Carlo Acutis canonization; a saint for the young, a saint for all
- Pauline Books & Media
- Aug 29
- 6 min read
An ordinary, unique life (1991-2006)
When God called Carlo to Heaven, he was only a teenager. But he accomplished a great deal for Jesus in his brief life. Carlo showed generosity to those in need, including the homeless, the ill, and the afflicted. In God's kingdom, every canonization is a celebration for the faithful, angels, and saints. We give thanks to God for Saint Carlo Acutis.
"Carlo was well aware that the whole apparatus of communications, advertising and social networking can be used to lull us, to make us addicted to consumerism and buying the latest thing on the market, obsessed with our free time, caught up in negativity. Yet he knew how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty.
Carlo didn’t fall into the trap. He saw that many young people, wanting to be different, really end up being like everyone else, running after whatever the powerful set before them with the mechanisms of consumerism and distraction. In this way they do not bring forth the gifts the Lord has given them; they do not offer the world those unique personal talents that God has given to each of them. As a result, Carlo said, “everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies”. Don’t let that happen to you!
Don’t let them rob you of hope and joy, or drug you into becoming a slave to their interests. Dare to be more, because who you are is more important than any possession. What good are possessions or appearances? You can become what God your Creator knows you are, if only you realize that you are called to something greater. Ask the help of the Holy Spirit and confidently aim for the great goal of holiness. In this way, you will not be a photocopy. You will be fully yourself."
CHRISTUS VIVIT, Pope Francis, 25 March 2019
Carlo on the Sacrament of Baptism
It opens the door of salvation to a soul as it revests it with divine life.
Carlo on the Mass and the Holy Eucharist
I think that many people to not fully understand the value of Mass, because if they recognised the enormous blessing we have in a Lord who gives himself as our food and drink in the Sacred Host, they would go to Mass every day to participate in the fruits of the sacrifice and let go of so many superfluous things!
By standing before the Eucharist Christ, we become holy.
The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.
(When receiving Communion):
Jesus, have a seat! Make yourself at home.
The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.
Those who approach the Eucharist every day go straight to heaven.
Documenting the Eucharistic Miracles
Carlo had a gift for technology and was capable of writing computer code, editing videos, creating websites, and designing graphics. When he was eleven he started to catalogue, on his computer, the Eucharistic Miracles of the world. He studied more than "136 Eucharistic miracles that have been recognized by the Church and have taken place over the centuries', in various nations around the world." He designed a website to house the Eucharistic Miracles of the World and a virtual museum. This 'international exhibition' as he called it, lists the miracles by country and then by date. The website also includes Saints, Mystics and the Eucharist, Our Lady and the Eucharist, and Miraculous Communions.
Carlo on the Sacrament of Reconciliation
In order to climb higher, a hot-air-balloon needs to shed weight, just as a soul needs to shed itself of venial sins to ascend to heaven. If one happens to fall into mortal sin, the soul falls to earth, and confession is like the fire that reinflates the balloon and allows it to ascend once more to heaven. We need to go to confession often because the soul is a very complex reality.
Carlo on the Sacraments
Virtue is acquired primarily through an intense sacramental life, and the Eucharist is undoubtedly the culmination of charity.
Carlo's love of animals
( especially dogs, cats, goldfish and dolphins)
Outside God is noise, turmoil, quarrel, war.
With God everything is order,
everything is in order.
Carlo enjoyed the outdoors
To the Lord I can always confide anything.
I can also complain, question him in his silence,
tell him what I don't understand.
To always be close to Jesus,
that is my life plan.
Jesus Christ speaks to us within,
and we should listen to him and follow Him in everything.
Carlo's strong devotion to the Virgin of Fatima
Our Lady is the only lady in my life!
Carlo had always been inspired by the three shepherd children, Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia. Their willingness to make minor sacrifices for the love of God especially impressed him. He gave up movies and chocolate in an attempt to emulate them. His goal in making these small sacrifices was to give Our Lady "a bouquet of roses so that she may use him to serve her children most in need."
Your guardian angel has to become your best friend.
Carlo on the Saints
(St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Padre Pio, St. Michael the Archangel)
Carlo particularly loved this passage about the Eucharist, written by St. Francis of Assisi,
"Behold: Daily he humbles himself as when from heaven's royal throne he came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily he himself comes to us with like humility. Daily he descends from the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. And as he appeared to the apostles in true flesh, so now also he shows himself to us in the sacred bread. And as they by their bodily sight saw only his flesh, yet contemplating him with the eyes of the spirit believed him to be God, so we also, as we see with our bodily eyes the bread and wine, are to see and firmly believe that it is his most holy Body and Blood living and true. And in this way the Lord is always with his faithful, as he himself says: Behold I am with you until the end of the world."
Additionally, Carlo loved St. Anthony of Padua very much. He saw him as an apostle for the Eucharist, an evangelizer, and a preacher of the Word. He wanted to be as charitable as Francis and Anthony, especially with regard to the poor.
The news that one of St. Michael's, the archangel footprints was found on the rock in the grotto of Saint Michael in Gargano, moved Carlo to tears. He wanted to visit the shrine, upon hearing of it during his visit to the convent of St. Pio, in San Giovanni Rotondo. The shrine was only a short journey of about 4.5 miles from the convent.
Carlo on the Poor
Those who enjoy a high income or have a string of noble titles after their names should not boast or think they are better than others. Noble titles and money mean so little. what really counts in life is the nobility of soul or the manner in which we love God and neighbour.
Carlo on Heaven
The infinite is our homeland.
Heaven has been waiting for us forever.
"He did not ease into comfortable immobilism, but understood the needs of his time, because he saw the face of Christ in the weakest. His witness indicates to today’s young people that true happiness is found by putting God in first place and serving Him in our brothers and sisters, especially the least."
Pope Francis, 11 October 2020
God, Our Father,
thank you for giving us Saint Carlo,
a life example for the young
and a message of love for everyone.
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