A new illustrated graphic novel invites young readers and families to learn more about the life and legacy of Blessed Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest from the Archdiocese of Hartford and founder of the Knights of Columbus.
A Father’s Heart: The story of Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, presents a biography of Blessed McGivney through colorful, eye-catching pictures to engage young readers.
Copies of the storybook are now for sale at the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center in New Haven, just in time for the liturgical memorial of the Blessed observed annually in the archdiocese on Aug. 13.
The book, authored by twin sisters Corinna and Maria Laughlin and illustrated by Carlos Valdeira, was published this past spring by Editions du Signe in France. The sisters, who are both employed by St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Wash., heard about Blessed McGivney a number of times through the Knights of Columbus councils there. But they were not familiar with his background until they paid a visit to his tomb in St. Mary Church, part of Blessed Michael McGivney Parish in New Haven.
“Father McGivney was just a parish priest who accomplished extraordinary things,” Corinna says. “Under his leadership, ordinary parish activities, from games and plays to fundraisers, he truly served the Church’s mission and these became ways to spread the Gospel. He empowered lay Catholics to live their faith more intentionally and to support one another in works of charity.”
The sisters, who have written a number of books, agreed that the graphic novel format used in A Father’s Heart is a “wonderful way to tell a story that is accessible to all ages,” Maria says. “Young people love the medium and older people also find that it is a fun, immersive way to take in a story in less than an hour.”
The 45-page storybook sheds light on Blessed McGivney’s parents who escaped from Ireland’s 19th-century Great Hunger and settled in Waterbury. It goes on to tell the story of a young Blessed McGivney and his challenges growing up; his ministry of virtue and steadfast love toward the poorest and most neglected of society; and how he responded to the needs of his people through his founding of the Knights of Columbus.
A Father’s Heart also details the miraculous healing of an unborn child attributed to the intercession of Blessed McGivney that led to his beatification on Oct. 31, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. Another miracle attributed to the Blessed is needed for canonization.
The Knights of Columbus provided input for A Father’s Heart after a draft was presented. “There was a lot of back and forth between the Knights of Columbus and the authors,” says Brian Caulfield vice postulator for Blessed McGivney’s cause for sainthood. “It was a great experience for me to see Father McGivney portrayed in a different medium.”
The authors hope the readers will gain a new devotion to Blessed McGivney, a deeper understanding of the origins and purpose of the Knights of Columbus and a sense Catholic community, Corinna says.
“When people come together in prayer, get organized, overcome their differences and work together, there’s really no limit to what a community can accomplish with God’s grace,” Maria adds.
The storybook can be purchased at Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center or online at knightsgear.com by entering A Father’s Heart into the search field. “We want to reach the next generation in the hope that in the next few years, Blessed McGivney will be a saint,” Caulfield adds.
Story by Karen A. Avitabile
Catholic Transcript