St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe was born at Zdunska-Wola, Poland, on January 8, 1894. His baptismal name was Raymond; Maximilian was the name he received when he entered (1910) the Conventual Franciscan Friars. He did his studies for the priesthood (1912–19) in Rome, where he organized (1917) the Militia of Mary Immaculate, an association dedicated to promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. After earning doctorates in theology and philosophy, he returned to Poland in 1919 to teach Church history at the seminary, and there in 1922 he started Knights of the Immaculata, a periodical for militia members. Years later, in 1927, he founded the City of the Immaculate (Niepokalanów) on the outskirts of Warsaw. Upon being sent (1930) to Japan, he founded a similar community in Nagasaki, and he planned on establishing others throughout the world. In 1936, he returned to Poland and became superior of Niepokalanów. With the German invasion of Poland in early September 1939, World War II began. Fr. Kolbe was first arrested on September 19 of that year and was transferred to three different concentration camps. After several months, he was unexpectedly released and, thus, he returned to Niepokalanów, where he continued, as best he could, his former apostolate. His second arrest came on February 17, 1941, and having been given No. 16670, he was sent on May 28, without trial or sentencing, to the concentration camp at Oswiecim (more commonly known by its German name, Auschwitz). When he arrived, there were already tens of thousands of prisoners there, and though forbidden, he managed clandestinely to minister to Catholics and at times spent the entire night hearing confessions. Then, one day toward the end of July, because a prisoner had escaped from Fr. Kolbe’s block, ten individuals were chosen at random to die in the starvation bunker. Fr. Kolbe was not among the ten. However, when one of the chosen ten sighed: “My poor wife, my poor children!” Fr. Kolbe offered to take his place. The offer was accepted. Two weeks later, when the Germans needed the cell for more victims, the officer in charge opened (August 14, 1941) the bunker and found four victims still alive. Fr. Kolbe was the only one still conscious. The officer then ordered an injection to be given to Fr. Kolbe and the other men, thus hastening their death. On the following day, Fr. Kolbe’s body was burned. He was canonized as a martyr of charity by Pope John Paul II in 1982. Today’s Mass prayer mentions St. Maximilian’s love for Mary Immaculate and his heroic love of neighbor, a love that inspired him to give his life for another.