Father Michael J. McGivney was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on August 12, 1852. Michael was one of 13 children in the McGivney family. Six of Michael's brothers and sisters died in infancy or childhood. He was the first to live beyond childhood, along with four sisters and 2 brothers. Michael learned at a young age about sorrow, poverty, and faith.
When Michael was 13 years old, he quit school and began working for a spoon-making factory which assisted his family's finances. Later at age 16, he traveled to Quebec, Canada to prepare himself for the seminary. During his seminary studies, his father past away which brought him back home to Waterbury. Michael was convinced by a Hartford bishop to attend St. Mary's seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. There he spend 4 years studying and was ordained a priest in 1877.
In 1881 Michael began planning a Catholic fraternal benefit society. His goal was to strengthen religious faith and while doing that, provide financial needs to families struggling with the illness or loss of the breadwinner. After talking with many other priests and bishops about his idea, Michael started the Sons of Columbus in 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut. Sons of Columbus were to bind the Catholic Faith and Americanism from the New World's discoverer. Later the name of the Catholic Fraternity became the Knights of Columbus.
The Knights of Columbus first charter was granted on March 29, 1882. The order's principles were Charity and Unity. Later the order would also add Fraternity and Patriotism. With the bishop's permission, Michael wrote all the pastors of the Diocese of Hartford to encourage them to start their own councils. Councils began showing up all through Connecticut.
Michael passed away on August 14, 1890 at the age of 38, just 8 short years after starting the Knights of Columbus. Today the Knights of Columbus has grown to more than 13,000 councils and roughly 1.7 million members throughout the world. Still today the Knights of Columbus are growing with new councils forming daily.
