Posted on 08/18/2007 8:45:10 AM PDT by fr maximilian mary
A Son of St. Francis, A Knight of the Immaculate
1923-2007 Br. Francis Mary Kalvelage, FI was born in Portland, Oregon in 1923, the youngest in a family of five brothers. While he was still young the family moved to San Francisco and it was here that he was raised.
During the period of World War II, Br. Francis served his country in the United States Air Force as a naval aviator. It was in this period of his life that Our Lord was preparing him to engage in a different type of service. One day Brother attempted to perform a ‘loopty loop’ in his aircraft which basically amounts to turning his plane completely upside down. The attempt failed but even in this situation Our Lord was at work. Instead of the plane being successfully turned upside down, Br. Francis’s life was turned upside down. In fact it led to him finding his life turned the right way up. Brother underwent a conversion experience.
After living briefly as an observer with the Trappist Monks at ‘Gethsemane Abbey’ in Kentucky, Br. Francis entered the Conventuals as a lay brother at Marytown. He was 28 and Marytown, founded by Fr. Dominic Domanski, was only two years old at the time. It was there that he discovered Our Lady and that great saint of the Immaculate- St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe.
For the next 45 years he became an ardent apostle of them both. Although Br. Francis himself admitted that he wasn’t much of a student, he nevertheless acquired many talents and skills while working for Our Lady. His activity was prodigious. Becoming the editor of ‘Immaculata’ magazine he learned the many skills involved in the production of a magazine at a time when the modern benefits of technology were non-existent. He cultivated talents as an artist, photographer, photo-developer as well as doing all the necessary lay-out work and meeting various deadlines.
Apart from his intense activities in the publishing apostolate, Br. Francis also led numerous pilgrimages all over the world, particularly to Marian shrines.
In 1974 he founded the YMI: ‘Youth Mission for the Immaculata’, a movement which concentrates on the formation of youth according to the ideals and spirit of St. Maximilian as well as the sharing of various apostolic activities. Under his direction the YMI successfully spread all over the country, and it is chiefly through the YMI that Br. Francis has become so well-known by so many people. In September of 1995 Br. Francis began living with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate and eventually made his solemn profession three years later on the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.
As a member of our community, Brother continued as a tireless worker for the Immaculate edifying all in the community. Using his skills in publishing Br. Francis edited many books which are published by the Academy of the Immaculate :
A Handbook on Guadalupe, Marian Shrines of Italy, Marian Shrines of France, St. Therese: Doctor of the Little Way, Kolbe – Saint of the Immaculata, Padre Pio – The Wonder Worker.
Br. Francis was still working on a last un-published book that was to be entitled Marian Shrines of Portugal, when at the age of 79 on Christmas day 2002, he suffered a stoke resulting in the paralysis of his left side. Requiring full-time care he is now residing at Sacred Heart Nursing Home not too far from Our Lady’s Chapel where the friars are stationed. Br. is now working for the Immaculate in a different way through the offering of his sufferings to the Immaculate. An episode related in Kolbe – Saint of the Immaculata, one of the books edited by Br Francis, aptly sums up the important work he is now doing. One time a distinguished visitor was given a tour of Niepokalanow by St Maximilian. The saint said, “Now let us go to the department where work is most intense and valuable.” The visitor was surprised to see that they entered the hospital. St Maximilian explained, “These sick brothers, forced into inactivity, are the most useful to us since with their sufferings, they draw down on us the choicest blessings of God on Niepokalanow and the apostolate.”
During one of the friars’ regular visits to Br Francis he was asked if he had a message to relate to the friars. His reply was simple and direct: “Tell the friars to be holy”. This exhortation was passed on to the friars after their night prayer giving us all something to meditate upon at the closing of the day.
On a similar occasion Brother was asked what he would request from the Immaculate if she were to appear to him and tell him that he could ask for one thing from Her. He replied that he would ask the Immaculate to make him holy as She is holy.
We invite all our readers to pray for Br Francis and at the same time to take to heart his own desire for becoming holy like Our Lady.
[Br. Francis Mary Kalvelage died on Friday, August 17, 2007. Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace! Amen.]
To see Br. Francis Mary's love and zeal for the Immaculata watch these video links:
Ave Maria!
Br. Francis Mary prayed to be holy, like the Immaculata, he spent himself in Her service for the glory of God, and he prayed to do his Purgatory in this life so he could go straight to Heaven. Praise God for this true servant of His kingdom!
The Crusade of Mary Immaculate - St. Maximilian Kolbe (Catholic Caucus)
Poland: Auschwitz martyr Kolbe remembered
The Man Who Stepped Out of Line (St. Maximilian Kolbe and Christian Masculinity)
St. Maximilian Kolbe VOLUNTEERED To Be Starved To Death; Terri Schiavo Did NOT
St Maximilian Kolbe-Priest, Martyr, Saint
August 14 - Memorial, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe
And now it is that the Franciscans and the Knights of the Immaculate have another intercessor!
May Br. Francis rest in peace.
Ave Maria!
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