Grüβ Gott von Österreich!

Transplanting yourself in a foreign environment begs for adventure. A new environment, new friends, new languages, new classes and new teachers bring many stresses, no doubt. On the forefront of “things to do” is learning how to successfully navigate big cities, come back to the Kartause after weekends of travel, and balance school work all the while maintaining a healthy and consistent prayer life. In the short three weeks the spring 2010 class has been here, my peers and I agree that Austrian program at Franciscan University has prepared us well as we embark on a life-changing semester.

Franciscan University has a clever way of accustoming students to the different lifestyle here in Gaming. A trip to Melk Monastery and Vienna helped us overcome our jetlag as we were too fascinated by our new (although quite old) surroundings to sleep. A trip to Salzburg and Munich during the second weekend introduced us to how hostels function—which is a service we will be using quite frequently on our travels around Europe. Seminars here at the Kartause gave us tips for safe traveling. The school trips have provided us with opportunities that many of us would not have known about otherwise. It has been a blessing to travel with the experience of our residence directors, priests and religious as we adjust to life in Europe.

Life here in Gaming is not all about traveling. Living in the Kartause is a rich experience on its own. There is a simplicity and quiet so dominant here in Gaming. One of my favorite aspects of the Kartause is its history of holy men who lived, prayed, worked and died here. As we go to class, offer Mass, or roam about, we walk in the footsteps of incorruptible saints who are inconspicuously and humbly buried nearby. Our success here at the Kartause may be attributed to their prayers. Jessica Michaud, one of our residence directors, mentioned that when we sing in the beautiful chapel, our voices mingle with those of the saintly men who lived here before us. While time separates us, we have the common goal of praising God and growing in holiness. Just as these men lived a hidden life, so have we been inspired to learn how to live one here as well.

There is a tangible excitement as we are excited to see God unfold the plans He has for this semester. Meanwhile, as we are busy discovering a completely different part of the world, know that we are thinking of and praying for all of you back home!

Post written by Monica Rust, Spring 2010 student

Pictures: Gaming in the Snow and visit to the Bishop

As we meander our way through another week in ordinary time, I would like to share some photos from the school trip to St. Pölten where we celebrated Mass with Bishop Küng, once a medical doctor who changed the path of his life and became a priest.

Bishop Küng celebrated the festive mass in English, took a group photo at the end and joined the students for lunch.

In other news, we got a new dusting of snow here in Gaming the past few days. Everything is dusted in this white beauty and believe it or not, we have a little miracle today with sunshine. See pictures below:

An example to emulate

For all the readers of this blog, we are getting some new assistants hired and so the posts have been a little behind schedule. It should take us a few more days to launch and I can promise more regular posts from now on.

But for now, I thought I would share a story that was passed on to me the other day about Grant Desme, a 23-year-old minor league outfielder in Oakland's system, is retiring from baseball to follow a calling into the Catholic priesthood.



Said Desme on a Friday afternoon conference call:


"I'm doing well in baseball. But I had to get down to the bottom of things, to what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life. Baseball is a good thing, but that felt selfish of me when I felt that God was calling me more. It took awhile to trust that and open up to it and aim full steam toward him ... I love the game, but I'm going to aspire to higher things."

You can read the entire (short) story here:

The Three Kings: House Blessing

With all 167 new students here in Gaming, the place is abuzz with meetings and preparations for the beginning of the semester.

With all these administrative items going on, I thought I would report on a beautiful custom here in Austria regarding the 3 kings.

Around the Feast of the Epiphany, locals dress up in costumes resembling the Three Kings who came to adore and worship Jesus 2000 years ago. These look-alikes go around to all the homes here in Gaming, blessing the homes (See pictures with white numbers on the top of the door) and seeking monetary donations to alleviate world poverty.

Spring 2010 Group Stats

Total number of students = 167

Males: 49 (29%)

Females: 118 (71%)

Avg. GPA: 3.088

Avg. Age: 19.952

Top 5 majors:

Catechetics - 23

Theology - 20

Business - 14

Education - 10

International Business - 10 (9 juniors + 1 sophomore)

Class breakdown:

Sophomores: 76

Juniors: 65

Seniors: 26

Top 5 States:

Ohio (16 students)

California and New York (13 each)

Pennsylvania (11)

Texas and Virginia (10 each)

__________________________

Still can't believe the group is 71% female!

Good old-fashioned Austrian/German Values

In reading a book on Pope Benedict the XVI, I was reading about his background and about the influence his homeland and country played upon his character and person.

In my reading, I came across a number of "old-fashioned" values which I believe still affect the German speaking countries to some degree or another:

1. Fleiss = a diligent devotion to good work, not hard, excessive, or frenetic, but good in quality and quantity.
2. Ordnung = orderliness
3. Sauberkeit = cleanliness
4. Pünktlichkeit = punctuality, a matter of personal discipline and basic consideration for the needs of others
5. Zurückhaltend = to be self-restrained with no shouting, wild gesticulations, or blaring laughter. Public displays of affection or emotion are in bad taste and the voice is to be kept soft.
6. Bescheidrnheit = modesty in bearing, or basic humility in thought, word, and deed
7. Geborgenheit = the warm feeling of safety and security, the kind bestowed by two parents who would never tear the family in two.
8. Gemütlichkeit = refers to a cozy feeling of domestic comfort, the simple pleasure of being at home, where one belongs.

To understand and reflect upon these values gives us key into understanding their culture and people, a vital element for Americans coming to live and travel abroad.