“This is truly our heavenly weapon, a bullet with which a faithful soldier hits the enemy, i.e. evil, and thus rescues souls.”
—St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe
St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe
St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life mission was to establish a Heavenly city under the patronage of Our Lady and become a great saint. Through Mary, he desired to lead every soul to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Whatever kind of man will you grow up to be?
St. Maximilian Kolbe was born in 1894 to a family of five. His parents, Julius and Maria were both devout Catholics and had a devotion to the Blessed Mother.
Known to be troublesome, one day his mother asked him whatever would become of him. Taking this to heart, he entered the sanctuary before the Virgin Mary.
As he rushed to the Blessed Mother who appeared to him in a vision, she asked Kolbe if he would like to accept one of two crowns — a red crown or a white crown. He responded that he would like them both.
Gaining Souls for Christ
In 1917, war abounded throughout Europe and the entire world. Maximilian Kolbe founded the Militia of the Immaculata (MI), which produced a publication called Knights of the Immaculata of nearly 1,000,000 copies a year. Seeking to evangelize using whatever means possible, Kolbe utilized radio, pamphlets and books to spread the Gospel more rapidly and build a Heavenly city on earth.
Kolbe Arrives in the Orient
In 1930, Maximilian Kolbe carried his mission abroad to Japan. He was greatly dismayed by the lack of faith of the people and so produced the Knights of the Immaculata in the Japanese language.
By some of the locals, he was advised to build his friary on the opposite side of the mountain in Nagasaki, according to Shinto-Buddhist tradition. It was considered to be bad luck where he had it established. He argued that the Blessed Mother told him to build it there. Eventually, the whole city was reduced to rubble by the damage of the atomic bomb, but his friary remained unscathed as the mountain shielded the blast.
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE’S UNIVERSITY CLASS
Upon Request by the Bishop, he taught Theology at the Seminary with joy and enthusiasm
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE’S FRIARS RESIDING IN NAGASAKI, JAPAN
They all labored to construct the church (now Honguchi Church) on the Nagasaki mountain top
A STATUE OF MAXIMILLIAN KOLBE OUTSIDE HONGUCHI CHURCH
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE AT THE GROTTO IN JAPAN
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE IN JAPAN
MAXIMILIAN KOLBE SURROUNDED BY JAPANESE
Acquaintances Abroad
While living in Japan, Maximilian Kolbe became acquainted with Dr. Takashi Nagai in the 1930’s. Nagai, who is now known for his contributions to X-Ray technology, became a convert to Catholicism and even offered an X-Ray to Maximilian Kolbe while he suffered from tuberculosis.
Nagai was present during the atomic bomb attack on Nagasaki, losing his wife, and even helped bring about the conversion of the nation.
A SONG FOR NAGASAKI | The Way of the Soul's Desire (wordpress.com)
Maximilian Kolbe is Sentenced to Death
In 1936, Maximilian Kolbe was called back to his native Poland where he desired to receive treatment for his Tuberculosis. Just a few years later, the Nazis occupied Poland and took him to Auschwitz, where he exchanged his life for that of Franciszek Gajowniczek.
He was executed by lethal injection and thus received both of the crowns promised to him by the Blessed Virgin.
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee, and for all who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Holy Church and those recommended to thee. Amen.”
—ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE, ADAPTING ST. CATHERINE LABOURE’S MIRACULOUS MEDAL PRAYER
The Life of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Video
Please watch this excellent life-story video of St. Maximilian Kolbe which includes his time spent evangelizing in Japan.
St. Maximilian Kolbe Quotes
“Future plans? ...To win all of Japan, all the souls and each one individually, those who live near and who will live in the future, over to the Immaculata and, through her, to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and all that… as soon as possible.”
“How did we get the idea of founding the Japanese mission? For the purpose of the MI is to work for the conversion of sinners etc., and for the sanctification of all under the protection and through the intercession of the Immaculata. The word ‘all’ means all nations, so, Japan as well. Perhaps more than any other, is ready to receive the Word of God: it has a single common language, unlike India or China, and literacy here is quite high. Finally, the need is greater here, because the environment is generally considered to be quite hostile to missionary activity.”
“We consider ourselves very fortunate for the fact that the Immaculata, our heavenly Mother, has given us the grace to work for her, even to become weary at times, thereby contributing, in that manner, with those small sacrifices to save the poor pagans.”