Posted on 09/14/2004 2:36:13 PM PDT by royalcello
Vatican, Sep. 13 (CWNews.com) - The Austrian government will send an official representative to the October 3 beatification ceremonies of Karl von Hapsburg-- who died in exile after being ousted as the Austrian emperor.
The Austrian republic still bans from its territory any descendants of Emperor Karl who have not formally renounced their claims on the Austrian throne. Otto von Hapsburg, the eldest son of Karl and the Empress Zita, officially gave up the throne in 1961. But his brothers Felix and Carl Ludwig took the same step in 1996. Otto von Hapsburg-- now 91 years old, and a retired member of the European parliament-- will lead a large delegation of Hapsburg family members to the beatification ceremonies.
Maria Rauch-Kallat, the Austrian health minister, will represent that country's government at the ceremonies. "The beatification is important for Austria," a diplomatic official explained, observing that Emperor Karl was "the head of state who ruled in a particularly critical moment in Austrian history." The diplomat added that "relations between the Hapsburg family and the Austrian government are normal today."
Here's hoping that next month's beatification will encourage appreciation of the Hapsburgs in Austria & Hungary and throughout the world. On to restoration!
Because the socialist scum in charge know that their government is illegitimate. If you are in possession of stolen property, it's always awkward when the real owner shows up.
The Austrian republic has no problem with harbouring ex-Nazis, but has a serious problem with the Habsburgs, who had been very vocally anti-Nazi and who spent WW II in Switzerland.
Personally, I don't think any representatives of the Austrian government should be permitted anywhere near the beatification ceremony. But then, I tend to be vindictive in these matters.
Thanks.
By any chance, would you know if Charles V was ever beatified? He fought wars against the Protestants, and rules Spain, the Soanish Netherlands, and Austria together as Hapsburg lands. I don't know what ever became of him.
I don't think so. While a devout Catholic and a great man, Charles V did not exactly live the life of a saint. Ironically, this proved to be a good thing for Christendom as his illegitimate son Don Juan of Austria led the Catholic forces to victory at Lepanto. But the Emperor's troops once sacked Rome, which probably didn't endear him to the Church.
Italian troops seized the Papal States; sixty years later, they made a deal.
Charles V was the only obstacle to the Protestant seizure of Europe.
No argument here.
I like his quotation about languages: "I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse."
Great quote!
Thanks for the update!
It would seem to me that the Austrian Health minister is less than a "major" figure to send to an event like this. The fact that the Hapsburgs who still claim what is theirs are barred from Austrian soil only serves to underline the hypocrisy of most republics. Although supposedly a free country they would refuse certain people the right to freely express their political & historical opinions. In other words, they can come as long as they promise not to compete. Were this to be done to a republican figure they might be accused of not trusted the "divine" will of the people by limiting their political options. Similar to the French government -you can have any government which the majority wishes, unless of course they wish for a monarchy.
To look at it another way, the repubilcan government may not like to be so blatantly reminded that they deposed and usurped a saint (or almost). I love the line that the Austrian government and the Hapsburgs are on such good terms now; rather like saying you have no problem playing with a dog as long as it's muzzled. They have no trouble with the Hapsburgs because they are firmly under their boot and are forced to renounce any idea of protesting.
Anyway, concerning the great Emperor Charles V, even if he led the holiest life of anyone of his time, his beatification would still be impossible if for no other reason that the great lengths to which he went in order to crush Protestantism. The controversial cause of the great Queen Isabella of Castile is proof of how unpopular it is to fight against anyone, be they Muslim or heretic.
The Sack of Rome is also a very unfortunate and nasty memory. The problem was that the Popes for some time did not recognize the real danger of the Lutherans, which the Emperor saw first-hand. They were still more wary of an emperor with too much power than what was seen as just the latest heretical fad. Most of the troops who carried out the Sack of Rome, in any event, were German Lutherans and Charles V was ashamed of the atrocity and came to Rome later to make peace for it. But, he did the job he was supposed to do as Holy Roman Emperor, acting as the temporal guardian of the Church. It would have helped if he could have concentrated on the Lutherans instead of being distracted by attacks in Italy by his French fellow Catholic.
Anyway, good for Blessed Charles, truly a worthy successor of the likes of Charles V, Maria Theresa and Franz Josef I.
Gott Erhalte Unser Kaiser!
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