Faith in the Home: St Carlo Acutis

In this Faith in the Home article, Dr Antonia Braithwaite explores how St Carlo Acutis, a tech-savvy teenager with a deep love for the Eucharist, offers a powerful model of holiness for young people living in today’s digital world.

In a world increasingly shaped by digital technology and shifting cultural values, young Catholics may often wonder how to live a life of holiness in the modern age. One teenager who offers a powerful answer to this question is St Carlo Acutis – a modern-day saint whose deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist, joyful faith, and skill with technology continue to inspire people across the globe.

Born in London in 1991 to Italian parents, Carlo spent most of his life in Italy. Though his life on earth lasted just 15 years, he made a lasting impact through the way he lived his faith with sincerity, simplicity, and joy. From an early age, Carlo demonstrated a remarkable spiritual maturity. After receiving his First Holy Communion at the age of seven, he began attending daily Mass, praying the Rosary, and spending time in Eucharistic adoration – all on his own initiative.

What made Carlo particularly relatable to his peers, however, was how naturally he integrated his faith with everyday teenage life. He loved football, spent time with friends, enjoyed video games (but limited himself to just one hour per week!), and had a special gift for computers. He taught himself to code and used his talents to design websites that shared the Gospel, most notably a digital catalogue of Eucharistic miracles from around the world. That website — www.miracolieucaristici.org — remains online and continues to draw people closer to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Carlo once said, “To always be united with Jesus, this is my life’s plan.” He never shied away from living out his beliefs, even when it meant facing teasing or standing alone. He understood that technology could be a force for good, commenting, “The internet is not bad, but we must know how to use it correctly.” This message rings especially true for today’s teens, many of whom spend significant time online. Carlo’s life shows that holiness isn’t about rejecting the modern world, but about living virtuously within it.

In 2006, Carlo was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia and died just days later. Before his death, he offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church. He was buried in Assisi, and today, pilgrims can visit his tomb, where his body is visible and dressed in jeans and trainers – a striking image of a modern teenager whose ordinary life was lived with extraordinary faith.

On 7 September 2025, Carlo Acutis was canonised by Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first millennial saint. His feast day is celebrated on 12 October.

St Carlo reminds us that sainthood is not reserved for the old or the cloistered, it is within reach for every young person, even amidst the noise and distractions of the digital age. He invites teenagers today to make Jesus in the Eucharist the centre of their lives and to use their gifts, especially technological ones, to serve others and glorify God.

In the words of St Carlo himself: “Our goal must be the infinite, not the finite. The infinite is our homeland. Heaven has been waiting for us forever.”

May his example continue to light the way for young people in our diocese and beyond.

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