The speech was addressed to Catholic college students, not atheist journalists or cautious politicians, so the intended audience should be kept in mind. And we would not expect the Kansas City Chief’s kicker to speak like a polished professional. He speaks as you would expect a football player to speak, which is a little rough, taking some risks, and from a passionate heart. And he speaks as an all-in Catholic to an all-in Catholic college, which understandably makes those less committed to Catholic doctrine upset.
According to this doctrine, we did not make ourselves. God made us, male and female. According to Christianity, God gives men and women distinctive gifts so that they can complement each other, which we call “love.” Male-female love reflects the eternal exchange of love between the distinct persons in the one God. It is this love between persons that powers the universe. Love between different persons gives meaning to life; love makes the world go round. “We were created for greater things:” Mother Teresa said, “to love and be loved.” A woman loves in a different way than a man loves, the Superbowl-winning kicker said, and a man’s gifts are different from a woman’s gifts.
During his speech, Butker broke down in tears when he spoke about his wife, the mother of his children. I’m sure hardened feminist and angry transgender activists found that embarrassing and unprofessional. But what man who has given his life to a woman would not break down in public when speaking about her? Only a man without a chest. Most of us, in this hollow time, have holes in our chests. Some don’t even have anything in their chests where their hearts are supposed to be. Someone has ripped their hearts out. Many of these poor people end their own lives in despair, or take other’s lives in desperation. But every one of us has the ability to come home to God. The Father has made a place just for me within the eternal love of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And in that place is my Mother Mary, waiting for me with untold tenderness. God has provided all this for me, and for you, and that is all Harrison Butker was trying to say (in my opinion).