Lessons from St. Maximilian Kolbe

On the memorial of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Fr. Miguel recounts the heroic final days of the Franciscan martyr who died in Auschwitz 85 years ago. When ten prisoners were chosen to starve to death as punishment for an escape, Father Kolbe stepped forward and voluntarily took the place of a man who had a wife and children.In the starvation bunker he ministered to the other nine, leading them in prayer and song until he was the last remaining and was finally killed by lethal injection. Fr. Miguel highlights Kolbe’s deep devotion to the Immaculata and his powerful teachings: “You can never love the Immaculata too much,” “Be a Catholic when you kneel before the altar,” and “The cross is the school of love. Without sacrifice there is no love.”A moving witness of radical love, sacrifice, and fidelity to the end.St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.