Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C., Awarded International Blessed Michael McGivney Medal
The District of Columbia State Council proudly congratulates our State Chaplain, Rev. Frank S. Donio, S.A.C., on being awarded the 2025 International Blessed Michael McGivney Medal — the highest honor bestowed annually upon a Knights of Columbus Chaplain whose priestly zeal and exemplary service embody the legacy of our Founder.
Fr. Frank was selected from among nominees submitted by State Councils across the Order and was recognized on the international stage during the Supreme Knight’s Awards Ceremony at the opening of the 143rd Supreme Convention in Washington, D.C. His recognition in our nation’s capital is especially fitting, as it is here that he has offered so much of his priestly life to the Church and to the Knights of Columbus.
Earlier this year, Fr. Frank was honored locally with the District of Columbia Blessed Michael McGivney Award at the 126th DC State Convention on May 18, 2025. His selection for the international medal is a testament not only to his extraordinary pastoral ministry within our jurisdiction, but also to his profound influence across the wider Church.
A Lifelong Commitment to Faith and Formation
Fr. Frank’s connection to the Knights of Columbus and The Catholic University of America Council No. 9542 spans nearly four decades. As an undergraduate in the late 1980s, he helped establish the council and, since returning to Washington in the early 2000s, has served as its spiritual heart. Under his chaplaincy, the council has grown into a vibrant center of faith and fraternity, forming generations of Catholic men in prayer, service, and leadership.
Over the years, Fr. Frank’s guidance has helped more than a dozen men discern vocations to the priesthood or religious life — and inspired many others to embrace their callings as faithful husbands, fathers, and godfathers, building up the domestic church. His ministry of accompaniment and presence has become a defining hallmark of the Catholic University Council and a model for chaplaincy across the Order.
Service to the Church and the Order
Beyond his work with Council 9542, Fr. Frank’s ministry has touched nearly every facet of ecclesial and fraternal life. He has served as State Chaplain and Associate State Chaplain of the District of Columbia, Faithful Friar of Cardinal Hickey Assembly 2534, Chaplain to the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court 2646, and Financial Secretary and Chaplain at the council level.
His broader contributions to the Church are equally distinguished. Fr. Frank has served as Founding Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center, Executive Director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, President of The Catholic University of America Alumni Association, and Provincial Superior of the Immaculate Conception Province of the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers. He has also taught and directed doctoral students at Catholic University’s School of Theology and Religious Studies.
Through all these roles — academic, pastoral, and administrative — Fr. Frank has remained steadfastly devoted to forming others in faith and mission, mirroring Blessed Michael McGivney’s vision of selfless priestly service to God’s people.
A Priest Always Available
“Fr. Frank has been a spiritual father to many — men and women alike — connected and not connected to Catholic University. He has truly shown what it means to give of oneself for others, seemingly always busy yet always available. Everything he does is directed toward helping men and women discern their vocation in life — whatever that might be.”
Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori likewise commended Fr. Frank’s “lifelong commitment to the formation of Catholic men in the spirit of Blessed Michael McGivney,” noting that his faithful service has left a lasting impact both within the District of Columbia and throughout the global Church.
A Fitting Honor
As the 2025 International Blessed Michael McGivney Medal recipient, Rev. Frank S. Donio, S.A.C., stands among a distinguished line of chaplains whose lives reflect the heart of our Founder — priests who walk beside their brother Knights, leading with humility, courage, and faith.
The District of Columbia State Council joins the Supreme Council and the entire Order in celebrating this well-deserved recognition of a priest who has given so much to our councils, our members, and our Church.
An article about the award and ceremony is available on the Supreme Council website.
A video honoring Fr. Frank’s work and legacy is available on YouTube and below.
