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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Knights looking for miracles at annual Mass

Knights of Columbus pictured in 2017 from the first annual Knights Mass at St. Bridget in Minneapolis. The Knights and women’s auxiliary groups will celebrate the third annual Knights Mass 4:30 p.m. March 30 at St. Bridget. Courtesy St. Bridget

Father Paul Jarvis wants to hear about miracles when Knights of Columbus and women’s auxiliary members gather from across the state for the third annual Knights Mass 4:30 p.m. March 30 at St. Bridget in Minneapolis.

The senior associate pastor of St. Bridget has been requesting submissions from Knights and women’s auxiliary members of everyday “miracles” as they prepare to honor the Knights’ founder, the Venerable Father Michael McGivney, and recognize the faith-filled work of the Knights and women’s auxiliary groups inspired by his vision.

“We’re praying for (Father) McGivney’s canonization and that’s through extraordinary miracles,” Father Jarvis said. “We’re all experiencing miracles, but they might not meet the level of extraordinary that would advance his canonization.”

Archbishop Bernard Hebda will preside at the Mass. A free dinner will be served after the liturgy.

Father Jarvis, Grand Knight Bill Moore of Minneapolis Northside Knights Council 4451, and St. Bridget parishioners organize the Mass and dinner.

The council and its women’s auxiliary draw people from the Minneapolis parishes of Ascension, Our Lady of Victory, St. Bridget and St. Anne-St. Joseph Hien.

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The special, statewide Mass first was celebrated in 2017 as part of the Knights’ 135th anniversary celebration. Father Jarvis and a former grand knight, Mike Marthaler of Minneapolis Northside Knights Council 4451, based at St. Bridget, decided to continue with an annual Mass to recognize the work of Knights and affiliated women’s groups, and to `pray for the canonization of Father McGivney, who founded the Knights in Connecticut in 1882.

They looked online and didn’t find any other Knight’s Mass honoring all three — Father McGivney and the men and women inspired by him, Father Jarvis said.

Attendance at the Mass grew to 300 last year, up from 200 in 2017.

“We thought that an annual Mass honoring Venerable McGivney would be a good thing and by extension, honoring all the things that the Knights” and women’s groups do, Father Jarvis said.

“They’re doing incredible work,” he said, noting among many initiatives their support for the right to life, promotion of vocations and racial justice, and volunteering with the Special Olympics.

Organized in lieu of secret societies of that time and to provide support for widows and orphans, the Knights have grown into the largest Catholic fraternal benefit organization in the world. Father McGivney’s cause for canonization has been underway since 1997.

 


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