Around the Web — Blessed Charles of Austria: Emperor-Father-Saint with Charles Coulombe

From the Dr. Taylor Marshall YouTube channel

The inheritor of a tradition of Catholic monarchy dating back to the Roman Empire, Bl. Charles struggled to update it sufficiently to survive in the modern world. A brave soldier coming to the throne during a war whose start he had no part in, he risked everything to bring the bloody conflict to an end. Betrayed on all sides by allies, enemies, and subjects, his deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart, and the Virgin Mary helped him to avoid hating those who wronged him. Devoted to his wife and children, Charles succeeded, with the help of his loving Empress, in leading a good Catholic family life despite everything. In a life filled with signs and miracles before and after his death, Bl. Charles managed to combine a life of deep piety with an intense practicality. After his death, his wife and children continued his work—her cause for beatification is now being considered.

Listen to podcast: Blessed Charles of Austria: Emperor-Father-Saint with Charles Coulombe

A Prayer for Nice

Jeanne d'Arc, Philadelphia, PA

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families of the October 29th Islamic terror attack at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice, France. May Saint Réparata, Saint Denis, Saint Joan of Arc and the Martyrs of Nice protect and watch over you. Martyrs of Nice, orate pro nobis.

A Prayer to St. Joan of Arc

In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as you, St. Joan. I ask that you ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely. Amen.

Reflections on NYC's Mother Cabrini Monument

Mother Cabrini statue by Jill and Giancarlo Biagi at Battery Park City Esplanade

Thanks to the ongoing lawlessness and comrade de Blasio’s inane policies (to put it mildly), I’ve been avoiding the city as much as possible. Not since Dinkins have I felt this unsafe riding the subway or walking the muraled streets of Manhattan. Nevertheless, risking a visit last Sunday for the 119th Annual Feast of San Vincenzo Martire in Little Italy, I decided to make the most of it and finally go see the new St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Memorial in Battery Park City.

Unveiled on October 12th by Governor Andrew Cuomo for Columbus Day, the bronze statue depicts Mother Cabrini on a large paper boat with two young Italian American orphans and/or immigrants. In full view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the well kempt and squatter free location is befitting the patron saint of immigrants. Ideally it should have been erected in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, so the good people of Sacred Hearts and St. Stephen’s Parish who overwhelmingly voted for her could enjoy it in relative safety, but I digress.

While the monument is better than I expected (see my Thoughts on the She Built NYC Monument Debacle), I’m sorry to say I’m not a big fan. As far as contemporary art goes, it’s fine; it just doesn't suit my taste. That said, I have plenty of friends who disagree and absolutely love it. At least I think we can all agree that it's better than the heinous “Medusa with the Head of Perseus” monstrosity that was installed the following day outside New York County Criminal Court in Lower Manhattan.

Quite frankly, my real problem with the monument is not artistic or the location, it's the association with Cuomo. Sure, it was his brainchild, but the Governor’s stance on abortion alone should have precluded him from having anything to do with this project. Yes we are all sinners, but abortion is irreconcilable with Catholicism; and to me, there is something perverse about having this hypocrite’s name engraved on a statue of a Catholic Saint.

Also, the project wasn’t done in good faith. Far from any true devotion to Mother Cabrini (the bad blood between the Governor and Mayor is well documented), it was clearly green lighted to score some cheap political points and to spite Mayor de Blasio, whose wife Chirlane McCray failed to uphold the results of her own statue contest and snubbed the undisputed winner to suit her own biased political agenda.

Mother Cabrini is absolutely deserving of any and all recognition for her saintly life and I would love to see more monuments dedicated to her and other Catholic heroes. However, right now this city is dying and every single penny should be spent on policing and rebuilding New York City’s crumbling infrastructure. Stop squandering resources on noxious social projects, ridiculous street murals, and unnecessary monuments in these shameless self-promoting vanity projects. Our beloved patroness would be appalled by the insufferable misuse of funding and the godlessness of the corrupt buffoons in charge.

~ Giovanni di Napoli, October 28th, Feast of Saints Simon and Jude

Celebrating the 119th Annual Feast of San Vincenzo, Martire di Craco, in Little Italy, New York

San Vincenzo, Martire di Craco, ora pro nobis

Sunday morning, members of the Craco Society celebrated the 119th Feast of San Vincenzo, Martire di Craco, at the Shrine Church of the Precious Blood (113 Baxter St.) in Little Italy, New York. Mass was celebrated by Rev. Monsignor Nicholas Grieco, who spoke at length about our beloved San Vincenzo, San Maurizio and the rest of the glorious Theban Legion. Evviva San Vincenzo!

(Above & below) The statue and relic of San Vincenzo beneath the "Guariglia bye-altar" with the society's original banner and flowers

The statue was crafted by Pasquale Marrese in 1901

(L) Reliquary with bone fragment. (R) Upright statue with votive offerings

Fred and Joe with beautiful antique image of San Vincenzo

(Above & below) After Mass, devotees venerate San Vincenzo

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Photo of the Week: Equestrian Statue of HM King Ferdinando I di Borbone, Largo di Palazzo

Equestrian statue of HM Ferdinando I di Borbone, King of the Two Sicilies, by Antonio Canova (completed by Antonio Calì), Largo di Palazzo (Piazza del Plebiscito), Napoli. Photo by Andrew Giordano

Paying Our Respects to the Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Ambrosio at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey

Rest in Peace Monsignor; you will be sorely missed

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Unable to attend the wake or funeral, a few of us visited Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (259 Oliver St.) in Newark, New Jersey Tuesday morning to finally pay our respects and pray for the happy repose of the soul of the Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Ambrosio, Pastor and Knight Official of Ecclesiastical Grace of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. Fortunately, we were given the opportunity to explore the church and rectory’s many treasures, venerate some of the relics, and recall our many fond memories with Monsignor. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Requiescat in pace.

(L) Santa Giovanna d'Arco (Jeanne d'Arc). (R) Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

 (L) Madonna di Constantinopoli. (R) Sant'Alfonso Maria de Liguori 

(L) A beautiful icon of Our Lady in the sanctuary.
(R) Sacred Heart of Jesus bye-altar with Madonna del Rosario di Pompei

(L) Monsignor's private shrine to the Madonna di Montevergine.
(R) Bejeweled icon of Our Lady of Montevergine in the sanctuary 

(L) Bye-altar with the Bambino Gesu di Praga. 
(R) Monsignor's private shrine to the Infant of Prague

Various Saints, including Santa Maria Goretti, Santa Lucia Filippini,
Sant'Antonio da Padova, and San Sebastiano

(L) Various Saints, including San Giovanni Bosco, Beato Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, Sant'Ignazio di Loyola, and St. Marcellin Champagnat.
(R) Several Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War

Various Saints, including Santa Teresa di Gesù Bambino (St. Thérèse of Lisieux), Santa Teresa Benedetta della Croce (Edith Stein), San Simone Stock,
Santa Filomena di Roma, and San Tommaso D'Aquino

(L) Relic of the True Cross. (R) Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(L) San Gioacchino and Sant'Anna. (R) San Giuseppe

(L) San Gregorio Magno. (R) San Giacomo il Maggiore 

(L) Beata Maria Maddalena della Passione. (R) Beato Bartolo Longo

The church boasts several display cases filled with relics 

A collection of Carmelite relics

Blessed Andrea Calle González, Sister of Charity
martyred in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War

(L) Maria SS. del Carmine detta "La Bruna." (R) A piece of the tree
where St. Wolfgang preached and baptized in Thalmässing, Bavaria

Monsignor's private shrine to Blessed Emperor Karl I of Austria
and his beloved wife Servant of God Empress Zita

(L) Infant of Prague being restored in the church workshop.
(R) Monsignor's private statuette of the Bambino Gesu di Praga

Sacristan Eric Lavin was kind enough to show us Monsignor's
vestments with the coat-of-arms of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Painted ceramic tiles from the Azores depicting St. Joseph with a young Jesus and San Michele Arcangelo in the church gardens

Photo of the Week: The Horse Tamer Outside the Gardens of the Royal Palace in Naples

One of two equestrian statues outside the entrance to the gardens of the Royal Palace in Naples. The statues are copies of the Horse Tamers from St. Petersburg, Russia, and were a gift to King Ferdinand II of Naples from Czar Nicholas I during a state visit to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1846

Photo by Andrew Giordano

Announcing 'Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy' with Charles Coulombe

Reprinted from Reconquest, with Brother André Marie

Episode 250: Emperor Charles, A Holy Emperor and His Legacy. Guest: Charles Coulombe

Episode 250 debuts on October 21, at 8:00 PM Eastern. Rebroadcasts will take place according to the Crusade Channel programming schedule (note: all times listed are Central time). The topic is Emperor Charles, A Holy Emperor and His Legacy. My guest is Mr. Charles A. Coulombe, historian and author.

Listen now! (Link will activate after the show’s premiere.)

“Reconquest” is a militant, engaging, and informative Catholic radio program featuring interviews with interesting guests as well as commentary by your host. It is a radio-journalistic extension of the Crusade of Saint Benedict Center. Each weekly, one-hour episode of Reconquest will debut RIGHT HERE on Wednesday night at 8:00 PM Eastern (7:00 PM Central). It will then be rebroadcast according to the Crusade Channel programming schedule (note: all times listed are Central time).

Feast Day Mass for Blessed Karl in Irving, Texas

Wednesday, October 21, 2020
12:15 PM — 1:45 PM
Mater Dei Latin Mass Parish
2030 East State Highway 356 Irving, TX,
75060 United States

Join the Mater Dei Latin Mass Parish in Irving, Texas, for Mass on the feast of Blessed Emperor Karl of Austria.

Immediately following will be a light reception in the parish hall sponsored by Emperor Karl League of Prayer U.S.A. and Canada (EmperorCharles.org) in lieu of another Bl. Karl Symposium this year.

The reception will include a promotion of the new book on the virtuous monarch, (currently stocked in the church bookstore) entitled Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles A. Coulombe. There will be a reading of an excerpt from a chapter, followed by Q&A plus a single-copy book giveaway. Regular Mass sign-up rules still apply.

Sign-up information

Source: Blessed Karl of Austria, Emperor and King

New Book — Trinacria: An Island Outside Time

Forthcoming title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com

• Trinacria: An Island Outside Time by Christopher Prescott, Arja Kariveri, Peter Campbell, and Kristian Göransson

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Publication Date: July 30, 2021

Hardcover: $90.00

Language: English

Pages: 240

Read description

Click here to see more books

Listing does not imply any endorsement

The First Feast of Blessed Carlo Acutis

Beato Carlo Acutis, ora pro nobis

When we face the sun we get a tan...but when we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist we become saints. ~ Blessed Carlo Acutis

October 12th is the Feast of Blessed Carlo Acutis (May 3, 1991 – October 12, 2006), “Cyberapostle of the Eucharist." A computer enthusiast, young Carlo designed Miracles List: The Eucharistic Miracles of the World, a website devoted to cataloging Eucharistic miracles around the world. Dying from leukemia in 2006, he took a major step towards sainthood after Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to him. Carlo was Beatified in Assisi, Italy on Saturday, October 10th. 

In celebration, I’m posting a Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Pictured is my little makeshift shrine. Evviva Beato Carlo Acutis!

Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis

Dear Father, Who has given us the ardent testimony of the young Blessed, Carlo Acutis, who made the Eucharist the core of his life and the strength of his daily commitments so that everybody may love You above all else, let him soon be counted among the Saints in Your Church.

Confirm my Faith, nurture my Hope, strengthen my Charity, in the image of young Blessed Carlo, who, growing in these virtues, now lives with You.

Grant me the grace I really need…

I trust in You, Father, and your Beloved Son Jesus, in the Virgin Mary, our Dearest Mother, and in the intervention of Your servant, Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Photo of the Week: Statue of Christopher Columbus

Installed in 1892 in Wooster Square, New Haven, Connecticut,
the beloved statue of Christopher Columbus was cravenly removed
at the behest of anti-American iconoclasts on June 24, 2020.

Rediscovering Columbus: A New Adventure in the Age of Cultural Obliteration

October 12, 2020
From 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST

Register today to receive your digital pass!

Across the nation, schoolchildren are being taught that Christopher Columbus was a genocidal maniac. Monuments to the explorer are being quietly removed from the public square—if they haven’t already been destroyed by radical activists. But as Robert Royal, author of Columbus and the Crisis of the West, pointedly asks, “If the arrival of our civilization and religion on these shores, whatever later evils ensued, cannot be calmly discussed, let alone defended, what are we now as a people?”

  

Join us for just such a civil forum, as we assemble renowned public intellectuals to give us the true and complex story of “a daring explorer, consummate navigator, and a man on a mission not only of discovery but of evangelization.”

An online conference sponsored by the Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

Celebrating Holy Hour and the Feast of Our Lady of Victory in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

For the novena, I erected a shrine to Our Lady of Victory with some of the flags of the Holy League (Spain with Naples & Sicily, Venice, & the Papal States)

Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. ~ St. Padre Pio

Wednesday evening I joined my San Rocco Society brethren for Holy Hour at the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette (8201 13th Ave.) in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. While the parish’s regular devotions have been suspended due to the Coronavirus, Pastor Msgr. Thomas G. Caserta mercifully made an exception for the Feast of Our Lady of Victory and offered the faithful a much needed opportunity to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration.

(L) Image of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei in the baptistery.
(R) Flowers were offered to Our Lady by the Cordi family

Without regular access to our churches these days, we took full advantage and arrived an hour early. Kneeling by the image of Our Lady of the Rosary we prayed for the Poor and Forgotten Souls in Purgatory, our ancestors, the intentions of the sick and needy, and, of course, for the victorious Christian forces (Holy League) at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, for which the feast was instituted. 

Processing to the tabernacle behind the freestanding altar (sadly, the church no longer has a high altar against the Eastern wall), Msgr. Caserta placed the Most Blessed Sacrament (the consecrated Host) into the monstrance. Incensed by Fr. Juan Luxama, the sacred vessel containing the real presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ was placed on the altar in exposition for us to contemplate and adore.

(L-R) Relics of St. Bernadette Soubirous and St. Thérèse of Lisieux

After briefly speaking about Pope St. John Paul II and St. Padre Pio, and why the Holy Rosary is a powerful spiritual weapon against evil, Monsignor led us in praying the Holy Rosary and the meditations on the Glorious Mysteries. For the remainder of the hour, we sat in contemplative silence.

After the Benediction the congregation sang the Salve Regina and prayed the Supplica, a powerful petition for the Blessed Mother’s intercession, under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii. This once popular devotion was publicly revived last year at St. Bernadette’s with the restoration and installation of the church’s beautiful image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii. 

(L) The Infant Jesus of Prague. (R) Outdoor Madonna di Lourdes grotto

Before leaving we visited the image of Our Lady again, which is in the baptistery and unfortunately was partially obstructed by the statue of Pope St. John Paul II. After our prayers, we had just enough time to venerate the relics of St. Bernadette Soubirous and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and visit the Infant Jesus of Prague and the outdoor Madonna di Lourdes grotto. Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, prega per noi.

~ Giovanni di Napoli, October 9, Feast of San Dionigi di Parigi 

Celebrating the External Solemnity of the Feast of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei in Brooklyn, New York

Shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii inside St. Finbar Church 

O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice and the abyss trembles. O Glorious Queen of the Rosary, we, your devoted children, assembled on this solemn day, pour out the affection of our hearts and with filial confidence express our miseries to You. ~ excerpt from the Supplica

Sunday afternoon, we attended the monthly Traditional Latin Mass at St. Finbar Church (138 Bay 20th St.) in Bath Beach, Brooklyn for the External Solemnity of the Feast of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei (Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii). Some fifty people attended the High Mass sung by Fr. Rafael Perez, parochial vicar at Divine Mercy Parish. In his homily, Fr. Perez spoke at length about the importance of the Holy Rosary and the crucial role the devotion played at the Battle of Lepanto and the defense of Western Christendom. 

(L) The recently restored sanctuary inside St. Finbar.
(R) Outdoor shrine to St. Louis IX, King of France 

In an attempt to breathe new life into another revered and important devotion to Our Lady, at the end of Mass Fr. Perez led the congregation in praying the Supplica, a powerful petition for the Blessed Mother’s intercession, under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, traditionally invoked on May 8th and the first Sunday in October.

Our Lady's image on display at the restaurant

The Cordi family 

Before leaving for our group luncheon, we circled the nave and visited the church’s many saints, including of course its beautiful image of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei. Devotees offered flowers and prayed, but unfortunately no votive candles were available at the church.

(Above & below) Always a pleasure to see happy
families celebrating their faith and culture

On a sad note, we learned of the passing of the Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph Francis Ambrosio, beloved Knight Official of Ecclesiastical Grace of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George and pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey. We offered prayers for the happy repose of his soul at the foot of the shrine to Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, one of the co-patrons of the Order. In your charity, please pray for his soul.

(Above & below) A great time was had by all

While it was nice to see the scaffolding removed and the restoration work completed inside St. Finbar, the cordoned-off pews and “do not touch” signs affixed to virtually everything was a real eyesore. The church was sterile and felt more like a museum than a house of worship. I understand the reasons for it (even if I don’t agree), but when you see so many non-essential public places not subjected to the same draconian safeguards and restrictions one cannot help but get angry (to put it mildly). I assure you, these affronts will not be forgotten. 

Our pals James and Joy

Returning to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, we gathered at Amunì Ristorante (7217 3rd Avenue) for the Second Annual Madonna del Rosario di Pompei Luncheon organized by devoted parishioners (who wish to be kept anonymous) from the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette (8201 13th Ave.) in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. 

(Above & below) Some group photos between courses

Closed to the public, partygoers settled into the Sicilian eatery’s cozy backyard dining area for another fantastic multi-course repast à la Chef Vincent Dardanello. Amunì’s crack staff kept the beer and wine flowing freely as trays of delicious Southern Italian fare kept arriving at the tables. 

While discussing Charles A. Coulombe's new book Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy James shows us his holy cards with relic

Between courses, guests mingled and, in some cases, reunited for the first time since the Coronavirus lockdowns. While conversation was mostly lighthearted (amazingly, people hardly discussed the insanity currently gripping the country), I was happy to hear how well-loved Msgr. Ambrosio was among the attendees, as many shared heartwarming stories about him. Personally, I have several, but I’ll never forget that he was the Celebrant at my first Traditional Latin Mass, which forever changed my life. Requiéscat in pace. Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, prega per noi.

 

~ Giovanni di Napoli, October 6th, the Feasts of San Bruno di Colonia and Santa Maria Francesca delle Cinque Piaghe

Affettati e formaggio

Arancini

(Above & below) Panelle served on a toasted roll
with fresh ricotta, caciocavallo and topped with lemon zest

Pasta al forno and Rigatoni all’Amatriciana

Pollo alla Milanese

Homemade cannoli with crushed pistachios and sfogliatelle

(Above & below) As always, we ended the night with a few
pictures with the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies