St. Maximilian Catholic hosts fall festival on Sunday

St. Maximilian Kolbe Roman Catholic Church will present its third annual Fall Festival from 2 to 7 p.m. this Sun., Sept. 28. It will deal with those who were swept up in the events of World War II, ultimately being sent to Auschwitz.

After some inmates escaped from that camp, the Germans ordered 10 men sentenced to death for each one who had escaped. Maximilian Kolbe wasn’t one of those chosen for death by starvation, but offered to take the place of a young Jewish family man who had been selected. His offer was accepted by his captors.

After leading the condemned in prayer through their ordeal, he was executed through a lethal injection. The man whose place he took lived a long and productive life after the war.

"The spirit of St. Maximilian is an inspiration for all," Blum said. "Through our activities, we celebrate his life and the generosity he showed toward others, regardless of faith or social position. We hope to use the proceeds from our Fall Festival to continue honoring his memory through our works in the community."

For more information, please call the church at (818) 991-3915.