Maximilian was born Raymund Kolbe on January 8th, 1894. His father was an ethnic German, his mother was Polish, and he was the second of five boys. When Maximilian was 12 years old, he had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary that influenced the rest of his life. About the vision, he said, “That night 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 me 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.”
Later, Maximilian and his older brother, Francis, joined the Conventual Franciscans. He took his final vows in 1914 and took the name Maximilian. He attended two Universities, one in Rome, the other in Poland, and he earned a doctorate in philosophy and theology. During this time, he was also very active in consecrating himself to Mary, and entrusting her in all things.
In 1917, Maximilian began an organization called the Militia Immaculatae (Army of the Immaculate One). His goal was to convert sinners and enemies of the Catholic Church, specifically the Freemasons, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
Maximilian was ordained a priest in 1918, and he returned to Poland to continue his work of promoting Mary. He began a monthly periodical called Knight of the Immaculate, as well as a publishing center for the Conventual Franciscan monastery. He went on missions to Asia and founded many monasteries in Japan and India.
He returned home to Poland in 1936 due to his poor health. During the time, German invaded Poland. He remained at the monastery, opened a small hospital, and hid Jewish refugees. On February 17, 1941, the monastery was shut down by the Nazis, and Maximilian was arrested. He was transferred to Auschwitz three months later. While he was there, he never abandoned his vocation. This caused him to be subjected to violence and harassment.
At the end of his second month in Auschwitz, a man escaped, and as a deterrent to the other prisoners, ten men were chosen to die of starvation. One man, Franciszek Gajowniczek, asked not to be chosen, because of his wife and children. Maximilian offered to take his place.
Maximilian kept the spirits up of the other prisoners by leading them in prayer each day. After two weeks, Maximilian was the only one left alive in the bunker. Because the guards wanted the cell to be cleared out, they gave Maximilian a lethal injection of carbolic acid. He died on August 14th, and was cremated on August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
Activities to Try:
+ Find ways to give of yourself every day
+ Pray to St. Maximilian to help you strengthen your devotion to Mary
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