A New Look and Feel to an Ancient Symbol

For all those who come to Gaming, an 'ancient' rite of passage is christening oneself through jumping in the creek across the street. This ritual is practiced in all 12 months of the year, in rain or shine, warmth or cold, and has provided much joy and fun over the years, and perhaps a few injuries too.

But today, a chapter has begun. To our dismay, we looked on as the Forestry Service cut down and bore away the beloved protector of this sacred spot--those trees which shade and bejewel the area. They are no more and while we bemoan this "advance of progress", we are nonetheless obliged to look on the positive side as well: as Sr. Joan Paule put it, "at least there will be more sun and this makes it more inviting--perhaps we will even see some sunbathers soon...."

So, for all those die-hards, for better or for worse, the creek has taken on a new look. See pictures below of the new scene as well as the sunrise this morning through the haze.

Relish! (not the pickley condiment)

A blog post by Maria Rocha, Spring 2011

Since arriving here, all my friends and I have been able to talk about is leaving. Budapest! Italy! Bled! Prague! Ireland! Spain! We throw countries and cities around conversation like we’re in geography class. After a few weeks of this frantic planning, I realized that we were missing something really huge. We had tunnel vision on the train out of Gaming and didn’t even bother to look around and realize what a beautiful town we’ve been put in. I mean, when are we going to be HERE again? Here, nestled in the mountains of Austria in a monastery. I feel like that chance won’t come again for most of us. There is something to be said about Gaming and the incredible ability it has to calm me in the middle of the most stressful days. Taking a walk in Gaming is better than therapy. Seriously! When I leave the Kartause and the mayhem of classes behind and start walking, I remember that life goes on outside of the microcosm we have constructed for ourselves in the Kartause.

This in mind, I decided to take my weekend in Gaming early in the semester. As my peers were frantically booking hostels and throwing their ipods in their backpacks, I sat back and thought about all the time I would have to just exist in this quaint environment with a few friends. The calm, studious weekend I was expecting turned out to be much more exciting and fulfilling than I imagined. The only regret I had in staying behind is that I wouldn’t experience anything new in terms of culture, people, or language. Lucky for me, Budapest, Hungary came to Gaming in the form of friends of a student here at the Kartause. The weekend was a mixture of English and Hungarian spiced with frantic gestures, card tricks, and jokes.

Though we only experienced a small group of Hungarian people, we found them to be so alive and joyful. When I say alive, I don’t mean simply breathing bodies but alive in the sense that they were vibrant minds and personalities. The Hungarians sing with a gusto that is so endearing. Each of them knows the words and tune as if they were born with the music inside of them. They sing when they drink, when they walk, while they cook, before they eat, and while they are relaxing. It’s lovely form of expression and more interesting than simply saying, “This beer is delicious,” or “Wow we’ve been walking for so long.”

Each of us was so curious about the others’ lifestyle that we spent the weekend grilling each other and laughing at the strange habits of the other. The greatest complaint the Hungarians voiced was, “Why do you not use the metric system? What is this primitive foot, gallon system you use?” Of all the strange things I’m sure we do in America, they wondered about our measurements. In my shock, all I could do was laugh to myself and pass the question on to one of my friends to answer.

At the end of the weekend, I felt as if I had been on my own journey of sorts, though I never left Gaming. The weekend didn’t leave me with a feeling of restlessness or dissatisfaction, rather, a greater appreciation of the environment in which I am so blessed to live in temporarily. I have learned the art of “relishing in the present.”

Wildlife--in and near--Gaming

For being situated in the foothills of the alps, one would imagine that a whole array of wildlife would be fairly common to spot. However, after 4 years of living with our backyard bordering the woods, I have only seen deer twice, a jackrabbit, and a little weasel-like creature in the backyard along with the more common squirrels, rabbits, and insects.

One of our friends, a local Gaminger named Joe Highrider, is an avid photographer and has shared some of his photographs with us. The detail and clarity on these photos is truly amazing:

Hiking -- Austria's Gem

For all those with even a faith glimmer of outdoor adventure in their bones, to come to Austria and not hike is a shame. My first Winter in Gaming I asked my Father what he thought of me purchasing a season ski pass and frankly responded: How could you not?

Yes, how could you not go hiking here in the Austrian Alps?

My latest adventure along with the male RD has been to hike over Dachstein Glacier up to the summit. It is about a six hour hike up and a six hour down hill grunt. We saw plenty of mountain goats and a slough of wild flowers including the quintessential austrial Edelweiss (the picture of the white flowers).

The air was fresh, the sun was shining, and we sweated off a few days of calories as we paced ourselves up the mountain path, through the snow, climbed down a snow ladder and then climbed ropes up to the glorious summit. For all the students who come to through Gaming--whether they end up hiking locally or up one of the bigger mountain in Austria-- the opportunities are copious to frolic in the hills and experience God's beauty as it emanates through creation. I hope all who are here take full advantage of hiking for its surely once of life's simple pleasures.

Hurrahing in Harvest

Ah, presently the farmers are cutting the hay all around the fields in Gaming and its environs. The air smells sweet, of cut grass and warmth, and sunshine. Believe it or not, the air is even beginning to change as well -- there are slight portents of fall in the cool night air and even some leaves are beginning to change and fall off the trees.

Pretty soon, the pumpkins, gourds, and cornucopia's will be out in full swing. We'll be wearing sweatshirts, and hiking in the mountians. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, let's enjoy summer while it lasts for the Farmers in Austria are predicting an early winter!



Check out these beautiful pictures of the haying which is occuring across the street:

This agrarian beauty aptly reminds me of one of my favorite Hopkin's (1844 -1888) poems: Hurrahing in Harvest.

My father introduced the poem to me this summer and I can't get over the beauty of the verses:

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SUMMER ends now; now, barbarous in beauty, the stooks arise

Around; up above, what wind-walks! what lovely behaviour

Of silk-sack clouds! has wilder, wilful-wavier

Meal-drift moulded ever and melted across skies?


I walk, I lift up, I lift up heart, eyes,

Down all that glory in the heavens to glean our Saviour;

And, éyes, heárt, what looks, what lips yet gave you a

Rapturous love’s greeting of realer, of rounder replies?


And the azurous hung hills are his world-wielding shoulder

Majestic—as a stallion stalwart, very-violet-sweet!—

These things, these things were here and but the beholder

Wanting; which two when they once meet,

The heart rears wings bold and bolder

And hurls for him, O half hurls earth for him off under his feet.

Unsuspecting Trio: Gaming, Toddlers, and St. John of the Cross

My wife Niki recently wrote this article for a local Minneapolis paper; it's a nice piece inspired by the ordinary events of daily life in Gaming. Hope you enjoy!

My eighteen-month-old son, Dominic, has recently decided to assert his independence by insisting on holding my hand and walking when we go places, instead of being carried. In the little alpine village of Gaming, Austria, which we call home, walking is the primary mode of transportation. Whether it be to go to Mass, to work, into town, to the chapel- we walk almost everywhere.

Obviously, toddlers walk differently than adults. First of all, the short legs make for many more steps and thus a slower pace. Then there is the absolute wonder of the world they possess. On a typical two-block length walk Dominic will find numerous things to regard with awe. He’ll take a few steps, stop, look up at me and smile. Then he’ll spot a lone airplane in the clear blue sky. Again stopping, he’ll point and make a sound that is somewhat similar to the word "airplane." We continue again. Then comes the bridge over the river. I should be used to pauses here to admire the water below because my older son is still fascinated by the moving currents. Off again and we’re at the street. Another point of the index finger and this time the word "car."

At times I find myself frustrated at how much longer a trip takes while Dominic is not on my hip, but in control. But then one day the sheer beauty of this whole experience literally stopped me in my tracks (like Dominic does!) What a wonderful thing to be a child. They know nothing of deadlines, rushing around, running late, or being last. Yes, while we walk many others pass us by, but this never troubles Dominic. He is enjoying the experience and marveling in the surroundings.

A connection was also made in my mind between Dominic’s attitude and the spirituality of St. John of the Cross. I’ m currently reading, "The Impact of God" by English Carmelite Ian Matthew, and many themes became clearer to me in light of my experiences with Dominic. A major theme expanded by Fr. Matthew in the book is that God is seeking us as His beloved. He states, "God is an approaching God, and our main job will be not to construct but to receive; the key word will not be so much ‘achievement’ as ‘space’. ‘Making space for God in order to receive.’" (p.35) He elaborates on, "images of a God who initiates and invades…Progress will be measured, less by ground covered, more by the amount of room God is given to manoeuvre." (p. 37) Thus the spiritual life is less about what we do or accomplish and more about being present and having our hearts and very lives open so God can enter and be with us.

Matthew continues with this theme, "Writing to the Beas community, [St. John of the Cross] speaks of people who ‘do not stay empty, so that God might fill them with his ineffable delight; so they leave God just as they came—their hands were already full, and they could not take what God was giving. God save us from such unhappy burdens which keep us from such fair and wholesome freedom!’" (p. 37) This attitude of being present before God is of utmost importance.
St. John of the Cross asserts that ‘denial’ is necessary, defined as, "setting oneself free by saying no" (p. 43). Furthermore one must work for a "level of the spirit: availability as a person for communion; the space for the gift of the Other. This is more than just a rearrangement of pieces." (p. 45) This denial is necessary when temptations arise. The remedy? "In order to remain supple for the moment of challenge that will one day come," St. John says, "get used to going beyond yourself. Make a point of not always doing just what comes most comfortably. Do not keep running, but do keep fit. This is ‘acquiring the facility’." (p. 47)

Obviously, there is much more to be learned from St. John of the Cross. But the fundamental theme of a searching God is one that gives much food for thought. Maybe walking more slowly, de-cluttering our racing minds and forgetting about the time isn’t something just for toddlers after all.

Meet your Female RD

Hi! My name is Katie Hess and I am the Female Residence Director here in Gaming. Here’s a little bit about myself. I love to be in nature—hiking, running, playing sports. I love meeting people, talking with people, eating with people, baking. I love to experience the different cultures here in Europe, to walk the streets of a new city, to listen to music and eat local food.
I am an Ohio native. I grew up in the Dayton area, and I have a wonderful family including one brother and four sisters. After high school, I served for an amazing year on NET 2001-2002. That is where I first ate alligator and got the travel bug. I graduated, as a Handmaid, from FUS in 2006 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Philosophy.

I love Gaming and the Gaming Program, and I am very excited about this year. I am anxious to for all of the students to arrive. I can't wait to meet everyone and to see the great plans that God has for this semester. See you soon!