Future teen saint is ‘exploding’ among Irish youth

Two members of a group dedicated to the promotion of the cause of Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian teen renowned for his deep faith who died after a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2006, say they’re “happy out” after last week’s Vatican announcement to canonise the “Millennial Saint” this April and that they’ve witnessed an “explosion” of Blessed Carlo interest among Irish youth due to recent exposure to the soon-to-be saint.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, siblings Mary-Aoife and Seamus Ong of the group Carlo Acutis Youth Ireland said Blessed Carlo’s “quick” pathway to sainthood has been “incredible”.

“The process has been quite quick,” Seamus said. “In 2020 he was beatified and then in early April of this year it was decided that he would be canonised. Then everything was put on pause and we were all waiting to hear what would happen.

“The last couple of months I was wondering maybe this was going to be something that will happen later down the road and that maybe the Pope was taking his time with it but it’s been great to hear that straight out there it’s been decided for this Jubilee for Teenagers in April.

“The next time we go over to Assisi, it’ll be very real, that Carlo is a saint now – that’s incredible.”

Young people are naturally attracted to the very accessible and normal look and message of Blessed Carlo, according to Mary-Aoife, and this ordinary appeal is capturing the minds of schoolchildren all around the country.

“We’re all happy out over here, we really are,” she said. “We’ve really seen just an explosion of Blessed Carlo, particularly among the youth. We started doing workshops in schools, schools just reached out to us and asked us if we would be interested in doing some workshops. It’s incredible going down to talk to schoolchildren who have seen him and are all very open and interested in him, particularly around the idea of a saint. It’s incredible to see their faces looking in wonder at this young person who they never would’ve perceived could be a saint.

“It’s been such a joy to go out and meet young people, talk to them and give them a real example of a young saint today. I think Carlo is beginning to explode around the world. Although this process of canonisation has happened so quickly, in one way we’re not surprised because of the amount of people, through the relic visits and talking to other people, who have told us of incredible intercession stories and experiences they’ve had through Blessed Carlo Acutis’ intercession.

“He’s a really fast worker and these two approved miracles are just two of many that are happening.”