Maximillian Kolbe: Saint of Auschwitz by Elaine M. Stone
A Book Review
by: Br. Iñigo Isla, SCTJM
Saint Maximillian Kolbe is one of the greatest models of holiness of the Twentieth Century. He lived a life of holiness, dedicated to the conversion of souls out of love of neighbor. He made a heroic choice of love by giving his life for a stranger. He simply stepped forward, and took the death sentence of another man. When asked who he was, he simply said, “I am a Catholic priest.” During the homily at his canonization mass, John Paul II spoke about the heroic nature of this act of love: “And in this human death of his there was the clear witness borne to Christ: the witness borne in Christ to the dignity of man, to the sanctity of his life, and to the saving power of death in which the power of love is made manifest. Precisely for this reason the death of Maximilian Kolbe became a sign of victory. This was victory won over all systematic contempt and hate for man and for what is divine in man-a victory like that won by our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary…And so, in virtue of my apostolic authority, I have decreed that Maximilian Maria Kolbe-who after his Beatification was venerated as a Confessor-shall henceforeward be venerated also as a Martyr!”[1]
About the Author
Elaine Murray Stone truly put her heart and soul into this book. She shares at the beginning of the book all that she did in order to write this book. After reading countless books on Saint Maximillian and praying for his intercession, she decided that it was not enough. She wanted to truly immerse herself in his life and learn who he was, not merely what he did. This is why, with the help of countless people, she took a trip to Poland. During this trip she stayed in a Franciscan house spending time with the people that knew Maximillian and lived with him. One of these was Father Peter Mielczaker who was Maximilians secretary during some of his time in Niepokalanow. Another was Fr. George Domasnki, who is one of the leading experts on Saint Maximilian. She not only interviewed them, and many others, but spend time with them listening to their personal stories with the Saint. She also visited all of the important cities in the life of Maximillian such as Zdunska Wola, Pabanice, Niepokalanow, Czetochowa, Auschwitz, and Cracow. This in-depth immersion into the life of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, allowed Mrs. Stone to produce a biography on him like no other. It offers insight into the thoughts and struggles of Maximilian and captures small moments that make you feel as if you know the Saint. The extra work and dedication that Mrs. Stone went through really shows.
Structure of the Book
The book is divided into ten chapters that tell the life of Saint Maximilian for his birth to his death. Each chapter is separated into small sections which offer small stories and insights of the daily life of Maximillian. They also contain the important events of his life such as the vision of Our Lady with the two crowns, his ordination to the priesthood, or his heroic death in Auschwitz. It truly feels like someone who knew Maximillian very well was sharing their memories of him.
Main Theme:
The main theme of this book is the love that Maximillian shared throughout his life. The heroic choice of love to give his life for another prisoner was but the climax of a life full of choice, both big and small, of unconditional love. We can see the first big choice of love in his life when he received a vision of Our Lady offering him two crowns. One of the crowns was red and symbolized a death by martyrdom; the second crown was white and symbolized purity. Maximillian chose both crowns out of love for Our Lady. Another big choice of love was the formation of the Knights of the Immaculate, a group that would dedicate themselves to Jesus through Mary by example and prayer. Finally, another big choice of love was his missionary seal that led him to Japan to spread the Good News of Christ. While these are some of the “bigger” acts of love, some of his “smaller” acts of love were more heroic. On example is that he would normally visit the Blessed Sacrament for five minutes every half an hour. When his friars asked him why he would do this, he would say that it was there where he got his strength. It was also in front of the Blessed Sacrament that he learned how to love to the extreme. Another example of a “small” act of love would be the way that he viewed every day work. One day, when asked what must be done to continue progressing in their work, he responded: “Our outside activities are not what matters. Whether our magazines and newspapers are a success, or a failure is unimportant. We could be dispersed like leaves in a summer wind, but if the ideal of love and service to God and his Blessed Mother were to grow in our hearts, we can say that we have seen great progress.” It can all be summarized in the last words that Father Maximilian spoke to his brothers as they were being dragged out of Niepokalanow for the Concentration Camps. He told them: “Do not forget to love.” He told them this because he knew that, where they were going, it would be very easy to forget to love. Yet he proved that it was possible. In Auschwitz, he continued loving as if he were back in the City of the Immaculate and ultimately loved to the extreme by giving his life for Christ, by giving it for his brother. I think that the most important thing that can be learned from the life of Maximillian and the lesson in this book is that love is always a choice that can be made even in the worst situations. Always choose to love.
Personal Impression
St. Maximilian Kolbe is very close to my heart for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that I began my Novitiate on his feast day in 2020. Almost two years later, he continues to manifest himself to me and calls me to more. Reading the book helped me to go deeper into his life and discover things which I did not know before. One new thing about him that I discovered is the fact that he was of very poor health and yet still managed to do everything that he did, not only in the Concentration Camp, but even before that in the City of the Immaculate. St. Maximillian really challenges me to more. He exemplifies the virtues of oblative love and life-giving purity, represented in the two crowns that Our Lady offered him when he was a little boy. These two virtues must be the path of my life, especially in the radically that Religious Life demands. Furthermore, I must learn from St. Maximillian to never forget to love. He demonstrated his love to the extreme by giving his life for another. This choice however, was the fruit of all the little choices of love he made throughout his life. I must learn to choose to love in all the little things in order to love in the most difficult moments in life.
Work Cited
John Paul II. "HOMILY FOR THE CANONIZATION OF ST. MAXIMILIAN MARIA
KOLBE." Address, Canonization of Maximillian Kolbe, St. Peter's Square, Vatican, October 10, 1982. Accessed April 4, 2022. https://www.piercedhearts.org/jpii/jpii_homilies/homilies_1982/oct_10_1982_canonization_max_kolbe.htm.
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