--- title: "\"Holy\" and Karina Fabian - Word by Word Contributor Series" description: "Karina Fabian shares her thoughts on the word \"HOLY\" and has a very simple (yet hard to implement) tip for slowing down in prayer in today's Word by Word Contributor Interview." --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/10/23/holy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series#) # "Holy" and Karina Fabian - Word by Word Contributor Series Oct 23, 2015 12:00:26 PM  |  by [Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sarah-reinhard) When I began the project of looking closer at the Hail Mary on [my blog](http://snoringscholar.com) many years ago, I never dreamed it would be a book. That project inspired a whole new way of praying for me, and it made me slow down. [![Word by Word Slowing Down with the Hail Mary copy](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Word-by-Word-Slowing-Down-with-the-Hail-Mary-copy-286x400-14.jpg?width=132&height=185&name=Word-by-Word-Slowing-Down-with-the-Hail-Mary-copy-286x400-14.jpg)](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716404/catholicmom) The book inspired by the blog series, *[Word by Word: Slowing Down with the Hail Mary](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716404/catholicmom)*, has been a walk down memory lane for me, in part because many of the contributors are old friends. In *Word by Word*, each contributor wrote a brief reflection about every word of the Hail Mary. The idea was that, in reflecting on the prayer one word at a time, we would all slow down and pray it differently, more meaningfully, and closer to Jesus. Today, I get to share a bit more with you from [Karina Fabian](http://fabianspace.com/), who I met through the [Catholic Writers Guild](http://catholicwritersguild.com/). (In fact, many of my stories of meeting writers starts out that way...and if you are a writer, you should check [CWG](http://catholicwritersguild.com/) out!) Karina's a fiction writer, and she's also a fabulous, wonderful, very devoted person who likes babies. (She also writes the best punny jokes on Facebook, but I digress.) In fact, I'm not even representing her well here, because I'm such a fan...so I'll let HER tell you more about her devotion! ![Karina Fabian Word by Word Contributor Interviews - CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Karina-Fabian-Word-by-Word-Contributor-Interviews-CatholicMom_com_-550x260.jpg?width=550&height=260&name=Karina-Fabian-Word-by-Word-Contributor-Interviews-CatholicMom_com_-550x260.jpg) #### **Karina, what's your relationship with the Hail Mary as a prayer? How does it help you grow closer to Mary and, through her, Jesus?** The Hail Mary and the Our Father are my go-to prayers. I pray the Hail Mary when I see an emergency vehicle with its lights on, and I prayed the Hail Mary when I was in labor. It’s like the comfy shirt that never seems too overused. Although I have to admit I’ve never really meditated on it so deeply until you asked me to explore just one word. I’m excited to get my copy of the book so I can go back over the meditations. #### **Your reflection was on the word HOLY. Tell us a bit about what this word means to you in the context of the Hail Mary.** I think it’s easy to take Mary for granted – comfy shirt isn’t the most flattering of analogies, but it fits here, too. We love her, we venerate her, but she’s our spiritual mother, and like all mothers, she’s familiar; and because of it, we may treat her casually. But she’s also The Vessel – the perfect womb for bringing God to Humankind. She was just a woman, yet called to be so much more. Just as Jesus was God and Man, Mary is common and holy. #### **What's your top tip for slowing down as you pray the Hail Mary...or any prayer, for that matter?** Turn off the distractions. I’d even print the prayer if you got it off the Internet and get away from the computer. # * Karina's latest novel is *[Mind Over All](http://karinafabian.com/mind-over-all/)*, a novel that's sitting patiently on my to-read shelf and driving me CRAZY because I'm DYING TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. (I've read the first two books. And they're great. As is pretty much everything Karina writes.) Be sure to [check out her website](http://karinafabian.com/) to learn more about her writing and work. If you're interested in purchasing *[Word by Word](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716404/catholicmom)*, consider stopping in at your local Catholic bookstore first. It's also available online, and if you use [our Amazon link](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1594716404/catholicmom), CatholicMom.com gets a small percentage of the sales. *Copyright 2015 Sarah Reinhard* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F23%2Fholy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F23%2Fholy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F23%2Fholy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=%22Holy%22%20and%20Karina%20Fabian%20-%20Word%20by%20Word%20Contributor%20Series) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F23%2Fholy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F10%2F23%2Fholy-and-karina-fabian-word-by-word-contributor-series%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/SARAH%20REINHARD.jpeg) ### [Sarah Reinhard](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sarah-reinhard) When she’s not chasing kids, chugging coffee, or juggling work, Sarah Reinhard’s usually trying to stay up read just one … more … chapter. She writes and works in the midst of rural farm life with little ones underfoot. She is part of the team for the award-winning *Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion*, as well as the author of [a number of books](http://sarahreinhard.com/my-books/). ## Related Blog Articles [ A "Full The" with Word by Word Contributor Jaymie Stuart Wolfe Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/11/20/a-full-the-with-word-by-word-contributor-jaymie-stuart-wolfe) [ A Look at "Our" with Cat Hodge - Word by Word Contributor Series Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/11/24/a-look-at-our-with-cat-hodge-word-by-word-contributor-series) [ Two Little Letters, One Big Word: OF and Shelly Kelly - Word by Word Contributor Series Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/11/10/two-little-letters-one-big-word-of-and-shelly-kelly-word-by-word-contributor-series) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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