CARLO ACUTIS
“His witness shows today’s young people that true happiness is found by putting God first and serving him in our brothers, especially the least.”
Pope Francis, October 11, 2020.
This is a reminder that Blessed Carlo Acutis will be Canonised on 7 September. Please encourage your parishioners, and particularly young people you have contact with, to reflect on his life and to consider the important role that they can play in sharing their faith with others.
Carlo Acutis was born May 3, 1991, in London, where his father was working. Just a few months later, he moved with his parents to Italy. He was diagnosed with leukemia as a teenager and died in 2006 at only 15 years old.
From a young age, Carlo had a special love for God, even though his parents weren’t especially devout. As a young child, Carlo loved to pray the rosary. He was devoted to daily Mass and acts of kindness.
Despite his young age, he exhibited a keen interest in understanding the mysteries of technology and Catholicism. He loved playing video games. Carlo was fascinated with computer coding and used his skills to spread the faith. He helped his family put together an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles which was displayed at thousands of parishes on five continents and which can be accessed online https://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html His witness has brought many people to conversion, including his own family.
Pope Francis recognized a first miracle attributed to Carlo’s intercession which involved the healing of a 3-year-old boy in Brazil in 2013 who had been diagnosed with a malformation of his pancreas since birth. That led to his beatification. The second miracle involved the healing of a 21-year-old girl from Costa Rica named Valeria Valverde, who was near death after seriously injuring her head in a bicycle accident.
Today, Carlo Acutis serves as a model for young people seeking to navigate the complexities of the digital world while remaining faithful to the Gospel. Carlo’s example challenges young Catholics to use their talents for the glory of God and the spread of the Gospel.
Canon Paul Cummins
A short video about the life of Carlo Acutis https://youtu.be/wdoTQmFyXgE
