Why Millennials and Gen Z Are Drawn to Stories Like St. Maximilian Kolbe’s
By Anthony D’Ambrosio
Ask any young Catholic what they want from their faith, and chances are they won’t say "more doctrine"—they’ll say they want something real. Millennials and Gen Z are drawn to authenticity, mission, and radical witness.
That’s why the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe resonates so deeply: it’s not sanitized, it’s not sentimental—it’s the Gospel with skin on.
1. They Crave Sacrificial Love
Young people are tired of shallow relationships and self-centered messaging. Kolbe’s act of substitutionary sacrifice speaks to their deepest longing: to be loved without condition and to give themselves to something greater.
2. They Respect Moral Clarity
In an age of moral fog, saints who speak truth with gentleness and boldness are magnets. Kolbe didn’t hate his enemies, but he didn’t bend the truth either. That balance is rare—and compelling.
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3. They Want to Change the World
Kolbe founded a media apostolate and dreamed of global evangelization long before social media. Young Catholics today are hungry to do the same—spread truth, beauty, and goodness across platforms.
4. They’re Attracted to Countercultural Witness
What’s more countercultural than choosing death for the sake of another? Kolbe’s martyrdom is a defiant "no" to narcissism and a bold "yes" to Christ.
A New Movie About St. Maximilian Kolbe Coming To Theaters This Fall
The Church doesn’t need to chase trends to reach the next generation. It needs to lift up saints like Kolbe. His life—and his cinematic story in "Triumph of the Heart"—isn’t just relevant.
It’s revolutionary.
