Knights in Action for the Cause

The Knights of Columbus provided an established structure for making Father McGivney's spirituality well known. He is familiar to Knights as their virtuous founder, so it is not surprising that as his cause for canonization advances, Knights increasingly turn to him as intercessor.

Each March 29, thousands of Knights of Columbus and their family members take part in Founder's Day Masses and services acknowledging Father McGivney as the source of their active lay corps. In August, at Masses held in conjunction with Knights of Columbus Family Day, they remember his death at age 38 on Aug. 14, 1890. At the conclusion of their regular business meetings, Knights say the prayer for Canonization of Father McGivney. They also make up a majority of the more than 83,000 members of the Father McGivney Guild, which serves as the official clearinghouse for information about Father McGivney.

The many letters received by the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild concerning prayer petitions and prayers answered attest to the popular devotion K of C families ascribe to their Order's founder. Typical is one from the wife of a Tulsa, Okla., Knight who prayed daily that her husband would find a job requiring less travel, invoking Father McGivney's intercession. Her prayers were answered. "Father McGivney has had an impact on people who want their employment to strengthen their life as a Christian family, for fathers wanting to spend more time with their children," she said.