A Duel to the End....

Earlier this week, to celebrate Prof. Herrera's (teaches Spanish and German) birthday, all of the faculty and staff were invited to dessert and a game of good old Texas Holdem Poker.

After being down to only a few chips and going "all in" several times, it so turned out that at about midnight everybody else was out of the game except Fr. Dave and I.

It was the Director of the Program vs. the Director of Student Life, a game to remember!

Who was going to win? After going back and forth for the next thirty minutes, we ended on another, "All In!" and the winner was...........................................................................................

Fr. Dave!

I had a flush - Ave high, and he had a full house, a great way to end the game! I am looking forward to the Men's Poker night this semester. We'll see what you got!

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Also, check out this new Catholic news site called Pewsitter: http://www.pewsitter.com/index.php

Finally, there is an interesting article that relates to drinking and family life. There are some interesting correlations: http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110010555\

Creek Jumping

I heard from Andrea, our secretary who resides in Gaming and works for the University, that even the locals are now starting to jump into the river because the American students from the Kartause do. The students have so much fun, they decided they didn't want to miss out either!

I must admit, this is the first semester which students have ever rafted down the river in town. What next, scuba diving? Perhaps its fishing! Oh, by the way, the owner of the sports store in town called the other day and said that recently 4 students approached him and tried to buy fishing equipment. He said, "don't they know it's illegal to fish in town without a license?"

Caving in Gaming

Only three words to describe it: It's a blast!

The Fall 2007 Group

Original Group Photo - with Crane

Photo with crane edited out:

Some are luckier than others

So, some of us are luckier than others......Pier Giorgio Asci being the luckiest of all as he was kissed by the Pope during his recent visit to Austria. The picture was taken at the Cistercian Monastery of the Holy Cross (HeiligenKreuz) outside of Vienna.

Your Fall RA's...who are they really?

So they smile at you, carry your bags, go to class with you, get you toilet paper, and write you up. They are your RAs. But who are they really?

Name: Kathryn (Kat) Torma

Year in school: Sophomore

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Indiana

First crush: Guy from Casper (the one who had a crush on a girl named Kat)

Favorite dessert: Dairy Queen Reese’s Blizzard

Thing she’s most excited about this semester: Watching God work

Words of advice: “Surrender what you hold on to and watch God’s faithfulness come into being!”

Name: Rebecca (Becca) Gieser

Year in school: Junior

Major: Pre-pharmacy

Hometown: Park City, MT

First crush: Luke Purington

Favorite dessert: Mud pie / Classic New York Cheesecake

Thing she’s most excited about this semester: Dante’s birthday, September 11

Words of advice: “We are living in one of the most beautiful areas of God’s creation. Go out and explore. Climb mountains. Jump in the creek and give glory to God! This is your shot: travel the world and get everything you can out of the short time you have here.”


Name: Andrew John Matwijec

Year in school: Sophomore

Majors: Theology, Philosophy, German (plus Army ROTC)

Hometown: Manassas, VA

First crush: Ice skater Tanya Harding

Favorite dessert: Strawberry ice cream

Thing he’s most excited about this semester: Being an RA and touring Europe

Words of advice: Set goals- a deeper relationship with God. Make Him number one. Be disciplined. Have fun and grow!


Name: Elana Anne Lussier

Year in school: Sophomore

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Chelsea, MI

First crush: Ryan Lundquist. “We both had last names starting with ‘Lu’ so we were always lab partners and had lockers next to each other. We also went to each other’s soccer games.”

Favorite dessert: Moose tracks ice cream and No-bake oatmeal cookies

Thing she’s most excited about this semester: Hiking and seeing history


Name: Robert Baldwin

Year in school: Junior

Major: Biology

Hometown: Rockford, MI

First crush: Jenny Gilbreath

Favorite dessert: No-bake cookies

Thing he’s most excited about this semester: “I am most excited about traveling and experiencing Europe with all the amazing students.”



Name: Matthew Rudolph

Year in school: Junior

Major: Communications and Theology

Hometown: Peoria, Illinois

First crush: Her name was Kelley. “It all started in kindergarten…one thing led to another until eventually, I gave her a homemade ring. The rest is history”

Favorite dessert: Ice cream cake / Grasshoppers

Thing he’s most excited about this semester: Letting the Lord transform us all!

Words of advice: “Open your mind. Open your heart. Pray, ponder and receive Him this semester.”

Compiled by Matt Rudolph - RA

Pope Benedict Visits Austria

The visit to Mariazell was in all senses of the term a true pilgrimage. Yet, as with every pilgrimage, it was worth every sacrifice and inconvenience.

Remarkably, despite the early morning, cold rain, and long walk, I did not hear any student utter one complaint! Way to go!

I was especially moved by several points in his homily in Vienna and in Mariazell, and I would like to share them with you today for reflection and meditation:

- The Holy Father made an appeal to politicians "not to allow children to be considered as a form of illness, ... to do everything possible to make European countries once again open to welcoming children," and "to favor conditions enabling young couples to raise children. Yet," he added, "all this will be pointless, unless we can succeed in creating once again in our countries a
climate of joy and confidence in life, a climate in which children are not seen as a burden, but rather as a gift for all."

- It should be everyone's concern to ensure that the day will never come when only its [Austria's] stones speak of Christianity! An Austria without a vibrant Christian faith would no longer be Austria."

- Making a pilgrimage means setting out in a particular direction, travelling towards a destination.

- "The awakening of the Christian faith," he added, "the dawning of the Church of Jesus Christ was made possible, because there were people in Israel whose hearts were searching, people who did not rest content with custom, but who looked further ahead, in search of something greater. ...Because their hearts were expectant, they were able to recognize in Jesus the One Whom God had sent....We too need an open and restless heart like theirs."

- "We need the truth"

- "Truth proves itself in love"

- "Where God is, there is the future"

A Student Testimony

I was very excited to hear the testimony of one of our student leaders. Her testimony shows that we are right on track with the Gaming Program and that we are fulfilling our mission!

When I asked Kat Torma how the semester was going so far, she recounted part of her conversation with her mother the evening before:

"Mom, they just keep giving me more Jesus."

I hope and pray that we--faculty, staff, and students-- can continue to be sources of grace and inspiration to one another.

Pope Benedict Reflects on Mariazell Before his Visit

VATICAN CITY, SEP 1, 2007 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Holy Father to diocesan newspapers in Austria for his forthcoming apostolic visit - from September 7 to 9 - to Vienna and to the Shrine of Mariazell which is celebrating its 850th anniversary.

"I love the magnificent landscapes of your homeland which remind me of the Sunday walks of my infancy, ... the great culture of Austria and the friendliness of your people," writes Benedict XVI.

"During my visit," he continues, "I will encounter a great culture enriched with the passing centuries, but above all I will encounter the present: the conflicts and questions of an ever more fast-moving age, the fatigue and faith of being Christian and coexisting with different cultures and traditions."

Austria's Marian "heart," says the Holy Father, is in the Shrine of Mariazell, and he recalls how his private chapel in the Vatican contains a copy of the Virgin of Mariazell which John Paul II brought with him from the shrine.

"When I pray in the chapel," Pope Benedict concludes, "the benevolent face of the Mother of God of Mariazell looks upon me, and I too perceive that sense of tranquillity ... which St. Joseph transmits to the Baby Jesus."