Into The Light

Into The Light. . , "The Lord will recognize us if, in our turn, we recognize him in the poor, in the hungry, in the indigent and the outcast, in those who suffer and are alone. , Pope Francis, Aug. 6, 2014, "In the annals of the priesthood of New England, no name deserves brighter honor than that of Father Michael Joseph McGivney. His short life of thirty-eight years, closing in the summer of 1890, was yet rich in every sacerdotal virtue - the love of souls of the true alter Christus, the childlike piety of the Cure d'Ars, the zeal of Vincent de Paul for works of mercy, the unfatigued optimism of the associates of Ozanam - these traits, so precious in the sight of man and heaven, were clearly mirrored in the soul of that good, simple, honest priest of Connecticut.", His life was hidden. He was one of the millions of boys born to Irish immigrants in the United States in the 19th century. He became a Catholic priest, and in doing so, his life was similar in many ways to the multitude of ordinary parish priests whose names have been lost to the annals of history. His life, however, was anything but ordinary. It stands out like a beacon showing that it is neither possessions nor words nor good intentions that define our life, but the daily living of the virtues to a heroic degree. His life demonstrates the extraordinary power of authentic charity, that virtue by which we look to the good of "the other" ahead of ourselves, which is the source of all true unity, fraternity, and solidarity. Now with Father McGivney's beatification, his life comes back into the light to the full view of the whole world., (photo caption) , Father Joseph Daley, "The Personality of Father McGivney," , The Columbiad, June 1900