Venerable Michael McGivney

It is official, as of Saturday, 15 March 2007. Fr. Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus can be refered to as Venerable Michael McGivney. The Vatican Press Office released a list of those who's "Heroic Virtue" was officially recognized by Papa Benedetto on Saturday. & Fr. McGivney was on the list. "- le virtù eroiche del Servo di Dio MICHELE McGIVNEY, Sacerdote Diocesano e Fondatore dell’Ordine Fraterno "The Knights of Columbus"; nato a Waterbury (Stati Uniti d’America) il 12 agosto 1852 e morto a Hartford (Stati Uniti d’America) il 14 agosto 1890;" (The heroic virtue of the Servant of God Michael McGivney, Diocesan Priest & Founder of the Fraternal Order "The Knights of Columbus"; born at Waterbury [United States of America] 12 August 1852 & died at Hartford [United States of America] on 12 August 1890)

I found out about this via a post on Thomas Peter's American Papist blog. He got the news from an article on the Canadian Press website. (Pope approves 'heroic virtues' of Knights of Columbus founder) As of this posting neither the KCs website or the official website for Venerable Michael McGivney's cause have put the news up. That is a bit surprizing since the news came out early Saturday morning. But I am sure it will soon be updated. (& after I add this post, I'll have to change it at the right myself.)

No surprize that the majority of names on the list were from Italia. It still produces more saints than any other country. I did recognize 1 other name, Gemma Giannini.

Venerable McGivney joins a small group of American men who are in line to be the 1st native born American male to be made a saint. (The others were naturalized citizens.)

This is good news for all of us, not just KC members, as it is another sign of the powerful work God is doing in the United States evn though it doesn't always seem so.