Sunday, August 14, 2011

Saint of the month: St. Maximilian Kolbe

St. Maximilian Kolbe

Icon of St. Maximilian Kolbe

"No one in the world can change the Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hetacombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we are ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves?" ~ St. Maximilian Kolbe

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." ~ John 15:13

Feast Day: August 14
Patronage: drug addicts, families, journalists, prisoners, amateur radio operators, pro-life movement

Today in the Catholic Church we celebrate the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe. I first learned about St. Maximilian when I was in the 7th grade attending Catholic school. His story was written in our religion book. He had been recently canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II. I was immediately taken by his story and became a devotee. prayed often for his intercession. I know since that time he has kept a very watchful eye over me.

Biography

St. Maximilian Kolbe was born Raymond Kolbe on January 8, 1894 in what is now present day Poland. In 1907, along with his elder brother, he entered a Franciscan seminary. In September 1910 he was received as a novice and took the new name of Maximilian. From 1912 to 1915 he studied in Rome and from 1915 to 1919 he studied at Collegio Serafico. He was ordained on April 28, 1918 in Rome.

As a devotee to Our Lady, he founded the Militia of the Immaculate Virgin Mary with 6 other companions. In 1922, he began publishing a monthly review, Knight of the Immaculate. It was first published in Polish and then in other languages. He promoted the devotion of the Blessed Virgin Mary through different forms of media including writing and radio. In 1927, he founded a Franciscan monastery in Niepokalanow. It later became a major publishing center. He continued his movement in Japan in 1930. 

In 1936, he returned to Poland due to ill health. In Septempber 1939 Niepokalanow was occupied by the Germans and most of the inhabitants were sent to Germany. Among them was Fr. Maximilian. He did not stay there long. On December 8, he was released and returned again to Niepokalanow. Soon after, he began a shelter for Polish refugees. The community came under suspicion and was under close watch. In 1941, after publishing the only edition of The Knight of the Immaculate, Fr. Maximilian was arrested. He was first at the infamous Pawiak prison in Warsaw but was later transferred to Auschwitz where he was branded prisoner number 16670.

In July 1941, three prisoners had escaped Auschwitz. Due to the escape, ten prisoners would be picked from the blocks which the fugitives had lived and assigned to the Bunker, the underground starvation cell. Among the ten picked was Francisczek Gajowniczek, a non-commissioned officer. When the sentence had been announced, Gajowniczek cried out that he shall never see his family again. It was then that Fr. Maximilian stepped out and offered himself in his place. They were led to the Bunker where men died slowly without food and water. Fr. Maximilian led the men in daily prayers, Rosary, and singing. Prisoners from neighboring cells would often join them. After nearly two weeks, all the men had died except for Fr. Maximilian. He was often seen kneeling or standing as he looked at the SS men cheerfully in the face. Willingly giving his arm, an injection of carbolic acid was given in order to facilitate Fr. Maximilian's death. When he was found dead, his face appeared calm and radiant.

The process for his beatification began in August 1947. His cause was introduced in March 1960. On October 17, 1971 he was beatified by Pope Paul VI. Like Jesus Christ, his master, he loved man enough to give up his own life for them. "Greater love hath no man than this..." were the opening words at his beatification. His canonization was not long delayed. On October 10, 1982 Pope John Paul II declared Maximilian Kolbe a saint.

Devotion

My devotion to St. Maximilian Kolbe began at the very tender age of 12. His story of sacrifice for another man had truly touched my heart. I wanted to live by his example. I am not always successful at putting the needs of other's before my own but I have learned to follow in St. Maximilian's example in my family and friend relationships. I continue to ask St. Maximilian for his intercession in my daily prayers.

I believe that it is this devotion to St. Maximilian Kolbe that I have found Kris. Throughout the years of my devotion, St. Maximilian has been there to intercede for us and help prepare us both for this journey on which we are now embarking. It was not until much later that I learned that St. Maximilian is the patron saint of journalists the career that Kris has been working since his early days in college. The Lord has prepared us both for the next journey in our marriage and St. Maximilian is there every step of the way as our intercessor.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

Check out these links for more information on St. Maximilian Kolbe:

http://www.catholic-pages.com/saints/st_maximilian.asp
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=370
http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/kolbe.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Kolbe


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