William McHale ’26
Features Editor
The Society of Saints Peter & Paul recently hosted Fr. Joseph MacNeill of the Class of 2016 to give a talk at their weekly Theology by the Slice meeting. The topic of Fr. MacNeill’s talk was “Blessed Michael McGivney: An American Saint for Our Times.”
Fr. MacNeill attended Holy Cross as a double major in classics and philosophy before going off to seminary after graduation. He was the 2016 Fenwick Scholar and a former president of the SSPP club, which was created during his time at the College. During his talk, he mentioned how grateful he was for the SSPP in helping him to pursue his vocation, and he was happy to see the club continuing to thrive.
Fr. MacNeill serves at the Blessed Michael McGivney Parish in New Haven, Connecticut, named for the founder of the Knights of Columbus. The talk gave an account of the life of Blessed Michael McGivney, who was born to an Irish immigrant family in Connecticut.
McGivney is known for founding the Knights of Columbus while serving as an assistant pastor at Saint Mary’s Church in New Haven. Fr. MacNeill explained that the Knights of Columbus was founded during a time where Catholics were struggling to assimilate into American society. McGivney saw a need for a fraternal society for Catholics that would provide financial assistance, mutual aid, and a sense of camaraderie for its members. The Knights of Columbus now has over 2 million members across thousands of chapters, serving their communities through donations and charity work. Fr. MacNeill mentioned in his talk that Holy Cross previously had its own chapter of the Knights of Columbus, but it does not seem to be active at this time.
Fr. MacNeill stressed the importance of McGivney, especially given how young he was when he decided to found the Knights. He argued that McGivney is a very inspiring figure for American Catholics that may one day become one of the few American saints. McGivney was approved for beatification in 2020, which requires one miracle that is believed to be acquired through the person’s intercession. Fr. MacNeill recounted the touching story of a family who feared their pregnancy would be unsuccessful because of a condition that was spotted on an ultrasound. The couple traveled to Rome and prayed for the intercession of McGivney, and were shocked to find their baby looking perfectly healthy on the ultrasound when they returned home. In order for McGivney to become a saint, he will have to be recognized for a second miracle.
The engaging talk allowed members of the SSPP to hear from a Holy Cross alum who went on to pursue a religious vocation, who feels a strong connection to a prominent American Catholic, and who served one state away from campus.
Featured Image Courtesy of Archdiocese of Hartford
Copy Edited by Caroline Kramer
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