Over the summer, archdiocesan clergy received notification from the Cardinal’s Office concerning permission to celebrate Mass on August 13 in honor of Blessed Father Michael McGivney, a priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford and the founder of the Knights of Columbus. To date, this feast day has not been inscribed on the particular calendars of the United States or the Archdiocese of New York. For this reason, it would not normally have been possible to celebrate this feast day, as liturgical law allows for the public veneration and liturgical celebration of “Blesseds” only where this has been permitted by law and with the permission of the Holy See. However, a recent letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to the Knights of Columbus noted that it will be possible to celebrate a votive Mass in honor of Father McGivney with the permission of the local ordinary and respecting the rules of precedence laid out in the Table of Liturgical Days. The USCCB’s Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship confirmed that, in this case, a local Ordinary may permit the celebration of Blessed Michael McGivney’s feast at his discretion, and even when this feast day does not appear on the local calendar. Liturgical texts for this celebration in future years may be found at the following link.
