Deepen Your Relationship with Mary with Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.

Adam Wright:

We are happy to have Father Daniel Mary Klimek, a Third Order Regular Franciscan, with us on the show today. Father is the author of a book, For the Love of Mary. Father, it’s good to have you with us here on Roadmap to Heaven.

Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.:

Thank you so much, Adam. It’s a blessing to be with you. I appreciate it.

Adam Wright:

Well, this is kind of a loaded question because if you can’t guess, I love the Blessed Mother. I’ve got the Blessed Mother here. I’ve got our pray the Rosary shirt on the bookshelf here. I’ve got the holy family. There there’s lots of odes to the Blessed Mother here on our video podcast set. And for our radio listeners, I apologize. You can’t see it. It’s radio, but you can imagine it. Just imagine the most beautiful statue of Mary and that’ll be close. But you have you have this book, For the Love of Mary, and the question is: how do I fall in love with Mary, my spiritual mother?

Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.:

Yeah. Phenomenal question. There are numerous ways, each chapter is dedicated to a path. One of the chapters, for example, is called the presence of Mary, or practicing the presence of Mary. And what is being emphasized there is often a person can try to delve into Marian devotion by focusing on the Rosary or Marian consecration, both important spiritual disciplines, but afterwards still feel like they’re not any closer to Our Lady. The presence of Mary, it’s a meditative technique: where you visualize Our Lady’s presence as if she’s sitting by you, or standing by you, or walking with you, and you begin to pray to her from the heart. Give her your vulnerabilities, your fears, your emotions, your blessings, your joys. Speak to her like a mother. And when we say speak to her like a mother and to cultivate this practice, it’s also about addressing her in center ways.
I referenced the, Kibeho visionaries, the Marian apparitions of Kibeho, Rwanda. The first set of apparitions to be officially approved by the church on the continent of Africa. When the Kibeho visionaries first addressed Our Lady, it would scandalize some of the people who are present, because they would use such terms of affection like my beloved, my darling, mom, and then people would ask How can you refer to the mother of God this way? And the Kibeho visionaries would say, “Because she wants us to speak to her like she’s our mom, not like she’s our principal or boss.” And I think that’s also so accurate. Oftentimes, the way that we address her, to use tender affectionate terms, of genuine intimacy and love, will cultivate the way that we see her and speak to her and understand her as our mother.

Adam Wright:

I think that’s beautiful, as someone who advocates praying the Rosary, who’s made the Marian Consecration, looks forward to renewing the Marian Consecration. But moving past those rote prayers, which are very good, into the relationship. I don’t know about you, Father, but for me, it’s praying that daily Rosary. I feel like I’m holding the Blessed Mother’s hand when I have my hand on the beads. Then that makes it easier to address her as mom and to go to her with those things. But for someone who maybe isn’t there yet, and they’re saying, “That is definitely where I would like to get, but this is a little uncomfortable.” How do we move past that discomfort and try to acclimate ourselves into moving deeper in relationship with the Blessed Mother?

Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.:

Yeah. You know, the Rosary, we understand it as a prayer that certainly allows us to meditate on the life Jesus, but it is also a prayer – and John Paul II really emphasizes this in his Apostolic constitution on the Rosary – it’s a prayer where you are also meditating on Our Lady’s memories. So when we say Our Lady’s memories, it’s acknowledging that she lived through many of these memories, through many of these events. The rosary begins of course with the Joyful Mysteries, with the Annunciation, and it travels all the way to the Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven And Earth. And to see it that way is to see it as an encounter. John Paul II said that each day he scheduled a meeting with the mother of God, with one of the most important people. And for him, that daily meeting was the Rosary.
So it’s to see it as an encounter with this beautiful, maternal woman who one day wants to share some of her most joyful memories with you. Another day, she wants to share some of her most sorrowful memories with you – when she saw her son die in front of her. Because to be able to share so deeply, so vulnerably, requires trust. So here, we are saying you’re going to have an encounter with her every day. She’s going to open her heart to you. This is an expression of intimacy and trust, so to be able to realize that she’s present. Even in Fatima, when Our Lady said to Lucia, to pray the Rosary and meditate on the mysteries. She used the language “Keep me company as you’re meditating on the mysteries”. So in that very language, “keep me company”, she’s telling us that when we pray the Rosary, she’s present, she’s with us, and it’s a real encounter with a real woman.

Adam Wright:

I love it. Now I’m going to change things on my schedule to put the meeting on there. I’m going to follow that example of St. John Paul II. But I love that opportunity to sit down with her and reflect upon her memories. And really, for those that love Lectio Divina, that love to meditate on sacred scripture, that’s what you’re doing when you pray the Rosary. All of these mysteries can also be found in scripture. So it’s truly a beautiful thing. The book again, Father, is called For the Love of Mary, and that’s available through the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology?

Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.:

That’s right. That’s stpaulcenter.com, the Saint being St, and also available on Amazon.

Adam Wright:

Alright. Wonderful, Father. Could I ask you to close our time together with a prayer or blessing for our listeners?

Fr. Daniel Mary Klimek T.O.R.:

Absolutely. In the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit Amen. Father, I ask for an outpouring of your Holy Spirit upon all our listeners in Jesus’ name. Spirit of God, touch them, fill them with grace, anointing, healing. Mother Mary, wrap them in your mantle and protect them. We entrust every listener to you as we pray, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Adam Wright:

Amen. Well, Father Klimek, thank you so much for being with us. Again, it’s Father Daniel Mary Klimek, author of For the Love of Mary. We’re going to take a break here on Roadmap to Heaven. Stay tuned.