It can be tough being a devotee of St. Maximilian Kolbe, since a pilgrimage to Poland is no easy enterprise. Fortunately, however, there is a closer alternative for personally venerating this saint: a shrine—right here in the USA—in Marytown, Illinois.
Marytown began as a humble monastery chapel offering Perpetual Adoration in 1928. The beautiful permanent chapel, which still stands today, was dedicated four years later. From there, Marytown grew into a Franciscan hub based on the same principles as Kolbe’s first “City of the Immaculate” (Niepokalanów, Poland)—which was a large friary dedicated to spreading devotion to Christ and His Mother through modern media. In St. Maximilian’s day, that included publishing and radio; at Marytown, it includes such means as livestream.
By 2000, the site was officially dedicated to St. Maximilian and declared a place of pilgrimage. The Franciscans developed the spacious property into a place of contemplation, prayer, and education:
Contemplation, fostered by the quiet walks and rich foliage of the Midwestern land;
Prayer, in the perpetual presence of the Holy Eucharist;
Education, through an extensive museum and exhibit rich with information about Kolbe’s life, work, and evangelization.
Through the quiet work of welcoming pilgrims, hosting retreats, compiling educational resources and—above all—adoring Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, the friars at Marytown continue St. Maximilian Kolbe’s momentous and crucial evangelization of the modern world, one soul at a time.
St. Maximilian’s devotion to the Faith began in his childhood. Nurture your own child’s growth in the Faith right from the start, swaddling your little ones in the soft, cozy folds of our Be A Heart All Saints Muslin Quilt. Features cute sketches of twelve holy men and women, including St. Maximilian, in natural tones. Get your quilt today at The Catholic Company!
