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Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism

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As a lifelong Catholic, I was intrigued by this book and read it in less than one day. It is about one priest, Michael McGivney, how he came to be a priest and what it was like for priests in the 1800's. It is well-researched and very well-written, drawing me right into the story. There was a tremdendous amount of prejudice against Catholics in the U.S. in the 19th century and this book describes what McGivney tried to do about it. It is also about the people around him. Michael McGivney is a good subject for a book, since he lived at an exciting time. All in all, a must read for American Catholics.

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 new biography on the life of the founder of the Knights of Columbus reveals the importance of the parish priest in the Catholic community and paints a picture of Father Michael McGivney as an innovator, a man of compassion and a man who was beloved by all of his parishioners during his short lifetime.

Father McGivney's obsession to do something about the hardships suffered by Catholic families would define his short life and eventually lead the Catholic Church to consider him for sainthood.

While Father McGivney is the founder of the Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Catholic men's fraternal organization, this book is not primarily about the founding of the Knights. This work centers on the extraordinary role of the parish priest in the Roman Catholic community, its importance in the history of our nation, and the relevance of McGivney, not just as a Catholic historical figure, but as a long-overlooked American historical figure.

Michael McGivney was born and lived during a time when prejudice against Catholics was accepted in American society. It was also a time when immigrants from poverty-stricken Ireland came to the United States by the thousands. McGivney's father, Patrick, was one of those. The immigrant explosion created a very real burden on the Catholic Church to provide enough priests to take care of the needs of its exploding parish populations.

It was also an era when disease was rampant and family members of all ages could suddenly be struck down and die within just a few weeks or even days. The sudden death of loved ones is a constant occurrence in this biography and had a great impact on how McGivney viewed the world. His mother and father had 14 children but only seven lived past infancy. While living his lifelong dream of studying for the priesthood in the seminary, McGivney was forced to drop out when his father Patrick died suddenly. There was no money for tuition and he returned to his home in Waterbury, Connecticut.

But the grace of God intervened in the form of Bishop Francis McFarland. He knew about Michael McGivney and his great promise as a Priest and he arranged for the young man to finish his seminary work on scholarship.

Once he became a priest and assigned as an assistant pastor at St. Mary's in New Haven, Father McGivney again saw sickness and death up close. The pastor, Father Patrick Murphy, became very ill, forcing the young priest to take over the day-to-day duties of running St. Mary's.

Father McGivney was a very popular figure at St. Mary's. Children, teenagers and adults all loved him. He was an activist and involved in every aspect of parish life.

With poverty facing many immigrant families, such as the Downes family, Father McGivney knew that something had to be done. Only five percent of women worked at that time and the death of the father and husband usually meant poverty for the rest of the family.

His idea for a Catholic fraternal organization was revolutionary in many ways. During a time when "secret societies" were flourishing, Father McGivney envisioned a society that was not secret and more of a civic organization. He felt that it had to be separate from the Church and run by lay people.

Establishment of the organization was not smooth. Infighting ensued and at one point some members quit (but later returned). Even Father McGivney at one point thought of quitting his role as Secretary and Chaplain. He was concerned that the members were losing sight of the main issue: taking care of Catholic families.

Brinkley and Fenster write, "Father McGivney's role was to keep the founders from losing sight of the horizon, with all of their picayune disputes over regalia and colors-and which one among them wasn't pulling his weight."

The organization finally began to take off when a council in nearby Meriden was formed. Father McGivney's last act before his death at age 38 was to travel to Providence, Rhode Island to establish the first council outside the state of Connecticut.

By 1888 the Knights of Columbus had 4,020 members in 43 councils. At the time of Father McGivney's death, there were 6,000 members. Today, Knights number more than 1.7 million in more than 12,000 councils throughout the world.

In 1997, the process of canonization for Father Michael J.. McGivney was initiated. If sainthood comes, Father McGivney would be the first American-born parish priest to be canonized.

For American Catholics, this book will be a joy to read, especially for those with immigrant roots and who will be able to identify with the people who lived during those times. Little information was known about Michael J. McGivney prior to the publishing of this book. But these historians have done extensive research and uncovered much valuable information on a very important subject.

The authors sum up their purpose in writing this book and why the documentation of such a life as Father Michael McGivney is important: "It is not our purpose as historians to weigh in on whether Father Michael J. McGivney deserves sainthood. That is best left in the hands of the Roman Catholic Church. What we do know, however, is that McGivney has a place even beyond Catholic history. The day is not far off when books of general American history will carry his name in the index, with space devoted to his influence over the development of American values and character."

As a Knight of Columbus myself for 15 years and a current Grand Knight of our council, I had litle information on Father McGivney prior to the publishing of this book. Reading Father McGivney's story and learning about his vision for the Knights has reinforced my pride in being a Knight and a Catholic.

Most Americans have a idealized view of life in the previous century. But we don't realize the level of discrimination and the lack of resources many people faced. Catholics, in particular, could not own land in certain states or areas and had to pay taxes to support other religions.

Brinkley's book introduces us to Father McGivney, a simple parish priest, who did something to make his parishioners' lives better through his work with the Knights of Columbus. Even with 12 years of Catholic education, I did not know the story behind the Knights of Columbus nor what function they really served beyond marching in our local parades and organizing countless bingo nights.

Brinkley's writing style is easy to read and the book doesn't drag. What a great gift for the legions of kids who are currently preparing for their confirmation! And while the subject does profile a Catholic priest, I think American history buffs would find this a good read as well.

PARISH PRIEST caught me a bit by surprise. For the past few years the Knights of Columbus have been hoping that Rome would recognize its founder, Fr. Michael McGivney, and his accomplishments as noteworthy and begin the canonization process. I figured the book would be a list of his attributes and proof of a holy life. No doubt the book contains wonderful things about Fr. McGivney, but it is far more than a biography or the story of the founding of the Knights of Columbus. The authors, Douglas Brinkley and Julie Fenster do a magnificent job at creating the historical context of Fr. McGivney's time. We feel transported back in time to the late 19th century and feel intimately a part of the struggles of the Irish Catholic immigrants who inhabited not only McGivney's home of New Haven but also many other Northeast cities. We learn of the struggles McGivney faced trying to get a seminary education and the challenges he faced in ministry. We see that in his short life that the role of faith allowed him to respond to the needs of his people and the lasting impact that response has had on Catholic life in the United States.

For me, the strength of this book is the way in which the authors are able to bring readers back to the 19th century. We get the sense that McGivney did not feel he was doing anything extraordinary, but just what needed to be done. It's an example of someone sizing up a situation and responding, which is what people of faith are called to do today. In the end it's not so much a historical story but a historical example.

No doubt this book will have its strongest appeal to Catholic readers, especially those who are members of The Knights of Columbus. It will also appeal to anyone interested in the priesthood and could provide insight as we look at the strengths of Catholic priesthood as well as areas that need to be reformed. It will also be of interest to people who enjoy good historical books and religious history. I would think it would also be an interesting book for a religious book club. It has a good story line and challenges readers to think about how we live our faith and how we respond to the call of Christ. PARISH PRIEST is a timely volume and one that will be used for years to come.

This is not so much a history of the Knights of Columbus as it is an affirmation of the maxim that "One good priest can make a difference."

The book is an eye-opening look at the life of a parish priest. ANY parish priest. As the authors state in the book's preface, "We hope an account of McGivney's life will help to instigate fresh thinking on the priesthood and its manifest potential."

Readers will gain new insights into the life and times of the man who confronted bigotry, disease and unimaginable adversity with the weapons of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.

The book would make an excellent gift for any pastor, church library, or member of the Knights of Columbus.

"Parish Priest; Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism," casts a spotlight on the short life of a noble servant of God. Moreover, authors Douglas Brinkley and Julie M. Fenster document the dramatic growth of the Catholic faith in the State of Connecticut from 1800 to 1890. However, the essence of this book is that the authors rightfully conclude that the parish priest is the heart of Catholicism in the United States.

The authors make an industrious effort to examine the modest Catholic start in the early 1800's...they link it to the "Great Famine," in Ireland after the potato blight of 1845...they then present the facts about the origin and growth of the Knights of Columbus and finally they close the curtain of the book with the morning of August 14, 1890 when Father McGivney dies two days before his 38th birthday. The thread that binds the entire period together is the great effort the Catholic priest makes to ease the hardship of poverty within the parish.

In 1997, Daniel A. Cronin, archbishop of the Hartford Diocese, initiated the process of canonization for Father McGivney. With that, Father McGivney can be properly called a servant of God, an appellation reserved for those being considered for sainthood. Father Michael McGivney would be the first American- born parish priest to be canonized.

Entering the priesthood during this period, young men knew they had little chance of reaching 50 years old and almost no hope of reaching 70. There was too much exposure to disease for the parish priest...they often covered too much territory...they were strained by the needs of the poor...and influenza was on the rampage. What made Father McGivney special is that "he made things happen," with little regard for his own care. Highly recommended.

Bert Ruiz

I found the book gave an excellent account of life in the late 19th century. It left me with a feeling of what it would be like to lack insurance and reasonable health care, something that is widespred today. The lack of good health care coupled with the struggle of Father McGinvey to serve his community, made it clear his challenges were great. It was very interesting to see how he established the Knights of Columbus and worked at preserving family life.

This is truly a most magnificent book. Inspiring, well written and a true treasure to have. The authors have delved into the life a a true Christian man, who in his short years on earth was the moving force to create the largest Catholic Fraternal Organization in the world. Well worth the purchase and well worth reading.

This book is well-written and an easy read. It gives the reader the historical background that existed which impelled Father McGivney to start a fraternal order for Catholic men, the Knights of Columbus. If you want a factual account of this extraordinary priest and his quest to unite Catholic men, this book is it!