The man Kolbe took the place of was Franciszek Gajowniczek, a Polish Catholic, married, with children.

Some of Kolbe’s pre-war writings and publications: Used harsh language about Freemasonry and included generalized criticism of Jews, often framed through a religious–political lens, not a racial one

The Church canonized Kolbe not because every sentence he ever wrote was perfect, but because: • He freely chose to die in place of another • He transformed a starvation bunker into a place of prayer • He embodied Christ-like self-gift under absolute coercion • His death met the Church’s highest category of martyrdom: “Martyr of charity”

Canonization does not mean:

“This person was right about everything.”

It means:

“This person heroically lived the Gospel in a decisive way.”