Col. Stanley J. Glod acquired the painting after the artist’s father-in-law — and former fellow inmate of Kolbe’s during World War II — stated that the painting belonged in the United States, where citizens could advocate for Kolbe’s canonization. Glod took the painting and traveled across 11 states before Kolbe was officially recognized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in October 1982.

His visit to Bishop Guilfoyle Wednesday afternoon was different, as Glod spoke about the importance of having a solid foundation in life.

“The education I received from the Altoona Catholic High School, now Bishop Guilfoyle Academy, was the stepping stone, the anchor, the foundation of everything that happened in my life afterwards,” he said.

When Glod graduated from John Carroll University during the 1960s, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the transportation corps of the United States Army, which started his career in the military.

Bishop Guilfoyle Academy sophomore Mary Haigh looks at the details of a painting of St. Maximilian Kolbe following an assembly on Wednesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

He later attained a Master of Science from the National Defense University and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University of Law.

The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred during his last year of law school, however, and he joined a reserve program in an intelligence unit due to his Polish parentage and language fluency. He eventually became a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations while practicing law in Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

A White House scholar asked Glod to join the delegation traveling to Poznan, Poland, before the Polish government asked Glod to examine their industries.

Glod represented the United States forces in August 1976 at Polish St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Feast of the Assumption held at Auschwitz, Poland, where the artist’s father-in-law, Henryk Sienkiewicz, gifted Glod the painting.

“And I said, ‘Yes, I would love to see it, but are you offering it to me?’ And they said, ‘Yes, we want you to take this painting,'” Glod said, stating that Sienkiewicz wanted Glod to advocate for Kolbe’s sainthood in America.

Stanley and Linda Glod talk about the life of Polish priest St. Maximilian Kolbe during an assembly at Bishop Guilfoyle Academy on Wednesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Kolbe was recognized for his martyrdom while imprisoned by the Nazis in the Auschwitz concentration camp. When Nazi officers decided to select 10 prisoners to be starved to death, Kolbe volunteered himself in place of one of the prisoners initially selected.

Thinking about Kolbe’s life as a priest, missionary and radio host, Glod said Kolbe would have fit in perfectly at Bishop Guilfoyle.

“This saint would fit into this institution as a principal, as a chaplain, as a teacher. Because frankly, he has embodied all these talents,” Glod said.

Small town, big impacts

Glod told his story about the painting to BG’s Director of Advancement Lisa Georgiana and President Joseph Adams over dinner about a month ago in Northern Virginia.

Bishop Guilfoyle Academy students Mary Haigh (from left), Maurie Querry, Lyla Steward, Morgan Geishauser and Joey Lehman speak with Stanley and Linda Glod following their St. Maximilian Kolbe painting presentation at the school on Wednesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Coming back to Altoona, Georgiana said, “He took that portrait all over the country. He should bring it to Altoona.”

To involve the students, she emailed Glod and asked him to give a talk on his painting, to which he happily agreed.

She hoped that the students in attendance would realize that they can achieve success like Glod, as he also grew up in Altoona.

“You can go all over the world, be a good person, but that solid foundation you receive in a community like Blair County, you can make the world a better place,” she said.

And to create a solid society, she said that people have to see beyond themselves, which is an important lesson for students to learn.

Bishop Guilfoyle Academy students listen to Stanley Glod's presentation on the life of Polish priest St. Maximilian Kolbe on Wednesday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

About five students stuck around to get their photos alongside the painting of Kolbe and speak with Glod and his wife, Linda.

Junior Lyla Steward said it was cool that Glod was chosen to promote Kolbe’s canonization into sainthood.

“I love local veteran stories, and his service story really captures my essence,” said junior Joey Lehman, who is writing a book about BG’s history and wants to incorporate Glod’s story into his work-in-progress.

Sophomore Mary Haigh admired Kolbe’s depiction in the displayed piece of artwork, as it captured a soft facial expression that shines through, while first-year student Morgan Geishauser enjoyed the buildings in the background that told Kolbe’s personal story.

And the halo shows students that Kolbe was an ordinary person who emphasized religion every day, junior Maurie Querry said.

“And (it) shows how ordinary people like us can make an impact on people through living the faith,” she said.

After the event, Haigh said she found inspiration to live her life through faith and loving others. And knowing what impact someone can make is far beyond what others realize, she said.

Likewise, Querry said that Glod’s words made her reexamine her life and she will now try harder to focus on the smaller things in life.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.