From June 24 to July 3, alumni and friends journeyed to Gaming, Austria, for the Austria Alumni Reunion. Led by Alumni Relations Director Christie Fleming ’10 and Father Timothy Danaher, OP ’09, the group made the Kartause Maria Thronus Iesu their home base and traveled to Salzburg, Vienna, and other scenic locations. Some came to revisit the site of the best semester of their lives; others discovered Gaming for the first time; all experienced the peace and beauty of the Austrian Alps and of friendships old and new. Here are some highlights.
“After hiking Book Mountain, while looking out at Gaming from the top, the Kartause nestled in the midst of the view, I turned to a friend I made on the trip and said, ‘I feel so lucky. Some people live their whole lives and never see beauty like this.’ He nodded in agreement. My heart is still full from the memories—the daily Mass, the friendships made, the breathtaking views, the bus ride Rosaries, the history in every direction, and the conversations shared over a pint. I’m so grateful.”
—Anne Marie Miller ’15
“I booked this trip thinking it would be a fun walk down memory lane and an opportunity to share with my husband, Kyle, one of the favorite times in my life. It certainly was all that but so much more! …With daily Mass, daily Rosary, and almost-daily adoration, we were reminded of Him from whom all blessings flow. … Kyle, knowing I had spent plenty of time in Austria (in 1995!) praying for my future husband, requested the opportunity to renew our marriage vows at the Kartause Maria Thron. Christie and Father Tim were happy to make that happen. Kyle and I celebrated 18 years on July 9…what a blessing!
—Bernadette (Peters ’97) Finken
“Christie and Father Tim did an excellent job of hosting this reunion. Even though I met them both at the beginning of the trip for the first time, by the end, I felt as if we always had known each other. They truly were able to bring so many strangers together and make us all feel like family. In fact, that is one thing I have always felt also about our university. No matter when you went there, you are always family.”
—Patrick Jackson ’99
Plan now to join us for our next Austria Alumni Reunion in June 2025. Details coming soon at alumni.franciscan.edu!
