DOCSLIB.ORG

Maximilian Kolbe's Martyrdom in 1936, He Was Recalled to Poland, and Left

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Maximilian Kolbe's Martyrdom in 1936, He Was Recalled to Poland, and Left Maximilian Kolbe’s Martyrdom In 1936, he was recalled to Poland, and left Japan for the last time. WWII broke out on Sept 1 1939 When Hitler invaded Poland Sept 5 almost all the Franciscans were ordered to leave the monastery. Before letting them leave for unknown destinations For some exile For others prison or death Maximilian Kolbe said to them: Do not forget love. On September 12, 1939, the City of Mary had been occupied by the Nazi’s On Sept 19, the SS men came to arrest Kolbe and the remaining Franciscans To the frightened brothers Kolbe said, “Courage, my sons. Don’t you see that we are leaving on a mission? They pay our fare in the bargain. What a piece of good luck! The thing to do now is to pray well in order to win as many souls as possible. Let us, then, tell the Blessed Virgin that we are content, and that she can do with us anything she wishes” Amtitz They were taken to the concentration camp Amtitz Kolbe showed no fear of the Nazis He tried to speak to them of the state of their soul He even distributed the Miraculous Medal December 8 (the feast of the Immaculate Conception) For some unknown reason Kolbe and the brothers were set free Mary was showing them that even in the midst of this trial God was with them Mary was with them Everything was in Their hands God works all things for good They went back to the City of Mary And they turned it into a refugee camp Caring for 4000 people 1500 Jews Early in 1941, Kolbe printed the last edition of the Knight of Mary No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves? About 11:00 A.M. on February 17, 1941, The Nazi’s came again the arrest Kolbe He greeted them with, “Praised be Jesus Christ.” Taken to Paviak prison in Warsaw A eye-witness tells us An SS guard, seeing Kolbe in his habit girdled with a rosary, At the sight of the Crucifix the guard became enraged: Do you believe in Christ? Yes I do believe The guard struck Kolbe in the face Do you still believe? Yes I do believe. The guard struck him so violently he knocked Kolbe down And you still believe in that? Yes, I do believe! The guard beat Kolbe senseless When one of the eyewitnesses began to threaten the guard Kolbe turned to him and said, Please so not get excited For you have plenty of troubles of your own. What happened is not important Because it is all for the Immaculate Mother. Auschwitz On May 28, 1941, Fr Maximilian was taken to Auschwitz. In Aushcwitz the rule was Every man for himself – survival of the fittest Kolbe lived sacrificial love He seemed never to think of himself. When food was brought in everyone struggled to get his place to be sure of a share, Fr Maximilian stood aside, so that frequently there was none left for him. He was once asked whether such self-denial made sense in a place where every man was engaged in a struggle or survival, and he answered: "Every man has an aim in life. For most men it is to return home to their wives and families, or to their mothers. For my part, I give my life for the good of all men." Prisoners recounted that they would come to Kolbe with their fears, “Father, I can’t endure this place any longer.” Place yourself under the protection of Mary just a child trustingly holds his mother’s hand, so you, too, must be calm and peaceful, for the Virgin Mary has you under her protection. Kolbe had to urge his fellow prisoners to ward off hatred: Hatred is not a creative force. Love alone creates. Suffering will not prevail over us, it will only melt us down and strengthen us. The last act in the drama. July of 1941 a prisoner escaped As a deterrent to further escape attempts The commandant ordered that for every escapee, 10 co- prisoners would die The guard Fritsch lined up all of the prisoners and picked ten men at random to be placed in the starvation bunker “This one.” Kolbe was not chosen, the last man was picked for execution, he began to cry, "Oh, my poor wife, my poor children. I shall never see them again." It was then that the unexpected happened Kolbe stepped out of the ranks Approached the guard And requested to take the place of the married man Francis Guy-ov-nee-check “Why?” I am a Catholic Priest The guard consented gladly to the exchange for the opportunity to kill a priest so Kolbe joined the others in the starvation bunker As each day passed Kolbe encouraged and consoled his dying comrades Finally on August 14 they gave him a lethal injection and he died The next day he was cremated and his ashes ascended to heaven on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary The Nazi’s created the evil of Auschwitz God and St. Maximilian Kolbe transformed this evil and suffering into the triumph of love Jesus said, Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends St. Maximilian Kolbe’s love was brought to perfection through the evil of the death camp where he laid down his life for another man. Kolbe Belonged entirely to Mary As Her little child As her property, possession and instrument If God and Mary had allowed him into this situration Then, it was for his transformation in love salvation of souls This trust made Kolbe Free, calm, peaceful He possessed a deep joy that allowed him to give himself for others Kolbe was the Freest man in the camp Kolbe was a light in the midst of darkness He radiated Light The demands for his beatification became insistent, and at last on 12 August 1947 proceedings started. Seventy-five witnesses were questioned. "Greater love hath no man than this ..." were the opening words of the papal decree introducing the process of beatification. Pope Paul VI beatified Kolbe, declaring he was a “Confessor of the Faith When John Paul II declared Kolbe a saint in 1982 He declared him a martyr Never in the history of the Church has there been a change in category between beatification and canonization. There are our two crowns. The proclamation of a confessor of the Faith is celebrated in white That of the martyr in red St Maximilian Kolbe's feast day is 14 August .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Gospel of Prosperity and Healing Ministry in African Pentecostalism
    The Gospel of Prosperity and Healing Ministry in African Pentecostalism: A theological and pastoral challenge to the Catholic Church in Uganda. By Samuel Mugisa (D-4046 UKSW) Submitted in accordance with the requirements for degree of Doctor in Theology (specialization Missiology) Supervisor: Prof. UKSW Dr. Hab. Wojciech Kluj OMI Auxiliary Supervisor Dr. Mariusz Boguszewski Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw 2021 ii Figure 1.0: The Widows offering (Except from Lk 21:1-4) Source: Excerpt from Luke 21:1-4 (NRSV), author’s design, Warsaw, 2021 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... ix ABBREVIATIONS......................................................................................................................................... x INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 1 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................................ 8 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................... 9 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH ...........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Father Gui Tianjue, C.M., Confessor of the Faith in China
    Vincentiana Volume 39 Number 1 Vol. 39, No. 1 Article 13 1-1995 Father Gui Tianjue, C.M., Confessor of the Faith in China Omnis Terra Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentiana Part of the Catholic Studies Commons, Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, History of Christianity Commons, Liturgy and Worship Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Terra, Omnis (1995) "Father Gui Tianjue, C.M., Confessor of the Faith in China," Vincentiana: Vol. 39 : No. 1 , Article 13. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentiana/vol39/iss1/13 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Vincentian Journals and Publications at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vincentiana by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Father Gui Tianjue, C.M., Confessor of the Faith in China Omnis Terra (1) Fr Gui Tianjue (Joseph Kuei) was the first martyr of the diocese of Yujiang in the province of Jiangxi. The inscription on his tombstone says he died in 1953. He was a Vincentian. After ordination he studied for a while in the United States. Before 1950 he worked in a Catholic church in Fuzhou, also in the province of Jiangxi. He founded the "True Light" secondary school, which he ran for over ten years. An American, Fr Steven Dunker, C.M., was one of his companions at that time. The present regime began in 1951. All priests and Christians were invited to join the Patriotic Association, which set up the Movement of Threefold Independence of the Church, at which time the police listed the false accusations against the American missionary, S.
    [Show full text]
  • Is There Grace in the Soviet Church.Djvu
    Is the Grace of God Present in the Soviet Church? “Notes about the Catacomb Church in the USSR.” Professor I.M. Andreyev Translated from the Russian published originally in Jordanville, New York 1948 Contents Introduction ........................................................................ 7 Professor I.M. Andreyev In Memoriam .................................................................... 19 Is the Grace of God Present in the Soviet Church? 23 Notes on the Catacomb Church ........................................ 59 Notes 82 Introduction In the Orthodox Church many of the most profound theological works written by the great Church Fathers were written not for the mere sake of discoursing on the sublime truths, but to defend the faithful against the appearance of an error - an innovation, a human invention alien to the Divinely inspired Truth preserved by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Often the Fathers of the Church would have preferred to keep silent, continuing in prayer and living the truths of Divine Revelation, which car. at best be imperfectly reflected in human words. Th discourses they have left in defense of the Faith art very often more in the nature of fences surrounding the Truth - declaring what God is not, while God in His essence remains unfathomable to the human mind. Nevertheless, as a result (one might say, a by- product) of their polemical writings, we have received from the Church Fathers a rich heritage of inspired theological writings which help us to better understand what Orthodox Christianity really is. The present work falls into this category. Unfortunately, however, it will not be valued in this way but rather in terms of the reader’s sympathies for, or lack thereof, the present day church organization in Russia known as the Moscow Patriarchate.
    [Show full text]
  • Tridentine Community News January 22, 2012 – the Third Sunday After Epiphany
    Tridentine Community News January 22, 2012 – The Third Sunday After Epiphany Next Tridentine Mass at Ss. Peter & Paul West Side Titles Assigned to Saints One week after the news that St. Hyacinth Church has decided to Every Saint in the calendar is assigned one or more titles. These hold an additional Mass in the Extraordinary Form, Ss. Peter & titles are most frequently found in missals and listings of weekday Paul (west side), Detroit has announced that it will hold another Masses. For example, “St. John Chrysostom, Bishop, Confessor, Tridentine High Mass at 12:15 PM on Sunday, March 18, the & Doctor”. Let’s explore what these titles mean: Fourth Sunday of Lent (Lætáre Sunday). As with St. Hyacinth, your support of the first Mass there in December demonstrated Bishop : Self-explanatory that there is sufficient interest to continue scheduling Tridentine Masses. Additional Masses may be scheduled in the future if Confessor [of the Faith] : A male champion of the Faith who has demand continues. not been martyred. Effectively the catch-all term for male Saints not classified by another title. We ask your prayers for, and words of thanks to, the priests and people of Ss. Peter & Paul, St. Hyacinth, St. Albertus, and our Doctor [of the Church] : One who has made an important own St. Joseph and Sweetest Heart of Mary, for hosting these contribution to theology or doctrine periodic Masses. They are in the vanguard of the growing presence of the Extraordinary Form in ordinary parish life. Holy Abbot : Superior of a monastery “Commemoration” of the Baptism of the Lord Holy Woman : A female champion of the Faith.
    [Show full text]
  • Dositheos Notaras, the Patriarch of Jerusalem (1669-1707), Confronts the Challenges of Modernity
    IN SEARCH OF A CONFESSIONAL IDENTITY: DOSITHEOS NOTARAS, THE PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM (1669-1707), CONFRONTS THE CHALLENGES OF MODERNITY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY Christopher George Rene IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Adviser Theofanis G. Stavrou SEPTEMBER 2020 © Christopher G Rene, September 2020 i Acknowledgements Without the steadfast support of my teachers, family and friends this dissertation would not have been possible, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to express my deep debt of gratitude and thank them all. I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee, who together guided me through to the completion of this dissertation. My adviser Professor Theofanis G. Stavrou provided a resourceful outlet by helping me navigate through administrative channels and stay on course academically. Moreover, he fostered an inviting space for parrhesia with vigorous dialogue and intellectual tenacity on the ideas of identity, modernity, and the role of Patriarch Dositheos. It was in fact Professor Stavrou who many years ago at a Slavic conference broached the idea of an Orthodox Commonwealth that inspired other academics and myself to pursue the topic. Professor Carla Phillips impressed upon me the significance of daily life among the people of Europe during the early modern period (1450-1800). As Professor Phillips’ teaching assistant for a number of years, I witnessed lectures that animated the historical narrative and inspired students to question their own unique sense of historical continuity and discontinuities. Thank you, Professor Phillips, for such a pedagogical example.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Patrick & Immaculate Conception Church
    St. Patrick & Immaculate Conception Church October 25, 2015 Administrator 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Pastoral Associate Seaneen Prendergast Fr. Patrick Beretta Office Manager Julie Brinton Masses Saturday 4:30 p.m. St. Patrick Sunday 9:00 a.m. I. C. 11:00 a.m. St. Patrick 7:00 p.m. I. C. Weekday 7:00 a.m. St. Patrick (Tu-F) Lauds (Morning Prayer) following Mass (W,Th,F) following Devotion (Tu) Sacraments For all Sacraments please contact the Parish Office. Anointing of the Sick Communal Anointing following 7:00 am & 12:10 pm Mass on 1st Friday or please contact the Parish Office Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. St. Patrick or by appointment with the priest Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament St. Patrick Church 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Tu, W,Th,F) Our Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion Tuesday after 7:00 a.m. Mass St. Patrick Parish Office 102 S. Washington Street Butte, Montana 59701 Phone: 406 723-5407 Fax: 406 723-5408 E-mail: [email protected] Website: ButteCCN.org .. Parish Notices Community Notices BIBLE STUDY Harvest Bingo Fundraiser Every Thursday from 11:30 am to St. James Hospital Auxillary will host a Harvest Bingo Fundraiser at 7:00 pm Tuesday, October 27, at St. Ann’s 12:30 pm at the Newman Center. Parish hall, 2100 Farragut. The cost is $5.00 for twelve Please consider joining Kathy games of bingo. There are also three special games. Walter who will give insight Cash prizes will be given to the winners.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life of Saint Paul of the Cross Founder of the Congregation of the Cross and Passion
    The Life of Saint Paul of the Cross Founder of the Congregation of the Cross and Passion 1694-1775 Volume 1 – 1694-1741 Father Louis Therese of Jesus Agonizing, C.P. 1873 Fr. Simon Woods, C.P. (Translated from the third French Edition) 1959 (INDEX TO VOLUME ONE ON FINAL PAGES) DEDICATION to HIS EMINENCE FERDINAND CARDINAL DONNET Archbishop of Bordeaux Your Eminence, The Life of Saint Paul of the Cross, which it is my privilege to dedicate to you, may rightfully be called your very own. Without your Eminence the work may not have been completed, and I may never have realized the idea that I had in mind for a very long time. It is then the humble fruit of a tree planted by your own hands in the vineyard confided to your care by the Heavenly Father. It was when your Eminence was in Rome for the Beatification of our holy Founder that you obtained from His Holiness Pope Pius IX the sons of Saint Paul of the Cross for your Archdiocese… And, if this little family was welcome and took its humble beginnings in the fruitful soil of France under your protection and guidance, is it not due to your paternal interest and initiative? Soon, it is true, a learned and zealous clergy imitated your zeal; but in those days of supreme struggle, of unceasing conflict against the rights of the Church, your Eminence realized that it is necessary that zeal be united with learning, especially when the war “against the Lord and his Christ” becomes so universal.
    [Show full text]
  • Akathist to St. Tikhon of Moscow, Enlightener of North America
    Akathist Hymn to St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow Akathist Hymn to St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow Benediction…Amen…O Heavenly King... (Sung)…Trisagion…Psalm 50 Kontakion 1 To you, the steadfast champion of the Holy Orthodox Faith, do we, your spiritual children, offer hymns of praise and thanksgiving, mindful of the many benefactions you have bestowed on us. As you have great boldness before the throne of the Most High, pray earnestly in behalf of all who truly honor your holy memory and cry out to you with love: Rejoice, O humble Tikhon, steadfast confessor of the Faith // and fervent intercessor for our souls! Ikos 1 Called by God to His holy priesthood from your mother's womb, for all the faithful you were an example in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity. You fought well the good fight, and finished difficult course of your life, and kept the Faith, in nowise failing to hold fast to your vows. Wherefore, full of gratitude for your love and sacrifice, we say: Rejoice, you who preached the word of God with fervor; Rejoice, you who were watchful in all things! Rejoice, who made full proof of your ministry; Rejoice, you who as an evangelist proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation! Rejoice, you who reproved those who rejected the truth of the Christian Faith; Rejoice, you who rebuked those who embraced the modern fables of materialism and progress! 1 Rejoice, you who, when the time of your departure was at hand, made provision for the Church; Rejoice, you who have therefore received from God a twofold crown for your righteousness
    [Show full text]
  • Mass on the Feast of St Edward the Confessor, in the Presence of the Relics of St Therese
    Mass on the Feast of St Edward the Confessor, in the presence of the relics of St Therese. Tuesday 13 October In the National Gallery, there is a painting which represents the highest achievements of English Mediaeval art. It is the Wilton Diptych and it stands as a reminder of a time when culture and life in this country were profoundly Catholic. But that, along with much of the art of that time, has long gone although we treasure these works which still inspire us today. In this famous altar piece we can see St Edward the Confessor, whose feast we keep today. He was King from 1042 to 1066, a time a change and upheaval in this land. For 300 years he was the official Patron Saint of England. In the painting he is portrayed holding a precious ring which, legend tells us, he had given to a beggar in a characteristic act of generosity. It was miraculously returned to him and became the symbol of his holiness. Edward was no pious puppet manipulated by ruthless barons. As King he had to steer a path between opposing forces and serve the unity of his country, even as it was breaking down. The foundations of his life were prayer and practical kindness, to the extent that he was quickly recognised by the Church as a true Confessor of the faith. In his famous sermon on St Edward, Mgr Ronnie Knox spoke of him as the builder of Westminster Abbey, describing it as a symbol of the King’s life which was ‘built from little acts of kindness of sacrifices of self’ just as ‘stone by stone and arch by arch rose the Abbey Church of Westminster.’ Today his relics lie so nearby, in Westminster Abbey, where once they attracted great crowds, just as today, in this Cathedral, do the relics of St Therese of Lisieux.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church
    10 St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church 88 EAST SADDLE RIVER ROAD SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458 (201) 327-5663 — (201) 327-7881 — Fax (201) 327-7063 WWW.STGABRIELSR.ORG EMAIL: [email protected] Like us on Facebook at Stgabrielsr PARISH STAFF Rev. Msgr. Frank G. Del Prete Pastor, ext. 303 Rev. Msgr. Peter Smutelovic In Residence Rev. Martin Rooney Weekend Assistant Deacon James J. Puliatte Maureen Straut Office Administrator, ext. 301 Luis Alfredo Lozano, Pastoral Assoc. Christine Ferreri, PT Pastoral Assoc. Stacie Yao, Director of Music Janue Vargas, Asst Dir of Music Tiffany Clough, Youth Minister RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Patricia Pula, M.A.R.E. Director, ext. 304 Safe Environment Coordinator PARISHMASSES SCHOOL: St. John’s Academy, Hillsdale Weekdays: 9:00 AM (including Saturday) — (Summer) Monday and Friday: 9:00 AM Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 6:30AM and 9:00 AM — (Winter) Saturday Evening: 5:00 PM Sundays: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 6:00PM (Sept. - May) Holy Days: Please see bulletin for schedule PENANCE: Saturday: 4:00-5:00 PM. At the Parish anytime by appointment. Communal Celebration of Penance periodically throughout the year. BAPTISMS: Our parish family rejoices in the birth of your children. To prepare for baptism, parents are expected to attend one prepara- tion meeting. Please call the parish office for the schedule of preparation meetings and Baptism celebration. MARRIAGES: Our parish is honored to host your marriage celebration. In order to accomplish all of the necessary preparations, arrange- ments should be made with one of the priests at least one year in advance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Life of St. Maximus the Confessor
    The Twenty-First Day of the Month of January The Life of Our Holy Monastic Father Maximus the Confessor and Martyr1 The venerable Maximus, whose name means “greatest” and whose way of life was unsurpassed, was born in the renowned queen of cities, Constantinople. His parents were of noble lineage and Orthodox, and gave him an excellent education. Maximus thoroughly studied philosophy and theology, and was widely respected for his wisdom, even in the imperial palace. Impressed by his knowledge and virtuous life, the Emperor Heraclius com­ pelled him to become asekretis or first secretary and made him a chief counselor. The entire senate loved and respected Maximus, whose competence in affairs of government was of the highest order. In those days appeared the heresy of Monothelitism, accord­ ing to which Christ our Lord possesses a single will. Its antecedent was the delusion of Eutyches, who asserted that our Lord has but one nature, and denied the Orthodox teaching that He, as God incarnate, has two undivided and unmingled natures, wills, and operations in one person. First to defend and disseminate Monothelitism were Cyrus, Patriarch of Alexandria, and Sergius, Patriarch of Constantinople. The Emperor Heraclius was drawn into this error early on by the two hierarchs. Cyrus in Alexandria and Sergius in Constantinople convened local councils endorsing 1 Abbreviated from the account written by the saint’s disciple Anastasius the apocrisiarios or legate of the Church of Rome 360360 January 21 the heresy, which then spread throughout the East. Only Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, rejected the false doc­ trine.
    [Show full text]
  • Priests of My People
    UMI Number: 3225067 UMI Microform 3225067 Copyright 2006 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 Abstract The question that motivates the present study is this: what theological and historical factors led the Christian Church of the third century to begin calling its leaders “priests”? The goal of this project is to present an explanation for the rise of a Christian priesthood by carefully exploring the Church’s self-understanding in relation both to the broader Roman Empire and to ancient Israel. By examining texts from the first through the early fourth century, I conclude that it is precisely this Christian self-identity (what I term its politico-theological ecclesiology) that influenced the way the Church read Old Testament Levitical texts and appropriated that office as a “type” of Christian leadership. First, the Church understood itself as a distinct polis or ‘culture’ in its own right, an alternative public reality with communally shared stories, rites, customs, and leadership. The development in the church’s understanding of its leadership, then, was part of its development in understanding itself as an alternate society in the Empire. This notion of the church as a ‘culture’ was further nuanced and developed by the rise of a distinctly Christian ‘material culture’ in the early third century, particularly Christian art and architecture. As a result, a new visible Christian ‘sacred space’ emerged, thereby facilitating a re-conceptualization of the bishop as a “priest” who presides over and protects this new ‘sacred space’.
    [Show full text]