Last night, EWTN News Nightly did a feature story on Harrison Butker, the place kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs. I am interviewed briefly at the 7:30 mark. This is an incredible story of conversion, commitment, and our beautiful Catholic faith. There’s even some good stuff about the Latin Mass. I am very blessed to know Harrison and his wife and their new baby. He is doing great things to glorify God.
I first met Harrison and his wife when I noticed a young couple coming each day to 6:40 a.m. Mass at my parish. They were very reverent. Both knelt for Holy Communion and the wife wore a veil. After seeing them for several weeks, I introduced myself after Mass. I asked his name and then, not putting it together at the moment, I asked what kind of work he did. “I’m the place kicker for the Chiefs” …”Oh, that Harrison Butker.”
At that point, I asked if they were our parishioners and they said they were. They only lived about 4 minutes away. The reason that I didn’t see them on Sundays was because Harrison said that they preferred to attend the Latin Mass on weekends. When I told him I knew how to celebrate the Latin Mass he got very excited. He said he was learning to serve and wondered if I could celebrate a weekday Mass on Mondays so he and his wife could sleep in after the NFL games typically on Sunday.
The rest, as they say, is history. What started as the three of us arranging by text message has grown into about 50 regular attendees. And that’s just with word of mouth and no advertising the Mass because it’s not an “official” part of the parish Mass schedule. It’s remains to be seen if there is enough interest to keep it going and priests available to celebrate.
Please check out this incredible video. Share with your young men who need to be reminded of the dignity of being an Altar Boy. To see pictures and video of the Solemn High Mass mentioned in the video, check out my previous post here.