Stained Glass Tour
  - Joseph the Patriarch
  - St. Therese of Liseux
  - St. Claire of Assisi
  - St. Francis of Assisi
  - St. Paul of Tarsus
  - Bl. Pedro Calungsod
  - St. Maria Goretti
  - Bl. Miguel Pro
  - St. Maximilian Kolbe
  - St. Gianna Molla
  - Bl. Teresa of Calcutta
  - Ven. John Paul II, Pope
  - St. John Vianney
  - Christ the King with St. Michael
the Archangel
 - Ven. Fr. Michael McGivney

The stained glass in the main section of St. Joseph's Church that is featured in this section was designed and created by parishioner Mary Mullins and all images are subject to copyright, 2007-2010, Valley Rose Designer Glass.  Descriptive text copyright Mary Mullins, 2007-2010.
You may contact them by calling (209) 238-3236.

Michael J. McGivney, the eldest of 12 children, was born in 1852 in Waterbury, Connecticut. His parents were among the waves of Irish immigrants coming to America from post-famine Ireland. His father, Peter, worked in the brass factories of Waterbury.
By the time he was 13 Michael knew that God was calling him to the priesthood. Money being tight Michael spent three years with the throngs of men like his father working in the brass factories of Connecticut to help his family and save for the seminary. During this time, he witnessed closely the misery and suffering brought about by poverty, alcoholism, poor education and the early death of the head of the family. These events left him with an even deeper sense of compassion for the working man.
In 1873, his father, Peter McGivney, passed away. Michael left the seminary to return home to help his mother and siblings. But with God all things are possible.
Fr. Michael J. McGivney was ordained on December 22, 1877 By the time he received his second assignment, he was well known for his kindness and compassion especially to families who had suffered the loss of their father and primary source of income.

Fr. McGivney wanted to foster the Catholic identity of the men in his care and to counteract the negative effects of anti-Catholic secret societies that gained prominence in the late 19th century. He began gathering a group of men to form what would become the Knights of Columbus. Fr. McGivney wanted this organization to be for all Catholic men; a society dedicated to God and loyal to the United States. He also sought to establish social activities to curb alcoholism, charitable outreach to those in need, and he wanted to create affordable life insurance to help families devastated by the loss of the father and wage earner. On March 29, 1882, The Knights of Columbus was officially recognized.

Fr. McGivney died on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, August 14, 1890 as a result of pneumonia. He was only 38 years old.

To discover more…
www.fathermcgivney.org
www.kofcmuseum.org