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1 Praying a Novena A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer focused on a special intention. In the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus disciples spend nine days in prayer after his Ascension and before the coming the Holyy Spirit on Pentecost. This novena has been adapted from The intentions in this novena are for the work of the Kolbe House Jail Ministry and for all the people involved with the Justice System and the Cook County Jail. By praying this novena, you are fulfilling the Corporal Work of Mercy Visit the Imprisoned. It is also a perfect way to honor the Year of Mercy, declared by Pope Francis. For nine days, set aside quiet time to pray, read and meditate. You may do this with your family or alone. If you open your heart to this novena, you will discover God s great love for you and his desire for you to respond to thatt love as a Catholic. 9 Novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe Opening Prayer (said each day) St. Maximilian Kolbe, faithful follower of St. Francis, you so loved God that you devoted your life to the practice of virtue and good works.. You dedicated yourself to the Immaculate Virgin Mary and inspired countless people to a holy life. You spread the kingdom of God by doing good works for others, even to offering your life to save a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz. May we witness Christ to others and join you in the blessed vision of God. Amen (Recite the reading & meditation on the following pages each day then end each day with the Closing Prayer.) Closing Prayer (said each day) O Lord, Jesus Christ, you said: Greater love than this has no man than to lay down his life for his friends. Through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, we ask you to grant these intercessions: 1 We pray for the victims of violence 2 We pray for judges, lawyers, juries and all in the justice system 3 We pray for the families of the victims of crime 4 We pray for the priests and staff of Kolbe House Jail Ministry 5 We pray for the families of the jail detainees 6 We pray for the guards and other staff of Cook County Jail 7 We pray for the men and women detainedd at Cook County Jail 8 We pray for peace in our world, our community, our homes and within ourselves 9 We pray for an end to the death penalty an end to cruel and unusual punishments Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we may love and serve the Immaculate Virgin Mary so that we can better love and serve our neighbor following the example of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Amen

2 1: Maximilian s Call to Holiness Raymond Kolbe was born in Poland on January 7, Early in his life, Raymond came to love the Blessed Virgin. His own mother found he could try her patience, and once she said to Raymond, What is going to become of you? Soon after, Raymond made a big change in his behavior. His mother asked him what had happened. Raymond said he had prayed to Mary and asked her Mother of God, what will become of me? He said the Virgin Mary then appeared to him holding out two crowns, one white, the other red and asked him which one he would choose: the white for purity or the red for martyrdom. I choose both he answered. If we want to change our behavior, we must recognize that we our weak and that we do not always make good choices we sin. The example of St. Maximilian s humility in praying to the Virgin Mary can help us as we strive to be a better Christian. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 1) 2: Maximilian Discerns God s Will In 1911, Raymond Kolbe made his first vows to become a priest, but not before he spent time in prayer deciding whether to stay in the seminary or leave and pursue a military career. One day his mother came to visit and after speaking with her, Raymond decided to become a Franciscan priest and he was given the name Maximilian Maria Kolbe. His superiors in the Franciscan order decided to send him to Rome for more study. Maximilian asked that he not be sent and his name was removed from the list. Later that night as he prayed, he realized that he was placing his own will before God s will and that it would be best for him to obey his superiors. The next morning he told his Provincial that he was prepared to go to Rome. There he earned a doctorate in philosophy at the age of 21, later he earned a doctorate in theology before 28 years old. We have to remind ourselves that we don t know everything or even what is best for us. It is important that we listen openly and honestly to parents, teachers, priests and others who can counsel us so that we can discern God s will for us. (end with the Closing Prayer, which include the intercession for 2)

3 3: Maximilian Devotion to the Virgin Mary While in Rome, Maximilian saw the need to oppose the anti Christian forces that were growing in Europe. Through prayer, he realized that God had made the Virgin Mary the instrument of the Holy Spirit. Through Mary there would be conversion and growth in holiness. But Mary needed help in this battle against the forces of evil. In October 1917, Maximilian and six other Franciscans established the Militia of the Immaculata Movement. Their goal was to bring souls to Christ through the Immaculate Virgin Mary. He and the other priests offered their Total Consecration to Mary so that they might become instruments in her work for Christ. May we find inspiration in Maximilian s dedication to the Immaculate Mary. We can effect change for good when we work together to spread Christ s teaching and the values of the Gospel. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 3) 4: Maximilian s Faith Father Maximilian returned to Poland in July 1919 suffering from tuberculosis. Despite his poor health, he worked as a university professor. His body was exhausted, but even worse, his soul was distressed by ridicule from some in his own Franciscan community. Maximilian had hoped to interest all the friars in his work. Many of the priests, brothers and student friars did respond, but others shrugged their shoulders,. They laughed among themselves, calling him a bore and a dreamer. Maximilian took this mockery with patience and humility. Faith alone allowed him to find in God and the Immaculate Virgin, the affirmation and support that was denied him by those who ridiculed him. When all seems lost and we feel most alone, there remains one vital source of energy: faith. May Maximilian s faith be ours, especially when we are robbed of the encouragement and support we need from those around us. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 4)

4 5: Maximilian s Hope The Immaculata Movement spread throughout Poland because of the efforts of Fr. Maximilian. Without funds, he began publishing a magazine, Knight of the Immaculata. When bankruptcy loomed, he threw himself at the feet of the Immaculata and begged for help. As he was about to leave the church, he found an envelope on the altar with these words on it. For thee, O Immaculate Mother. Inside was the exact sum needed to pay the debt. When his print shop became too small, Maximilian wanted to purchase a large tract of land, but again, he did not have the money to do so. He explained to the landowner that he could not afford the price. Abruptly the landowner decided to make a free gift of it. In 1939, they had built the largest Franciscan friary in the world where 700 friars and students each month circulated 750,000 copies of the Knight of the Immaculata magazine. We are totally dependent on God, even when our human efforts fail us. May Maximilian s unfailing hope and complete trust in God s providence guide us throughout our lives. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 5) 6: Maximilian s Blessed Labor With permission, Fr. Maximilian and four other friars sailed to Japan in In order to be permitted to publish the Knight of the Immaculata in Japanese, Maximilian was obligated to teach in the diocesan seminary. In exchange, the local priests would help translate articles for the magazine. Within one month of his arrival, the first issue was published. All during his work in Japan, Maximilian suffered from high fevers, violent headaches and deep wounds due to overwork and an inadequate diet. He hid his illnesses so well, however, that few were aware of the seriousness of his physical condition. We are the stewards of the talent that God has given us. Pray that each of us will have the same zeal to do our daily work for God s glory and the good of others. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 6)

5 7: Maximilian s Obedience Barely two months after his arrival in Japan, Fr. Maximilian was called back to Poland to defend his work to his superiors. Obedient as always, he left Japan for the meeting, though his heart was heavy as he worried who would continue the work in his absence. The heavy expenses of the Japanese mission and the wisdom of continuing this venture seemed foolish to his religious superiors. Having explained his arguments and spoken from his heart, Maximilian remained silent, waiting with closed eyes while slowly reciting innumerable Hail Marys. Whatever the decision, he vowed to be obedient. After much discussion, his superiors gave him permission to continue the work of the Immaculata in Japan. We do God s will when we obey authority, parents, teachers and church leaders who help us to develop a strong and generous conscience. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 7) 8: Maximilian and the Eucharist The secret of the success for Fr. Maximilian and the other Friars was a community life of prayer centered on the Eucharist. When they faced strong opposition to their mission, they prayed day and night for nine days before the Eucharist. Their newspaper venture was a tremendous success. During the World War II invasion of Poland by the Nazis, Maximilian stayed in the monastery with a few other friars and operated a temporary hospital to care for those in need. When their town was captured, he spent three months in prison but he was released three months later. On the day they were released by the Nazis, Maximilian introduced his active forces of prayer. which was day after day, the friars prayed in Eucharistic adoration as their primary mission. They also provided shelter for refugees, including hiding over 2,000 Jews from German persecution. In 1941 the monastery was shut down and Fr. Maximilian was sent to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Prayer is not a luxury but a necessity for every Christian. Maximilian knew that prayer before the Eucharist is the ultimate source where we gain the strength for Christian living. May our own reverence for the Eucharist reflect this same conviction. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 8)

6 9: Maximilian s Love On February 17, 1941, Fr. Maximilian was arrested by the Nazi Gestapo for the second time. Even though he suffered extreme cruelty throughout his imprisonment, St. Maximilian prepared himself and his fellow prisoners for the ultimate moment: They will not kill our souls they will not be able to deprive us of the dignity of a Catholic. We will not give up. Love impelled Maximilian to become a martyr of charity in the horrific Auschwitz concentration camp. After the escape of a prisoner, the guards chose ten inmates to be condemned to death by starvation. One of the chosen prisoners cried out, What will happen to my poor family? At that moment, Fr. Maximilian stepped out of line and boldly volunteered to take the place of Francis Gajowniczek. The astounded Nazi commander consented. There amid the horror of the death bunker, love triumphed. Daily prayers, rosaries and hymns were heard as Maximilian ministered to his fellow victims. After two weeks, when he was the only one of the ten still alive, the guards injected Maximilian with carbolic acid. He calmly raised his arm to accept the lethal injection. Fr. Maximilian died on August 14 and was cremated on August 15, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Fr. Maximilian was canonized a saint by Pope John II in St. Maximilian is the patron saint of prisoners, addicts, and the pro life movement. True charity always places the needs of others ahead of our own because we see Christ mirrored in the face of others. May St. Maximilian s total love of God and neighbor remind us to see Christ in everyone we meet. (end with the Closing Prayer, which includes the intercession for 9) Adapted from (c) Copyright 1998, 2015 Militia of the Immaculata. All rights reserved.

7 A nine day novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe has been prayed for the intentions of those involved with the Cook County Jail and the Kolbe House Jail Ministry. Novena prayed by a youth at St. John of the Cross Parish: First Name : Once you have completed the novena, please mail this card to: Kolbe House at Assumption Church 2434 S. California Avenue Chicago, IL Or bring to the YC Office at St.. John of the Cross to be sent to Kolbe House on your behalf.