Aug 4 Fri
Rules for good living. What does a family, the imperial Hapsburg, have to offer a modern, and liberal society? Archduke of Austria Eduard Hapsburg-Lothringen answers this question in his new book: The Hapsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times. He identifies the most essential convictions that apply not just to princes and the powerful, but to all of us.
Rule 1: GET MARRIED AND HAVE LOTS OF CHILDREN. Without families, society tends to collapse into isolation and self-centeredness. Children learn from one another and their elders. A successful marriage requires being with someone who shares your values, ideas, faith, and outlook. Still, because the Catholic faith provides such a deep spiritual foundation, it facilitates the formation of the deepest bond between spouses. Precisely because the Catholic faith is stable, it creates stability in marriages; thus,
Rule 2: BE CATHOLIC. Due to “original sin,” man needs visibility in the life of the faith, such as “processions, rosaries, novenas, and other forms of so-called popular piety.” Still, modernization and a more scientific mindset are needed in many areas.
Rule 3: USE THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY. Issues should be addressed by the lowest institutional level that is competent to resolve them, whether in countries, states, or other social institutions.
Cities should never take responsibility away from families. A centralization of power and policy-making is prone to corruption and destruction of society: First, it is inefficient. Second, there is little or no accountability –nobody seems responsible for bad decisions. And lastly, human beings are naturally inclined toward local interaction in families, towns, and countries with common cultures.
Rule 4: STAND FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. Nobility is the responsibility to serve, which in turn means to put one’s own interests second. In the modern age, the real power is the “power of example.” This stands in stark contrast to the present political climate, in which politicians are more naturally tempted to use their careers as paths to personal advancement and profit.
Rule 5: KNOW WHO YOU ARE. “Those who don’t know where they come from, do not know where they are heading, because they don’t know where they stand.” Knowing who you are, gives you control over yourself, not to be swayed by fleeting fads but to follow the truth about yourself and about God.
Rule 6: BE BRAVE IN THE STRUGGLE. While relying on diplomacy, do not shy away from struggle when you have to.
Rule 7: DIE WELL. In a life full of uncertainty, one thing is certain: death; Heaven is not certain. Most people seem blissfully unaware that there is a possibility that they may end up in Hell for all eternity. Even in death, the Hapsburg were aware that they had to “serve” by giving Catholics a good example of how to die. Living well leads to dying well, and the desire to die well leads to living well.
Image of a Russian icon of the Mother of God
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