Parish Priest - Annotated by Douglas Brinkley & Julie M Fenster (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The first commercial, in-depth biography of the American-born Roman Catholic priest who may well be declared a saint. . . . “Delightful. . . . No magisterial biography emanating a suffocating aura of pomp and self-importance, this book is as low-key and as uplifting as Father Michael McGivney himself.”--Calgary Herald

“Father McGivney's vision remains as relevant as ever in the changed circumstances of today's Church and society.”--Pope John Paul II

In a time of discrimination and poverty for Catholics across America, Father Michael McGivney (1852-1890), began a legacy of hope that continues to this day. Called to action in 1882 by his sympathy for these suffering people, this dynamic yet tenderhearted man--the son of Irish immigrants-- founded the Knights of Columbus, an organization that has saved countless families from destitution.

At heart, Father McGivney was the model of an American parish priest: Beloved by children, trusted by adults, and regarded as a “positive saint” by the elderly in his New Haven, CT, parish--a truly holy man whose life and works are still celebrated today.

From the Back Cover

Is now the time for an American parish priest to be declared a Catholic saint?

Born and raised in a Connecticut factory town, the son of Irish immigrants, Father Michael McGivney's (1852-1890) legacy of hope is still celebrated around the world. At a time when discrimination against American Catholics, homelessness, and starvation were widespread, Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, an organization that has helped save countless families from the indignity of destitution.

In this moving and inspirational work, Douglas Brinkley, the New York Times bestselling author of The Great Deluge and The Boys of Pointe du Hoc, and award-winning author Julie M. Fenster re-create the all-too-brief life of perhaps the most beloved parish priest in U.S. history and chronicle the process of canonization that may well make this fiercely dynamic yet tenderhearted man the first American-born priest to be declared a saint by the Vatican.

Review Quotes

"Brinkley and Fenster not only trace the too-brief life of Father Michael McGivney, but also use his career to give the reader an intimate glimpse of an immense story: the rise of the Catholic Church in this country during the second half of the nineteenth century. . . . An engrossing and affecting tale." - Richard Snow, editor, American Heritage Magazine