In our present age, our nation and our world are in constant turmoil. Our leaders lack virtue and true charity. The Church has become more powerless in society. Our time is very similar to that of Blessed Karl of Austria, the last emperor of Austria-Hungary, a truly Catholic ruler, father, and husband, who is the patron saint of world peace. The example of Blessed Karl should be the life that every Catholic should imitate, and in order to truly imitate his life we must learn more about him.
Blessed Karl was born into the royal Habsburg family in Austria during the summer of 1887. Karl was not supposed to become the emperor, as he was only distantly related to the reigning monarch, Franz Joseph. He was raised in a devoutly Catholic home, received a strong religious education, and was reared to eventually become a high-ranking political official. In 1911, Karl married Zita of the House of Bourbon-Parma, and they began a holy and virtuous marriage that produced eight children. Due to various circumstances, Karl was third in line for the throne at this time, and he was still very unlikely to reign until the assissination of the heir presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. After Ferdinand’s 1914 assissination in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary entered into the First World War, Karl was next in line for the throne, and the Emperor — who had reigned since 1848 — was near death. Within two years, Karl ascended the throne in the war-torn empire. During his short reign of two years, Karl guided the empire through the conflict, and became a staunch advocate for a lasting peace. The Austro-Hungarian Empire lost the Great War, yet Karl deeply desired to keep his empire and her peoples together. However, the political headwinds of his days did not favor him, and nationalist movements grew throughout the empire. These movements and the Empire’s defeat led to the creation of new nationalist states — arising in the aftermath of the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye — and Karl was forced to relinquish control in the administration of the state. As a result, he was left powerless, and eventually the new Austrian government banished him from their borders. After a few failed restoration attempts, Karl fled to the island of Madeira, Portugal where he became very sickly and died in 1922 at the age of thirty-four.
Now, this short biography of Blessed Karl is impressive, however, it does not entirely show the Christian virtues that we should strive to emulate, and it does not prove that he is a necessary patron for the modern Catholic. A deeper reflection into his marriage, suffering, peacemaking, and love of Christ show us that Blessed Karl is someone that we should ardently go to in our prayer.
Blessed Karl and Servant of God Zita’s Marriage:
Each Christian is called to a particular vocation in his or her life. Some are called to marriage, others the religious life or the priesthood. Whatever vocation we are called to, we are asked to fully live it to the best of our ability and for the greater glory of God. On the day after their marriage, Blessed Karl is reported to have told Zita that their job was to “help each other to get to Heaven.” Karl’s statement shows us the purpose of the marital vocation, and if we rely on his intercession and follow his virtuous example then we may be able to help ourselves and our spouse get to Heaven. Both Zita and Karl are currently undergoing the process of canonization, further attesting the holiness of their marriage.
Blessed Karl’s Suffering:
Throughout his short life, Blessed Karl greatly suffered. He saw the downfall of one of the world’s greatest Christian empires under his command, he was exiled from his homeland, he had to send men to fight and die during the Great War, and he died penniless at a very young age from respiratory failure while in a foreign land. However, he did not grow depressed in his suffering. Instead, he brought it to Jesus, and he learned to bear his many crosses. For example, Karl’s last words, while his eyes were fixated on a crucifix, were “I can't go on much longer... Thy will be done... Yes... Yes... As You will it... Jesus”. Even in the midst of his final moments, his heart, mind, and soul was totally fixated on the Lord. When we are suffering, may we look to the example of Blessed Karl who dedicated all his sufferings to Christ.
Blessed Karl the Peacemaker:
Blessed Karl is the patron saint of world peace. Throughout his short reign as emperor, Karl strongly advocated for an end to the Great War and for global peace, much to the chagrin of the military establishment. Karl, who was personally opposed to the war when he was heir presumptive, was the only global leader to endorse every single point of the peace plan championed by Pope Benedict XV. In our own world, which is marked by much senseless violence, may we follow the words that Pope Francis offered about Blessed Karl and “call upon him as an intercessor to obtain from God peace for humanity.”
Blessed Karl’s Love of Christ:
Blessed Karl was only able to be a peacemaker, a committed husband, and suffer well because he was so devoted to Christ, especially His Most Sacred Heart. When reigning as emperor, he often made visits to the Blessed Sacrament throughout the day in between meetings. He had a deep love of Christ and the Church, and he sought to bring about the social reign of Christ the King in his empire. Karl attempted to accomplish this through an increase in the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Karl dedicated his entire family to the Sacred Heart, and he slept with an image of the Sacred Heart under his pillow. His love of Christ sustained him until his final moment. May we have the ability to follow the example of this saintly man, and devote our lives and our livelihoods totally to Christ.
The life of Blessed Karl of Austria shows us that he was a man dedicated to living out his Christian vocation and his Catholic faith. In our lives, we should strive every day to do the same. If we follow the example of Blessed Karl, loving Jesus with all our mind, body, and soul, we will be able to deepen our love for our family, our nation, and our faith. It is my prayer that we all can follow his example, seek his intercession throughout our lives, and join him one day in heaven.