His Feast was on Wednesday the 21st. He is also sometimes known as the Peacemaker because of his strenuous efforts to end the Great War.
From Aleteia
By Philip Kosloski
Bl. Charles of Austria was confronted with the First World War and did all in his power to try to end the horrors of war.
When it comes to war, some political leaders thirst after it, while others do all they can to put an end to it. Blessed Charles of Austria was a leader who did everything in his power to advocate for peace, not desiring revenge or power, but to end the war that broke out before he succeeded to the throne.
His uncle, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in 1914 in what became the catalyst for World War I. Then his grand-uncle, Emperor Franz Joseph, died in 1916, and Blessed Charles was next in line to become emperor.
Europe was in the midst of World War I and Blessed Charles was now given great responsibility and could dictate how the war would progress. His first thought was to work for peace.
Bl. Charles the Peacemaker
In his accession speech, Bl. Charles said, "I will do all within my power to banish the horrors and sacrifices of war at the earliest possible date and to win back for my peoples the sorely missed blessings of peace."
Initially he tried to secretly negotiate peace with France, but the peace talks failed and the war continued to progress.
Then he fully supported a peace initiative that was put forth by Pope Benedict XV. He wanted the war to end, but unfortunately, the other European leaders did not accept it and pushed forward.
Pope John Paul II praised the example of Blessed Charles and his search for peace during his beatification homily:
To his eyes, war appeared as "something appalling." Amid the tumult of the First World War, he strove to promote the peace initiative of my Predecessor, Benedict XV. From the beginning, the Emperor Charles conceived of his office as a holy service to his people. His chief concern was to follow the Christian vocation to holiness also in his political actions. For this reason, his thoughts turned to social assistance. May he be an example for all of us, especially for those who have political responsibilities in Europe today!
In the end Emperor Charles was exiled after the conclusion of World War I, as other political leaders saw him and his empire as a threat, instead of recognizing his honest search for peace.
Bl. Charles is a great example of a truly Christian leader who did not seek war for his own glory, but who did all he could to negotiate peace, even when everyone else was not listening.
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