On May 18, 2025, the Angelomontana student fraternity at Stiftsschule Engelberg celebrated a rare anniversary: Father Thomas Blättler has been acting as their “club dad” for 50 years. In this role, he is responsible for coaching the “active” members, i.e. those who are still studying at the school. At the same time, he ensures the cohesion of the active members with the “alumni” (i.e. the Angelomontans who have graduated from the school) as well as with the monastery and the school management.

Symbol of cohesion

Born in Wolfenschiesser, he attended the Benedictine abbey school himself and was a member of the Angelomontana from 1960. After graduating from high school in 1963, he joined the monastery. In the following years, Father Thomas studied in Einsiedeln, Rome, Freiburg im Üe. and Washington D.C. before working as a teacher at the monastery school for the next 40 years from 1973. As early as 1975, the then Abbot Leonhard Bösch appointed him as the association’s father. Over the past five decades, Father Thomas has become the real link for the former monastery pupils. He traveled far beyond Switzerland for weddings, baptisms and funerals of his former students and their families. No wonder active and alumni from all over Switzerland came to Engelberg on Sunday to celebrate with “their” club father.

Laudatory speech for “Kägi”

This embodiment of the cohesion of the active members and alumni was also referred to by former mayor Alex Höchli in his speech. He himself was a member of the first class to be taught English by Father Thomas. Father Thomas’ interest in the old languages is indicated by his student name “Kägi”. This was the name of the author of the textbook for Ancient Greek that was used at the Abbey School at the time. But English, French, Italian and Spanish were also part of his repertoire. With his enthusiasm for languages, Father Thomas inspired his students and at the same time taught them about the world.

Values for the path of life

Erich Schibli from the Central Committee of the Swiss Student Association referred to this linguistic diversity. He referred to the high humanistic education that Father Thomas embodied with his commitment to ancient and modern languages. He also recalled that Father Thomas was a member of the Altherrenbund board of the association from 1984 to 1999 and that his commitment extended far beyond the Engelberg Valley: “Numerous members were shaped by his work and his charisma and were able to take invaluable values from Kägi with them on their journey through life.” Erich Schibli thanked Father Thomas from a national perspective for his great loyalty to the association and its members.

Michael Gisiger
President AAM