Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism

[DesperatelySeeking]

http://www.amazon.com/Parish-Priest-McGivney-American-Catholicism/dp/0060776854/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1887305-8988009?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183206964&sr=1-1

I read this book yesterday.  It's a relatively short book, quite readable, and should be commended for its sympathetic portrayal of the priesthood.

Although the posts I've seen on Fisheaters re: the K of C have been generally negative, I'd recommend this as enjoyable and educating reading.  Although of course Fr. McGivney's claim to fame is the founding of the Knights, the "meat-&-potatoes" of the book is the description of the busy life and work of a parish priest.

[OrateFratres]

I read this book last year for a reading assignment. To tell the honest truth, some parts were very dull and boring, but most of it was actually quite interesting. I also recommend it.

[Seminarian_Matthew]

I also recommend the book.  I highly enjoyed reading about Fr. Michael McGivney.

As a side note, what are some of the negative ascepts of the Knights of Colombus?  Since I have to go to a Novus Ordo (there is no nearby TLM) I never hear any negatives about the organization.  The local council is giving me $500 for the seminary, but I'm sure the problem must be the organization in general and not a specific council.

[Tradglad]

Nothing wrong with the Knights of Colombus...geesh!

[GrumpyTroll]

Nothing wrong with the Knights of Colombus...geesh!

I have heard that the Knights of Columbus tend to be sympathetic to Freemasonry. On a Masonic site one can read:

There are many Masons who are also involved members of the KofC and it is not unusual for KofC Councils and Masonic Lodges to share an annual 'Fellowship Breakfast' or other activities in the interests of fraternalism.

On the Knights of Columbus site, for instance, it is stated:

St. Patrick’s Council 3464 in Elkhorn hosted its annual KC-Mason dinner with guests from the Delavan Southern Lakes Masonic Lodge #12 and Msgr. McDermott Council 1612 in Delavan. At the event, Knights presented keynote speaker Sal Dimiceli with a $1,000 check for his charity, The Time is Now.

It is scandalous, in the proper meaning of the term, that a Catholic order should get so involved, especially publicly, with Freemasonry; I do not know if it is acceptable that Catholics should cooperate with the latter even in the interest of philantropy.

[Tradglad]

thanks Grumpy...the foundations of the Knights is about fraternal charity. It was also founded to stand against freemasonry and uphold the faith. I am sure FR Mcgivney would be shocked.

     I will ask our district deputy about this. Its probably something a local chapter did. I am shocked as well.

[DominusTecum]

There are also issues regarding Americanism... Fr. McGivney was rather sympathetic to the "American Ethos" (as opposed to the more contemplative and spiritual form which European Catholicism took) and the K of C was instrumental in advancing this idea.... the fourth degree oath says something, if I recall, to the effect that there are Catholics, but nothing better than Catholic Americans, or something like that, don't remember the exact words but that is the substance. Rev. Mr. (now Fr.) Robinson, SSPX, gave an excellent conference on Americanism and its origins, which discusses the K of C's role in all this... it's available from STAS, I imagine.

[MagisterMusicae]

Having seen a Masonic initiation ceremony (video) and having experienced a K-of-C Initiation (I am/was a 3rd Degree Knight). There is a stomach-turning similarity between the two.

Secrecy is described as an important aspect of the fraternal order.

Patriotism is elevated in many places to nearly among the Cardinal Virtues.

Certainly there are aspects that are not problematic, and I don't imagine most Knights would knowingly harm the Church or support something they thought problematic.

I was disturbed enough when I started to look into Masonry and traditionalism more to end my involvement with the group.

[DaveC]

I'm a first degree knight and I noticed the similarities to the 1st degree of the masonic initiation (I had seen a video also).

One thing you have to keep in mind, is that in order for a fraternity to provide insurance benefits to it's membership, it must include 'ritual work'.

When KofC was founded, many American Catholics were becoming freemasons for the networking and social safety net that it provided.

When Fr. McGiveny started a Catholic organization to rival freemasonry and provide an alternative to Catholics, the initiation rubrics likely followed with the influx of Catholics from freemasonry to KofC.

While the similarities that I noticed have been 'Catholicized', it was still disturbing to me.  I think the Knights are a good organization, but my fellow knights are completely ignorant as to the origin of some of 'our' practices.  Which I think is fine, as long as we remember to maintain that Knights are Catholics and Catholics cannot be freemasons.  That definition has been getting blurred lately.

And yes, the emphasis on Patriotism is disturbing as well...I think it was even added as the 4th 'main virtue' of the organization...but that may have been just to dispell the 'papal allegiance' theories that always manage to circulate about Catholics.

[taocpa]

DaveC,

As a Brother Knight and as a member of the 4th Degree, I suggest you take all the degrees before you pass judgment. 

Being a member of the KofC is a great experience.  The only thing secret about the Knights are the ceremonials (aka exemplifications).  The reason for this is so it is not spoiled for incoming brothers.