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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: May 2002
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This morning 12 April 2003 at 11:30 in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Palace, Pope John Paul II promulgated the decrees for miracles and heroic virtues of 16 Servants of God. Included in these decrees was the decree of heroic virtues of the Servant of God, KARL OF AUSTRIA, Emperor and King, born on 17 August 1887 in Persenbeug (Austria) and died 1 April 1922 in Funchal (Madeira/Portugal). He is now called VENERABLE KARL OF AUSTRIA. Also present were Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses, Archduke Otto of Habsburg-Lorraine (Karl's eldest son) and Archduchess Regina, Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses, Archduke Simeon of Habsburg-Lorraine and Archduchess Maria; Prince Windisch-Graetz, and Ministerial Counselor Johannes R. Parsch. The words of Cardinal Jos� Saraiva Martins of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints concerning KARL OF AUSTRIA were as follows: "9) KARL OF AUSTRIA (1887-1922) had been Austrian emperor and king of Hungary. In 1911 he married Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma, to whom on the day of the wedding said: "Now we must help each other get to heacen". From the union, they lived in love and in fidelity, having eight children. He succeeded to the throne after the death of Francis Joseph in 1916, while it was in course the First World War. A man of sure moral integrity and solid faith, tried always for the good of his people and in his action of government he inspired himself by the social doctrine of the Church. He fomented the justice, the peace and nourished a constant "anelito" to holiness. He was exemplary as Christian, husband, father and monarch. He died in exile on the isle of Madeira (Portugal)." (This is a rough translation of the pertinent text. Please see the website for the original Italian text: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/bulletin/news/13195.php?index=13195&lang=en )
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Father,
Thank you for the posting. It's about time! A truly saintly monarch. Do you know of anyplace I could write for holy cards or the text of the prayer for his canonization?
Thanks
Bill
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Bless me a sinner, Father Matthew!
Laudetur Jesus Christus!
Thank you for sharing this information which I will pass on to our Monarchist League members here in Canada.
Holy and Divinely-Crowned Emperor Karl - pray unto God for us!
Alex
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As a member of the Emperor Karl League of Prayer (see the previously-posted web site to join) I rejoice at this news. I also understand that many Ukrainians from Galicia have had a special devotion to Ven. Karl, going back to fond memories of Habsburg rule in Galicia. Fr John Mihalco, our former parish priest at St John's here in Houston was (and I'm sure still is) a member of the League as well. Let us all pray for a rapid miracle at Venerable Karl's intercession. A collateral Habsburg relation (I assume) of interest is Fr Paul von Habsburg, LC. See his testimony at http://www.legionariesofchrist.org/eng/articulos/articulo.phtml?lc=id-3300_se-90_ca-255_te-193 All the best, Woody
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Dear Woody,
You are right!
St Andrew Sheptytsky was on very good terms with the Habsburgs and with "Basil Vyshyvany" Lohtringen who was proposed as a possible king of Galicia by Galician monarchists.
Lohtringen attended a Carpathian wedding and fell in love with East Slavic culture.
The Portuguese have long venerated Holy Karl's memory.
In all life's vicissitudes, Karl the Emperor-King never lost his deep, abiding Christian faith and heard Mass regularly, sometimes kneeling in the mud etc.
The news of this development was, FYI, brought to the attention of our monarchist league here by a member who happens to be Jewish and a great fan of the Habsburgs!
Alex
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Bless me a sinner, Father Matthew,
FYI, our Eastern Catholic theologian and Ukrainian monarchist, Fr. Petro Bilaniuk (+memory eternal!) took part in the funeral of Holy Karl's wife, the Empress Zita.
Holy Karl and his wife were also devoted to a Bavarian saint, St Edigna.
St Edigna lived in a hollowed out oak tree and she was the great granddaughter of St Vladimir the Great, Enlightener and Baptizer of Kyivan Rus'!
Alex
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Dear Friends:
Such a nice bit of news, I always heard that the Emperor Karl was a pious man and had tried to end the war.
Just think of it, no Russian Revolution (and all the sorrow that followed for 80 years), no dissolution of the Austrian Imperial Union, no abdication of every Royal family in Germany, and probably no WWII (no Hitler, no Holocaust).
Of course things would have evolved and changed and there might have been regime changes.
But any changes would have been nothing in comparison to the disasters that followed the total collapse of European order.
Through the intersections of the Venerable Karl, Emperor of Austria and Apostolic King of Hungary, May God grant us the same peace which he so longed for.
Amen.
PS.
Through another site I noticed that the Emperor's incorrupt body lies in a tomb chapel in Madeira, Portugal.
I don't know if that�s still true but if it is I pity the Austrians, there�s no way the Portuguese are going to give up the body of a saint to anyone, no matter who.
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Dear Jose, Yes, I fly the flag of Madeira in honour of the Venerable Emperor-King Karl! Our monarchist league once had an evening discussion about the Habsburgs with the Austrian Club. As I was the chairman of the Toronto Branch then, I was called by the Austrian Consul and asked to ensure that no mention be made of a return of the Habsburgs etc. And the Consul and his wife joined us to a full house! But they played the Habsburg anthem with a full representation of the Austro-Hungarian arms. Everyone stood up - including the Consul, but not his wife! We all publicly expressed our keen desire that the Habsburgs return to their European thrones!! I understand the Americans invited the Iraqi monarchists to discussions about the future free government of Iraq. Wouldn't it be fun to see Americans chanting: "King of Iraq - come on back?"  Alex
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Dear Alex:
What happened to you, the Saint Elias singers (Daniel, Ilya, moi and company) sang Lenten Vespers at your Church last Sunday.
The mystery deepens.
JL.
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In September 2002 when Archduke Rudolph gave a lecture at Saint Vincent's in Latrobe, he was asked about whether his father's body would be returned to Austria. He said there are no plans because there is an abiding devotion to Karl on Madeira and that such devotion is an important part in the process of beatification/canonization. Additionally, I believe he said it would be better for it not to be moved during the process simply because his body is there, it has been verified that it is Karl who is buried there. If he were moved, questions may arise as to identity, etc.
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Dear Father Matthew:
Thanks for the clarification regarding the relics of the Venerable Karl of Austria.
AS to the Portuguese devotion to his memory, I had thought as much.
I find it strange that the Archduke Rudolf would think that people would question the authenticity of the Emperor's relics if he were moved.
One of the most important rites of the canonization (please God) process is the formal translation of the Saint's relics.
He either stays in Madeira and is moved to a public shrine or is returned to Austria.
It will be sad either way.
I remember being shocked when I heard that the relics of Father Damian of Molokai were taken away from his spiritual children and removed to Beligum in triumphal fashion (they actually sent a war ship).
defreitas
PS.
I wonder if the Portuguese already have statues of the Holy servant of God; I'd love to get one.
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I may be wrong in my recollection of that portion of Archduke Rudolph's remarks on the matter. However, Karl's and his wife's (Empress Zita) hearts are kept in a Benedictine monastery in Muri, Switzerland which also is the burial place for other Habsburgs.
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Looking back into history a bit, it was 1972 (the 50th anniversary of his death) that the grave of the Servant of God was opened and his remains identified. Empress Zita and Archduke Otto were present for this. Cardinal Mindszenty visited Madeira in 1972 when the preparations were being made for the ecclesiastical commission to examine the Servant of God's body.
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