I have a great devotion to Blessed Karl of Austria, whose feast day happens to be today (October 21). So, I decided to finally read his biography: Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles Coulombe.
If you want to
know what a leader should be like, I highly recommend this book. If you want to know what a husband and father
should be like, I highly recommend this book.
If you want to know how to suffer well, I highly recommend this
book. If you want to know what it means
to be a real man, an authentic Catholic, etc., I highly recommend this book.
Blessed Karl
was the final emperor of Austria-Hungary, who came to power after Emperor Franz
Joseph died during WWI. He is known as
the Peace Emperor, because he did everything he could to end the war earlier
and save millions of lives, but no one would cooperate or listen to him. He is known as the Eucharistic Emperor,
because he would excuse himself from meetings to “see if the tabernacle light
was still lit,” i.e., spend an hour or so in Adoration. He died in exile at a young age, the father
of 7 with 1 on the way, but his legacy remains as a great man and a great
leader. This biography no only examines
his life, but also how his wife, Servant of God Empress Zita, who lived another
67 years after his death, continued his legacy, as well as his son Archduke
Otto, the uncrowned Habsburg king.
I could write a
long time about him, but that would spoil it.
Please, if you have a chance, read about this hopefully
soon-to-be-saint, who is an example for everyone in so many ways.
“Thy holy will be done. Jesus, Jesus, come! Yes—yes. My Jesus, thy will be done—Jesus.” – his last words
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