"The theme for tonight's gala, Courage Under Fire, was decided many months ago, but it now feels providential that this would be the theme after what we have all witnessed these last two weeks," Butker said in a speech at the May 24 at the Courage Under Fire Gala in Nashville, presented by the Regina Caeli Academy, a homeschool hybrid academy for Catholic families. "If it wasn't clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now."
In his speech at Benedictine College, a Catholic school, the 28-year-old had said most female graduates would be "most excited" about marriage and motherhood and spoke out against topics such as abortion and IVF.
"Over the past few days, my beliefs or what people think I believe have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe," Butker said at Regina Caeli Academy, where he is a member of the board of directors. "At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion."
The NFL star continued, "In my seven years in the NFL, I've become familiar with the positive and negative comments, but the majority of them revolve around my performance on the field. But as to be expected, the more I've talked about what I value most, which is my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I have become. It's a decision I've consciously made and one I do not regret at all."
Butker, who was greeted by cheers at Regina Caeli Academy, said he was "humbled by the support" he's received "from all walks of life."
"But I can't help but tremble at the thought of the courage many saints have shown in their lives," he continued. "Would I be so bold if the repercussion was what Daniel faced in being fed to lions? In reality, any courage I've shown will lead to some small suffering, and it will lead to some people maybe never liking me. But that could be God's will. If I constantly remind myself of the hardships the saints went through, especially the martyrs and their persecution, it makes it all seem not so bad."
Butker added, "My hope is that tonight's theme and our mission will embolden others, that many more will be unapologetic of their Catholic faith and never be afraid to speak out for truth, even when it goes against the loudest voices."
Butker's Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomesand Travis Kelce and coach Andy Reid, as well as a several actors and musicians, have weighed in on his controversial commencement speech over the past couple of weeks. Read on to find out what they've said about his remarks...
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