Christ the Redeemer celebrated the beatification of Father Michael McGivney during Mass services recently. He was beatified during a special Mass October 31, 2020 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut. The miracle recognized by the Vatican occurred in 2015 and involved a U.S. baby, still in utero, with a life-threatening condition that, under most circumstances, could have led to an abortion. Instead, his parents, Dan and Michelle Schachle, of Dickson, Tennessee, prayed to McGivney to intercede with God to save their son, still in his mother's womb. At that time, there was little hope of the baby surviving a life-threatening case of fetal hydrops. That baby, Mikey Schachle, is now five years old.

McGivney, the son of Irish immigrants, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and was ordained a priest in 1877 for what is now the Archdiocese of Hartford. He founded the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary's Parish in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882.

He originally started the Knights of Columbus as a service organization to help widows and orphans. The fraternal order for Catholic men has grown into the largest lay Catholic organization in the world with two million members and sponsors. They participate in a wide range of educational, charitable, and religious activities.

McGivney, who will be the first American parish priest to be beatified and has long been a hero of working-class Catholics, can be viewed as a martyr of a pandemic. When he died of pneumonia complications at age 38 in 1890, it was during an outbreak of influenza known as the Russian flu. He is buried in New Haven.

The date selected for McGivney’s feast, August 13, is the day between his birth, which was August 12, 1852, and his death, which was August 14, 1890.

Our parish has an active Knights of Columbus. New members are always welcomed. Please consider offering your time and talents to help our organization grow and continue to support our community.