TODAY'S SAINT (Maximilian kolbe)
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE
(1894-1941)
Founder of the Knights of the Immaculata,
Franciscan martyr of World War II
Maximilian Kolbe was born Raymond Kolbe on January 7, 18894, in Zdunska-Wola, then located in Russian Poland, to a poor family. At age 10 he had a vision that changed his life. One day when he was misbehaving, his mother said, "Raymond, what is to become of you?" The boy went to church asking the same question and prayed about it. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in a vision and held out two crowns to him. One was white for purity, the other red for martyrdom. She asked him which would he choose, and he answered, "I choose both."
Raymond attended a trade school and entered secondary school in 1907. He had a special love for the scciences, and even designed a rocket ship and appl-ied for a patent on it. When the Conventual Franciscans opened a minor semin-ary, both he and his brother, Leopoli, applied. Raymmond took the habit on September 4, 1910, and adopted the mame Maximilian.
He endured inner trials and was sent to Rome to study. He earned a doctorate in philosophy and later a doctorate in theology. He was indiference as the most deadly poison, and in 1917 founded an order, the Knights of the Immaculata, to countereact it. Members dedicated themselves to Mary Immaculate and pledged to work for the salvation of souls, particularly among the enemies of the Church, through prayer and apostolic work. The order was made a Primary Union by Pope Pius XI (r. 1922-39) in 1926.
Maximilian contracted tuberculosis in 1920, and his health was severely weakened for the rest of his life. He spent two years in a sanatorium. For the remainder of the 19220's and into the 1903's, Maximilian worked to build his order, and even went to Japan. He was recalled to Poland in 1939 to head the provincial chapter, the City of the Immacuata.
World War II brought attacks by the Nazis. Maximilian was arrested by the Gestapo in 1939, then released. He was arested again in 1941, and Jailed in Warsaw. On May 28, 1941, Maximilian was among about 320 prisoners who were transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.
His openess as a Catholic priest brought him severe treatment. He was regul-arly beaten, attacked by dogs, given the worst job details and made to carry corpses. Once he was beaten and left for dead; his fellow prisoners carried him back to camp., where he recovered. His chronic lung inflammation required him to spend time in the infirmary. Throughout the brutalities, Maximilian maintained a positive outlook and was a source of strength to many prison-ers. He heard confessions, gave conditional absolution to the dead and coun-seled people. He always made himself last for any medical treatment.
In July 1941, a prisoner escaped. Camp rules were that if a missing prisoner was not caught and returned, 10 victims at random. One was a Pollish soldier, Sergeant Francis Gajowniczek, who cried out in distress, "What will happen to my family?" Immediately Maximilian stepped forward and volunteered him-self as a replacement. The commandant accepted.
The 10 men were herded into a starvation cell, stripped of their clothing and left to die. They received on food or water. One by one they died; some were kicked to death by the guards. Maximilian led the survivors in prayer and hymns, reminding them that their souls could not be killed.
The Knights of the Immaculata have spread around the world. The order is now known as the Militia of the Immaculata.
Beatified: October 17, 1971, by Pope Paul VI
Canonized: October 10, 1982, by Pope John Paul II
Feast: August 14
posted by US Catholic @ 12:16 PM
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