Father Michael McGivney (2014)

Father Michael McGivney is a documentary that brings to life the story of one of America's most extraordinary Catholic priests. Born in Connecticut of Irish immigrant parents just a few years before the Civil War, Michael McGivney grew up at a time when millions of Catholic immigrants were struggling to overcome poverty and prejudice. As a parish priest in the gritty New England manufacturing town of New Haven, he made a deep impact on his community, earning the respect of the Protestant establishment and the love of his parishioners at St. Mary's Church. Emboldened to care for families threatened by the death of the breadwinner, Fr. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, a mutual benefit society that today remains the world's largest Catholic lay organization with 1.8 million members in 13 nations. This film offers a rare glimpse into the life of an extraordinary priest and visionary leader. From defending the persecuted Church to protecting widows and orphans Father Michael McGivney celebrates the triumphs and tribulations of a priest who may very well be America's first canonized parish priest.