BRIDGEPORT—Bishop Frank J. Caggiano recently dedicated a new statue of Blessed Michael J. McGivney at St. Margaret Shrine, saying the founder of the Knights of Columbus was “a testimony to the difference that one life can make” and should be a role model for priests everywhere.
“Consider the effects this one man had in founding the Knights of Columbus, consider all the years, all the good works, all the charity, and the outreach to the sick, the homeless and those in need,” he said at the ceremony attended by more than 150 Knights and their families and friends. “As you know, Blessed Michael devoted most of his life to the care of immigrants and the poor and orphans and the widows in what was once the entire Archdiocese of Hartford—the state of Connecticut.”
The statue of Blessed McGivney, who founded the Knights at St. Mary Church in New Haven in 1882, occupies a special place at the shrine and rests in the shadow of Our Lady of Fatima on the top of the hill. The project to purchase the statue and create a memorial area was a cooperative effort of Assembly 107, which meets at St. Margaret Shrine and consists of Councils 16 and 12615 of Bridgeport, Council 11077 of Fairfield, and Council 13228 of Stratford. Knights from around the state and New York turned out for the dedication and the blessing of the statue.
“Imagine how blessed we are to have this image here in the heart of the Shrine of St. Margaret, which I like to think is in the heart of the Diocese of Bridgeport,” said the bishop, who himself is a Knight and member of Council 16.
“I think that every priest in the Archdiocese of Hartford, the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Diocese of Norwich has a great role model when you consider that one of our priests is among those to be saints of God,” he said. “It is a tremendous gift, and I ask you every time you come to this shrine, please pray for the Knights of Columbus throughout the world and for our brother Knights in Ukraine in their time of need. Pray for their protection, pray for their families and the families of all Knights. Also pray for the poor in our midst, and lastly please pray for the priests of all these dioceses that, please God, when we come to judgment every single one of us will be welcomed into the same eternal life that Blessed Michael McGivney now enjoys with Jesus.”
Today the Knights of Columbus has 2 million members worldwide. It was founded by Father McGivney when he was assistant pastor of St. Mary Church in New Haven to bring financial aid and assistance to the sick, disabled and needy members and their families.
Bishop Caggiano said it was a day “of tremendous grace” because earlier he ordained Father Colin Lomnitzer to the priesthood at St. Augustine Cathedral.
Joining his brother Knights was John Walshe of Bridgeport, the great-grandnephew of Blessed McGivney, a Fourth Degree Knight of Council 16, who joined 56 years ago when he was 22.
Speaking of his great grand-uncle, Walshe said, “His uncle owned a rubber factory in Naugatuck. Michael McGivney could have worked for his uncle or his father, who had a good job at one of the brass companies in Waterbury. He could have done all that stuff, but instead he chose the priesthood because it’s more blessed to give than to receive. That’s the way he was.”
Walshe said that many times over the years when he attended Knights’ conventions, he would be approached by men who wanted to talk about “Father Mike” and tell him that their prayers had been answered through his intercession.
“I remember one guy who said, ‘I had cancer and I was given six months to live, and I prayed to your uncle…and that was ten years ago.’” Walshe recalled. “There are so many times he has done that and helped people from heaven.”
Father McGivney had two other brothers who were priests—Msgr. Patrick McGivney and Msgr. John McGivney, who served as pastors at St. Charles Church in Bridgeport and became Supreme Chaplains of the Knights of Columbus. The McGivney Center is named in their honor.
Walshe said that their nephew Msgr. Leo Finn, who was pastor of St. Mary Church and St. Peter Church in Bridgeport, also served as Supreme Chaplain.
Creating the Blessed McGivney memorial was the idea of Mike Basso of Council 12615 and Herb Ramirez of Council 16.
Its purpose is to honor Blessed Michael McGivney, who was beatified by Pope Francis on October 31, 2020, and to recognize Connecticut as the founding state, said Art Falco of Council 16 and a member of the project committee. Father McGivney was born in Waterbury and served at the Church of St. Mary in New Haven and St. Thomas in Thomaston.
Falco said that to help raise funds for the project, engraved bricks were purchased by 89 Councils and Assemblies around Connecticut, and they are laid out at the approach to the statue. The Knights purchased the four-foot fiberglass statue from the Father McGivney Guild, and it stands on a stone pedestal surrounded by flowers.
“We had the project in mind when he was declared blessed, and we approached Deacon Don Foust and talked to Bishop Caggiano, who told us to pick the right spot,” said Ramirez, who has been a Knight 40 years. “Then, we started shopping around to find the right statue. Everybody chipped in, and things started to fall into place.”
Thomas Carrano, a member of Council 4716 at St. Patrick’s, said, “I think it is wonderful for Blessed Michael McGivney because it lets so many more people realize all the good things that he did.”
State Deputy Matthew McGrath, of Council 1 at St. Mary Church, thanked the Councils for their work on the project and said, “I hope this inspires Knights from throughout the state.”
Photos by Joe Pisani
Deacon Donald Foust, who has been administrator of St. Margaret’s for 11 years and a member of Council 16, calls the shrine “our oasis of peace.” Like the Knights, which embrace many countries and cultures, the shrine represents many different countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Vietnam, Portugal, France, Italy and the United States with the saints who are venerated there.
“The Knights has a multicultural membership that matches the universal Church,” said Deacon Foust, who joined the Knights in Stamford when he was 21. “Father McGivney was a Connecticut guy, so it’s appropriate that he’s here at St. Margaret’s.”
Grand Knight David Sanchez of Council 16 and a member of St. Peter Church, said, “This is such a good project, and we are blessed to have this site near our meeting room. Blessed Michael McGivney came up with this spot.”
Freddy Martinez Jr., a field agent for the Knights’ insurance, said, “I am a big advocate of Father McGivney’s dream to take care of widows and orphans. This is a special place where we can gather together with our brother Knights. This is like the United Nations for the Knights.”
