Knights of Columbus

Pope Francis notes Beatification of Fr. Michael McGivney

Pope Francis today noted the October 31, 202 Beatification of Fr. Michael McGivney.

The Holy Father’s comments came after praying the noonday with the limited crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

“Yesterday, in Hartford, in the United States of America, Michael McGivney was proclaimed blessed: diocesan priest, founder of the Knights of Columbus. Dedicated to evangelization, he did everything possible to provide for the needs of those in need, promoting reciprocal aid,” Pope Francis said. “May his example be an impetus for us to always be witnesses of the Gospel of charity. Let’s give a round of applause to this new blessed.”

McGivney to be beatified by Church

This morning in Connecticut (Roman Noon) it was announced that the Holy Father approved the dossier stating that Father Michael J. McGivney will be beatified. Connecticut gets its first native Blessed of the Church. A miracle has been certified through the intercession of Father Michael J. McGivney. He was the founder of the Knights of Columbus.

– il miracolo, attribuito all’intercessione del Venerabile Servo di Dio Michele McGivney, Sacerdote diocesano, Fondatore dell’Ordine dei Cavalieri di Colombo, v.d. The Knights of Columbus; nato il 12 agosto 1852 a Waterbury (Stati Uniti d’America) e morto a Thomaston (Stati Uniti d’America) il 14 agosto 1890

KofC brings McGivney to greater light in Rome

Lots of talk these days on those proposed for sainthood: Abp. Fulton Sheen, Msgr. Bernard J. Quinn, Sr. Bladina Segale, and of course, Michael J. McGivney (1852-90). As you know the New Haven, CT, native is revered now as the Venerable Servant of God, was a parish priest at St Mary’s Church (New Haven) in what is now the Archdiocese of Hartford and the founder of the Knights of Columbus. McGivney died early of TB.

Carl Albert Anderson the supreme knight of the KofC is in Rome this week for the ceremony which will impose the pallium upon the archbishop of Hartford Leonard Paul Blair by Pope Francis, and other meetings. One of the events was the June 25th presentation of the Italian edition of Parish Priest by Douglas Brinkley Julie M. Fenster. It was held at the Augustinianum, the school devoted to patristic study and steps from St Peter’s. Along with Anderson (remarks here) the book launch was presided over by Kevin Coyne from Columbia University’s School of Journalism and Father Giuseppe Costa, director of the Vatican Publishing House, which is publishing the book. More about the Rome event is here.

The synthesis makes the connection that McGivney was ahead of the times with his social awareness for the dignity of the human person, the poor and the family viz. the Gospel and Tradition, with what became the Church’s social doctrine articulated with the publication Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII.

Hence, the argument is that the Knights of Columbus with its emphasis on charity and fraternity set the stage for greater and wholistic engagement in society in the post-industrial era and prompted by lay men and not the clergy that cared for the person as imago Dei and the encounter with Christ.

Domenico Agasso’s piece for the Vatican Insider, “McGivney prepared the Knights of Columbus to help Popes“

Knights of Columbus Museum presents Orthodox Christianity in Early Russia: the Formation of a Tradition

For the better part of the past year the Knights of Columbus museum has had an exhibit on Russian icons, “Windows into Heaven.”

There is a forthcoming lecture to open up the windows into heaven even more, “Orthodox Christianity in Early Russia: the Formation of a Tradition” The lecture is presented by Paul Bushkovitch Ph.D.

Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, @ 2 p.m.
Free admission and parking

Knights of Columbus Museum
1 State Street, New Haven CT 06511
kofcmuseum.org | 203-865-0400

Orthodox Christianity has been Russia’s pre-eminent religion for more than a millennium and is integral to the nation’s history and culture. Yale University history professor Dr. Paul Bushkovitch will discuss the origin and foundation of Russian Orthodoxy, which has endured attacks and repression throughout the past, most notably during the preceding century. Dr. Bushkovitch earned degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities and has studied in Russia. He has been a member of the Yale faculty since 1975 and has published and lectured extensively on Russian history.

The Knights of Columbus Museum’s exhibition of Russian icons, Windows into Heaven, runs through April 27, 2014. The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Francis: The Pope from the New World

Here’s the response of the Knights of Columbus to a question about obtaining a DVD copy of the Knights of Columbus documentary “Francis: The Pope from the New World.” The film is being finalized for DVD and should be available on Amazon.com and other online outlets by the Christmas.

Check www.PopeFrancisDocumentary.com for updates.

This is an excellent documentary. Well worth giving it as a gift your parish formation program.

Pope Francis and Knights of Columbus meet

Several weeks ago now Carl Anderson, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus met with the Holy Father. This week the Board of Directors of the KofC are meeting in Rome and they had an opportunity to meet Pope Francis. Here’s what the Pope had to say:

I am pleased to welcome the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus on the occasion of your meeting in Rome. I thank you once again for the prayers which you, and all the Knights and their families, have offered for my intentions and the needs of the Church throughout the world since my election as Bishop of Rome.

On this occasion I also wish to express my gratitude for the unfailing support which your Order has always given to the works of the Holy See. This support finds particular expression in the Vicarius Christi Fund, which is an eloquent sign of your solidarity with the Successor of Peter in his concern for the universal Church, but it is also seen in the daily prayers, sacrifices and apostolic works of so many Knights in their local Councils, their parishes and their communities. May prayer, witness to the faith and concern for our brothers and sisters in need always be the three pillars supporting your work both individually and corporately. In fidelity to the vision of the Venerable Father Michael McGivney, may you continue to seek new ways of being a leaven of the Gospel and a force for the spiritual renewal of society.

As the present Year of Faith draws to its close, I commend all of you in a special way to the intercession of Saint Joseph, the protector of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who is an admirable model of those manly virtues of quiet strength, integrity and fidelity which the Knights of Columbus are committed to preserving, cultivating and passing on to future generations of Catholic men.

Asking a remembrance in your prayers, and with great affection in the Lord, I now willingly impart to you, and to all the Knights and their families, my Apostolic Blessing.

Knights of Columbus move to the Ukraine and Lithuania

The Knights of Columbus has now moved to new parts: the Ukraine and Lithuania. Great news! In 2006, the KofC expanded to Poland with great hope and success. The natural progression in Eastern Europe is now to the peoples of the great East and Baltic states.

The roots of this move is heard in the 2005 homily of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, MSU, now the Major Archbishop emeritus of the Ukrainian Church where he expressed in clear terms his hope that the Knights would come to his country. Let’s recall that in his early life, Cardinal Husar was a member of the Stamford Eparchy. Hence, he is a first hand witness to the good work of the Knights of Columbus in Connecticut, the USA, indeed, worldwide.

The Knights just completed their 131st convention in San Antonio. They wrote the following note on their webpage.

The Archeparchy of Philadelphia for the Ukrainians posted this announcement on their blog, The Way.

May God be glorified!

Witness to marriage, family and dignity of all life, Pope Francis tells KofC

Conscious of the specific responsibility which the lay faithful have for the Church’s mission, he invites each Knight, and every Council, to bear witness to the authentic nature of marriage and the family, the sanctity and inviolable dignity of human life, and the beauty and truth of human sexuality. In this time of rapid social and cultural changes, the protection of God’s gifts cannot fail to include the affirmation and defense of the great patrimony of moral truths taught by the Gospel and confirmed by right reason, which serve as the bedrock of a just and well-ordered society.

Pope Francis to the Knights of Columbus
San Antonio Convention 2013, excerpt

Gonzaga University rejects Knights of Columbus because they are Catholic

Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Kni...

The Knights of Columbus are not allowed to officially exist on Gonzaga’s University’s campus because they don’t meet a criterion: that non-Catholics be admitted to the group. The decision by the University Student Life office was communicated by Sue Weitz with the help of Kassi Kain. The KoC is a fraternity (of men) who are practical Catholics.

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 in New Haven, CT, by the Venerable Servant of God Father Michael J. McGivney. It is a lay-run organization. As a fraternal benefit society the KofC provides an opportunity for Catholic men to serve the local and universal Church by defending the Catholic faith and doing works of charity. As a group, the KoC also promotes patriotism.

By the same criterion, the Jesuits would not be able to be an official group on Gonzaga University’s campus. Imagine.

Perhaps it’s time to formally re-evaluate whether the Society of Jesus will continue –in good conscience–to officially sponsor universities such as Gonzaga which is quickly loosing its Catholic character. Surely this act of the University does not cohere with documents of the General Congregations of the Jesuits.

The Knights make me feel safe

The circumstances in Newtown, Connecticut, have raised the awareness of many with regard to human need: love, peace, fraternity, fidelity, acceptance, and safety. Sometimes we are unaware of our own human need, sometimes we are unaware of the person next to us, and sometimes we are unaware of the gifts given to us by God that are in front of us, like companionship.

When I worked at Saint Rose of Lima Church several years ago I came into contact with several very impressive men and their families. These men were impressive because they weren’t so different from me, or others that I knew, yet their regular faith, friendship and actions made difference in concrete ways. The concrete is always an expression of someone else at work: for me it is Jesus Christ.

I am proud member of the Knights of Columbus and I cherish my membership with other Knights. Why? In a recent email from the Grand Knight about the work he’s calling brother Knights to do, and attending to what others need and feel for a greater good inspired me because of the one line in the letter (see below). See how important a presence can be? See how important THE Presence can be if we allow the Him to act in and through us?

Continue reading The Knights make me feel safe