On Sunday October 3^rd 2004, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, the Holy Father John Paul II will solemnly proclaim Blessed the Servant of God Emperor and King Charles of Austria. We are happy for this Beatification and we thank God for it.

The process for the beatification of the Emperor Charles began in the Archdiocese of Vienna: in fact Charles of Austria spent a good part of his life here. The process reached a happy conclusion in Rome, after a close examination of all the historical facts.  Charles sought peace, helped the poor, and with determination cultivated a spiritual life. Faith guided his life since youth, above all during the World War and during his exile on the island of Madeira, where he met a holy death. The Emperor Charles considered the title conferred upon  him a task entrusted to him by God.This in no way signified a legitimization of an arbitrary exercise of authority, but rather the unconditional obligation to follow Christ, the only true King, and to imitate His example even in his high position. For that reason Charles never made any important decisions without praying.

The spiritual programme that the Emperor Charles followed can be summarized in the words that he spoke to his wife, the Empress Zita, on the day of his death: “I want you to understand my position: I continually strive to discern the will of God in all things as clearly as possible and fulfill it in the most perfect way possible.”

The eminent and encouraging example that the Emperor Charles gave as husband and as father of a family, in the demanding circumstances of his task and in the situation of the abandonment of exile, will be a help to many of those who want to follow Christ in their lives.

The Emperor endured even the suffering of death as a duty imposed by his position. He thought: “I must suffer, so that my peoples may once again be united”.

After a century of dispersion and suffering the peoples of Central Europe have found a new form of coexistence and collaboration. The new Blessed will help them from Heaven along the path towards an ever more fruitful communion even in spiritual life.

May he spur us all to accept and fulfill our responsibility before God and men with the confidence that comes from faith. In this way the soul of Europe will ever more find its strength originating from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Cardinal Dr. Christoph Schőnborn, Archbishop of Vienna