Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney

Pope Benedict XVI has declared Knights of Columbus founder

Father Michael J. McGivney a “venerable Servant of God”  and lauded his “vision and zeal” that led to establishment of the Catholic fraternal benefit organization.

Father McGivney’s cause for sainthood has been under consideration at the Vatican since 2000. In March 2008, Pope Benedict XVI approved a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of Father McGivney. The decree significantly boosts McGivney’s cause for sainthood. It also gives the Connecticut parish priest the distinction of “Venerable Servant of God.” If he is canonized, McGivney would be the first American-born priest named as saint.

During his homily at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on April 19, 2008, the pope spoke of  “the remarkable accomplishment of that exemplary American priest, the Venerable Michael McGivney, whose vision and zeal led to the establishment of the Knights of Columbus.”

As a priest at St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven, Conn., McGivney saw firsthand how the untimely death of the family breadwinner devastated widows and children in the immigrant community. At the same time he sought ways to strengthen the faith of his flock.

His answer to both was a new Catholic fraternal and benefits organization that was named the Knights of Columbus. The Knights provided low-cost disability and death benefits for Knights and their families. And it provided members with Catholic fraternal activities and faith support at a time so-called secret societies flourished across the nation. The insurance program eventually grew into a premier K of C benefits organization, which today has more than $60 billion of life insurance in force.

For his youthful vision and concern for families, McGivney has had titles ascribed to him that include “Apostle to the Young,”  “Protector of Christian Family Life,” “Man of Pastoral Action” and

“Servant of Charity.”

Just as the Knights of Columbus took root and began to spread across America, Father McGivney fell ill to pneumonia in January 1890. He died on Aug. 14, 1890 at the young age of 38. Delegations from of all 57 K of C councils joined thousands of mourners in attendance at Father McGivney’s funeral in Waterbury, Conn.

In 1982, the Knights of Columbus brought the remains of Father McGivney from Waterbury back to St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven, where daily Mass is offered for deceased Knights.

To learn more about Father McGivney and his cause for sainthood, visit the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild Web site, published by the Knights of Columbus.

Parish Priest is the definitive biograpy of Father Michael J. McGivney, written by best-selling author Douglas Brinkley and historian Julie Fenster.

The book is available in hardcover and paperback
from Amazon.com.

Father McGivney was founder of the Knights and the group’s spiritual adviser until his death in 1890. His brother, Monsignor Patrick J. McGivney, was supreme chaplain of the order from 1901-1938.