Blessed Michael J. McGivney Feast Day

August 13, 2022 * 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Officially, his feast day is reserved to the liturgical calendar of the Archdiocese of Hartford, where he served as a diocesan priest and where he was beatified. Nonetheless, the entire family of the Knights of Columbus can and should observe this day of joy and grace. Permit me to offer some suggestions for doing so.

First, I suggest that we prayerfully reflect on Father McGivney’s life and holiness. Recent issues of Columbia have featured beautiful reflections on our founder — on the life of his hardworking family, his journey to the priesthood, his extraordinary ministry as a parish priest and his vision in founding the Knights of Columbus. As members of the Order, each of us should be thoroughly familiar with our founder, for his life and holiness continue to animate the spirituality, programs and charities of the Knights. I recommend reading the 2006 biography Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism by Douglas Brinkley and Julie M. Fenster.

Second, we should pray for Blessed Michael McGivney’s canonization with fervor and attention. Since we recite the prayer for his canonization so often, we may find ourselves not giving adequate thought to what we are saying (this is true of many prayers!). Especially on Father McGivney’s feast day, we should linger over this prayer, which is really a brief summary of his life and ministry. This prayer helps us reflect on how our founder reached out to the poor and to families devastated by the loss of husbands and fathers; on all he did to foster family life; and on his love for young people, leading them to engage in charity.

Blessed Michael McGivney Feast Day – Zoom meeting invitation