no other reason than to warm up. We picked up our iron cramps and picks which leaned against the wall under the roof and started out. I don’t know what I was thinking when I grabbed mine and began to work with it. But I soon found out, because my fingers started knocking against the shaft. Completely numb, they were in no time as hard as iron. I ran to dip them in cold water. Feeling returned but the skin came off. I could not say Mass for several days.”
Until they were able to install an oven, the Mariastern pioneers had their maize bread baked by one of the tenant women. Gradually, stables for horses and cows were completed as were several trade shops. Fr. Franz appointed one of the priests as master of novices and a Brother, as general manager. Much of his own time was taken up with writing letters to friends and benefactors, while Br. Zacharias continued to campaign for support and vocations. Particularly generous donors were “named in the register of benefactors” and promised “a share in all our prayers and works of penance”. According to Trappist custom, two Masses were said for benefactors every Friday and Sunday.
Exciting Events
The new monastery for which Fr. Francis and Br. Zacharias had been sent from Mariawald had become a reality. But what was Mariastern’s status in the Order? As could be expected, Abbot Ephrem, who had been defeated in Rome, was more than reluctant to officially admit it to the Order. As vicar general of his Congregation16 he wielded his power to the effect that no admission was granted. This was a bitter pill for the pioneers but nothing could stop them from plodding on, not even the fact that all the reports Fr. Francis sent to his abbot remained unanswered. So they quietly continued turning scrub into farmland, cultivating the ground and building roads. Fr. Francis who was used to hard physical labour from youth led his monks in all activities and expected them to follow his example. Besides, he had taught himself enough of the Croatian language to attend to the people, mainly Catholics, who brought their needs to the “holy men in the woods”. One of the letters he wrote to Oelenberg describes in broad terms what life was like at Mariastern in 1869:
“At its furthest end our property borders on a huge forest where wolves have their dens. Fortunately, we do not need to fear them or other dangers. We are a community of nine, including five choir monks, but that number will soon go up to seven! Unfortunately, we had to send away two men for health reasons, i.e., chronic diseases. One was a much needed blacksmith and the other, a tailor. The only way we can get in touch with the outside world is by means of a draw bridge we have thrown across the Vrbas. Bosnia can be reached by train and/or steamer. We have no problem meeting visitors at the border because our mail coach does the eight-hour trip twice a week on a regular basis.”
The Trappist Abbey of Mariastern in Bosnia which Francis Pfanner founded in 1869
This was an open invitation to Abbot Ephrem to come and see the new foundation for himself. But he remained adamant in his refusal, maintaining that Fr. Francis had “acted without authorization”. Who could change his mind? Apparently, nobody! Fr. Francis, though he had no obligation towards him after he had been vindicated and given a fresh mandate by Rome, did everything to humour him. When next he had business at the Vatican and went to stay once again at the Trappist procure, Abbot Regis whispered to him at the door: “Your countryman is inside.” Abbot Ephrem! Without a moment’s hesitation Fr. Francis went to see him. Ephrem however simply looked at him from his armchair but did not make a move to welcome him. So what was he to do? Trappist custom bade him prostrate, and he did so.
Abbot Francis:
“I remained in my prostrate position for I don’t know how long. Only when after a considerable time I had not yet been asked to rise, I decided to get up on my own and quietly left the room.”
Until his death, Ephrem did not melt towards Francis or, for that matter, towards the monks of Mariastern or the other monasteries Fr. Francis was still to found. Neither did he inform Oelenberg that he had been defeated in Rome. On the contrary, he left his monks free to circulate the rumour that Francis was “a renegade” who acted from disobedience.
As Bosnia was considered ‘mission territory’, the monastery, too, was recorded as a missionary institute and as such came under the jurisdiction, not of the Congregation for Bishops, Priests and Religious, but Propaganda Fide. It was precisely this status which was resented by the Franciscans who had enjoyed uncontested pastoral privileges in Bosnia for four hundred years. Very soon, Fr. Francis found himself at odds with them and their bishop. However, their fear was totally unfounded, because Trappists do not usually become pastorally active except in emergencies.
Problems arose also with Turkish officials over Mariastern’s building activities. At one point, positions became so hardened that Fr. Franz had to actually resort to the supreme authority in Constantinople.
Meanwhile, the monastery experienced an explosive growth. Br. Bruno, confectioner in Austria before he entered, was appointed farm manager. His job included the care of Mariastern’s cows to which Fr. Francis had recently added four pedigree animals of the ‘Muerztal breed’. But who could milk them? Since the manager had never milked a cow, Fr. Francis taught him without further ado. Other responsibilities were distributed: Fr. Gallus was appointed coachman, Br. Fridolin, cook and Br. Jacob, smith. Whatever a man’s occupation, he lend a hand with buildings and roads, while an Italian contractor supervised the kiln and Croatian masons laid the bricks.
Endless Quarrels
Not that everything went smoothly. There were differences of opinion among the monks. Two priests complained that the projected quadrangle of the future monastery was too big for poor, simple Trappists. Fr. Francis gave in and changed the plans he had drawn up. On the whole, however, the monks were united. Things became critical only when some escaped overnight, an incident we return to a little later.
What really taxed Fr. Franz’s patience were the marauding gypsies who had been set up against the Trappists by a neighbouring Turkish landowner. Only after many negotiations and God’s felt protection at the intercession of good Saint Joseph – to whom, incidentally, Francis Wendelin Pfanner had a lifelong devotion – he was able to reach a settlement with them. It was one of the many occasions which could have robbed him of all courage and confidence. But he stood his ground even when Turkish officials tried to put a stop to the new monastery by citing the Koran to him.
Abbot Francis:
“We had hired day labourers at twenty-one Turkish groschen (pennies) a square meter to help us lay a solid foundation. Sand, though not terribly clean, was taken from a level patch of ground by the Vrbas and bricks were burnt at the brickyard in Krcevina. Firing the bricks required a large amount of firewood and a road for transport. Bricks were made and stones quarried by hired labour who also loaded the carts which were drawn by two gray Styr horses. These huge beasts easily made the trip to and fro between the kiln and the quarry a hundred times and more. Limestone was a problem. Since we did not have the right quality of lime we had to buy it from neighbouring peasants. All building timbers and boards were sewn at the mills by the river Sava on the other side of Old Gradiska six hours distant and then rafted across the Vrbas. Everything worked out alright until one day the Pasha showed up at the building site, accompanied by a whole squad of sabered officials. ‘What are you up to?!’ he shouted. ‘You are building a fortress! I say: Stop it’!”
Each time Fr. Francis demanded to see the regulations black on white and then usually ignored them. He knew fully well, for example, that by Turkish law Christians were allowed to build “only with wood and clay”. But what options did such laws leave him? Mollify the shouting Pasha with bakshish? The Pasha would have liked that and probably turned a blind eye to the building. However, the Vorarlberger would not stoop that low. “With a few hundred ducats I could have swayed the Pasha,
