László Batthyány-Strattmann was born on October 28, 1870, in Dunakiliti, Hungary, the sixth child of a family of ancient Hungarian nobility. In 1876, the family moved to Kittsee-Köpcseny in present-day Austria due to the constant threat of flooding on the Danube.
When László was twelve, he lost his mother, who died at the age of 39. This loss left a deep mark on the child’s soul. He often said, “I will become a doctor and treat the sick and poor free of charge.”
In 1896 he began studying medicine at the University of Vienna and graduated in this discipline in 1900. While still a student, he married Countess Maria Teresa Coreth, a deeply religious woman, on November 10, 1898. The couple’s marriage was very happy and harmonious, and they were blessed with 13 children. In 1916, he entered the Franciscan Third Order with his wife.
In 1902, László Batthyány founded a private hospital with 25 beds in Kittsee, where he worked as a physician. Initially, he was a general practitioner; later, he specialized in surgery and then, primarily, in ophthalmology. During the First World War, the hospital was expanded to 120 beds to care for wounded soldiers.
After the death of his uncle Ödön Batthyány-Strattmann in 1915, László inherited Körmend Castle in Hungary, as well as the title of “prince” and the name “Strattmann”. In 1920, the family moved from Kittsee to Körmend and established a hospital in part of the castle, primarily for ophthalmology. In this field, László Batthyány-Strattmann quickly became a renowned specialist, both at home and abroad.
Even then, it was well known that he wanted to be a doctor for the poor. Many poor people from Körmend, and from other regions as well, sought his advice and help. He treated them free of charge. As a “price” for therapy and hospital care, he asked them to pray an Our Father for him. Pharmacy prescriptions could also be filled free of charge and were reimbursed by the bursar’s office. Those in need often received significant financial assistance as well.
In addition to his patients’ physical health, László Batthyány-Strattmann also cared for the spiritual well-being of his patients. Before operations, he and his patients would ask for the Lord’s blessing. He was convinced that as a doctor, he was merely directing the operation; he regarded healing as a gift from God. He felt like an instrument in God’s hands. Upon discharge from the hospital, he gave patients prayer cards and a booklet entitled “Open Your Eyes and See”. This was intended to help them with their religious life. Many of his grateful patients, as well as his own family members, already considered him a saint in his time. His relationship with his wife was very peaceful until the end. Together, they strove to raise their children as God-fearing and honest men. Every day, the entire family attended Holy Mass. After Mass, László Batthyány-Strattmann gave his children a brief Christian education, during which they also received a concrete task to perform, as a good deed. After the daily evening rosary, they discussed the day that had just passed and also the assigned task.
After several months of serious, suffering illness, he died on January 22, 1931. He was buried in Németújvár, Burgenland, in the Batthyány family crypt, in the Franciscan monastery there.
On July 11, 1992, the Holy Father John Paul II declared that László Batthyány-Strattmann had practiced Christian virtues heroically. In 1989, a miracle occurred through the intercession of the Servant of God László Batthyány-Strattmann: a patient suffering from incurable cancer was healed in a scientifically inexplicable way. This healing was examined in detail and, after 12 years, declared authentic by a commission of doctors and theologians. The Beatification was finally set for March 23, 2003. in Rome.
Dr. László Batthyány-Strattmann perfectly realized his motto in his life: Fidelitate et caritate – “With fidelity and charity”.
Liturgical Memorial: January 22nd .
Photo: Batthyany-Strattmann memorial in Güssing, Austria. © C.Stadler/Bwag; CC-BY-SA-4.0
Sources:
https://www.causesanti.va/it/santi-e-beati/laszlo-batthyany-strattmann.html
https://ferenc2023.hu/hu/informacio/boldog-batthyany-strattmann-laszlo-elete