On August 14, 1941, Father Maximilian Kolbe traded his life for that of another prisoner in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. One year later, a young chemical plant worker by the name of Karol Wojtyla began seminary studies as an “underground” seminarian. It was three years after World War II began in Europe with Germany’s invasion of Poland.
The Archdiocese of Krakow, the diocese for which Karol Wojtyla studied to be a priest in the midst of war, also included Auschwitz-Birkenau’s starvation bunker where Maximilian’s life ended in sacrifice after weeks of starvation. Twenty-three years later, Karol Wojtyla would become the Archbishop of Krakow.
In Witness to Hope, the magnificent epic biography of Pope John Paul II, George Weigel describes in moving detail the vast spiritual influence Saint Maximilian’s life and death had on the life and priesthood of Karol Wojtyla.
As the “Saint of the Abyss,” a title ascribed to Maximilian by biographer Andre Frossard (Forget Not Love: The Passion of Maximilian Kolbe, Ignatius 1991), Maximilian was, for our late Holy Father,
“the man who looked straight into the modern heart of darkness and remained faithful to Christ by sacrificing his life for another…” (Witness to Hope, p. 447).
At the canonization of Blessed Maximilian on October 10, 1982 – barely four months after I was ordained a priest – a theological question arose over whether Father Maximilian could properly be canonized as a martyr. Though no one doubted that he was a martyr of charity, some theologians were unclear over whether his martyrdom was a direct result of “odium fidei,” hatred of the faith.
In a nod to the “sensus fidelium,” the sense of the faith of many Catholic Poles, Germans and others so harmed by the war, and so inspired by the acts of Father Maximilian, the Holy Father declared him a martyr of “odium hominis,” of systematic hatred of the human person (Witness to Hope, p. 448).
Pope John Paul II and the Catholic faithful were not alone in this special recognition of Father Kolbe’s sacrificial witness to hope. In his stunning and deeply moving book, People of Auschwitz, published in association with the United States Holocaust Museum, Auschwitz survivor and historian Hermann Langbein wrote:
“The best known act of resistance was that of Maximilian Rajmund Kolbe, who deprived the camp administration of the power to make arbitrary decisions about life and death.”
In June, 1979, Pope John Paul II knelt on the floor of Cell 18 in Block 11, the spot at Auschwitz in which Maximilian surrendered his life. When the Holy Father stood, he embraced 78-year-old Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man who lived because of Maximilian’s gift. Pope and former prisoner had been witnesses to the horror wrought by war and the hope forged in the crucible of sacrifice.
Hope won. Hope built upon sacrifice always does.
On August 14, may St. Maximilian bless you and inspire you to hope.
[See “Maximilian Kolbe and the Man in the Mirror” and “Maximilian and This Man’s Search for Meaning.”]
Editor’s Note: Several of you have expressed a desire to join Fr. MacRae in a Spiritual Communion. He celebrates a private Mass in his prison cell on Sunday evenings between 11 pm and midnight. You’re invited to join in a Holy Hour during that time if you’re able.
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Dear friends of accused Priests,
Is sharing troubles with friends considered good therapy? Hoping that the following recollection of my recent nightmare would better my mental heath badly shaken, I beg you to give me a few minutes of your precious time.
In a letter dated Feb 4 2009, the Chancellor of my Diocese informed me that an accusation of Sexual Abuse of a minor allegedly committed in 1984, has been made against me, an 88 years old priest.
Naturally I wanted more information, which has been kept not available despite repeated requests. Finally on August 10, in a meeting with my Bishop while the Chacellor was present, I could put my hands on a dossier compiled on me by the Chancellor.
A cursory inspection of it tells me that the alleged victim was abused by me, Anthony Kiem, after the boy had received his First Communion. which occurred either in 1983 when he was 8 years old, or in 1984 when he was again 8 years old.
Meantime the parish’s archives record tell a different story : X received his First Communion on May 13 1984 when Father Y (not Fr Anthony Kiem) served as pastor…
These data were available to the Chancellor as early as Feb 3. He should stop proceeding further. yet he kept forging ahead, and the following day has inflicted on me ecclesiastical penalties without any previous hearing.
Why didn’t the Chancellor believe the Parish’s Archives and form a sound judgment? Can the Chancellor claim that he acted in compliance with the Bishops’ Dallas Charter?
What can a Catholic priest unjustly accused do?
Father,
Thanks for this beautiful reminder of this great saint, Maximillian Kolbe. Tomorrow, the 14th, I will travel to a parish here in the Houston area named for him, and offer prayers for you through the intercession of Our Mother Mary and St. Maximillian Kolbe.
How very much you must rely on his intercession, Father, as you live out each day in this prison. Your suffering must truly be offered up as well for those in need of God’s help, I think.
God bless you and may you never lose hope.
Continuing to pray for you Father. I am going to Whitby in Northern England UK, next week, and will say a special prayer for you at the ruins of Whitby Abbey to St Hilda. Please pray for my family too, to fully embrace their faith. Thank you Father.
Father,
Thank you for this beautiful post about this brave saint and the hope he demonstrates. I will ask his special intercession for you on Aug 14. What you and others like you are suffering is a martyrdom as well- stemming from hatred of the priesthood.
May God continue to bless you.