Blessed Michael McGivney – Founder of the Knights of Columbus

BLESSED. MICHAEL MCGIVNEY

Blessed Michael McGivney was an American Catholic priest and founder of the Knights of Columbus. Born in 1852, he served the working class and immigrants with compassion and vision. He was beatified in 2020. His feast day is August 13.

Blessed Michael Joseph McGivney was born on August 12, 1852, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Irish immigrant parents, Patrick and Mary McGivney. Raised in a working-class family during a time of deep anti-Catholic sentiment and social struggle in America, he understood the hardships faced by Catholic immigrants. These experiences shaped his future pastoral mission, combining a deep spiritual dedication with practical concern for the well-being of families.

He entered seminary at a young age, first attending Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, then later continuing his studies in New York and at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. Michael was ordained a priest on December 22, 1877, for the Archdiocese of Hartford. His first and most significant assignment was at St. Mary's Church in New Haven, where he served a diverse and often struggling congregation.

Fr. McGivney witnessed firsthand the impact of poverty and the lack of social support systems, especially after the death of the family’s primary wage earner. Widows and children were left destitute, and families often fell apart. Seeing the need for both material and spiritual support, McGivney envisioned an organization that would support Catholic families, help men live their faith, and provide mutual aid and insurance to members in need.

In 1882, he founded the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal benefit society named in honor of Christopher Columbus. The organization was built on the principles of charity, unity, and fraternity. McGivney’s vision was to provide financial assistance to widows and orphans while strengthening the spiritual life of Catholic men. The Knights rapidly grew from a local parish initiative to a global organization that today serves millions of members and their families across the world.

Fr. McGivney’s dedication went beyond organizational leadership. He was known as a compassionate and approachable pastor who advocated for parishioners in need, ministered to the sick during epidemics, and supported youth and working-class Catholics in their moral and religious development. His pastoral ministry was marked by a blend of theological orthodoxy and deep human empathy.

In 1890, during a pandemic outbreak of pneumonia and influenza, Fr. McGivney contracted a serious illness. Despite efforts to recover, he died on August 14, 1890, at the age of 38. He was buried in Waterbury, but his remains were later transferred to St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, the birthplace of the Knights of Columbus.

His legacy continued to flourish through the Knights of Columbus, which today stands as the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization, active in charitable work, disaster relief, educational support, and defending religious liberty and life issues.

After decades of growing veneration, the cause for his canonization was formally opened in 1997. On May 27, 2020, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to McGivney's intercession: the healing of an unborn child with a fatal condition. He was beatified on October 31, 2020, in a Mass held at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut. His feast day is observed on August 13, close to the anniversary of his passing.

Blessed Michael McGivney is celebrated today as a model parish priest, champion of lay leadership, and a pioneer of Catholic social action. His life reflects the call to holiness in everyday pastoral work, and his ongoing intercession is sought by many, especially in matters of family life and financial hardship.

Feast Day

13-8-

Birth Date

12-8-1852

Died Date

14-8-1890

Canonised Date

--Beatified: 31 October 2020

St. Mary’s Church, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to generous service. Through his intercession, may we follow your Son, Jesus Christ, more closely, fulfilling his commandment of charity and building up his Body which is the Church. Let the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSED. MICHAEL MCGIVNEY

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BLESSED. MICHAEL MCGIVNEY

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