St. Mary Pays Tribute To Michael McGivney

Outside the St. Mary Church at 5 Hillhouse Ave. stands a life-sized statue of the Blessed Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus and the patron of that parish. The sculpture has its arms outstretched, as if embracing everyone who enters the church, welcoming them in.

On Tuesday, St. Mary Church held a feast day for McGivney, honoring him and his contributions. The church saw McGivney as the model of a good Catholic, thanks to his devotion to helping the community.

“Since he’s the patron of our parish, we thought it fitting to do a special votive mass in his honor,” said Robert Goossens, a parishioner at St. Mary. Goosens explained that McGivney holds a special place in the hearts of the St. Mary community because he had been an associate pastor there, before founding the Knights of Columbus in New Haven in 1882.

“What he was experiencing for the Catholics and Irish immigrants was unemployment,” said Goossens, referencing the period of time in the 19th century when many employers would refuse to hire Irish workers. ​“He wanted to unite them in their faith and provide financial assistance if the breadwinner — the husband — died unexpectedly.”

These two goals, unity and charity, formed the basis of the Knights of Columbus. McGivney later added fraternity and patriotism to make up the four pillars of the order.

Tuesday’s adoration started with the entrance of a group of altar boys, swinging a thurible and accompanied by Father Joseph MacNeill. The thurible is a metal censer used to burn incense, and the boys used it to spread aromatic smoke throughout the church.

After a moment of silent prayer, the altar boys dispersed to the front rows of the pews. Father MacNeill led the parish in a blessing, then in more silent prayer, and then in song.

“You have given the bread from heaven,” he sang. ​“Let us pray.”

When the adoration was finished, Father MacNeill and the altar boys left the front of the church. They returned soon after, as part of a procession with several other priests. The procession was flanked by representatives from the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, dressed in uniform and wearing swords. As they walked down the aisle, the parish sang a hymn: ​“This is the Feast Day of the Lord’s True Witness.”

The priests led the parish in a series of songs, prayers, and readings from the Bible, including from the Beatitudes from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, in the Gospel according to Matthew: ​“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.”

Father Jeffrey Romans then delivered a sermon on McGivney and his work. He praised his commitment to recognizing and fulfilling the needs of immigrants and families. ​“We reflect on a man whose life and work continue to inspire the Church,” he said.

“The Knights of Columbus originates in the Eucharistic heart of Michael McGivney,” Father Romans continued. ​“We should all have the heart of the Blessed Michael McGivney.”

By ​“Eucharistic heart,” he was referring to McGivney giving his whole self over to God. ​“His very life was a manifestation of Christ’s own love,” said Father Romans. ​“May his example lead each of us closer to the heart of Christ.”

Next came prayers of petition, focusing on the love Catholics are expected to have for their fellow men and for all of creation.

After more singing and waving of the thurible, Father Romans distributed the Eucharist — the consecrated bread and wine, body and blood of Jesus, commemorating the Last Supper before Jesus was crucified — first among the other priests and altar boys, then among the parishioners.

The procession left the church to the sound of parishoners singing another hymn: ​“God, We Praise You.” As the parishioners packed up their things and left St. Mary, many stopped to take photographs with their arms around the statue of Michael McGivney. He may be gone, but St. Mary Church was doing its best to make sure that his lessons were never forgotten.