Recently Pope Francis declared Carlos Acutis, a fifteen-year-old Italian boy as “Blessed”. Not all saints and blessed died centuries ago. Why is he particularly unusual to be on the road to sainthood? First, he came from parents who identified themselves as Catholic and yet did not attend church. He was what is considered a normal child, going to school, skiing, playing soccer, loved movies and video games. As a child Carlos would walk by a church and go in to pray with a very special devotion to the Eucharist. He became captivated by the sacrificial lamb engraved in the altar.
After his First Communion, the Eucharist opened his eyes to the deep meaning of this profound connection with the body and blood of Jesus. He said “They will stand for hours to go to a concert, but won’t even stay for a moment before the tabernacle.”
He became enamored with the internet and saw it as a vessel to draw attention to the faith and ultimately to the Eucharist. He created websites and shared his faith around the world. He evangelized with his life and sometimes with his gaze. In 2020 he died of advanced Leukemia. He has helped countless people and had a couple of miracles attributed to him. His closing words echoed his deep faith and devotion. “I am happy to die because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things which do not please God.” He did not fear death but welcomed God’s invitation.
He is indeed closer to becoming a saint, having said “If we get in front of the sun, we get suntans, but when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.”