About National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe · Libertyville, Illinois
The National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown is a Catholic pilgrimage site in Libertyville, Illinois, operated by the Conventual Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure Province within the Archdiocese of Chicago. Set on 15 acres, it is built around Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel — a Eucharistic adoration chapel modeled on the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome and styled the 'Third City of the Immaculate' after St. Maximilian Kolbe's evangelization centers in Niepokalanów, Poland, and Nagasaki, Japan. The site has hosted Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continuously since June 7, 1928, and was designated a National Shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on March 15, 2000. It also serves as the U.S. national center for the Militia of the Immaculata movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1917.
- Established
- 1928
- Patron
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- Rector
- Very Reverend Lawrence Zurek, OFM Conv. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Chicago (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chicago)
Why belong here
Marytown is a working Franciscan friary as much as it is a shrine — visitors can drop in for daily Mass in English, Spanish or Polish, sit in the longest-running perpetual adoration chapel in the Archdiocese of Chicago (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online as well as in person), and walk fifteen acres of outdoor shrines and a rosary garden. It also hosts retreats and conferences in its on-site retreat house and conference center, runs a Prison Ministry apostolate, and serves as the U.S. national center for the Militia of the Immaculata evangelization movement that St. Maximilian Kolbe himself founded in 1917. Anyone drawn to eucharistic devotion, Franciscan spirituality, Marian consecration, or the witness of a Holocaust martyr will find a rare combination of beauty, prayer and mission here.
Mass times at National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Weekdays: 10:00 AM (immediately before the noon Mass)
- Province Chapter weeks (e.g. April 27–May 1) — confessions suspended
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (continuous since June 7, 1928 — the longest-running perpetual adoration site in the Archdiocese of Chicago)
- Online live stream of the chapel available at kolbeshrine.org/chapel-live-stream
Overview & Mission
Marytown — the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe — is a Catholic pilgrimage site and Franciscan sacred space at 1600 West Park Avenue, Libertyville, Illinois, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. It is a ministry of the Conventual Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure Province, who live on site in community, vowing poverty, chastity and obedience, and celebrating daily Mass, the Divine Office, and the devotions of the liturgical year. The shrine's stated mission is 'to serve the Gospel and the Church by forming Eucharistic disciples in prayer, evangelization, works of mercy, and Marian consecration in the spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe.' It operates under USCCB group rule as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Operated by Conventual Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure Province
- Located within the Archdiocese of Chicago
- National Shrine designation granted March 15, 2000 by the USCCB
- Jubilee Church of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2015–2016)
- Legal entity: 'Conventual Franciscan Friars of Marytown' (Tax ID 36-3525662)
History
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration on the Libertyville grounds began June 7, 1928, at the invitation of Cardinal George Mundelein, who hosted the 28th International Eucharistic Congress — the first in the United States. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of Clyde, Missouri built the permanent Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in 1932, dedicated October 2, 1932. The Conventual Franciscans of Kenosha, Wisconsin (founded by Father Dominic Szymanski, who knew St. Maximilian Kolbe personally) purchased the property in 1978, reopened the chapel September 15, 1979, installed Franciscan mosaics in 1982, and added the retreat wing and conference center in 1997. The U.S. bishops designated it a National Shrine on March 15, 2000. After the 2006 ceiling collapse, perpetual adoration continued uninterrupted and the chapel was rededicated September 15, 2007.
- 1928 — Temporary chapel blessed; perpetual adoration begins June 7
- 1932 — Permanent Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel dedicated October 2
- 1978 — Conventual Franciscans acquire the property from the Benedictine Sisters
- 1979 — Chapel reopens September 15 (31st anniversary of Marytown's founding)
- 1982 — Conventual Franciscan saint mosaics installed; St. Maximilian Kolbe canonized by Pope John Paul II
- 1997 — Retreat wing and conference center open
- 2000 — Designated National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe by the USCCB
- 2006 — Gold-leafed coffered ceiling collapses; adoration continues in temporary chapel
- 2007 — Restored chapel reopens September 15
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
The central chapel is modeled on the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome. Its baldachin is gold-leafed Rosa Carallo marble and teakwood; thirty-eight marble columns in six marbles are each dedicated to a Catholic saint; the sanctuary altar uses nine imported species of marble. The 5-foot-2-inch monstrance was fashioned entirely from sacrificial gifts of jewelry; eight medallions portraying 'types' of the Blessed Sacrament encircle the host, and the words Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus are inscribed on the marble steps leading to the Altar of Exposition. A San Damiano Crucifix, patterned after the original in Assisi, hangs prominently, recalling the Lord's commission to St. Francis: 'Rebuild My Church.'
- Eleven central stained-glass windows arranged as triptychs
- 99 eucharistic symbols interwoven as window borders (none duplicated)
- 33 eucharistic-themed medallions in stained glass
- Upper windows depict nine choirs of angels bearing sacred vessels
- Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael stand at the rear wall
- Latin inscriptions of eucharistic titles under the red and gold coffered ceiling
Side Chapels
Two side chapels flank the main chapel, deepening the Marian and martyr-devotional character of the shrine.
- Chapel of the Sorrowful Mother — altar of ten marbles; mosaic of Mary as Co-redemptrix holding the dead Christ; seven-foot reproductions of Joseph Jannsen's Seven Sorrows of Mary from the Cathedral of Antwerp; triptych stained-glass honoring Mary as Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son and Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
- Passion/Kolbe Chapel — mosaic of Christ as an abused criminal crowned with thorns at one end; an eleven-foot-tall mosaic of St. Maximilian Kolbe rising triumphant from the Auschwitz starvation bunker at the other; first-class relics of St. Maximilian venerated below the mosaic.
Mosaics & Sacred Art
The chapel is richly decorated with mosaics designed in part by one of Austria's foremost art studios. Six mosaics of Conventual Franciscan saints line the walls (installed 1982), and four mosaics depict the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Fourteen upper-wall mosaics portray the Joys and Glories of the Blessed Virgin Mary, while a triumphal-arch mosaic depicts the Eucharist as the source of life for the entire Church, and a rear mosaic depicts Christ the King reigning over the chapel and the world.
- San Damiano Crucifix (Assisi-pattern)
- Life-size marble statues of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and St. Joseph near the Altar of Exposition
- Mosaic of Christ's Passion (crowned with thorns) in the Kolbe Chapel
Outdoor Shrines & Gardens
Across the 15 acres of grounds, pilgrims find an extensive array of outdoor devotional sites that remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to draw visitors year-round.
- Stations of the Cross
- Rosary Garden with the 20 Mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, Luminous)
- Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Our Lady of Lourdes shrine
- Our Lady of Fatima shrine (site of spontaneous May crownings)
- Shrine of the Crucified Lord
- Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
- Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua
- Shrine of St. Padre Pio
- Shrine of the Infant of Prague ('Heavenly Walk')
- Large image of the Divine Mercy (site of daily 3 PM Divine Mercy Chaplet)
Mass, Sacraments & Devotions
Mass is celebrated daily in the chapel; the regular schedule includes English, Spanish and Polish celebrations. Confessions are heard weekday mornings before the noon Mass. Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration has been continuous in the chapel since June 7, 1928. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed daily at 3 PM.
- Sunday Mass: 9:00 AM English, 11:00 AM English, 1:00 PM Spanish (1st Sunday) / Polish (last Sunday)
- Weekday Mass: Monday–Saturday at 12:00 noon; Wednesday also at 7:00 PM
- Confessions: weekdays at 10:00 AM
- Perpetual Adoration: 24/7 (in chapel and via online live stream)
- Divine Mercy Chaplet: 3:00 PM daily
- Marian Consecration Classes in the spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Militia of the Immaculata (MI)
Marytown serves as the U.S. national center of the Militia of the Immaculata, the worldwide evangelization movement St. Maximilian Kolbe founded in 1917. The MI promotes total consecration to Jesus through Mary and personal evangelization. Marytown's MI activities are coordinated nationally, and the shrine is a hub for MI events, consecration classes, and resources.
- Founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1917
- Marytown hosts MI consecration classes and evangelization resources
- Annual Marian Conference and Kolbe Award celebration held at Marytown
Retreat House, Conference Center & Gift Shop
Opened in 1997, the on-site Retreat House and Conference Center supports individual and group retreats, parish missions, conferences, days of recollection and meetings. The Marytown Gift Shop & Bookstore offers Catholic publications, devotional articles, Kolbe relics and religious gifts.
- Retreat House and Conference Center (opened 1997)
- Marytown Gift Shop & Bookstore (religious articles and publications)
- Liturgical / pastoral support available for visiting groups
Prison & Jail Ministry
In the spirit of St. Maximilian Kolbe, 'Martyr of Charity,' Marytown operates a Prison Ministry / Kolbe House Jail Ministry apostolate, reaching out to the incarcerated and their families. The friars support this work alongside their Eucharistic and Marian apostolates.
- Prison / jail ministry rooted in St. Maximilian's witness of charity
- Coordination with the wider Kolbe House Jail Ministry network
- Volunteer and donation opportunities available
Holocaust Exhibit & Kolbe Relics
A Holocaust education exhibit and Kolbe museum on the lower level of the chapel tells the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe's life, ministry at Niepokalanów, his arrest by the Nazis, and his martyrdom in the Auschwitz starvation bunker on August 14, 1941. First-class relics of St. Maximilian are venerated in the Passion/Kolbe Chapel, and additional relics are displayed in the museum.
- Educational Holocaust exhibit in the Kolbe museum
- First-class relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe for veneration in the Passion/Kolbe Chapel
- Mosaic of St. Maximilian rising from the Auschwitz bunker (11 feet tall)
Clergy, Friars & Staff
The shrine is staffed by Conventual Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure Province, who live on site in community. The Rector serves as the spiritual and administrative leader.
- Very Rev. Lawrence Zurek, OFM Conv. — Rector (current)
- Father Benedict La Volpe, OFM Conv. — Rector and Guardian (c. 2020)
- Father Esequiel Sanchez, OFM Conv. — Shrine Rector
- Father John Grigus, OFM Conv. — head of lay adoration program
- Father Dominic Szymanski, OFM Conv. — founder of American Marytown (1940s–1978)
Support the Mission & Visiting
As a 501(c)(3) under USCCB group rule, Marytown depends on donations, planned gifts, and the work of its lay adorers and volunteers. Visitors and pilgrims are welcomed year-round; the chapel is open 24/7, the outdoor shrines are always accessible, and a chapel live stream lets anyone join the adoration remotely.
- Donor Advised Fund giving supported via DAF Direct
- Legal name: Conventual Franciscan Friars of Marytown; Tax ID 36-3525662
- Light a candle or submit Mass / prayer intentions online
- Chapel live stream for remote adoration
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Dominic Szymanski, OFM Conv.1940s–1978
Polish Conventual Franciscan priest who personally knew St. Maximilian Kolbe; founder of the American 'Marytown' community, originally in Crystal Lake, Illinois, then Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1949 prophesied in Libertyville that 'someday this place will be ours.' Led the friars' acquisition of the Libertyville chapel in 1978.
- Father John Grigus, OFM Conv.
Conventual Franciscan; headed the lay adoration program at Marytown, which under his leadership saw lay adorer numbers increase roughly fourfold.
- Father Esequiel Sanchez, OFM Conv.2006– (approximate)
Shrine Rector during the 2006 chapel ceiling collapse and 2007 restoration/reopening.
- Father Benedict La Volpe, OFM Conv.c. 2020
Rector and Guardian of Marytown in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic; featured in Chicago Catholic and on the 'Hey Everybody! It's Fr. Edward' podcast.
- Very Reverend Lawrence Zurek, OFM Conv.current (as of 2024–2026)
Current Rector; Designated Representative for Planned Giving / Donor Advised Funds (ext. 228). Contact: [email protected].