured with husband Clark and daughter Gracie, right) emphasized the importance of motherhood after Butker suggested women should be stay-at-home moms
A Benedictine College graduate posted her response to Butker’s controversial speech on TikTok, saying it was “bloody awful.”
The wife of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt appeared to defend Butker on Thursday.
Tavia Hunt, who married the Kansas City CEO in 1993, took to Instagram to promote the importance of motherhood and emphasized that sharing a different point of view “doesn’t make someone hateful.”
Tavia isn’t the only woman from the Hunt family on Butker’s side, but her daughter and Chiefs heiress Gracie have also come forward to support the player.
“I can only speak from my own experience, which is that I had the most incredible mother who had the ability to stay home and be with us,” Gracie shared. Fox & Friends.
“I understand there are a lot of women who can’t make that decision, but for me and my life, I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings into who we are.”