Saint Maximilian Kolbe

I was born in Poland in 1894. My family was very poor. In 1914 my father was captured and killed by the Russians in the struggle for Polish independence. I studied to become a Franciscan brother and was ordained a priest in 1918. I received the name Maximilian Maria. After my studies in Rome, I returned to Poland in 1919. Later I spent six years as a missionary in Japan. In Poland, I founded the monastery of Niepokalanów. During World War II, we hid around 2000 Jewish and Polish people in the friary. I was not afraid to speak publicly against the Nazis. Together with my brothers, I was arrested by the Nazis. I was sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. Whenever possible I celebrated Mass and consoled the other prisoners. One day, I volunteered to take the place of a man condemned to death. In this camp, I offered to give my life in another man’s place. After much torture and suffering, I was killed by lethal injection.