Blessed Carlo Acutis
Christ’s Joyful Disciple
Timothy Schmalz live-sculpting Blessed Carlo Acutis during the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress
Blessed Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991 – 12 October 2006)
Carlo Acutis, a joyful young Italian boy, spent his youth in a constant pursuit of holiness. While living an ordinary life, he lived it extraordinarily. He took great pleasure in attending daily mass, frequently attended Eucharistic adoration and regularly participated in the Sacrament of Confession.
He was fascinated with Eucharistic miracles and used his incredible talent with computers to create a website to spread the word of these miracles that are so little acknowledged or understood by many Catholics. He used this time to both strengthen his own knowledge and devotion of Eucharistic Miracles and to evangelize through the burgeoning power of the internet, spreading the Word and Works of God.
Having died suddenly of Leukemia at the age of 15, he left behind a legacy of kindness and devotion well beyond his short time on Earth. He was declared venerable in 2018 by Pope Francis and his beatification was celebrated October 10, 2020.
“I’m happy to die because I’ve lived my life without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God.”
Prayer for the Canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis
Oh God, Our Father,
thank you for giving us Carlo,
a life example for the young
and a message of love for everyone.
You made him become enamoured with
Your Son Jesus, Making of the Eucharist
his “Highway to Heaven”.
You gave him Mary, as a most loving Mother,
and, with the Rosary, you made him
a poet of her tenderness. Receive his prayer for us.
Above all, gaze upon the poor,
whom he loved and helped.
Grant for me too, by his intercession,
the grace that I need …
And make our joy fulfilled,
placing Carlo among the Saints
of your Church, so that his smile
may shine again for us in the glory of your name.
Amen
(“Our Father”,“Hail Mary”, “Glory be to God”)
“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.”
Learn about the first Miracle attributed to Blessed Carlo
In Brazil, a boy named Mattheus was healed from a serious birth defect called an annular pancreas after he and his mother asked Carlo Acutis to pray for his healing.
“To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan.”
Learn about the second miracle attributed to Blessed Carlo
The healing of a young woman, 21, from Costa Rica, studying in Florence, Italy, who fell from her bicycle in July of 2022 and incurred a severe head injury. This second miracle has paved the way for Blessed Carlo to become a saint.
Living Matthew 25
His devotion to Christ also extended how he treated others. He was known to perform corporal works of mercy in any small way that he could at such a young age by treating everyone with dignity, from the homeless on the streets of Milan to those who used soup kitchens he volunteered at, as well as the janitors at his school and the strangers he met on the street.
Devotion to the Saints
Blessed Carlo had a strong love for the saints, especially the Blessed Mother.
He had a great love of St John, “the beloved disciple”, noting that John leaned his head on Jesus’s chest (his sacred heart) during the last supper. Carlo also had a deep interest other saints, specifically St Francis of Assisi, St Dominic Savio, St Tarcisius, and St Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi. He is said to have frequently prayed to his guardian angel and to have had a special devotion to St Michael the Archangel.
He also had a great love for the children who received visions of Our Lady at Lourdes and Fatima: St Bernadette Soubirous, and St Francisco and St Jacinta Marto.
Learn more about Blessed Carlo’s favourite saints:
St John the Apostle (1st century AD) Feast day December 27
St John was one of the Twelve Apostles, the writer of The Gospel According to John and was also referred to as “the beloved disciple”. He was the youngest apostle and a cousin of Jesus. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. He is the patron saint of love, loyalty, friendships, and authors.
St Francis of Assisi (1181 – 3 October 1226) Feast day October 4
St Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. He was inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty as a beggar. Francis is associated with patronage of animals and the environment.
St Dominic Savio (2 April 1842 – 9 March 1857) Feast day May 6
St Dominic Savio was an Italian student of St John Bosco. St Dominic Savio was studying to be a priest when he became ill and died at the age of 14. St Dominic Savio is the patron saint of choirboys, the falsely accused, and juvenile delinquents.
St Tarcisius (3rd century) Feast day August 15
St Tarcisius was a martyr of the early Christian church who was attacked by a mob while he was carrying the Blessed Sacrament. He faithfully defended the Eucharist with his life. Tarcisius is the patron of first communicants.
St Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi (April 2, 1566 – May 25, 1607) Feast day May 25
St Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi was an Italian Carmelite nun and mystic. It was believed that de’ Pazzi could read the thoughts of others and predict future events. During her lifetime, she allegedly appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people. She is the patron saint of the sick.
St Michael the Archangel – Feast day September 29
St Michael the Archangel is associated with courage, protection, and divine intervention. The “Prayer to Saint Michael” specifically implores his defense against the forces of darkness. St Michael is patron saint of grocers, soldiers, doctors, mariners, paratroopers, police, and sickness
St Francisco de Jesus Marto (11 June 1908 – 4 April 1919) and St Jacinta de Jesus Marto (5 March 1910 – 20 February 1920) Feast day February 20
Sts Francisco and Jacinta were siblings who, with their cousin Lúcia dos Santos, witnessed three apparitions of the Angel of Peace in 1916, and several apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917. They are the youngest Catholic saints, with Jacinta being the youngest saint who did not die a martyr. They are patron saints of Portuguese children, captives, people ridiculed for their piety, prisoners, sick people & against sickness.
St Bernadette Soubirous (7 January 1844 – 16 April 1879) Feast Day April 16
St Bernadette Soubirous experienced apparitions of a “young lady” who asked for a chapel to be built at the nearby cave-grotto. These apparitions occurred between 11 February and 16 July 1858, and the woman who appeared to her identified herself as the “Immaculate Conception” and eventually became known as Our Lady of Lourdes. St. Bernadette is the patron saint of bodily illness, Lourdes, against poverty, shepherds and shepherdesses, and people ridiculed for their faith.
“The Virgin Mary is the only woman in my life.”
Blessed Carlo had a deep love for Mary, praying the Rosary daily. After the Eucharist, he considered the Rosary the most powerful weapon to fight the devil.
From the Carlo Acutis official site, you can visit the sites created by Blessed Carlos and download the incredible content he created.
Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis and the Eucharist
Blessed Carlo even has a comic book written about his life an evangelization.
“All people are born as individuals, but many die as photocopies.”
– Blessed Carlo Acutis