Day 344 -- Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Today we remember another victim of the Holocaust: Saint Maximilian Kolbe. He was born as Raymond Kolbe on January 7, 1894 to a poor Catholic family in Russia. His parents were lay tertiaries and worked at home as weavers. His father was hanged by the Russians as a traitor. His mother became a Benedictine nun and his brother Alphonse became a priest. He was known as a mischievous child, but around the age 12 the time of his First Communion, he received a vision of the Virgin Mary which changed his life.

He entered the Franciscan junior seminary in Poland in 1907 and in 1910 became a novice at the age of 16. He tool the name Maximilian and made first vows on September 5, 1911 and final vows on November 1, 1914. On October 16, 1917 he and six friends founded Immaculata Movement (Militia Immaculatae, Crusade of Mary Immaculate) which was devoted to the conversion of sinners and spread the Miraculous Medal. He got tuberculosis which nearly killed him, but left him in frail health the rest of his life. He was ordained on April 28, 1918. He received a Doctorate of Theology in 1922 and his insights on Marian theology were influenced in Vatican II.

He did much work in Poland in teaching and published a magazine: Knight of the Immaculate. He went to Japan in 1930 with four brother, penniless and knowing no Japanese. He founded a monastery in 1931. Because of his poor health, he returned to Poland in 1936 and in 1938 started a radio station. The following year, the monastery housed 800 men.

On September 19, 1939 he was arrested with several of his brothers. On May 28, 1941, he was transferred to Auschwitz and branded a prisoner 16670. He was abused by the guards, but he remained calm and dedicated to the faith. After one beating, he was left for dead, but the prisoners managed to get him to the camp hospital where he spent his recovery hearing confession. When he went back to the camp, he celebrated Mass and delivered communion from smuggled bread and wine.

In July 1941, there was an escape from the camp and in retribution it was required that ten men be slaughtered for each escaped prisoner. Francis Gajowniczek was married and had young children and was chosen to die. Maximilian volunteered to take his place and he died as he had wished--in service. He died on August 14, 1941 by lethal carbonic acid after three weeks of starvation and dehydration. His body was burned in the ovens and his ashes were scattered. He was canonized on October 10, 1982 by Pope John Paul II. He is declared a martyr of charity since he volunteered to died.

"I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both."
-Saint Maximilian Kolbe