Most of Butker's speech was NOT about what people are talking about here.
Most of it was a discussion of specifically Catholic issues to a particularly CATHOLIC audience. This was Benedictine College, a small liberal arts college sponsored by a particular Catholic order, as opposed to more secularized Catholic universities. Butker spoke at length about matters such as:
**Talking about the idea that a Catholic Priest should be an authoritative figure, not a friend or pal. Now this is a very "Catholic" idea; the Priest's role is modeled far more after the Old Testament Priests and not the 1st century church, but it's consistent with a Church that has a top-down hierarchy and a Magesterium (teaching office) that is there to, essentially, tell the flock, "THIS is the Apostolic Faith, and not THAT!".
**Suggesting that HOW people worship is important to God. Now Butker is a proponent of Traditional Latin Mass, and I'm not, but he pointed out that in the Old Testament God set forth a specific way in which He wished to be worshipped. I'm not a TLM person (indeed, I'm not a Catholic), but that's far from a ridiculous idea.
**He called out prominent Catholics for living in opposition to the faith while insisting that they are Catholic. Biden, of course, the guy that made the sign of the Cross as a pro-choice event, was an example he used, but he raised the issue of whether or not one can be a Catholic and live at odds with the Faith.
**He made a courageous comment regarding the Church ceasing activity during COVID-19 that I agree with wholeheartedly, as a Pentecostal who watched Churches cancel Healing Services during the Pandemic:
As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, church leaders leaned into their vocations, and ensured that their people received the sacraments. Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally, it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.
Is this un-Christian?
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Much comment has been made on the role of women in the view of Butker. One thing I will say unequivocally is that a great many women would absolutely love to stay home with their children in their formative years, but do not believe that they can afford to. He talks about his wife not only being a mother, but part of an at-home business. He wishes to see society place importance and dignity on motherhood, and I'm at an age where I see people who didn't put enough effort into being parents having regrets. I'll quote Proverbs 31:10-31 and you can tell me if they're describing a barefoot, pregnant airhead:
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I will also say this: In the aggregate, children from two (2) parent intact families that stay together have the best outcomes in terms of accomplishment and happiness. I've been posting on that since I came here, and I stand by this. Butker makes far more sense on the topic of marriage and family than his critics do.
