Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism

Let's face it. American priests today, especially parish priests, have an image problem. While fifty years ago, even twenty-five years ago, the local parish priest could serve as a source of wisdom and spirituality, today people are more likely to hear bad jokes about priests as pedophiles and homosexual predators. The idea of sending your young sons off for a summer week at a camp with the parish associate pastor, once seen as great education and experience, is now something many Catholic parents would not even consider.That's what makes this life story of Michael McGivney so nice and so timely. As the other reviewers and publisher notes reveal, McGivney was offered a second chance at seminary due to the largess of the diocese. After his father died, McGivney's original seminary plans collapsed. No widow could afford to support a seminarian's education. He learned at a critical moment in his life that aid to widows not only meant the difference between life and a squalid decline, it also meant that dreams and callings could still come true. Later, using his authority and respect as a priest, McGivney embraced the plight of his fellow Catholics, his flock, at a time when Catholics were not allowed to own land and paid taxes to support a Protestant church (show that to those who think that we have lost the separation of church and state) to first discourage the Irish scourge of alcoholism with a temperance society and then to form the Knights of Columbus as a means for insuring that widows and orphans did not suffer without hope upon the early death of the family breadwinner. From adversity came a priest and a sustaining movement.The Knights were a transparent 'secret' society, not really secret at all. And McGivney had to fight the biases of his own church to get the Knights up and running and, when he had achieved some level of status in a now flourishing organization, he humbly stepped aside, not wanting to become the symbol of the group.There are several interesting secondary plots, one including the late conversion of the daughter of perhaps the leading Episcopilian priest in the United States. She was attracted to McGivney's strong, unassuming service and news of her conversion and subsequent funeral service earned lead stories in the news of the day. McGivney also was a big fan of baseball, apparenty a pretty good player in his earlier, healthy days, and the 'executive producer' of plays and other constructive, social diversions and activities that drew young Irish men away from the saloons.Sadly, like too many terribly overworked priests, McGivney died before he turned forty. Tuberculosis and the other maladies associated with living and working with the poor probably took McGivney's life, just as they took the lives of other young priests in those years.

The authors did a throughly proper job of researching Fr. McGivney and the surrounding time period thereby producing an easy to read historical text. The book is full of history on topics ranging from early America to the Irish to New Haven to of course Fr. McGivney and the Knights of Columbus. The book is an enjoyable read and not dry in the least bit even though it does cite primary sources through the text. Another high point I think is that the book appeals to multiple audiences. Whether you are a Catholic or not, if you are interested in early American history, Catholic history or the Knights of Columbus there is something for you in this book. If you are specifically using this book for research on the Knights of Columbus you could start reading at around chapter six or even chapter eight. The beginning chapters speak of the younger years of Fr. McGivney and set the stage for the discussion of the K of C by highlighting the historical period and describing the demographics of the city (New Haven, CT). I really have no negative comments to report.

I met a Knight of Columbus who cut my winter wood supply. He told me he had some friends who would then come to help him split and stack it. I never knew the story about the Knights of Columbus or what their purpose was. Now I do. This book explains how the Knights of Columbus came to be and of their accomplishments. What a wonderful story.

. . . of someone who may well become the first American priest to be canonized.The Venerable Servant of God, Fr. Michael McGivney, was the founder of the Catholic men's fraternal organization known as the Knights of Columbus.During a time when Catholics, especially ethnic Catholics were undergoing persecution and discrimination, it was extremely difficult for a young Catholic family to survive if the family breadwinner was disabled or killed (an all too common fate suffered by blue-collar laborers of the time.) "Parish Priest" shows how one man addressed this issue by forming a men's benevolent society which has grown into the largest Catholic men's fraternal organization in the world (1.7 million members).In his short life (Fr. McGivney died just days following his 38th birthday) accomplished much as a priest, and as a mentor to young men.This brief biography gives a good look, not only at the life and ministry of Fr. McGivney, but also provides a "snap-shot" of what life was like as an ethnic Catholic during the second half of the 19th century.Highly recommended.David ZampinoProud Knight of Columbus

A story of an Irish priest who lived a life of heroic virtue under crushing responsibilities. He faced many problems and hardships, but never wavered in his faith and commitment. A Saint for modern problems and families.

This was a great book to read for many reasons. It gave me a renewal of history of the events of early America and the events and descriptions of the middle and later 1800's. It gives a good description of how the early Catholics were treated when they arrived in the United States. Also it is a great history lesson of how the Knights of Columbus was stared and developed over time. I pray that one day soon Father McGivney will be canonized a Saint. Richard

As a member of KoC I found the history of the founding highly interesting. Also gained a lot of insight in what it was like to be Catholic in America in the late 19th century. The book has a few dull parts; probably due to Fr. McGivney's short life, humility, and lack of self-promotion. The author fills in the slow parts with minutiae that could have been left out and not been missed. That said, I've recommended the book to others and think it is a must read for KoC members or anyone with an interest in the time & place in American history.