The Founder of the Knights of Columbus

Over a century ago, in mid-August of 1890, one of the largest funerals in the history of Waterbury, Connecticut, took place. The throngs who attended were grieving the death, at age 38, of Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus.

Delegations were present from almost every one of the 57 Knights of Columbus councils that had been chartered in the Order's first eight years. The Bishop of Hartford and more than 70 of Connecticut's Catholic priests were joined by many civic leaders. It was reported that every available carriage for miles around had been rented for the great procession.

Father McGivney's funeral was an indication of the love and respect the people felt for this hard-working, holy, parish priest. It also reflected the deep personal appeal that immigrant Catholics immediately found in the Knights of Columbus. Since that time, the Order's growth has never stopped. Today it is the largest society of Catholic men in the world, with 1.6 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, and several Central American and Caribbean countries.

To mark the Order's hundredth anniversary in 1982, the Knights of Columbus brought the remains of Father McGivney from Waterbury back to St. Mary's Church in New Haven, where he had founded the Order. There he now rests in a setting in which daily Mass is offered for the deceased members and their deceased spouses of the Order and prayers are said in his honor. His cause for canonization is proceeding.

The History of Our Council Name

Father Patrick Heslin served at Sacred Heart Parish and was greatly loved in the community. Later, he was transferred to serve at Holy Angels Parish in Colma, California. While there, he was called on by a man wearing a heavy overcoat and goggles, to provide Communion to a sick parishioner. Father Heslin was last seen riding as a passenger in a touring car on the evening of August 2, 1921. The next day, the Archdiocese received a ransom note demanding $6,500 for his release.

Eight days later, William Hightower led the police and a reporter from the Examiner to Father Heslin's body buried on Salada Beach. Hightower was hoping to receive a reward from the Archbishop for helping to find the body. However, sand grains found on Hightower's knife and in his room matched the beach sand at the site. Hightower was then convicted of the murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in San Quentin. He was paroled from prison on May 20, 1965.

On December 14, 1924 the Father Heslin Council was founded at Sacred Heart Parish. The Council was named to honor Father Heslin's service to Sacred Heart Parish and to the Catholic Church.