As one of five children, Brei grew up in Altenstadt (Vorarlberg, Feldkirch). Dad worked at the post office, mom worked as a school janitor. The boy only discovered singing between the ages of twelve and fourteen.
Early on, Brei helped out as an altar boy in the church services, back then as one of what now seems incredible a band of 120 altar boys. “It’s unimaginable today. It was an honor for us to take part in the parish, the situation today is very different,” he recalls.
After a few pilgrimages to Rome and Lourdes, it was clear to him that his path would lead him to church. “I always knew that I would either go with a family of my own or go all the way for the Church. That crystallized out,” says Brei.
Via detours to Burgenland
After years of apprenticeship in Graubünden (Switzerland) and in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Brei finally came to the Ausseerland as a chaplain. To this day he maintains a good relationship with the residents of his former place of work and regularly celebrates a mountain mass there. In 2004 we went to Hatzendorf, Breitenfeld and Unterlamm in south-eastern Styria.
“It was incredibly hard for me at the beginning. When I came down for the first time, I thought to myself, where did I end up here. I then wondered where the people were, but then I worked there for nine years. A time that made me very happy.
The many activities such as motorcycle blessings, animal blessings, tractor blessings. It was always important to me that the pastor had to get on well with the clubs, otherwise he would have a hard time. He needs a music band, a fire brigade, and the choir anyway. A pastor should be there for everyone, even if you can’t always please everyone,” summarizes Brei in an interview.
