Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica: Harrison Butker's speech 'fostered division' (2024)

HOW HIGH WE CLIMB. COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. THE CHIEFS KICKER HARRISON BUTKER IS THE CENTER OF CONVERSATION AROUND KANSAS CITY AND MUCH OF THE COUNTRY TONIGHT, HIS COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT BENEDICTINE COLLEGE HAS QUICKLY GONE VIRAL. KMBC NINE’S DENNIS EVANS TAKES US INSIDE THOSE TALKS RIGHT NOW. THERE’S NOTHING STRANGE ABOUT TALKING FOOTBALL DURING THE OFF SEASON. WHAT IS STRANGE IS FOR THE TALK TO BE ABOUT A KICKER. HERE’S THE DEAL. YOU. THE SPOTLIGHT IS BIGGER ON YOU WHEN YOU’RE A KANSAS CITY CHIEF TODAY. NOWHERE IS THE SPOTLIGHT SHINING BRIGHTER THESE DAYS THAN ON CHIEFS KICKER HARRISON BUTKER. AS NOTHING TO DO WITH GAME WINNING FIELD GOALS. HE WATCHED THE WHOLE SPEECH. YOU KNOW, IT FEELS DIFFERENT WATCHING THE WHOLE THING THAN A MINUTE LONG CLIP OR AN EIGHT SECOND CLIP OR WHATEVER, BUT HE HE TOOK A LOT OF TIME IN PREPARING THAT BUTLER SPEECH, TOUCHED ON HIS BELIEF OF A WOMAN’S PLACE IN THE HOME. 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. THOSE COMMENTS, ALONG WITH THE THOUGHTS ON PRIDE MONTH, HAVE DRAWN EMOTIONAL RESPONSES. I TALK TO A LOT OF CHIEFS HERE WITH THE TALK SHOW HOST HERE IN KANSAS CITY, SAID THE BUCKNER’S COMMENTS COME FROM HIS BELIEF, AND HE’S WILLING TO ACCEPT WHAT COMES WITH THAT. ANYTIME YOU PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE WITH WHATEVER IT IS, AS LONG AS YOU’RE OKAY WITH WHATEVER SLINGS AND ARROWS COME YOUR WAY, MORE POWER TO YOU, I GUESS. I’M NOT SURPRISED PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOVE OR HATE HOW LONG THOSE EMOTIONS LAST REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT FOR NOW, BUCKNER IS ON THE BACK END OF JOKES LIKE THIS FROM AN AFC WEST RIVAL. THE TRUE TEST WILL BE WHEN THE SEASON ROLLS AROUND. MAYBE WHEN THEY GET TO THE HOTEL, THERE’LL BE SOMEONE YELLING AT HIM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS? IT IS STILL JUST A KICKER. BUT IT’S CHIEFS KICKER IS A BIG DEAL FOR NOW. BUT FOOTBALL FANS HAVE A WAY OF FORGETTING WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE OFF SEASON WHEN THE REAL SEAS

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Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica: Harrison Butker's speech 'fostered division'

Nick Sloan

The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica said Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's commencement address was divisive. "The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker's comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested," the posts read. "Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division." The Sisters particularly expressed concern about the portion of Butker's address that discussed the role of women in the workplace. "One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman," the statement continues. "We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during 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 just how to be "homemakers" in a limited sense, but rather how to make a Gospel-centered, compassionate home within themselves where they can welcome others as Christ, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves." Butker said "one of the most important" titles a woman can hold is "homemaker" during his address. "I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said. "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 can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother."The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica includes over 80 women who are "devoted to a communal life of prayer, work, and hospitality, lived according to the Rule of St. Benedict and the constitutions of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica, with Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger as the current prioress," according to the Sisters' Website. The address has generated reaction from across the country. The NFL distanced themselves from Butker's address. "Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization," the NFL said Thursday. "The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger."The Kansas City verified X account tweeted and then deleted a note about the city Butker lives in, prompting Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to apologize. On Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey requested documents from Lucas over the deleted tweet, saying he is enforcing the Missouri Human Rights Act. More stories on Harrison Butker's commencement address: The NFL reacts to commencement speech from Chiefs kicker Harrison ButkerMissouri AG requests records following city's deleted tweet about Harrison ButkerKansas City mayor, city apologize after tweet from city's account about Harrison ButkerChiefs kicker Harrison Butker rails against Pride month, President Biden during commencement address

ATCHISON, Kan. —

The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica said Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's commencement address was divisive.

"The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker's comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested," the posts read. "Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division."

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The Sisters particularly expressed concern about the portion of Butker's address that discussed the role of women in the workplace.

"One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman," the statement continues. "We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during 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 just how to be "homemakers" in a limited sense, but rather how to make a Gospel-centered, compassionate home within themselves where they can welcome others as Christ, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves."

Butker said "one of the most important" titles a woman can hold is "homemaker" during his address.

"I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you," Butker said. "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 can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother."

The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica includes over 80 women who are "devoted to a communal life of prayer, work, and hospitality, lived according to the Rule of St. Benedict and the constitutions of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica, with Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger as the current prioress," according to the Sisters' Website.

The address has generated reaction from across the country.

The NFL distanced themselves from Butker's address.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization," the NFL said Thursday. "The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger."

The Kansas City verified X account tweeted and then deleted a note about the city Butker lives in, prompting Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to apologize.

On Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey requested documents from Lucas over the deleted tweet, saying he is enforcing the Missouri Human Rights Act.

Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica: Harrison Butker's speech 'fostered division' (2024)

More stories on Harrison Butker's commencement address:

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