We can know my Maximilian Kolbe best by what he does in the film. The real Father Maximilian Kolbe is like a character out of a Dickens’ novel. When a prisoner at Auschwitz was pulled from a lineup and sentenced to starve to death he screamed out in despair. Father Kolbe stepped forward to take his place. Surviving without food for 14 days the Nazis wanted Kolbe dead and murdered him by lethal injection. Because of the way he was executed the Catholic Church honors him as a special intercessor for drug addicts. Time Magazine chronicled the man they called “The Angel of Auschwitz,” on 10/25/82.
From TAKIN’ BACK THE STREETS, copyright received 2019 P. 53
EXT. OBLATES’ MOTHERHOUSE – DAY – ESTAB.
High stone steps split a huge brick building amid towering pine trees and a carefully tended lawn.
Three African American Oblates nuns stroll past the entrance that reads: Oblates’ of Providence Motherhouse.
INT. OBLATES’ MOTHERHOUSE – ANGELA’S OFFICE – DAY
The phone rings. Angela answers, listens, then hangs up. She stares out the office window with dismay. She takes a pen and writes:
DEAR MAX, MY AUNT JUST DIED IN CLEVELAND. WE WERE CLOSE AND I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND HER FUNERAL BUT WITH COLLECTION AGENCIES AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES CHASING ME I HAVE NO MONEY. I’D NEED TO BE GONE FIVE DAYS. I’M EMBARRASSED ASKING THIS BECAUSE GUADALUPE MIGHT HAVE TO CLOSE, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THE PARISH CAN LEND ME $300.00?
INT. ANGELA’S OFFICE – ANOTHER DAY
Angela, different outfit, sorts through the mail. She drops everything else when she sees a letter from Guadalupe. She tears it open.
DEAR ANGELA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER.THE PARISH DOES NOT MAKE LOANS OF THE KIND YOU SUGGEST.AS PASTOR OF GUADALUPE I DO NOT MAKE LOANS OF THIS KIND EITHER. FATHER MAX
Angela looks up from the letter, stunned. As she swipes away tears with the envelope a blue paper falls from it to the floor. She picks it up–a check from Father Max for $300.00. In the lower-left corner of the check is the word: GIFT.
She puts the letter down, and weeps.