He added, “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.”

Referencing his seven years in the NFL, Butker, 27, said he’s become accustomed to criticism of his performance on the field and has now grown to be familiar with hate off the field.

“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,” he went on.

Making his stance clear, Butker continued, “It’s a decision I’ve consciously made and one I do not regret at all. If we have truth and charity, we should trust in the Lord’s providence and let the Holy Ghost do the rest of the work.”The father of three then encouraged gala attendees to continue to share their Catholic beliefs with the world and live “with joy to be a good witness for Christ.”

“Glorifying God and not ourselves should always remain our motivation despite any push back or even support,” he added.

Butker concluded by pointing out that he hopes his latest speech and the theme of the night — which was “Courage Under Fire” — would “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.”