Days 14-16 8/15-17: Klosterneuburg Strikes Back!

Today started out first three-day weekend. Most of the other people were making trips to other cities and countries, but I decided to stay in Vienna and see what trouble I could get into here. On Saturday, a plan formed to go back to Klosterneurburg to visit Father Clemens again. Myself, Kathy, Jan, and a few others headed ventured forth to the monastery where we had so much fun a week prior in hopes that this visit would rival the last. While we were waiting at the bus stop, we took a look around the Karl Marx-Hof, a massive apartment complex spanning multiple city blocks that was built for Vienna’s industrial workers between 1927 and 1930. It was made because the conditions of the factory workers in Vienna were terrible; most were living in squalor with multiple families to a room and beds that they had to share depending on the shifts that people had to work. It is very indicative of the socialist attitude: equal shares of property for all and nothing lavish heaped upon anyone. The building was also the site of fighting during the Austrian Civil War in 1934, and it was even shelled by a tank. The picture below struck me. I could just imagine the artist who made it describing it as “the down-trodden proletariat casting off the oppressive shackles of capitalism!”
We got there safe and waited for Father Clemens to meet us so we could start a private tour of the monastery’s treasury. After we met up with him we began our tour, which is something that only happens by special invitation! In this tour we got to see numerous reliquaries, beautiful containers that hold parts of holy objects. In this treasury, there were many devoted to saints, and even one that ostensibly has an actual thorn from the crown of thorns that was put atop the head of Jesus! During the tour Father Clemens got tired of holding the keys, so he gave them to me. I got to hold the keys to Klosterneurburg! I thought this was really cool because on some level it showed trust in me as the guardian of the monastery’s secrets (I know, reading too much into it), but on the other hand it was just awesome to actually hold a piece of history that would unlock the doors to an almost century-old monastery. Also in the tour I learned the origin of the eagle that is on all of the Habsburg banners. As it turns out, it was not originally an eagle but a parrot. Below is the actual garment with the imperial parrot of the Habsburg Empire! We were all incredibly grateful that Father Clemens allowed us to witness such fascinating and well-guarded history.
After the tour we made plans to go to another wine garden with him. Around 1800 (6 pm) we all met up. Father Clemens brought a soon-to-be novice with him named Father Michael (later Father Killian, after his induction ceremony). At the dinner table I talked with Father Michael about how he came to be at Klosterneurburg, and he had a fascinating story to tell. He is from San Diego and was thinking about being a priest because he was unhappy at his other jobs. Not satisfied with the work of an ordinary priest, he decided that he wanted to find a religious order to join. His problem was that he could not decide on which one to join, so in desperation one night he prayed for God to reveal some sign of what he was supposed to do with his life. As he awoke the next morning, he had the word “stift” on his mind (the common German word for pencil, but also used for church). He later got an email at work that had a link to Stift Klosterneurburg. And the rest is history. As it was getting later in the evening, some of us informed the Fathers that we were interested in attending mass the next day. We made plans to go to mass and bid farewell to the priests so we could get enough sleep to get up early.
The next morning we started out early in order to catch mass in time. When we got there Father Michael was waiting for us. The service was held in the same beautiful church that we had stood in on the first tour, and it was marvelous. Hearing the accordion actually play and Father Clemens’ voice echoing off of the marble ceiling was an amazing experience. I can understand how the parishioners of old (and the ones today) could be swayed to a spiritual life just by attending these joyous and moving events. After mass we were joined by Fathers Clemens, Michael, and Elias (native of America) in a café. After a pleasant conversation and some good food, we got up to leave. Before he left, Father Michael told me that if I wanted to stay a night in one of the guest rooms I should email Father Clemens. I got a personal invitation so spend a night in the monastery! I could not have been more excited. (Update: it turns out that there were no rooms available because the 26th was a feast day. Oh well, just one more reason to come back).
That night Jan took the remaining group out to the Danube for a taste of the night life that Vienna has to offer. The restaurants near the Danube are all lit up at night and all are playing music. It was an excited and fun way to sound out the weekend! I spent Monday laying low and blogging with friends as they all came back from their own different adventures. We slept early that night because the next day we were headed to the United Nations! This trip was just getting better and better.