Relic of Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney comes to Corpus Christi

Blessed Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, had the spiritual support of men at heart. The Knights of Columbus are a pillar of the Church in the U.S. Now, a first-class relic of him will embark on a five-day pilgrimage across Texas from September 3-7.
 
The tour, organized by the Knights of Columbus Texas State Council, will include visits to several churches with the bone fragment relic of Blessed McGivney. On September 4, the relic will arrive in our diocese. The only stop will be at Most Precious Blood Parish in Corpus Christi.
 
The relic will arrive from Port Lavaca around noon. Veneration begins at 3:30 pm at Most Precious Blood. At 6 pm, a special Mass is celebrated, followed by exemplification in the parish hall. The relic leaves for San Juan the next morning.
 
Ron Alonzo, the Knights of Columbus’ Texas State Deputy, is excited to welcome the relic in our diocese, “a blessing for all the faithful.”
 
Blessed McGivney was born to Irish immigrant parents in 1852 in Waterbury, Conn., and began his priestly ministry in 1887. At a time of anti-Catholic sentiment, he worked tirelessly to offer practical solutions to immigrant Catholic communities in Connecticut. In 1882, he founded the Knights of Columbus to provide spiritual support to men and offer financial resources for families that had suffered the loss of a breadwinner. He died of pneumonia on Aug. 14, 1890.
 
The process for his possible canonization officially opened in 1997. In March 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared Fr. McGivney “a Venerable Servant of God,” citing the “remarkable accomplishment of that exemplary American priest.” His beatification in October 2020 brings Fr. McGivney one step further in the canonization process.
 
Since his beatification in October 2020, countless people worldwide have sought his intercession in times of need. Touched by grace, many have attributed to Blessed Michael answered prayers, from everyday favors to remarkable medical recoveries.
 
Here is a short video about the life of Blessed McGivney: https://youtu.be/PWW7INdQT3U?si=XoKA82EHuT53x-Fx