To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom, the Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province is sponsoring a 2016 Pilgrimage of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Relic. The largest tour of his relic ever mounted in the United States, this pilgrimage began on January 15 at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland, and will visit over 40 ministry sites along the East Coast of North America, concluding with a Weekend Closing Ceremony at the Shrine of St. Anthony on St. Maximilian’s feast day, August 14, 2016.
St. Maximilian was born in Poland as Raymond Kolbe on January 8, 1894. As a young man he was interested in the military, but St. Maximilian did not join the army. Instead he was called to serve the Lord, joining the Conventual Franciscan Friars. Fr. Kolbe was taken prisoner by the Nazi’s and in 1941 he was sent to a concentration camp in Auschwitz. As punishment for the escape of one prisoner, the commandant ordered 10 individuals be put to death. When Franciszek Gajowniczek, a man with a family cried out after being selected, Fr. Kolbe volunteered to take his place. The commandant, stunned by Fr. Kolbe’s act, allowed the exchange and placed him in confinement to starve. Because Fr. Kolbe was still alive after two weeks, he was injected with a lethal dose of phenol on August 14, 1941. In 1982, Pope John Paul II canonized Maximilian Kolbe as a “Martyr of Charity” and “patron saint of this difficult century.”
St. Maximilian was cremated at Auschwitz, and the relic contains hairs from his beard that had been kept by his barber. Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. stated “Relics remind us that saints were real human beings with hair, skin, bones, and blood. We venerate relics to connect with the real person behind them – now proclaimed by the Church to be in Heaven, from where he or she remains involved in our lives.”
Friday, June 17, 2016 7:00 p.m. Arrival of Relic at Our Lady of the Cross, Prayer Service & Veneration Saturday, June 18, 2016 Veneration of Relic after 8:30 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. Masses Sunday , June 19, 2016 Veneration of Relic after 7:30, 9:00 & 10:30 a.m. Masses 2:00 p.m. Adoration of Blessed Sacrament 2:30 p.m. Rosary 3:00 p.m. Benediction; Veneration of Relic
Events are subject to change, so please contact the parish to verify details (413) 532-5661 | parish@ourladyofthecross.com
Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Br. Gerry Seipp, OFM Conv. joins the June 14th celebration of the Kolbe Relic at the Mother House of the Sisters of the Resurrection, in Castleton, NY. Our friars who live in Rensselaer serve as chaplains for the sisters.
Many of our friars serve as chaplains, throughout our province. One such long time chaplaincy is for the Provincial Home of Sisters of the Resurrection, in Castleton, NY (35 Boltwood Avenue). This ministry is included in the 40+ stops on our 2016 Pilgrimage of the Relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv.
On Tuesday, June 14, 2016 the day, open to the public, will begin with a 10:00 a.m. Welcoming Service, followed by Noon Stations of the Cross in the Spirit of St. Anthony of Padua, 3:00 p.m. Chaplet of Divine Mercy, 4:00 p.m. Recitation of the Rosary and Litany of St. Maximilian Kolbe, 5:00 p.m. Vespers Service, and close with the 7:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Eucharist and departure of the Relics.
Please feel free to join the sisters in this historic event, marking the 75th Anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who was killed in the Auschwitz concentration camp, as he traded his own life for that of Francis Gajowniczek, a man who had a wife and two children. Friar Maximilian was injected with a lethal dose of phenol on August 14, 1941. Our friars will close out this relic tour on his August 14th Feast Day, with a special celebration held at our ministry of The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD.
One of our most spectacularly beautiful and unique ministry locations is that of the National St. Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine, in Fonda, New York. Part of the 2016 Season Schedule is the: Pilgrimage of the Relic of St. Maximilian Kolbe Weekend June 10, 2016 – Opening of the Pilgrimage Weekend June 11, 2016 – 4:30 p.m. – Vigil Mass
(Solemn Blessing with St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Relic) June 12, 2016 – 10:30 a.m. – Mass
(Solemn Blessing with St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Relic)
Please consider adding a visit to the Shrine as part of your own spiritual pilgrimage (located at 3636 State Highway 5, Fonda, NY 12068). It is well worth the trip. Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and Director of the Shrine, Fr. Mark Steed, OFM Conv., the staff and volunteers welcome your visit. For information, call (518) 853-3646, or visit them online or on Facebook.
On Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar and pastor of Holy Family, Friar James Fukes, OFM Conv. welcomes you to a special 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by a Prayer Service that includes Veneration of the 1st degree relic.
The relic (fragments of the beard of St. Maximilian Kolbe) will remain at Holy Family Church until Thursday, June 2, 2106, 5:00 p.m. Please keep an eye on the Holy Family website to check the newest bulletins for the most up to date details on the events.
Franciscan Friars of St. Anthony Friary
Friar David Collins, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of St. John the Apostle
Friar Jim Fukes, OFM Conv. ~ Pastor of Holy Family Parish & Guardian of the Friary
Friar Ed Debono, OFM Conv. ~ Sunday Chaplain, Sisters of Providence
Friar Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. ~ Canon Law Professor, St. Paul University (Ottawa)
Click the above image to order copies of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr of Charity, written by our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the August 14, 1941 martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., at the World War II Oświęcim concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland, 1st degree relic stands of his beard have been on tour throughout our province since January. The Relic Tour will continue into Canada to visit our pastoral ministry of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure, on May 28-29, 2016. There will be a special 9:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 28th to begin this historic visit. After the Mass, there will be a Solemn Procession with the relic and a Prayer Service recounting St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life. Pope John Paul II declared Maximilian Kolbe a “Martyr of Charity.”
St. Bonaventure is home to five of our friars, living, working and serving in Ontario, Canada: Br. Tom Purcell, OFM Conv. (Guardian of the friary and Executive Director of St. Clare Inn), Fr. Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv., Fr. David Stachurski, OFM Conv. (pastor of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure) Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv., and Br. David Suckling, OFM Conv. (member of theBoard of Directors of St. Anthony of Padua Mission Aid – Franciscan Centre). This is the first of three Canadian locations for our Pilgrimage Relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. The tour will continue onto our pastoral ministry of The Church of St. John Apostle and Holy Family, in Kingston, Ontario, May 30-June 2, 2016, before returning the USA for the rest of the tour.
FRANCISCAN SOY CANDLES: To commemorate this pilgrimage tour, Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Br. Andre Picotte, OFM Conv. the artisan creator behind Franciscan Soy Candles (a ministry to raise funds needed to care for his aged and infirm brothers) has a newly available St. Maximilian Kolbe Candle. Even if you cannot get to any of our locations to venerate the relic, you can enjoy this commemorative candle, while helping us provide much needed support for our more senior friars.
Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., the Provincial Assistant to the Militia Immaculata (an evangelization movement identifying with Mary that was established by St. Maximilian Kolbe) presided over Mass concelebrated by the friars serving the people of The Franciscan Church of St. Bonaventure (left to right: Fr. David Stachurski, OFM Conv. – pastor, Fr. Boniface Reinhart, OFM Conv. and Fr. Peter Knaapen, OFM Conv. Friar Jobe (who is also a Canon Law Professor at Saint Paul University, in Ottawa, Canada) spoke on St. Maximilian Kolbe, as well.
In an article published online by the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, Friar Jobe stated, “As Christians, we are called to reveal God’s love by our concrete actions. In our day, St. Maximilian’s martyrdom at Auschwitz is a preeminent manifestation of that.” In that same article, our Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. added, “His relevance to people in the 21st century lies in his validation that love conquers hate, and goodness will ultimately triumph over evil.”
The Pilgrimage of the Relic of Maximilian Kolbe arrived at SFHS May 24-25, 2016. On May 25th, students participated in a special prayer service during their Religion class period. Students from different grade levels gathered together in the School Chapel for a modified version of the Divine Office. The prayer service included a reading from the writings of Kolbe, psalms, Scripture, a video on Kolbe’s martyrdom, and a short reflection from Our Lady of the Angels Province Friar, Br. Nick Romeo, OFM Conv. After each service concluded, the students had the opportunity to make a closer examination of the relics. Several visitors from outside of the school—including two local seminarians—participated along with the students.
Pilgrimage Relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Conventual Franciscan Friar, St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., our friars of Our Lady of the Angels Province have scheduled a pilgrimage of a 1st Degree Relic of strands of his beard, traveling throughout our province territory in the U.S.A. and Canadian. The tour will end at The Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD, with the August 14, 2016 Closing Ceremonies, in celebration of his Feast Day.
Photo of the relics as displayed during the February 27-29, 2016 Relic Tour Stop at our pastoral ministry of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Community, in Graham (Burlington, NC).
May 24-26, 2016: The relic tour will visit our high school ministry of St. Francis High School, in Athol Springs, NY. During this time, all of the students will gather, in union with their Religion classes, for Prayer Services with Veneration, in the school Chapel.
This will be private time for the students and be incorporated into their lessons. These Prayer Services are only for students and are not open to the public. However, the relics will also remain on the school Chapel altar,
from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. If members of the public would like to venerate the relic during this time, please use front entrance of school located on Lake Shore Road.
The tour includes the opportunity to see a unique reliquary that holds the rare first class relics of beard fragments from St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. made available for veneration. (Note that the reliquary was created in Poland, to commemorate his beatification in 1971, as noted by the “B. Max. Kolbe” in the casing that houses the relic strands. St. Maximilian was a Polish Conventual Franciscan Friar who was canonized on October 10, 1982, by Saint Pope John Paul II – also from Poland.)
The relic, along with information about St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv., will be on display beginning with the 8:00 a.m. Saturday May 21, 2016 Morning Mass and continuing throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. The 6:00 p.m. Evening Mass on Sunday, May 22, 2016, will highlight this special event. For those who will be attending Mass there this weekend, special prayer cards with a third class relic will be handed out. There will also be medals and holy cards available. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join the friars and parishioners during this special weekend. If you can not make it to these event and are in the Upstate New York or Ontario, Canada areas during these next weeks, please take the opportunity to visit one of our other ministry locations as this tour is in the area:
Our current Minister Provincial, the Very Reverend Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. at the October 10, 1982 Canonization of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. with St. Pope John Paul II
The last Pennsylvania tour stop for the “Pilgrimage of the Relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe” is at our pastoral ministry of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in Johnstown, PA. The relic will be present there from Friday, May 13th through Sunday, May 15th. A special Welcoming Service along with Veneration of the Relic and Benediction will take place on Friday, May 13, 2016, at 7:00p.m.
Veneration of the Relic will also take place at all the weekend Masses and all are welcome to visit Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Anthony Francis Spilka, OFMConv (pastor) and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, to take part in the weekend’s events.
After finishing up in PA, the tour moves onto our ministries in Up State NY and Ontario, Canada.
To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom, the Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province is sponsoring a 2016 Pilgrimage of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. Relic. The largest tour of his relic ever mounted in the United States, this pilgrimage began on January 15 at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland, and will visit over 40 ministry sites along the East Coast of North America, concluding with a Weekend Closing Ceremony at the Shrine of St. Anthony on St. Maximilian’s feast day, August 14, 2016.
