Standing in the St. Joseph Chapel of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, a new bronze statue graces the revered neo-Gothic masterpiece beloved as “America’s Parish Church.”
The slightly larger-than-life sculpture, crafted by artist Chas Fagan, depicts Blessed Michael McGivney clad in cassock and stole, imparting his priestly blessing. Commissioned for the cathedral by the Supreme Council and gifted by the Fourth Degree, the statue was presented with thousands of Knights of Columbus and family members looking on at the beginning of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree on Feb. 22.
In introductory remarks, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, referenced a statement Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly made at the 142nd Supreme Convention in August 2024 and asked, “Isn’t it about time that America’s Parish Priest is in America’s Parish Church?”
The cardinal, together with Supreme Knight Kelly and several McGivney relatives — Margaret Ransom, great-grandniece, and John Walshe, great-grandnephew, who was assisted by his sons Hugh and Jake Walshe — unveiled the statue in the sanctuary to sustained applause. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori led the congregation in the Litany of Blessed Michael McGivney before joining Cardinal Dolan in blessing the statue with holy water.
Supreme Knight Kelly then delivered remarks in which he reflected on the close relationship between the Knights of Columbus and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, noting, “The Order’s history is closely tied with this great edifice.”
He further explained, “We are not only here to mark an anniversary. We are here to carry the work of Father McGivney into the future — to ensure that our founder will inspire the generations that will come after us.”
THE HEART OF THE CITY
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan is recognized worldwide, a beacon representing the light of faith to millions of visitors each year. But it was not always such a celebrated sacred space as it is today. When Archbishop John Hughes proposed to construct a new cathedral “of suitable magnificence,” and the cornerstone was laid in 1858, the project was dubbed “Hughes’ folly” due to its grand scale, exorbitant cost and location amid uptown estates, where few in the immigrant Catholic population lived at the time.
Archbishop Hughes did not live to see the triumph of his vision, dying 15 years before the cathedral was completed, but his “folly” won over even some ardent early opponents. The impressive neo-Gothic cathedral was recognized in its day as one of the nation’s spiritual and architectural gems, exemplifying the rising religious, cultural, social and economic status of Catholics in America during a period of unprecedented growth of the Church.
“Being in New York City, in the heart of the city, we have millions of people visiting us each year,” said Father Enrique Salvo, the cathedral’s rector. “Everyone who comes to New York comes to Fifth Avenue, and when they enter the cathedral, we are always there for them, no matter where they are from or even what religion they may be.”
Three years after the cathedral opened on May 25, 1879, Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, Connecticut, some 75 miles north of New York City. And though there is no historical record that McGivney ever visited St. Patrick’s, it is likely that he did.
We know that Father McGivney traveled to Manhattan in August 1883 to attend the religious profession of a Dominican sister, and again years later to avail himself of the city’s medical experts during his long decline prior to his death in 1890. As a priest of the neighboring state of Connecticut, he may also have attended one of the many early celebratory events or Masses at the new cathedral. Priests from adjacent dioceses were often invited to join these ceremonies, and hundreds of clergymen were reported to have attended.
The first Knights of Columbus council in New York, Brooklyn Council 60, was chartered in 1891. By the time St. Patrick’s Cathedral was consecrated on Oct. 5, 1910, a ceremony marking the full payment of the property’s debt, a double line of Fourth Degree Knights in full regalia flanked Archbishop (later Cardinal) John Farley as he processed from Fifth Avenue toward the bronze doors.
KNIGHTS AND THE CATHEDRAL
The Knights of Columbus has had numerous historic connections to St. Patrick’s for more than a century. Starting in 1918, seven Supreme Conventions have been held in New York City, each with a large Mass celebrated at St. Patrick’s. The 1920 K of C pilgrimage to France and Rome, led by Supreme Knight James Flaherty, departed from the convention in New York only after the delegation received a blessing at the cathedral.
In his Feb. 22 remarks from the cathedral lectern, Supreme Knight Kelly recalled a number of other significant events as well.
“I think of the Fourth Degree honor guards marching by this cathedral, year after year, during parades on St. Patrick’s Day, on Columbus Day, and during Eucharistic processions,” he said.
“I think, too, of New York Governor Al Smith — the Happy Warrior — whose funeral in 1944 filled these pews to overflowing. A lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus here in New York, Al Smith blazed a trail in 1928 as the first Catholic to run for president on a major party ticket.
“I think of our Supreme Convention in 1992, which began with a Mass here in St. Patrick’s. We were joined then by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whom we honored that day with our first Gaudium et Spes Award.
“And most poignantly, I think of our brother Knights who died on September 11. So many were honored here in the days and weeks that followed, with the consolations of our Catholic faith and the full honors of the New York Police and Fire Departments.”
Knights have also played a prominent role in the five papal visits to St. Patrick’s, serving as ushers and in Fourth Degree honor guards. It was during one of these visits that Pope Benedict XVI accorded Father McGivney a singular honor. Addressing clergy and religious at the cathedral April 19, 2008, the pope called Father McGivney an “exemplary American priest” whose “vision and zeal” led to the establishment of the Knights and contributed to “the impressive growth of the Church” in the United States.
“The Knights are so important for not just the cathedral, America’s Parish Church, but also for every parish in the U.S.,” affirmed Father Salvo. “Father McGivney did so much for the men and families of his day, just as the Knights continue to do today.”
A FITTING TRIBUTE
Following the statue’s blessing and the inaugural exemplification of the revised Fourth Degree ceremony Feb. 22, Knights and their families attended the cathedral’s vigil Mass, with Cardinal Dolan serving as the principal celebrant. In his homily, inspired by the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter and the Sunday readings, the cardinal said, “We, the followers of Jesus like Peter, are called to see the world upside down; the values and prizes of this world are turned topsy turvy.”
Noting that the Order recently sponsored the restoration of Bernini’s Cathedra Petri (Chair of St. Peter) at the Vatican basilica, the cardinal said, “The Knights of Columbus happen to see the world upside down. Their founder, Blessed Father Michael McGivney, whose magnificent bronze sculpture by Chas Fagan was given to this cathedral by the Knights here in America’s Parish Church, was told: ‘Keep your religion to yourself. … Keep your light under a bushel basket.’ ‘Upside down to that,’ America’s parish priest replied. ‘We’re called to be lights to the world.’”
In an interview after Mass, artist Chas Fagan reflected on the new statue in relation to his earlier artistic depictions of Father McGivney.
In 2016, the Supreme Council commissioned Fagan to paint a portrait of the founder that was later selected as Father McGivney’s beatification image. Fagan also sculpted a large statue of Father McGivney that was unveiled in the Hall of American Saints at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8, 2023.
That statue, carved in white marble, depicts Father McGivney holding a book of Scripture etched with the foundational principles of “Unity” and “Charity.” Fagan noted, “He is also leaning forward slightly, as if he’s about to take a step, and the action is accented by the lines of his cassock.”
The new statue in bronze also depicts Father McGivney standing, yet the visual emphasis is on his priestly ministry.
“In this case, he’s giving a blessing, so it’s a very precise pose, much more quiet,” explained Fagan. “If you look carefully, there’s a bit of wind pulling his cassock, so a little extra energy. My hope was to show a younger man with that determination to do right.”
Supreme Knight Kelly later reflected on the eventual impact of the statue on pilgrims, tourists and everyday parishioners alike.
“Millions of people come through St. Patrick’s every year, and millions of people will see this statue,” the supreme knight said. “It is our hope that it will cause them to pause and think about this humble parish priest who did so much for the United States and, really, for the whole world.”