BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY
In the week before Holy Week, I received a book in the mail, Blessed Carlo Acutis: Five Steps to being a Saint by Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo. The book caught my attention because I had heard a few things about Blessed Carlo over the past few months. I recalled hearing about a young boy in Italy who died at the age of 15, and was recently beatified (declared Blessed by the Church) and who could become the “first millennial saint.” The beatification took place this past Oct. 20 in Assisi, Italy. It means that Blessed Carlo is now one-step away from being declared a saint.
As I began reading this short book during Holy Week and finished it on the morning of Holy Saturday, I felt two things; first, that I had been introduced to a saint and second, that once again, the Holy Spirit is giving us an opportunity to be reminded that holiness is possible.
The life of Blessed Carlo can teach us many things and fill us with hope. One very important lesson is that, even though our lives can become very complicated, there is a beautiful simplicity to giving our lives completely to God and the Good News of the Gospel. In our current cultural climate, I believe there is a particular danger in equating simple with easy. I believe that the short life of Carlo Acutis can show us that a simple life dedicated to Jesus can translate into being the “salt of the earth” and “light of world” that Jesus calls us to be and also reminds us that to be his true disciple, we must be ready to share in the mystery of his Cross.
I highly recommend purchasing the book Blessed Carlo Acutis: Five Steps to being a Saint and learning more about Blessed Carlo and the inspiring, uplifting story of his life and witness. The book’s subtitle, “Five steps to being a saint” refers to what became most important to Carlo in his short life. There is a quote from Cardinal Robert Sarah, the recently retired prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:
“We make a choice in life: God or nothing. Blessed Carlo Acutis chose God — “Not I, but God” — in five simple practices. The Mass, Adoration, Confession and spiritual guidance, befriending the Blessed Mother and the saints, and charity. These daily “appointments” led Carlo to a life of intimacy with Jesus and love for neighbor.” — Cardinal Sarah
In my column last week, I spoke about a “comeback” or “revival” in and for the Church. The story of Blessed Carlo was very much on my mind as I wrote those words. His “five simple practices” could almost sound boring or obvious, but for those who know the lives of the saints and, I believe, for those who learn about the life of Blessed Carlo, they will be reminded that there is nothing boring about a life of holiness and a life of intimacy with Jesus and love of neighbor — we only have to live it and choose it: choose to keep those daily appointments, as Carlo did.
One other important aspect of Blessed Carlo’s life was that he was intellectually gifted and from an early age had a love of technology, starting with video games, but also being ahead of his time in seeing the possibility of evangelization on the internet. He combined his love for the Eucharist and his internet skills to create a website that catalogues, “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World.” Some are speculating that Blessed Carlo could eventually be named as the patron saint of the internet.
One final thought (for the moment) on what impressed me so much about Carlo’s story: he was a regular kid. He grew up in a regular family. His parents were not, at first, practicing Catholics, but the family grew together in faith. Carlo had his faults and struggles; he had a “sweet tooth” and he often struggled to pay attention in class. He had good friends and he made special efforts to be there for friends when they were going through difficult times. He also found great joy in being active in his parish from a young age, volunteering as an assistant catechist for his Mom and leading parish efforts to care for and minister to the poor and those in need.
I look forward to learning more about Blessed Carlo and to seeing how the Holy Spirit may use his life and example to inspire the Church in our times. Just about 100 years ago, on April 29, 1923, there was another Beatification of a young person who had died of an illness. She is known as St. Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower,” who by her “little way” and the example of her life, taught the world to do “little things with great love.” I believe and hope that Blessed Carlo Acutis, in our time, will teach us to do the same.