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

The team at the St. Elizabeth Elderly Home in Győrújbarát, Hungary is ready to go on an institutional outing, joined by Brother Dermot, a member of the Irish Alexian community.

The Knock shrine at dawn.

 

The painting depicting the death of Saint Alexius is located in the chapel of Saint Alexius in St. Michael's Church in Paderborn, Germany.

Heavenly Father, we give thanks to You for today and for the beginning of a new week. We ask You to bless this week, to give us strength, wisdom, and peace in our hearts, so that in all our actions we may seek Your will. Guide us on our journey, help us to treat our fellow human beings with love and patience. Give us perseverance in the face of challenges, and show us how we can serve You in our work and ministry, our relationships, and our daily actions. Amen.

Prayer for vocations from the Irish Alexian Brothers' prayer book.

Saint Alexius intercedes before the Virgin for protection against earthquakes, Austria, 18th century, etching.

The kneeling saint holds up a prayer-sheet inscribed "Libera nos" - Free us!. In the background, an earthquake shakes down buildings resembling those on the Roman Forum. Lettering: "Der H. Alexius ein mächtiger Patron für Abwendung der Erdbeben." - Saint Alexius, a powerful patron saint for averting earthquakes.

Night Prayer - Scripture Reading for today

"Do not let resentment lead you into sin; the sunset must not find you still angry. Do not give the devil his opportunity." (Eph 4:26-27)

The Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus and angels above; below, Saint Louis of Toulouse, Saint Clare, Saint Francis, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, and Saint Alexius (kneels in the foreground on the right side of the picture, wearing a cloak and holding a walking stick). Drawing by F. Rosaspina, c. 1830, after Annibale Carracci.

We wish a happy birthday and good health to two members of the Irish Alexian community, Brother Luke and Brother Sean, who celebrate this special day in September, one day apart!

Saint Alexius, patron saint of pilgrims, the homeless, the Alexian Brothers, and an exemplary Christian. We come before you with gratitude, asking for your intercession during this relaxing weekend. Please accompany us so that we may find the physical and spiritual renewal we need. Help us to be filled with love and peace during the weekend, so that we may let go of the tensions of the week and find tranquility. Give us the strength to enjoy the beautiful moments and appreciate the company of our family and friends. Be with us so that the joy and peace we experience this weekend will accompany us throughout the coming week. Teach us that rest is also part of life and that we should always seek Your presence, which refreshes and strengthens us. Bless us with Your love and grace so that we may live happily on the weekend and in our daily lives. Amen.

Balthasar Stecher - Saint Alexius, copperplate engraving, circa 1690, Herzog August Library, Wolfenbüttel, Germany.

Evening prayer

Heavenly Father, at this evening hour we give thanks to You for this day, which we have received as a gift. We thank You for the moments we have experienced, both the joys and the challenges, which all shape our lives. We ask You to bless our loved ones and protect them from all harm and illness. Grant that our love and understanding may always be strong, and help us to stand by each other despite difficulties. Bless the world with peace and love. Help us to understand and accept one another, and to build a better future for all. Amen.

Saint Alexius,

our merciful patron saint, who, having abandoned earthly riches, lived your life in poverty and humility, and who is patron of the homeless, pilgrims and the Alexian Brothers, pray for us! Help us to turn with open hearts and love to those in need. Give us the strength to recognize the dignity of those living in poverty and to help them overcome their difficulties. Guide us on the path of love and mercy, so that we may also demonstrate faith and love by our actions. Please protect the homeless, give them shelter and warmth, food and hope. Accompany the pilgrims on their journey, protect them from danger and guide them to their destination. Bless the Alexian Brothers, give them strength and endurance in their service, so that they may alleviate suffering by their loving care.

Help us to follow your example, to live our lives with humility and love, always remembering that the greatest riches are love and devotion to God and to our fellow human beings.

Amen.

This week, on Sunday, September 7, at 10 a.m., Pope Leo XIV will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), who died tragically young at the age of 15 from leukemia. Taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the internet, he created an informative website aimed at young people, which collects and catalogues Eucharistic miracles that have occurred around the world. It is no coincidence that he is revered today as the patron saint of youth and the internet. From Sunday, he will be the first saint of Generation Y.

Carlo Acutis' website: https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html

 

A regular visitor to the Irish Alexian Brothers,

 holding a statue of Carlo Acutis

Dear Lord, as the leaves begin to turn color and the air cools with the approach of September, we offer you our thanks. We are grateful for the blessings of summer, for the warmth of the sun, and the long, lazy days. We ask for your guidance and strength as we enter this new month. Help us to embrace the change of seasons with grace and gratitude. Grant us wisdom to make wise decisions and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. We pray for the students, teachers, and all those returning to school and learning. May they have a year filled with knowledge, growth, and the joy of discovery. Bless our families, our friends, and our communities. May we be a source of support and encouragement 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 in your holy name. Amen.

Pictures from the past - Sightseeing in Kleve

The General Assembly of the Alexian Brothers took place from 6 to 14 May 2016 in Kleve, Germany. All the regions and provinces were represented at the meeting, which is held every six years. The meeting reviewed the situation, present and future of each mission and the question of vocations. And on the last day of the meeting, the community elected a new General, Brother Larry Krueger.

The pictures also show three members of the Irish Alexian community, Brother Dermot, Brother Dominic Walsh, who died last year, and Brother Barry.