The SS officer pointed down the line of prisoners and announced that ten men would be chosen to die — starved to death in an underground bunker — as punishment for an escape from Auschwitz.

When one of the chosen men cried out, "My wife! My children!" — a Franciscan priest stepped forward from the crowd.

"I am a Catholic priest. I wish to die for that man."

The officer stared. Then he nodded. The exchange was made. Franciszek Gajowniczek went home to his family. Father Maximilian Kolbe walked into Bunker 11.

He was the last to die. For two weeks, he led the other condemned men in prayer and song. When the guards finally came to finish what starvation had not, they found him sitting upright, his arm extended, waiting. He was given a lethal injection of carbolic acid on August 14, 1941. He was 47 years old.

This beautifully laminated St. Maximilian Kolbe prayer card carries the prayer rooted in Christ's own words about the greatest love — a prayer for the intercession of the man who lived those words completely.

Card Details:

• Laminated cardstock with gold colour accents
• 2.5" × 4.5" — fits perfectly in a wallet, Bible, or pocket
• Classic St. Maximilian Kolbe art image on the front
• Full prayer text on the back
• Available in packs of 3, 10, 25, 50, and 100

Prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Lord Jesus Christ,
who said, "Greater love than this no man has,
that a man lay down his life for his friends,"
through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe,
whose life illustrated such love,
we beseech You to grant us our petitions.

May his example inspire us
to give ourselves without counting the cost,
to love without limit,
and to trust that no sacrifice made in love
is ever lost.
Amen.

Patron Saint Of:

• ✝️ Prisoners and political prisoners — he died as a prisoner at Auschwitz
• ✝️ Families — he gave his life so a father could return to his
• ✝️ The pro-life movement
• ✝️ Journalists and the press — he founded the Knight of the Immaculata magazine and a major Catholic publishing operation
• ✝️ Amateur radio operators — he used radio to spread the Gospel
• ✝️ Drug addicts
• ✝️ Those suffering from eating disorders
• ✝️ Poland

Feast Day: August 14th

The Man Who Chose to Die — The Full Story

Rajmund Kolbe was born in 1894 in Zdunska Wola, Poland, to a devout Catholic family. As a boy, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary offering him two crowns — one white for purity, one red for martyrdom — and asking which he would choose. He said he would take both.

He entered the Franciscan order, was ordained a priest, and became one of the most innovative Catholic evangelists of the 20th century. He founded the Militia Immaculatae (Knights of the Immaculata), a Marian apostolate that grew to over a million members. He established a publishing center in Niepokalanow, Poland, that produced millions of Catholic publications. He used radio broadcasts to spread the faith. He was, by any measure, a man of extraordinary energy and vision.

When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, Kolbe sheltered thousands of Jewish refugees at his friary. He was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941 and sent to Auschwitz as prisoner #16670.

On July 31, 1941, a prisoner escaped. The camp commander selected ten men to die in reprisal. When Franciszek Gajowniczek was chosen and cried out for his family, Kolbe stepped forward. The exchange was permitted. Kolbe spent his final two weeks in Bunker 11 leading his fellow condemned men in prayer, psalms, and hymns to Mary. He was the last survivor. He was killed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941 — the eve of the Feast of the Assumption.

Franciszek Gajowniczek survived the war. He lived until 1995 — and for the rest of his life, he traveled the world telling the story of the priest who died in his place.

Maximilian Kolbe was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982. Gajowniczek was present at the canonization.

A Personal Note from Shawn

I'm Shawn Kilgarlin — wife, mother of four, mental health clinician, and Life Coach. St. Maximilian Kolbe is the saint who answered the question every human heart asks in its darkest moment: Is anyone willing to take my place? He said yes. He walked forward. He chose love over survival. As someone who works with people in crisis — people who feel utterly alone, utterly expendable — I find his story almost unbearably powerful. He is proof that one person's love can change everything. Every ShopCatholic card is part of my mission of giving, funding Christmas gifts for those in need through Holy Angels and serving those in addiction recovery. Thank you. 🙏

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was St. Maximilian Kolbe, and what did he do at Auschwitz?
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan priest who voluntarily took the place of a condemned prisoner at Auschwitz concentration camp in 1941. When ten men were selected to die by starvation as punishment for an escape, Kolbe stepped forward and offered himself in place of Franciszek Gajowniczek, a married man with children. He spent two weeks in the starvation bunker leading the other condemned men in prayer and hymns, and was the last to die — killed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941. He was canonized in 1982. Gajowniczek survived the war and lived until 1995, spending his remaining years telling Kolbe's story.

What is St. Maximilian Kolbe the patron saint of?
St. Maximilian Kolbe is the patron saint of prisoners, political prisoners, families, the pro-life movement, journalists, the press, amateur radio operators, drug addicts, those with eating disorders, and Poland. His feast day is August 14th — the day of his martyrdom, the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, to whom he was deeply devoted.

Are there churches and shrines dedicated to St. Maximilian Kolbe?
• Niepokalanow Friary, Niepokalanow, Poland — the massive Franciscan friary and publishing center Kolbe founded, still active today as a major Marian center and pilgrimage site. One of the largest Franciscan communities in the world.
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, Oswiecim, Poland — Bunker 11, where Kolbe died, is preserved as a memorial. His cell is a place of pilgrimage visited by millions.
• Basilica of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Oswiecim, Poland — built near Auschwitz in his honor, a powerful place of prayer and remembrance.
• St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Westland, Michigan, USA — one of many American parishes bearing his name.
• St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Houston, Texas, USA — a vibrant parish in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
• St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Libertyville, Illinois, USA — a beloved parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
• St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA — a growing parish community in the Diocese of Palm Beach.
From the bunker at Auschwitz to parishes across America, the name of the man who chose love over survival is written into the living Church.

Can I order these in bulk for my parish, school, or pro-life ministry?
Absolutely! Cards are available in packs up to 100 for standard orders. For larger needs, our custom print option starts at 1,000 cards, takes approximately 5 days, and can be ordered in any quantity. When Pope Francis visited the United States, he ordered 15,000 "Praying with Five Fingers" cards — a reminder of just how powerful a simple prayer card can be. Imagine giving a St. Maximilian Kolbe card to every member of your pro-life group or every prisoner in your prison ministry. Contact us to discuss your custom order. 🙏