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Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe: Feast Day Aug. 14th 


As a child, the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Maximilian Kolbe and offered him two crowns—white (for a life of purity) and red (for being a martyr)—and asked him which one he wanted. Saint Maximilian Kolbe chose both. As an adult, during WWII he was imprisoned in Auschwitz, and it was there that he sacrificed his life for another prisoner. I recently purchased a coffee tumbler with the following quote from Saint Maximilian Kolbe: "A single act of love makes the soul return to life." As I ponder these words that Saint Maximilian Kolbe spoke, I can't help but wonder when he first uttered them, and if as he offered his life up to save a fellow prisoner in Auschwitz, if these words filled his heart and soul with peace? When I attended daily Mass the day before his feast day, the priest gave an insightful homily. The Gospel reading (Matthew 19:3-12) discussed how the Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife and Jesus replied, "the Creator made them male and female and said for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh so they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate." During his homily, the priest said Maximilian Kolbe offered his life to save that of a man who was a husband and a father. Reflecting on this statement, we can see through Saint Maximilian's selfless sacrifice just how important the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is. Saint Maximilian knew that the man he offered his life to save was joined to another by God, and that the man and his wife were one flesh. So, when Maximilian Kolbe gave his life, he not only saved the life of the man whose place he took, but also the life of the man's wife and their "one life" witnessing to the great mystery through their marriage. I wonder if Maximilian Kolbe knew his action could one day be connected to Saint John Paul II's Theology of the Body? As we celebrate this selfless, Marian priest and martyr today, let us reflect upon how we can grow closer to our Blessed Mother, how our marriages can reflect and point to the great mystery of Christ and His Bride, the Church, and how when Saint Maximilian Kolbe was in a place that did not care or value human life or dignity we too can stand as witnesses that all life is sacred and that, “A single act of love makes the soul return to life."

Celebrating with Food:

Today, since Saint Maximilian Kolbe was from Poland, make Polish potato pancakes using this delicious recipe from the website, "The Polish Housewife." You ca serve them for breakfast with a little bit of jelly, or you can have them for lunch or dinner and serve them with scrambled eggs, sour-cream, and chives to make them savory. Either way is a yummy combination that will delight your family's tastebuds!


Celebrating with Crafts and Prayer:

To help my children remember Saint Maximilian Kolbe's selflessness and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we created rosary chaplets, inspired from the website, "Catholic Cuisine," and red and white crowns, inspired from the website, "Shower of Roses." Both of these crafts are an excellent reminder of Saint Maximilian Kolbe and the chaplet is also a great way to get your family to pray a decade of the rosary together.

Here are links to the images of St. Maximilian Kolbe and the Blessed Virgin Mary that I used for our decade craft.


Additional Activity:

Watch the "My Catholic Family" cartoon, from EWTN, about Saint Maximilian Kolbe.








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