As a child, he experienced grief caused by anti-Catholic bigotry and poverty, but his faith sustained him as he put love of God above earthly rewards.

Michael Joseph McGivney was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on August 12, 1852, the 1st child of Patrick and Mary McGivney, who had come to the United States from Ireland. All together they had 13 children, 6 of whom died young.

Life was not easy as the Catholic immigrants faced prejudice, social exclusion, and financial and social disadvantages.

He graduated early at 13 and worked in a brass factory making spoons. At 16 he left home to begin studying for the priesthood in Quebec, but left several year later to help support the family when his father died. The bishop intervened as he saw Michael’s great potential and provided financial support for him to enter Saint Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained for the Diocese of Hartford in 1877.

He was assigned to Saint Mary’s Parish in New Haven and was very active. It was the 1st parish in the busy port and the New York Times had posted, “How an Aristocratic Avenue was Blemished by a Roman Church Edifice.” Still, he had many conversions to the faith. He even converted a man who was on death-row and it was marked in a local newspaper hailing his ministry.

He accompanied those of all ages and walks of life and found practical ways to address their needs.

He volunteered to become the guardian of Alfred Downes, a minor whose father had passed away leaving a large family in poverty. This, as well as his own family’s circumstance, and of other immigrants, impressed upon Father McGivney the need for lay Catholic men to establish a mutual aid society to provide financial assistance for their families if the primary wage earner died.

In 1882, he formed the Knights of Columbus among a small group of his parishioners to promote charity, unity, and fraternity, assisting widows and orphans. The organization grew quickly with its emphasis on serving Church, community, and family.

The new group was named after Christopher Columbus since he had highlighted the deep roots of Catholicism and evangelization in America.

On March 29th, the Connecticut legislature granted a charter establishing the Knights as a legal corporation and he was elected head of the new Order. He refused and insisted a layman lead the lay organization.

He was then transferred to Saint Thomas Parish in Thomaston and the grief among his parishioners was great. The new parish was in a factory town serving working-class parishioners.

He fell ill during the Asian flu pandemic in 1889, developed tuberculosis, and stricken with severe pneumonia but was only concerned for his parishioners. After receiving the last rites, he died on August 14th, 1890, just past his 38th birthday.

There are now more than 2.1 million members of the Knights of Columbus. (https://www.kofc.org/en//index.html)

For God’s Glory.