‘If you can see it, you can be it!’ the message as Carlo Acutis relic graces parishes

The relic of Carlo Acutis continues on its journey around churches in Leinster and the respective parishes involved are excitedly gearing up to host the first-class relic and the message of ‘The Millennial Saint’ for the first time, a message that the Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown says, whose diocese has been to the fore in promoting Blessed Carlo’s cause, is making sainthood tangible for the next generation.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Monsignor John Byrne of Portlaoise Parish said that he hoped the age and casual appearance of Blessed Carlo will inspire young people to come along and interact with his story and his image, an image of “a saint for the 21st century”.

“It’s a privilege to have been asked to facilitate the visit,” Msgr Byrne said.

“We would hope during the time here that, we have a busy church anyway and thank God for it, but that we will have the involvement of students and young people who might think Carlo Acutis is particularly attractive and whose story resonates very much with them.

“Here we have a young man dressed in jeans with an iPhone in his hand who’s wearing a sports jersey. It just presents a very different but apt and necessary image of a saint for the 21st century.”

Fr Robert McCabe of St Mary’s Parish Navan said although preparations were underway to host the statue in the parish, many parishes and schoolchildren are already aware of Blessed Carlo’s cause, with some actively incorporating Blessed Carlo into their own personal faith journey.

“We are joyfully preparing”, he said. “Last year Carlo was one of the names taken by one of the boys for confirmation because he had done some research and found Carlo’s name and discovered that he would like to take this Italian as a role model as a teenager. Carlo is already known in some of our school communities and in our parish as a result.

“We’re dealing with a young boy who found joy living his Faith and that’s what we want to propose in the parish.”

Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown, when reflecting on a year since the installation of the statue of Blessed Carlo in the cathedral, said that the statue has “proved a very popular place of prayer in the cathedral” and that his message is spurring young people to ask deep questions about the pathway to sainthood.

“Last year, shortly after the statue was placed in its spot, a mother went past me with her teenage son and primary-school daughter,” he said. “On the way down, the mother stopped and said ‘Bishop, do you know what my daughter just said? Mummy, can I become a saint, too?’

“The image of a teenage boy in jeans, T-shirt , trainers and with a watch seems to attract many people. If you can see it, you can be it!”

The Relic will visit St Peter and Paul’s Church in Portlaoise on September 12+13 followed by St Mary’s Church in Navan on September 15+16. The relic will then visit the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in City Quay Parish, Dublin, on September 17.