Father Esmond Klimeck OP., Ph.D., was born in Tokomairiro, New Zealand, in 1895. His Polish parents arrived there with the first wave of Polish immigrants. Ordained to the priesthood in 1920, he became the first Catholic Priest in New Zealand of Polish origin.
In 1936, while in England, he joined the Order of Friars Preachers, becoming thus the first New Zealand Dominican. During the Second World War, he served as chaplain with the Royal Air Force and later as the only chaplain for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Italy.
A great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, Klimeck was named Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Pius V of Malta. In 1952, through his efforts, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima on Guardamangia hill was built. The church was opened in 1955, and became a parish in 1968.
Authoring a series of popular books, such as "The Modern Crusader", and "Our Lady of Victories", Klimeck toured several countries with a caravan, distributing rosaries and pamphlets, campaigning for the Rosary Prayer. Shortly after joining the English Province before the Second World War, he had already started conducting a one-man Family Rosary Crusade. His motorized caravan had an office, a chapel, a refectory and sleeping quarters.
In fulfilling the obedience given to him by his Superiors, to pursue special apostolate in South Africa and in Kenya, which he did with undiminished zeal, he was decorated with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice cross.
The Master General of the Dominicans assigned Klimeck to the Australia-New Zealand Province when he was already 75 years of age as a kind of retirement award. There, he continued his Rosary Crusade.
Father Klimeck passed away in New Zealand in 1983, aged 88, and was buried at the Southern Star Abbey of the Cistercian monks, in Kopua near Takapau between Dannevirke and Waipukurau, Central Hawke's Bay. The lands where the Abbey stands, belonged the Father Klimeck's sister, Rosalie, and her husband Tom Prescott. They decided to give their farm of 360 hectares to the Church in 1948.
In 1936, while in England, he joined the Order of Friars Preachers, becoming thus the first New Zealand Dominican. During the Second World War, he served as chaplain with the Royal Air Force and later as the only chaplain for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Italy.
A great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, Klimeck was named Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Pius V of Malta. In 1952, through his efforts, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima on Guardamangia hill was built. The church was opened in 1955, and became a parish in 1968.
Authoring a series of popular books, such as "The Modern Crusader", and "Our Lady of Victories", Klimeck toured several countries with a caravan, distributing rosaries and pamphlets, campaigning for the Rosary Prayer. Shortly after joining the English Province before the Second World War, he had already started conducting a one-man Family Rosary Crusade. His motorized caravan had an office, a chapel, a refectory and sleeping quarters.
In fulfilling the obedience given to him by his Superiors, to pursue special apostolate in South Africa and in Kenya, which he did with undiminished zeal, he was decorated with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice cross.
The Master General of the Dominicans assigned Klimeck to the Australia-New Zealand Province when he was already 75 years of age as a kind of retirement award. There, he continued his Rosary Crusade.
Father Klimeck passed away in New Zealand in 1983, aged 88, and was buried at the Southern Star Abbey of the Cistercian monks, in Kopua near Takapau between Dannevirke and Waipukurau, Central Hawke's Bay. The lands where the Abbey stands, belonged the Father Klimeck's sister, Rosalie, and her husband Tom Prescott. They decided to give their farm of 360 hectares to the Church in 1948.
Father Esmond Klimeck OP., Ph.D., was born in Tokomairiro, New Zealand, in 1895. His Polish parents arrived there with the first wave of Polish immigrants. Ordained to the priesthood in 1920, he became the first Catholic Priest in New Zealand of Polish origin.
In 1936, while in England, he joined the Order of Friars Preachers, becoming thus the first New Zealand Dominican. During the Second World War, he served as chaplain with the Royal Air Force and later as the only chaplain for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Italy.
A great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, Klimeck was named Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Pius V of Malta. In 1952, through his efforts, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima on Guardamangia hill was built. The church was opened in 1955, and became a parish in 1968.
Authoring a series of popular books, such as "The Modern Crusader", and "Our Lady of Victories", Klimeck toured several countries with a caravan, distributing rosaries and pamphlets, campaigning for the Rosary Prayer. Shortly after joining the English Province before the Second World War, he had already started conducting a one-man Family Rosary Crusade. His motorized caravan had an office, a chapel, a refectory and sleeping quarters.
In fulfilling the obedience given to him by his Superiors, to pursue special apostolate in South Africa and in Kenya, which he did with undiminished zeal, he was decorated with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice cross.
The Master General of the Dominicans assigned Klimeck to the Australia-New Zealand Province when he was already 75 years of age as a kind of retirement award. There, he continued his Rosary Crusade.
Father Klimeck passed away in New Zealand in 1983, aged 88, and was buried at the Southern Star Abbey of the Cistercian monks, in Kopua near Takapau between Dannevirke and Waipukurau, Central Hawke's Bay. The lands where the Abbey stands, belonged the Father Klimeck's sister, Rosalie, and her husband Tom Prescott. They decided to give their farm of 360 hectares to the Church in 1948.
In 1936, while in England, he joined the Order of Friars Preachers, becoming thus the first New Zealand Dominican. During the Second World War, he served as chaplain with the Royal Air Force and later as the only chaplain for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Italy.
A great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, Klimeck was named Provincial of the Dominican Province of St. Pius V of Malta. In 1952, through his efforts, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima on Guardamangia hill was built. The church was opened in 1955, and became a parish in 1968.
Authoring a series of popular books, such as "The Modern Crusader", and "Our Lady of Victories", Klimeck toured several countries with a caravan, distributing rosaries and pamphlets, campaigning for the Rosary Prayer. Shortly after joining the English Province before the Second World War, he had already started conducting a one-man Family Rosary Crusade. His motorized caravan had an office, a chapel, a refectory and sleeping quarters.
In fulfilling the obedience given to him by his Superiors, to pursue special apostolate in South Africa and in Kenya, which he did with undiminished zeal, he was decorated with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice cross.
The Master General of the Dominicans assigned Klimeck to the Australia-New Zealand Province when he was already 75 years of age as a kind of retirement award. There, he continued his Rosary Crusade.
Father Klimeck passed away in New Zealand in 1983, aged 88, and was buried at the Southern Star Abbey of the Cistercian monks, in Kopua near Takapau between Dannevirke and Waipukurau, Central Hawke's Bay. The lands where the Abbey stands, belonged the Father Klimeck's sister, Rosalie, and her husband Tom Prescott. They decided to give their farm of 360 hectares to the Church in 1948.
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