Maciej was born on 24 February 1884 in Marszowice, a parish of Niegowić, in the archdiocese of Kraków (Poland) into a deeply religious and numerous family, the son of Antonio and Salomea Kowalska. In the years 1891-1894 he attended the folk school in Niegowić and during this time he received his First Communion. From 1895 he attended the local high school in Wadowice and was a pupil of the Carmelite boarding school, where he met St. Rafał Kalinowski, renewer of Carmel in Poland, whose personality and holiness exerted a great influence on Maciej's later life.
In 1901 in Czerna, he received the Carmelite habit, becoming Anselm of St Andrew Corsini, and in 1902 he made his religious profession. In the novitiate, enthusiastic about the discovery that he was a «son of Mary», he dedicated himself to her. When he decided, «I want and must be holy,» he remained faithful to this ideal until the end of his life. He studied theology in Rome, where he was ordained a priest on 25th of July 1907. From 1909 to 1918 he taught theology in Kraków and Vienna, and was also tutor to clerics. He was also known for his extensive pastoral activity as a spiritual father, director of spiritual exercises and preacher. In Kraków in 1914 he founded and directed the Confraternity of the Child Jesus of Prague. In the years 1918-1920 he was prior in Wadowice where he founded a minor seminary. In 1920 he was appointed by the General Definitory as the first Provincial of the resurrected Polish Province of the Discalced Carmelites. He tried to recover the monasteries that had been closed and with care he took care of the deep spiritual life of the Carmelite communities.
In 1921, with the collaboration of the Venerable Servant of God, Teresa of St. Joseph (Janina Kierocińska, 1885-1946), he founded the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of the Child Jesus to which he transmitted the charism of Divine childhood according to the «little way» of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. Since 1935 the Congregation has been aggregated to the Order.
From 1925 he stayed in Rome, where he was entrusted with the task of organizing the International College of the Order, in the years 1926-45 he was its first rector, from 1935 also the dean of the Theological Faculty. In the years 1931-1947 he also served as a general councillor; he was entrusted with the task of carrying out visitations in various provinces of the Order. By appointment of Pope Pius XI he became Apostolic Visitator of ecclesiastical seminaries in Poland, of national colleges in Rome. In 1940 Pope Pius XII appointed him consultor to the Congregation for Catholic Seminaries and Universities.
On his return to Poland in 1947, he served as Father Provincial three more times. He always bore witness to a devout priestly and Carmelite life, he took care to keep up the level of spiritual life of the brothers and sisters in Carmel; he was the spiritual father of many consecrated and lay people, whom he led to holiness. He distinguished himself for his fervent charity to his neighbour, for commitment, serenity of mind, prudence, humility and simplicity. With paternal charity he opened himself to the needs of others. He also took care of the formation of the Congregation he founded, elaborated its Constitutions and made a bequest to them of a large number of his spiritual writings.
The last 10 years of his life were spent in the monastery of the Discalced Carmelites in Łódź. Despite weak health and spiritual experiences, he took part in the acts of community life until the end, he abandoned himself to the apostolate of prayer and suffering. His whole life was an example of patience and fidelity to the Carmelite vocation. The secret of his spiritual life was expressed in the words: «All my life I have exercised myself in the practice of the charity of the Child Jesus.»
He died with a reputation for holiness on October 15, 1969. His earthly remains rest in the vestibule of the church of the Discalced Carmelites in Łódź. The process of beatification in the Archdiocese of Łódź began on February 2, 2002, and took place in the years 2002-2008. The acts of the trial were transmitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome.
