Bl. Carlo Acutis
Blessed Carlo Acutis
When he lived: Bl. Carlo Acutis lived from May 3, 1991, to October 12, 2006.
Where he lived: Bl. Carlo Acutis lived in Milan, Italy.
Notable world events during the time of his life:
- The Launch of the World Wide Web (1991): Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web, revolutionizing global communication and paving the way for the modern internet.
- The September 11 Attacks (2001): The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., had a profound impact on global politics, security, and the perception of terrorism.
- The Human Genome Project (1990-2003): This international scientific endeavor aimed to sequence and map the entire human genome, significantly advancing our understanding of genetics and laying the foundation for personalized medicine.
- The Euro Currency Introduced (1999): The euro, the common currency of the European Union, was introduced electronically, leading to physical currency circulation in 2002. It greatly simplified financial transactions across member countries.
- The Launch of Facebook (2004): Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook, a social networking platform that grew exponentially and transformed online social interactions worldwide.
- The Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (2004): A massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that devastated several countries, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.
- His patronage: Bl. Carlo Acutis is considered a patron of internet users and computer programmers due to his passion for technology and his expertise in programming. He is also recognized as a patron of young people and students.
One of the greatest achievements of humanity is the discovery and continuous development of technology. Cyberspace has become an avenue to reach millions of people with just one click. The document Inter Mirifica of the Second Vatican Council expressed its hope that the gospel message be proclaimed using technological advancements and breakthroughs. In this context, young people who are the most technologically engaged are admonished to spread the good news on various platforms. This is the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
“Your son is special!”
Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London. Andrea and Antonia Acutis, Carlo’s parents, were there on business. They returned home to Milan in September of the same year. Carlo’s family did not diligently attend church. Surprisingly, young Carlo showed exceptional qualities due to a very special friendship with Jesus.
Antonia, his mother, recalls how little Carlo could not pass a church without going in and greeting his friend. She was also astonished to discover that her son was reading biographies of saints and the Bible. She was even more surprised when her son started to ask profound questions that she herself was unable to answer. His mother often heard the remark from their parish priest, teachers, classmates, and even ordinary people about the boy: “Madame, your son is special!”
At the age of seven, Carlos desired to receive his First Communion. After questioning the boy, their parish priest, Monsignor Pasquale Macchi, assured him of his maturity and Christian formation. However, the priest gave a single piece of advice: that the celebration be done in a conducive place free from distractions. And so, Carlo received the Eucharist in the silence of Bernaga Monastery, near Lerco, on June 16, 1998. Since then, Carlos has never missed attending daily Mass, praying the Rosary, or having a moment of adoration before the Tabernacle.
A Computer Genius
In many ways, Carlos was a typical teenager. He grew up to be fond of computers and computer games. The teenager was so gifted that both his friends and adults with computer engineering degrees considered him a genius. His ability to understand computers and their secrets, which are normally accessible only to those who have degrees, amazed everyone who met him. His interests involved programming, video editing, website creation and editing, and laying out small publications. At age fourteen, Carlos created a Eucharistic Miracle display that would tour the world, along with a website. He believed that if people knew that Jesus was truly present in the Eucharist, they would turn to God.
Carlo knew he would die young. He predicted the cause of his death and even his weight at the time. His mother recounted, “Carlo always had a sense that he couldn’t waste time.” Carlos did not want to be enslaved by anything, so even though he loved computer games, he allowed himself to play only for an hour a week. The rest of his time was dedicated to good works, helping children, the poor, and the elderly.
A Holy Life Too Early to End
In early October 2006, Carlo fell ill with the flu, so it was thought. A few days later, his condition drastically deteriorated. He was brought to the hospital of San Gerardo in Monza, Italy, where he was diagnosed with leukemia. The fifteen-year-old Carlo took the news with utmost calmness, immediately offering all his sufferings for the Pope, the Church, and his own direct entry into heaven (he had a horror of purgatory). “I am happy to die,” he said, “because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things that do not please God.” The young saint died on October 12. He was beatified on October 10, 2020, by Pope Francis.
Five Interesting Facts About Blessed Carlo Acutis
- Aside from computers, Blessed Carlo Acutis also loved football, Pokémon, action films, and all animals (he had four dogs, two cats, and many goldfish as pets).
- Blessed Carlo Acutis is often called “the saint in jeans”, referring to his saintly remains dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a casual sports top.
- Blessed Carlo Acutis is among the ranks of teen saints and blessed, such as Agnes, Dominic Savio, Rose of Viterbo, and José Sanchez del Rio.
- Days before he died, Blessed Carlo Acutis told his mother: “I would like to leave this hospital, but I know I will not do so alive. I will give you signs, though, that I am with God.” Exactly four years later, on the anniversary of Carlo’s death, at the age of forty-four, his mother gave birth to the promised “signs”: Carlo’s twin brother and sister.
- After his beatification in 2020, Blessed Carlo Acutis was dubbed “the Millennial Saint” and “the patron of the Internet”.
Prayer to Blessed Carlo Acutis
(Official prayer asking for the beatification and canonization of the Venerable Carlo Acutis)
Oh Father, who has given us the ardent testimony of the young Venerable Carlo Acutis, who made the Eucharist the core of his life and the strength of his daily commitments so that everybody may love You above all else, let him soon be counted among the Blessed and the Saints in Your Church. Confirm my faith, nurture my hope, and strengthen my charity in the image of young Carlo, who, growing in these virtues, now lives with You. Grant me the grace that I need. I trust in You, Father, and your beloved Son Jesus; in the Virgin Mary, our dearest mother; and in the intervention of Your Venerable Carlo Acutis.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be)
