Dear Lord,

as the leaves turn to vibrant hues and the crisp autumn air fills our lungs, we give thanks for the beginning of October. We are grateful for the beauty of this season, for the harvest that is being gathered, and for the promise of cooler days.

We ask for your guidance and blessings as we enter this new month. Help us to appreciate the simple joys of life, the warmth of community, and the beauty that surrounds us. Grant us the wisdom to slow down, to reflect, and to find moments of peace amidst the busyness of life.

We pray for those who are facing challenges, for those who are struggling with illness, loss, or hardship. May they find strength in your love and the support of those around them.

We pray for our families, friends, and communities. May we be a source of comfort, encouragement, and love to each other. Help us to be mindful of your presence in our lives, and to seek your will in all that we do.

We offer this prayer with grateful hearts, trusting in your constant love and guidance.

Amen.

Adventures in the Czech Republic 2. - Inside Lichtnestein Castle

The castle houses a fantastic collection, including beautiful furniture, weapons, porcelain, and hunting trophies. The hunting trophies come from the African travels of members of the Lichtnestein family. The castle was uniquely equipped with hot and cold water bathrooms and underfloor heating as early as 200 years ago. The highlights of the collection include a multi-level chandelier, a wooden coffered ceiling that is unique in the world, and a breathtaking spiral staircase carved from a single piece of wood.

Heavenly Father,

thank you for the weekend, for the gift of rest and renewal. As we enter the new week, please bless our every step. Give us strength for challenges, wisdom for decisions, and patience for difficulties. Help us to live each day for Your glory and to reflect Your love to those around us. 

Amen.

Excursion to Lednice Castle 1.

On September 18, 2025, employees of the St. Elizabeth Elderly Home, maintained by the Alexian Mission in Hungary, went on an excursion, which has become a long-standing tradition at the institution. The excursionists were joined by Brother Dermot, a member of the Alexian community in Ireland. This year, we visited the summer palace of the Lichtenstein family in the Czech town of Lednice, which promised plenty of sights to see. The neo-Gothic castle had been owned by the Liechtenstein princes since the mid-18th century, until it was confiscated after World War II. 

The castle houses extensive collections, including weapons, porcelain, and hunting trophies. Its greenhouse is unique, with rare plants from all over the world, and the garden (which includes a French and an English garden) features Europe's oldest minaret, a temple to Apollo, and an artificial castle ruin, "Janův hrad". The castle and its surroundings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This first selection of photos shows the castle's exterior, gardens, and greenhouse.

Saint Alexius was chosen by the Cellite Brothers as their chief Patron saint in 1469. They subsequently became known as the Alexian Brothers. The Congregation of Alexian Brothers is a religious brotherhood within the Catholic Church. We were founded in 1334 and emerged from an earlier group or brotherhood known as Beghards. The old Rule Book of the Brothers called us "Alexian or Cellite Brothers". Many streets today in Holland and Belgium still bear testimony to the existence of the Brothers prior to the Reformation; almost every large town or city, including Amsterdam, has a street named "Cellabroeder Straat".

 

Camillo Procaccini - Saint Alexius begging on the street, unrecognized by his family, early 17th century, fresco, Piacenza - Bobbio, Italy.

Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, a stigmatized Italian Roman Catholic priest and Capuchin friar who was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Let us remember him for his famous thoughts:

Let us remember him with his famous thoughts:

• Don't worry about tomorrow, just do good today!
• Always strive to do your best: better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today!
• Be spiritual bees that bring nothing but honey and wax to their hive! Let your home be filled with sweet gentleness, peace, harmony, humility, and piety, and speak to others in the same way!

Relic of St. Pio at the Alexian Mission in Hungary