Harrison Butker’s Priest shares takeaways from commencement speech
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The leader of the Catholic church where Harrison Butker connects with his faith is arguing graduates of Benedictine College benefited from his commencement speech. He feels it does represent what the Catholic church stands for and was done at the right place at the right time.
When it came to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s encouragement of women to be most excited about marriage and motherhood, Father Kendall Ketterlin felt it was a good point due to Benedictine College’s private Catholic School status. The school is meant to prepare students for all of adult life.
“This is four years of adulthood preparation and life preparation,” the Parochial Administrator of St. Mary’s Catholic Church said. “Which of course motherhood and fatherhood that our faith teaches us for men and women, that’s the fulfillment.”
Despite Butker’s referral to Pride Month as a “deadly sin”, Father Ketterlin took that as preparation for graduates for the challenges they will face in the world when they try to live by their faith. Not an attack on people individually.
“The whole collection was look you’re going out into the real world now,” Father Ketterlin explained. “There are going to be some obstacles, some pressures, here’s what they are. Hold onto that identity in what we taught you here and what the church gives you.”
Amid the backlash and support for what Butker said, Father Ketterlin hopes both sides of this debate can use this as a learning opportunity to understand why people feel certain ways and move conversations forward in a productive way.
“This is more about discovery,” Father Ketterlin continued. “I would say I’m not trying to judge what people are saying but to listen and hear what they’re saying. What’s behind it? What’s their meeting?”
It’s worth noting that once Harrison Butker completed his commencement speech, he received a standing ovation from those in the crowd.
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