Seminary Dedicates Bust of Father McGivney

The Founder of the Knights of Columbus


I often wonder why things happen as they do.


This morning at our prayer gathering to pray the Divine Office, all four of the usual suspects were present.  All of us are members of the Knights of Columbus.  Deacon George Sebok received and shared a vision and a prophecy about allowing God to remove areas of sin in our life that persist.  I took this very personally, because I have been dealing with specifically bothersome tendencies to sin that have plagued me most of my life.


As we have done many mornings after prayer, Deacon George and I went for a walk after prayer.  St. George Parish is right across the street from Springbank Park, a large and beautiful park with miles of walking paths.  Today, we got to where we usually turn to come back to our cars, and decided to walk further.  As we rounded a curve in the roadway, we saw an older cyclist who was on the ground about 100 yards ahead. It was not immediately obvious whether he had fallen or stopped on his own.  As we saw him struggle to get back on his bike, we realised that he had fallen.  He got back on his bike and was heading towards us.  We noticed that he was none too steady, and were kind of blocking his path, as we called out to him to ask if he was okay.  He stopped in front of us, and greeted George.  As it turned out, he was a member of the parish where George serves as a deacon (Holy Family Parish), and also was a member of the Knights of Columbus.


We observed that he was cut around his face, and that he was a bit groggy.  We escorted him to the park washrooms, and then George went to get his car to give him and his bike a ride home.


It was curious that we took that path today, rather than the alternative that we might have taken, and more curious that we chose today to extend our walk at all.


So, when I received the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild Newsletter in the mail today, the connection to the Knights of Columbus, and to the cause for the beatification of Fr. McGivney were of interest to me, and Father McGivney's intercession for those who ask.


In the newsletter, I noted that a bust of Father has been presented and blessed at his old seminary where he graduated in 1877.  Here is an article about it from the online guild news.

Auxiliary Bishop Denis Madden of the archdiocese of Baltimore was the principal celebrant of a Mass associated with dedication of a bust of Father McGivney at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.

Earlier in the school year several seminarians at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore were reflecting on their own journeys to answering God’s call to the priesthood.

The one constant that they found was the prayers and support of the Knights of Columbus.

In recognition of this, the seminarians decided to commission a $6,000 bust of the Venerable Michael McGivney for the seminary.

“Whether from the mountains of West Virginia or the northern reaches of Maine, Knights of Columbus councils, large and small alike, were a major part of our vocations and an indispensable source of support,” said Seminarian Andrew Nelson, who organized the effort.

On April 17, 2010, Knights from supporting councils in 12 states joined the seminarians for the dedication of the bust of Father McGivney (which the seminarians funded). Father McGivney was a member of the seminary’s class of 1877.

The bust was dedicated in honor of the Knights of Columbus for “their unwavering support of the Church, her priests and seminarians.”

Father Thomas Hurst, S.S., president-rector of St. Mary’s welcomed all the guests and stated that this celebration of Father McGivney and his inspiring work was particularly appropriate in the “Year for Priests.”

Auxiliary Bishop Denis Madden of the archdiocese of Baltimore was the principal celebrant of the Mass and was assisted by Father Gabriel O’Donnell, O.P., vice-postulator for Father McGivney’s cause for canonization, and Father Donald Grzymski, OFM Conv., Maryland state chaplain.

Father McGivney, we ask you to intercede on behalf of all Knights of Columbus, but particularly our Brother Knight who we encountered today on our walk, for healing of hearts, minds, bodies and souls, and that we might all grow in holiness.