SAINTLY PORTRAIT — High
school student Jenny Halbman, 17, displays
the portrait of St. Maximilian Kolbe she
painted for the Milwaukee parish’s
feast day celebration on Aug. 14. See Page
16 for more on the artist. (Catholic Herald
photo by Allen Fredrickson)
A
year ago, 17-year-old Jenny Halbman knew little about
20th century saint Maximilian Kolbe. But now, the
Waukesha West High School senior has formed such
a bond with the saint she feels she’s on a
first-name basis with the priest who in 1941 in Auschwitz
volunteered to die in place of a married father.
In fact, as she strolled past a 30-inch x 40-inch likeness of the saint on her
dining room table the other morning, she said, “Max, you’re going
to get framed today.”
“It’s the only love-hate relationship I’ve ever experienced,” said
the articulate teen as she described her eight-month journey as she painted the
likeness of the saint. Throughout the process, she said she’s come to know
the struggles and deep faith of the saint who died in Auschwitz prison to spare
the life of another prisoner, Francis Gajowniczek.
