August 30, 2024
My dear Kirkland Catholics,
Sacred Heart Radio generously lent our parishes the posters on Eucharistic Miracles displayed last week, highlighting miracles that Blessed Carlo Acutis catalogued on his website. I want to take this opportunity to share more about Blessed Carlo. As I said at Mass, he will be the first millennial Saint (May 3rd 1991 – October 12th 2006) having had his second miracle just approved and will be canonized next year.
Carlo’s parents were not practicing Catholics, and they baptized Carlos as an infant because the grandparents expected it. His mom does not think she ever went to Mass except for her First Communion, her Confirmation and her Wedding up until the time young Carlo began showing intense interest in Jesus and the Blessed Mother.
Carlo was a computer programmer who showed remarkable aptitude as a child and used his programming skills to make the Eucharistic miracle website. Carlo loved soccer and video games but understood from an early age that video games were not helpful and limited himself to one hour per week. Carlo began dragging his parents to daily Mass prior to First Communion, and the priest having found out that Carlo was the reason the Acutis’ were attending daily Mass allowed Carlo to receive First Eucharist a year early. To keep this early First Eucharist discreet he received at a monastery rather than his home parish, and the cloistered nuns who saw him receive First Communion testified that he looked angelic with happiness after receiving First Communion.
Carlo defended kids in school who were bullied or outsiders and made particular efforts to be there for peers who had difficult times at home, especially a classmate whose parents were going through a tough divorce. His parents were extremely wealthy, but the only extravagance he allowed himself to ask them for was to take him on pilgrimages to holy sites. His favorite place was Assisi. Carlo went to Eucharistic Adoration every day if possible, and confession almost every week.
Carlo’s family employed a man named Rajesh full-time to chaperone and help take care of Carlo. Rejesh walked Carlo to and from school each day, and Carlo always stopped at the church on the way to pray in front of the tabernacle. Carlo’s prayerfulness, devotion and kindness made a strong impression upon Rajesh, a devout Hindu, and he later converted (in 1999) to Catholicism principally because of Carlo’s witness. Rajesh’s mother visited her son and Carlo’s family for a few weeks in 2002, and Carlo’s witness also led to her conversion to Catholicism later that year.
Carlo died of leukemia at fifteen years old having offered his suffering and illness for the Holy Father and salvation of souls. Carlo is a wonderful example of the power of the Sacraments working through those with earnest and open hearts. I hope you will consider seeking out and reading more about his life.
With love in Christ,
Fr. Brad