Blessed Michael J. McGivney
August 12, 1852 – August 14, 1890
Beatified October 31, 2020
August 12, 1852 – August 14, 1890
Beatified October 31, 2020
Feast day: August 13th
Parish Priest and Founder of the Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal
service organization. It was founded by Blessed Fr. Michael J. McGivney
of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT in 1882.
Blessed Michael was an idealist. He was a man whose youthful vision
and creativity expanded and matured even as his physical well-being
diminished. In 2003 a healing was reported and in 2004 a possible
miracle. On 15 March 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared Father Michael J.
McGivney venerable, approving a decree of “Heroic Virtue” for the parish priest
who founded the Knights of Columbus. On 31 October 2020, Fr. McGivney was beatified. A fitting tribute to Blessed Michael is
to bear witness to the increase of the Ancient Liturgy he offered as priest and the founder
of the Knights of Columbus.
Today there are some 1.8 million members of the Knights of Columbus, who are
in more than 14,000 councils. The First Degree reflects the principle of
charity, the Second Degree reflects the principle of unity, the Third Degree
reflects the principle of fraternity, and the Fourth Degree reflects the
principle of patriotism.
There are many benefits to being a Knight of Columbus and any “practical
Catholic male” aged 18 or over may join. To see all that the Knights do, look
through the Knights of Columbus website
or contact us.
Among other reasons, practical Catholic men join the Knights of Columbus
because they want to be in a fraternal organization with life insurance
benefits that stands beside the Catholic Church and support her in many ways,
including volunteering at parishes and publicly standing against the
“dictatorship of relativism” and for the Culture of Life.
The Traditional Knights Latin Mass Network is not an
officially sanctioned organization of the Order, but we are all members in
good-standing and devoted to our Order, our Country, our Church, and the
traditional liturgy - the same liturgy of Blessed Michael and the other founders of
the Knights of Columbus.
