10.01.2022,
On December 2, ITI students and faculty heard a talk, Blessed Emperor Charles and the Catholic Vocation of the House of Habsburg, given by Mr. Charles A. Coulombe: a Catholic writer, historian, and lecturer. For his services to the Holy See Pope John Paul II created him a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester. Since 2018, he has been pursuing his master’s degree in theology here at the ITI. Mr. Coulombe’s book on Emperor Charles appeared last year from TAN publishers in the United States.
The wide-ranging talk dealt with the Habsburg ideals of Catholicism, Empire, and Monarchy that formed Charles and the similar Bourbon ethos that his wife, Servant of God Zita was raised in. Their lives together and apart were briefly sketched, with the role that their Faith and holiness played in both their triumphs and defeats. Charles’ role as a patron for rulers, soldiers, children of broken and difficult homes, and (with his wife) married people and parents was looked at, as was his continuing significance to-day – both in Central Europe and America. The holy Imperial couple were lastly looked at not only as examples but as intercessors in to-day’s difficult times. After the talk was a spirited question and answer session. Courtesy of Pater Dr. Edmund Waldstein OCist and Heiligenkreuz Abbey, the evening closed with a blessing with the relic of the Blessed Emperor.
We are honored to have a classroom here at the ITI named after Kaiser Karl and Kaiserin Zita.