Photos from the Blessing and Dedication of the Shrine of Blessed Karl of Austria
On December 2, 2025, Annunciation celebrated a historic evening with a Blessing and Dedication of the Shrine of Blessed Karl of Austria and 6:30 pm Latin Mass following.
Dedication of Shrine
The sacred music for the Mass reflected the solemnity of the occasion. Anton Bruckner’s Locus Iste was sung at the Offertory—a motet composed for the dedication of a church, whose text proclaims, “This place was made by God, a priceless sacrament.” This piece beautifully echoed the theology of sacred space, but was also fitting for the dedication of the shrine. At Communion, his Pange Lingua honored Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
Director of Sacred Music, Catherine Schaefer
Schola for the evening
Following Mass and the ceremonial unveiling of the relic, parishioners and guests gathered for a reception in the Foley House, hosted by the Marian Daughters and featuring Austrian food. Suzanne Pearson, delegate and leader of the Gebetsliga (Emperor Karl League of Prayer), offered an amazing talk on the life and legacy of Blessed Karl. She noted how Bruckner was a fitting choice for the evening: an Austrian composer and subject of the Habsburg Empire, formed by the same Catholic cultural world that later shaped the faith of Blessed Karl of Austria.
Ms. Suzanne Pearson, delegate and leader of the Gebetsliga (Emperor Karl League of Prayer)
This evening marked the unveiling of the only first-class relic of Blessed Karl of Austria in Houston, a gift formally authorized by the Gebetsliga—the sole institution entrusted with safeguarding and distributing his relics. First-class relics of Blessed Karl, taken from his ribs, are granted only to churches erecting permanent shrines.
We were honored by the presence of Princess Maria-Anna Galitzine, granddaughter of Blessed Karl and Empress Zita, and her husband, Prince Piotr, and their family members who joined us for this extraordinary moment in parish life.
Princess Maria-Anna Galitzine, Fr. Felix, and Prince Piotr
Blessed Karl—model husband, father, and Catholic emperor—is renowned for his heroic faith and virtue. We gathered to honor him, seek his intercession, and pray for his canonization.
With this permanent shrine, Annunciation now joins a small number of churches in the United States entrusted with this sacred relic. This shrine stands as a lasting gift of grace for our parish, our city, and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Unable to attend? You are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to the shrine and pray for the intercession of Blessed Karl.
Prayer plaque
Pilgrims venerating Blessed Karl