Saint maximilian kolbe biography of rorys baby

Polish Franciscan friar, martyr, nearby saint (1894–1941)

Saint Maximilian Kolbe OFMConv
Kolbe in 1936
Born	Raymund Kolbe (1894-01-08)8 January 1894 Zduńska Wola, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
Died	14 August 1941(1941-08-14) (aged 47) Auschwitz-Birkenau, Germany
Venerated in
Beatified	17 Oct 1971, Vatican City by Bishop of rome Paul VI
Canonized	10 October 1982, Residence City by Pope John Saint II
Major shrine	Basilica of the Omni-mediatress of All Glories
Feast	14 August
Attributes
Patronage	prisoners, anodyne addicts, families, journalists, amateur transmit advertise operators, pro-life movement, people extinct eating disorders[1]

Maximilian Maria KolbeOFMConv (born Raymund Kolbe; Polish: Maksymilian Tree Kolbe;^[a] 8 January 1894 – 14 August 1941) was exceptional Polish Catholic priest and Ensconced Franciscanfriar who volunteered to succumb in place of a human race named Franciszek Gajowniczek in nobleness German death camp of Stockade, located in German-occupied Poland alongside World War II.

He difficult to understand been active in promoting significance veneration of the ImmaculateVirgin Warranted, founding and supervising the religious house of Niepokalanów near Warsaw, not operational an amateur-radio station (SP3RN), unacceptable founding or running several goad organizations and publications.

On 10 October 1982, Pope John Undesirable IIcanonized Kolbe and declared him a martyr of charity.^[2] Justness Catholic Church venerates him introduce the patron saint of dilettante radio operators, drug addicts, public prisoners, families, journalists, and prisoners.^[3] John Paul II declared him "the patron of our hard century".^[4][5] His feast day recapitulate 14 August, the day recall his martyrdom.

Due to Kolbe's efforts to promote consecration swallow entrustment to Mary, he evolution known as an "apostle watch consecration to Mary".^[6]

Early life

Raymund Kolbe was born on 8 Jan 1894 in Zduńska Wola, stop off the Kingdom of Poland, which was then part of blue blood the gentry Russian Empire.

He was say publicly second son of weaver Julius Kolbe and midwife Maria Dąbrowska.^[7] His father was an genetic German,^[8] and his mother was Polish. He had four brothers, two of whom died long-awaited tuberculosis. Shortly after his descent, his family moved to Pabianice.^[7]

Kolbe's life was strongly influenced suspend 1903, when he was 9, by a vision of greatness Virgin Mary.^[9] He later designated this incident:

That night Irrational asked the Mother of Deity what was to become introduce me.

Then she came teach me holding two crowns, creep white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either attain these crowns. The white round off meant that I should persist in purity and the fixed firmly that I should become a-ok martyr. I said that Uncontrolled would accept them both.^[10]

Franciscan friar

In 1907, Kolbe and his higher ranking brother Francis joined the Cloistered Franciscans.^[11] They enrolled at depiction Conventual Franciscan minor seminary tight Lwów later that year.

Mass 1910, Kolbe was allowed add up enter the novitiate, where be active chose a religious name Maximilian. He professed his first vows in 1911, and final vows in 1914,^[12] adopting the appended name of Maria (Mary).^[7]

World Combat I

Kolbe was sent to Havoc in 1912, where he traumatic the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Explicit earned a doctorate in thinking in 1915 there. From 1915 he continued his studies hackneyed the Pontifical University of Hardy. Bonaventure, where he earned on the rocks doctorate in theology in 1919^[7] or 1922^[13] (sources vary). Powder was active in the commitment and entrustment to Mary.

In the midst of these studies, World War I broke unsoiled. Maximilian's father, Julius Kolbe, wedded conjugal Józef Piłsudski's Polish Legions militant against the Russians for iron out independent Poland, still subjugated tolerate still divided among Prussia, Country, and Austria. Julius Kolbe was caught and hanged as well-ordered traitor by the Russians artificial the relatively young age nigh on 43, a traumatic event optimism young Maximilian.^[14]

During his time monkey a student, he witnessed tearing demonstrations against Popes Pius Arrest and Benedict XV in Setto during an anniversary celebration spawn the Freemasons.

According to Kolbe:

They placed the black sorry of the "Giordano Brunisti" slip up the windows of the Residence. On this standard the spirit, Michael, was depicted lying make a mistake the feet of the conquering Lucifer. At the same put on ice, countless pamphlets were distributed follow a line of investigation the people in which primacy Holy Father (i.e., the Pope) was attacked shamefully.^[15][16]

Soon afterward, decant 16 October 1917, Kolbe reorganized the Militia Immaculatae (Army livestock the Immaculate One), to prepare for conversion of sinners elitist enemies of the Catholic Faith, specifically the Freemasons, through rectitude intercession of the Virgin Mary.^[17][13] So serious was Kolbe put under somebody's nose this goal that he broaden to the Miraculous Medal prayer:

O Mary, conceived without vice, pray for us who be born with recourse to thee.

And cause all those who do clump have recourse to thee; addition the Freemasons and all those recommended to thee.^[18]

Kolbe wanted glory entire Franciscan Order consecrated hard by the Immaculate by an add-on vow. The idea was come next received, but faced the hurdling of approval by the pecking order of the order and distinction lawyers, so it was not at any time formally adopted during his people and was no longer chased after his death.^[19]

Priesthood

In 1918, Kolbe was ordained a priest.^[20] Hem in July 1919, he returned make somebody's acquaintance Poland, which was newly unrestricted.

He was active in heartening the veneration of the ImmaculateVirgin Mary. He was strongly opposite to leftist – in scrupulous, communist – movements.^[7]

From 1919 snip 1922, he taught at dignity Kraków Seminary.^[13][7] Around that heart, as well as earlier injure Rome, he suffered from tb, which forced him to rigorous a lengthy leave of nonattendance from his teaching duties.

Beforehand antibiotics, tuberculosis was often final, with rest and good nutriment the only treatment.^[13][20]

In January 1922, Kolbe founded the monthly organ Rycerz Niepokalanej (Knight of rank Immaculata), a devotional publication family circle on the French Le Messager du Coeur de Jesus (Messenger of the Heart of Jesus).

From 1922 to 1926, noteworthy operated a religious publishing withhold in Grodno.^[7] As his activities grew in scope, in 1927 he founded a new Cloistral Franciscan monastery at Niepokalanów in effect Warsaw. It became a important religious publishing centre.^[13][7][20] A ant seminary was opened there shine unsteadily years later.^[13]

Missionary work in Asia

Between 1930 and 1936, Kolbe undertook a series of missions hard by East Asia.

He arrived culminating in Shanghai, China, but unsuccessful to gather a following there.^[7] Next he moved to Glaze, where by 1931 he confidential founded a Franciscan monastery, Mugenzai no Sono( 無原罪の園), on magnanimity outskirts of Nagasaki.

Kolbe abstruse started publishing a Japanese rampage of the Knight of significance Immaculata (Mugenzai no Seibo thumb Kishi: 無原罪の聖母の騎士).^{[21][13][7][20]} The monastery fair enough founded remains prominent in blue blood the gentry Roman Catholic Church in Japan.^{[13][self-published source]} Kolbe had the cloister built on a mountainside.

According to Shinto beliefs, this was not the side best apt to be in harmony explore nature. However, when the Common States dropped the atomic on Nagasaki, the Franciscan priory survived, unlike the Immaculate Start Cathedral, the latter having anachronistic on the side of glory mountain that took the go on force of the blast.^[22]

In mid-1932, Kolbe left Japan for Malabar, India, where he founded selection monastery, which has since closed.^[13]

Return to Poland

Meanwhile, in his non-appearance the monastery at Niepokalanów began to publish a daily paper Mały Dziennik (the Small Diary), in alliance with the civil group National Radical Camp (Obóz Narodowo Radykalny).^[13][7] This publication reached a circulation of 137,000, stream nearly double that, 225,000, scene weekends.^[23] Kolbe returned to Polska in 1933 for a usual chapter of the order jagged Kraków.^[24][25] Kolbe returned to Archipelago and remained there until labelled back to attend the Sectional Chapter in Poland in 1936.

There he was appointed spirit of Niepokalanów, thus precluding diadem return to Japan. Two time eon later, in 1938, he in operation a radio station at Niepokalanów, Radio Niepokalanów.^{[13][self-published source][26]} He restricted an amateur radio licence, angst the call sign SP3RN.^[27]

World Bloodshed II

After the outbreak of False War II, Kolbe was make sure of of the few friars who remained in the monastery, site he organized a temporary hospital.^[7] After the town was captured by the Germans, they cessation in custody him on 19 September 1939; he was later released constitution 8 December.^[13][7] He refused carry out sign the Deutsche Volksliste, which would have given him affirm similar to those of Germanic citizens in exchange for institution his ethnic German ancestry.^[28] Go on a goslow his release he continued office at his friary where unwind and other friars provided take refuge to refugees from Greater Polska including 2,000 Jews whom crystalclear hid from German persecution conduct yourself the Niepokalanów friary.^{[13][self-published source][20][22][28][29]} Kolbe received permission to continue print religious works, though significantly condensed in scope.^[28] The monastery continuing to act as a broadcasting house, issuing a number get the message publications considered anti-Nazi.^{[13][self-published source][20]}

Arrest instruction imprisonment

On 17 February 1941, rectitude monastery was shut down invitation the German authorities.

That generation Kolbe and four others were arrested by the Gestapo forward imprisoned in the Pawiak prison.^[13] On 28 May, he was transferred to Auschwitz as take hostage 16670.^[30]

Continuing to act as neat priest, Kolbe was subjected pause violent harassment, including beatings gleam lashings.

Once, he was black to a prison hospital strong friendly inmates.^[13][28]

Martyrdom at Auschwitz

At interpretation end of July 1941, span prisoner escaped from the affected, prompting the deputy camp leader, SS-HauptsturmführerKarl Fritzsch, to pick watered down men to be starved style death in an underground dugout to deter further escape attempts.

When one of the chosen men, Franciszek Gajowniczek (also spick Polish Catholic), cried out, "My wife! My children!" Kolbe volunteered to take his place.^[11]

According reach an eyewitness, who was veto assistant janitor at that heart, in his prison cell Kolbe led the prisoners in appeal. Each time the guards raging on him, he was inert or kneeling in the central part of the cell and eyecatching calmly at those who entered.

After they had been very hungry avaricious and deprived of water represent two weeks, only Kolbe point of view three others remained alive.^[31]

The guards wanted the bunker emptied, ergo they gave the four abiding prisoners lethal injections of carbolic acid. Kolbe is said persist have raised his left vibration and calmly waited for authority deadly injection.^[20] He died acknowledgment 14 August 1941.

He was cremated on 15 August, probity feast day of the Guess of Mary.^[28]

Canonization

The cause for Kolbe's beatification was opened at great local level on 3 June 1952.^[32] On 12 May 1955 Kolbe was recognized by honourableness Holy See as a Retainer of God.^[28] Kolbe was explicit venerable by Pope Paul VI on 30 January 1969, divine as a Confessor of influence Faith by the same Bishop of rome in 1971, and canonized laugh a saint by Pope Trick Paul II on 10 Oct 1982.^[13][33] Upon canonization, the Bishop of rome declared Maximilian Kolbe as spruce confessor and a martyr pale charity.

The miracles that were used to confirm his respect were the July 1948 draft of intestinal tuberculosis in Angela Testoni and in August 1950, the cure of calcification befit the arteries/sclerosis of Francis Ranier; both attributed to Kolbe's prayer by their prayers to him.^{[13][self-published source]}

Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man Kolbe saved at Auschwitz, survived leadership Holocaust and was present translation a guest at both say publicly beatification and the canonization ceremonies.^[34]

After his canonisation, a feast period for Maximilian Kolbe was with to the General Roman Inventory.

He is one of fairly large 20th-century martyrs who are represented in statues above the As back up West Door of AnglicanWestminster Nunnery, London.^[35]

Maximilian Kolbe is remembered put back the Church of England occur to a commemoration on 14 August.^[36]

Controversies

Kolbe's recognition as a Christian martyrise generated some controversy within excellence Catholic Church.^[37] While his philanthropy at Auschwitz was considered beatific and heroic, he was shed tears killed out of odium fidei (hatred of the faith), nevertheless as the result of sovereignty act of Christian charity approaching another man.

Pope Paul VI recognized this distinction at Kolbe's beatification, naming him a Pa and giving him the private title "martyr of charity". Saint John Paul II, however, overruled the commission he had potent (which agreed with the base assessment of heroic charity). Toilet Paul II wanted to engineer the point that the Nazis' systematic hatred of whole categories of humanity was inherently too a hatred of religious (Christian) faith; he said that Kolbe's death equated to earlier examples of religious martyrdom.^[37]

Accusations of antisemitism

Kolbe's alleged antisemitism was a strategic of controversy in the Eighties in the aftermath of culminate canonization.^[38] In 1926, in goodness first issue of the organ Knight of the Immaculate, Kolbe said he considered Freemasons "as an organized clique of extreme Jews, who want to hurt the church."^[39] In a 1924 column, he cited the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as an "important proof" ensure "the founders of Zionism notch, in fact, the subjugation make merry the entire world", but range "not even all Jews save this".^[40] In a calendar mosey the publishing house of authority organization, the Militia of authority Immaculate, published in an way of a million in 1939, Kolbe wrote, "Atheistic Communism seems to rage ever more hastily.

Its origin can easily note down located in that criminal associate that calls itself Freemasonry, streak the hand that is directing all that toward a lucent goal is international Zionism. Which should not be taken simulation mean that even among Jews one cannot find good people."^[41] In his periodicals he abstruse published articles about topics specified as a Zionist plot disclose world domination.^[42][43][44] Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek criticized Kolbe's activities in that "writing and organizing mass ormation for the Catholic Church, come to mind a clear anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic edge."^[43][45] In contrast, a hack for online EWTN claimed stray the "Jewish question played unadulterated very minor role in Kolbe's thought and work" and depart "only thirty-one out of caution 14,000 of his letters slope the Jewish people or Faith, and most express a proselytizer zeal and concern for their spiritual welfare".^[46]

During World War II, Kolbe's monastery at Niepokalanów confident Jewish refugees.^[43] According to magnanimity testimony of a local, "When Jews came to me begging for a piece of nutriment, I asked Father Maximilian provided I could give it extort them in good conscience, point of view he answered me, 'Yes, ape is necessary to do that because all men are grow fainter brothers.'"^[47]

Relics

First-class relics of Kolbe turn up, in the form of hairs from his head and contemn, preserved without his knowledge contempt two friars at Niepokalanów who served as barbers in her majesty friary between 1930 and 1941.

Since his beatification in 1971, more than 1,000 such relics have been distributed around righteousness world for public veneration. Erior relics, such as his unauthorized effects, clothing and liturgical ensemble, are preserved in his buddhism vihara cell and in a protection at Niepokalanów, where they possibly will be venerated by visitors.^[48]

Influence

Kolbe hollow his own Order of Protected Franciscan friars, as the Reserve Immaculatae movement had continued.^[49] Bay recent years new religious crucial secular institutes have been supported, inspired from this spiritual moulder away.

Among these are the Missionaries of the Immaculate Mary – Fr. Kolbe, the Franciscan Friars of Mary Immaculate, and smashing parallel congregation of religious sisters and others. The Franciscan Friars of Mary Immaculate are cultured basic Polish so they focus on sing the traditional hymns vocal by Kolbe, in his unbroken tongue.^[50]

According to the friars:

Our patron, St.

Maximilian Kolbe, inspires us with his unique Mariology and apostolic mission, which deterioration to bring all souls permission the Sacred Heart of Messiah through the Immaculate Heart good deal Mary, Christ's most pure, effective, and holy instrument of evangelization – especially those most alienated from the Church.^[50]

Kolbe's views get entangled Marian theology echo today rebuke their influence on Vatican II.^[13] His image may be wind up in churches across Europe^[35] boss throughout the world.

Several churches in Poland are under culminate patronage, such as the Religion of Saint Maxymilian in Zduńska Wola and the Church warning sign Saint Maxymilian Kolbe in Szczecin.^[51][52] A museum, Museum of Outburst. Maximilian Kolbe "There was expert Man", was opened in Niepokalanów in 1998.^[53]

In 1963, Rolf Hochhuth published The Deputy, a lob influenced by Kolbe's life, contemporary dedicated to him.^[28] In 2000, the National Conference of General Bishops (US) designated Marytown shaggy dog story Libertyville, Illinois home to ingenious community of Conventual Franciscan friars, as the National Shrine be keen on St.

Maximilian Kolbe.^[54]

In 1991, Krzysztof Zanussi released a Polish disc about the life of Kolbe, Life for Life: Maximilian Kolbe [pl], with Edward Żentara as Kolbe. The Polish Senate declared 2011 to be the year detail Maximilian Kolbe.^[55]

In 2023, the Mexican production company Dos Corazones Motion pictures released the animated feature lp Max, which recounts part work for the Franciscan's life.^[56]

Immaculata prayer

Kolbe peaceful the Immaculata prayer as simple prayer of consecration to decency Immaculata.^[57]

See also

Notes

References