The beatification of the founder of the Knights of Columbus
It gives us great pleasure to share with you the invitation of the Knights of Columbus to unite with them in prayer by following the Mass of beatification of Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, their founder, which will be broadcast on American television EWTN on October 31 at 11:00 am (5:00 pm Rome Time), live from St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
This priest, as we learn from the Knights of Columbus website, was a central figure in the growth of Catholicism in the United States, and his example of charity and evangelism is still alive today.
Here is a brief biography - taken from the website of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints - to discover the figure of Father McGivney:
Michael Joseph McGivney was born August 12, 1852 in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Irish parents. The eldest of a family of 13 children, he was a prominent figure in the Church in the United States in the 19th century.
Ordained a priest in 1877, he carried out his ministry in the large Irish-American community, first as assistant vicar at New Heaven, then as pastor at Thomaston, not far from his hometown, where he earned the reputation of being a man of deep faith and "Good Samaritan".
In 1882, together with a group of lay Catholics, he founded the Knights of Columbus, an association intended to support families in the faith and help those families having financial difficulties following the illness or death of the head of the family.
Today, the organization has a worldwide presence with over 1.5 million members committed to evangelism, charity, promoting racial integration and defending religious freedom.