Saint Stories

Cynics would have the faithful believe that God is finished with the present age and will surely be sending down His wrath upon us all because of our sins. But the life and witness of Blessed Carlo Acutis stands in contrast to these pessimistic views as a sign that God is at work today and all the faithful have the potential and innate calling to be saints.
Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in London, England in 1991, and raised in Milan, Italy. Despite his short life, he represents a beacon of light and faith for modern Catholics. From an early age, Acutis exhibited a deep love for the Eucharist. He made his First Communion when he was seven and developed a habit of attending daily Mass. He often said, “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” His frequent reception of the Body of Christ fueled his spiritual growth and anchored his life in Christ.

Acutis was not just a boy of faith; he was also a product of the digital age. Over the course of two and a half years he and his parents vacationed to sites where Eucharistic miracles had taken place. Acutis took pictures, video, and handwritten notes of the sacred places and led his parents on a prayerful journey as a family, spending lots of time in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He saw the internet as a tool for evangelization and used his skills in computer programming to create a website which mapped out Eucharistic miracles from around the world. He believed that “all people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies,” urging individuals to use their unique talents to serve God. His innovative approach to preaching the Gospel shows that when technology is used wisely, it can be a powerful medium for bringing Christ to others.

He remained humble, aiming to glorify God through his actions rather than personal recognition. He often helped his peers with their schoolwork, stood up to bullies, and supported the marginalized in and around his immediate circles. His charity is exemplified in his habit of using his allowance to buy sleeping bags for the homeless. Acutis is an example of achieving greatness through serving others and cultivating virtue.

Another common trait of the saints, including Bl. Carlo Acutis, is a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He prayed the Rosary daily because he viewed it as a way to deepen his relationship with Christ and a powerful weapon against evil. In 2006, Acutis was diagnosed with leukemia. He accepted his illness with grace and offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church. The grace in his response to his illness exemplifies the Church’s teaching of redemptive suffering – the idea that our pain and trials can be united to Christ’s own suffering for the salvation of souls. His ability to maintain peace during this trial reflected his deep
trust in God’s plan for his life.

His legacy of devotion to the Eucharist and the use of technology for evangelization are what make him such an inspiring figure especially among young people. He is recognized in the Church for his sanctity. With his beatification on October 10, 2020 he is on the path to sainthood. His feast is on October 12, which is the anniversary of his death
in 2006.

Bl. Carlo Acutis’s love for the Eucharist, Mary, humility, charity, and graceful acceptance of suffering are profound lessons for all the faithful. As the first millennial to be beatified, his life is a testament that holiness is attainable for everyone, regardless of age or background and evidence that God is still moving, calling holy men and women in the modern age.

His website mapping out Eucharistic miracles can be found at http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html