A group of nuns associated with Benedictine College is weighing in on Harrison Butker’s controversial graduation speech.
The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, who describe their group as a founding institution and sponsor of Benedictine College, just shared a statement about the professional football player’s speech, saying his comments don’t “represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.”
The statement, which was posted on the group’s official website, critique Butker’s speech, which has drawn criticism for its strong emphasis on women’s roles in the home.
“Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division. One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman,” the statement reads.
The sisters went on to describe how they have devoted their lives to God and have educated many women 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,” the statement reads.
On May 11, the NFL kicker delivered a 20-minute speech that addressed his views on a variety of additional topics, including reproductive issues, Pride month and more. The athlete also asserted that his wife’s life “really started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica noted that their group has taught both women and men “not just how to be ‘homemakers’ in a limited sense.” Instead, their teachings have focused on “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.”
Later on in the statement, the nuns said they “reject a narrow definition of what it means to be Catholic” and want to be known as “an inclusive, welcoming community.”
During his speech, Butker directly addressed female students in comments that later sparked controversy.
“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” he said. “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 Isabel would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today, and able to be the man I am, because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.”
In response to Butker’s speech, the NFL issued a statement, saying, “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager also weighed in on the debate while on air this week, and expressed their disappointment in what they saw as a narrow-minded view of women’s potential.
“Well, I’m where I am today because I have a husband who leans into his vocation, which is being an equal partner. And I tell him that all the time,” Jenna said.
“Don’t speak for us,” Hoda said. “Stop speaking for women out there.”
“We have all these people that try to divide us by labels,” Jenna added. “People that stay at home are amazing. The work they do is incredible. And let’s not compare one to the other.”