Educational Media Reviews Online

This biographical documentary’s high-quality cinematography, interesting commentary and even pacing make for an enjoyable, informative and compelling viewing experience. It will likely be most useful within Catholic secondary schools and parish libraries.

Following a chronicle of McGivney’s early life as a child of Irish Catholic immigrants in Protestant-heavy New England in the late 1800s, the focus is on his work as a tireless and devoted parish priest.

The film offers an excellent presentation of socioeconomic conditions in an era marked by widespread anti-Catholic bigotry and oppression. It weaves together chapters of McGivney’s adult life as he builds community within his parish by supporting individuals in difficulty, bridging animosity held by leaders in the majority Protestant society, and using his considerable skill as a pastor and advocate for the poor.

Numerous interviews with academics, church historians and prominent leaders in the Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus offer balance and insight.

Though he is best known for founding the Knights of Columbus, today a large international Catholic fraternal organization, the film does not over-emphasize this aspect of McGivney’s legacy. Instead, the focus remains on the man himself, who we've recently learned is a candidate for sainthood.

The end of the film is somewhat overdone, with dramatically crescendoing music and rather grandiose language, but overall this is a well-crafted and enlightening work.