Bishop of Funchal Highlights Blessed Karl's Connection to the Suffering Jesus
The Bishop of Funchal presided at a Diocesan Mass hurch of Nossa Senhora do Monte on 1 April 2022, which marked the centenary of the death of Blessed Karl. In his homily, Bishop Nuno Brás began by explaining what a saint is, saying that he is “a Christian where the presence of the living and risen Jesus Christ is shown in a more perfect, clearer way.”
“This was precisely what made Blessed Karl, a hundred years ago, already the object of so much admiration and even so much welcome on this island of ours. We can find in the story of Blessed Karl a relationship and a very clear relationship with the story of Jesus”. Bishop Nuno Brás continued, first, “when Jesus begins to proclaim the Gospel, to say and to show the presence of the Kingdom in the midst of his people, everyone goes to him, everyone wants to listen to that preacher.”However, at a certain point, “When one begins to draw the need to suffer death and death on the cross, Jesus begins to be abandoned. If we look closely at the life of Blessed Karl, it has the same curve. Blessed Karl was born in a time of palaces, princes, and princesses with a happy and happily ever after marriage”, explained D. Nuno, before remembering that “then World War I arrived and Karl, according to a contemporary writer, becomes obsessed with peace, for making peace.”
Bishop Nuno Brás said, like Jesus, “Karl began to have no followers, to be alone, to be betrayed by the leaders and not by his people” and then forced into exile here on the island, with little more than the clothes he was wearing. Moreover, “when we read the narratives of the death of this Holy Emperor, truly, we find there the person of Jesus, who gives himself into the hands of the Father.” In fact, on his deathbed, Karl told Zita that his whole life was summed up in “seeking to know, as best as possible, the will of God and then putting it into practice as best as possible.”
“Like the risen Jesus, alive, present in the midst of us who celebrate every day, because our entire Christian life is this celebration of the death and resurrection of the Lord, so, too, today we gather here to celebrate the life of the Risen Jesus, present in the person of Blessed Karl, who is a witness of the Resurrection of the Lord. He witness that Jesus is not a past from two thousand years, but a present, …a present today”, said Bishop Nuno Brás.
Finishing his homily, Bishop Nuno Brás invited the assembly, in the midst of which were representatives of the main civil and military authorities of the Region and also some pilgrims from Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, to be inspired by the example of “Blessed Karl, whose example and intercession will help allow the image of Jesus to be formed in our lives. May the example and intercession of Blessed Karl also help us to walk on the paths of holiness.”
Bishop Nuno Brás concluded by going to the chapel where the remains of the Blessed rest. He placed a wreath of flowers in the name of all the diocesans present and prayed the prayer together with the whole assembly.
Before the final blessing, Fr. Vitor Sousa, parish priest of Monte and member of the diocesan commission appointed for the centenary celebrations, gave thanks to “all those who worked, got involved, dedicated themselves, and put their talents to work so that the celebrations, especially these in the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, could have this dignity.” He also expressed his gratitude to the authorities who were involved from the Government, Chamber, and parish council.
He also thanked Bishop Nuno Brás, who celebrated this Eucharist with Bishop Emeritus António Carrilho, and “for his presence.
The celebration concluded with the mention of two special items present. The first was a chasuble used by Bishop Nuno Brás used. It was offered to the Parish of Monte by Empress Zita, so that it could be used when events were celebrated that had to do with with the husband. The second was a gown used to dress the body of Blessed Karl during his first burial. It was presented during Ofertory at Mass. It was noted how it “keeps the physical memory of Blessed Karl’s death since it contains a few drops of Blessed Karl’s blood.” The precious relic was delivered by the Almada Cardoso family, who has closely guarded the relic since 1922.