Fr. Patrick will celebrate a Vesper Service of Beatification on Friday, October 30th at 6:00pm for The Venerable Servant of God, Fr. Michael J. McGivney. He is the founder of the Knights of Columbus and will be beatified during a special Mass on October 31 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT. On May 27th, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis, who met with the board of directors of the Knights of Columbus in February, had signed the decree recognizing a miracle through the intercession of McGivney, clearing the way for his beatification. Once he is beatified, he will be given the title "Blessed." The miracle recognized by the Vatican occurred in 2015 and involved an U.S. baby, still in utero, with a life-threatening condition. That baby, Mikey Schachle, is now 5. His parents, Dan and Michelle Schachle, of Dickson, TN, prayed to McGivney to intercede with God to save their son, still in his mother's womb, who was given no hope of surviving a life-threatening case of fetal hydrops. McGivney (1852-1890), the son of Irish immigrants, was born in Waterbury, CT, 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, CT, in 1882. He originally started the Knights as a service organization to help widows and orphans. At the time, McGivney was an assistant pastor at St. Mary's Parish. He is buried in New Haven. The fraternal order for Catholic men has become the largest lay Catholic organization in the world with 2 million members and sponsors a wide range of educational, charitable and religious activities. McGivney, who will be the first American parish priest to be beatified has long been a hero of working-class Catholics. He died of pneumonia complications at age 38 in 1890, it was during an outbreak of influenza known as the Russian flu in Thomaston, CT. The initial work on his sainthood cause began in 1982 on the Knights' centenary. His cause was formally opened in Hartford in 1997, and he was given the title "servant of God." In March 2008, the Catholic Church recognized the priest heroically lived the Christian virtues, so he was given the title "venerable." Generally, two miracles attributed to the candidate's intercession are required for sainthood — one for beatification and the second for canonization.

All Souls’ Day, Monday, Nov 2nd, our Knights of Columbus Council’s Corporate Communion will be held at 6:00pm. A Corporate Communion Mass is a special Mass for the Knights of Columbus Council members to gather together as one with their families and friends and share the Eucharist together in both fraternity and unity. Council members will serve in various liturgical roles during the Mass. Together, refreshed in Christ, they continue their mission of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity. All brothers should attend this event, as we will be processing in at the beginning of Mass. This is an opportunity for our Council to attend Mass and receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as one body. As always, this is a family event for our Council and your Knight’s Ladies and family are encouraged to attend with you as well. We look forward to seeing you all there!