Blessed Carlo Acutis I spent the past two weeks on holiday in Assisi, home of saints Francis and Clare and now of Blessed Carlo Acutis – a young Italian boy who died aged 15 from leukaemia and who will become the first millennial saint probably during the Jubilee year of 2025. So, who is Carlo Acutis and why is he a role model for young people today?
Carlo Acutis was born in London of Italian parents on May 3, 1991. After moving back to Italy and settling down at a new school, Carlo showed himself skilled in all things to do with information technology, computers and the internet. He was inspired by the late Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple. The wisdom Jobs shared struck a chord with the young Carlo: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living the life of someone else”.
Inspiration
It might seem odd that Jobs’ words “Your time is limited” would have a profound impact on a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. Yet, those words anticipated the length of Carlo’s life. Soon after, Carlo shared with a friend a premonition that his life would indeed be short. Jobs’ warning not to live the life of someone else or live another’s expectations also impacted strongly on him. In fact, he re-phrased this wisdom in his own way using the memorable analogy of a photocopy: “All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies”. Here Carlo warns against the slavery of conformity but not with the modern response of being radically individualistic. Rather he understood that God made us unique and that each of us need to discern the vocation he has entrusted to each of us within the family of the Church.
For Carlo, this highest good of his life was God and his will. “Happiness is looking towards God,” he said, “Sadness is looking towards yourself.” One of his best-known pieces of wisdom says it all: “God and not me.” He also shared: “Money is only ragged paper… what counts in life is the nobility of the soul, that is, the way that one loves God and loves one’s neighbour.” Here is a clarity of vision from the future saint that encourages young people not to settle for something beneath their dignity or to pursue goods that fail to satisfy the longings of the human heart.
At a time when many of his contemporaries were walking away from the Mass, Carlo found something beautiful in it that attracted him, something divine”
Carlo is a great example of someone who used modern technology to good effect without wasting time or being distracted. During the autumn of 2004, he accepted the responsibility of being deputy catechist in his parish, accompanying candidates for First Communion and Confirmation. During that time, Carlo used his skills to update and develop the websites and communication platforms of his parish and school, opening up new ways to evangelise and share the Good News using new media. Not being naive about the dangers of the internet, he warned his fellow students about the evils of pornography that “hypnotise” its victims and de-humanise both its producers and consumers. For Carlo, information technology must be seen for what it is – a tool to share the Good News, to connect and do good.
Another distinct feature of Carlo’s young life was his love for the Eucharist. At a time when many of his contemporaries were walking away from the Mass, Carlo found something beautiful in it that attracted him, something divine that he experienced. For Carlo, the Eucharist was a threshold experience that enabled him to transcend the border of this world and touch a world beyond. He famously said: “The Eucharist is my motorway to heaven” and that “with each Communion we come closer to the goal of sanctity”. For Carlo, we are called to possess “Eucharistic souls in which God works those marvels in us that only He can do”.
Death
Carlo Acutis died in October 2006 after a short illness. He faced his death with great courage as did his suffering parents. Though they prayed for the miracle of his survival, they all came to realise that while God doesn’t always save us from death, he saves us in death. Carlo was declared a Blessed of the Church on October, 10 2020. He is a wonderful example of how living a life of joyful faith takes nothing away from our desire to be free and happy. As the first millennial saint, may his witness inspire many young people to walk the same path of holiness and greatness as he did.