The Spirit of
St. Louis @
July and August 2016
PARISH FEAST DAY CELEBRATION THURSDAY, AUGUST 25 6:00 P.M. FESTIVAL MASS CATERED DINNER TO FOLLOW - WOZNIAK HALL Watch bulletins and website for ticket information. Plan to join us for an evening with St. Louis!
OUR PATRON - KING LOUIS IX A Saint for the Ages
King Louis IX, was born at Poissy, France in 1214 to King Louis VIII and Queen Blanche of Castille. A member of the House of Capet, Louis was twelve years old when his father died in November 1226. He was crowned king within the month at Rheims Cathedral but because of his youth, his mother ruled France as regent during his minority until approximately 1234. She continued as an important counselor to the king until her death in 1252. On May 27, 1234, Louis married Margaret of Provence and they had eleven children. Although only eight of them lived to adulthood, their lineage continued its power in France for five hundred years. Saint Louis ruled when the kingdom of France was at its height, both politically and economically. He commanded the largest army and ruled the largest and most wealthy kingdom of Europe, which was the acknowledged center of arts and intellectual thought at the time. The prestige and respect for King Louis IX was due more to his benevolent personality rather than to military domination. For his contemporaries, he was the quintessential example of the Christian prince and his reputation of saintliness and fairness was already well established while he was alive. Louis’ patronage of the arts also inspired much innovation in Gothic art and architecture. His personal chapel, the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, was built to house the Crown of Thorns and other sacred relics that he purchased from the Eastern Emperor at Constantinople. He endowed the Sorbonne College of Theology, approved by Pope Clement IV which became the most famous theological school in Europe. continued on page 9... A newsletter of st. louis catholic church • 7601 burnet road, austin, tx • www.st-louis.org