William McGarvey (priest)

William McGarvey (1861–1924) was a Catholic priest and former Episcopal priest who served as rector of St. Elizabeth's Church in Philadelphia. In 1896 he became the leader of a group known as the Congregation of the Companions of the Holy Saviour (CSSS), which was associated with St. Elisabeth's.

McGarvey had been mentored by Henry R. Percival along with William Walter Webb who became president of Nashotah House. During the first few years there was a close association between Nashotah and St. Elisabeth parish. In 1906 Joseph Barry took over as president of Nashotah; he was an advocate of ritualism, but also anti-Roman. He was suspicious of the Companions, and in 1907 a dispute arose over the 'open pulpit' resolution.

In the fallout, McGarvey and many others joined the Catholic Church, including three teachers and five students at Nashotah House. This resulted in a backlash against Ritualism in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Charles Chapman Grafton and others helped to counter the backlash.