But by focusing too much on these anecdotal aspects, are we not missing the spiritual depth of his testimony?

The core of Carlo Acutis' message is not inherently juvenile: it is his radical love for the Eucharist, which he called the "highway to heaven."

His practice of attending daily Mass as a transformative encounter with Christ, his ability to blend contemplation with action, prayer with engagement in the digital world—all this speaks to every baptised person, regardless of age or era.

A saint's unique characteristic is their ability to speak to all people at all times.

A projection by adults

The church's tendency to promote "Peter Pan saints"—idealised youthful figures who died before facing the complexities of adulthood—is not new.

Before Carlo Acutis, there were Sts Dominic Savio and Maria Goretti. These figures reveal an ecclesial fascination with an eternal, fantasised youth.

This promotion of devotion to Blessed Carlo comes more from adults (parents, youth ministers, priests) than from young people themselves.

While it claims to resonate with today's young Christians, what is often highlighted is the fantasy of a perfect youth: a well-behaved teenager without rebellion or crises.

Ultimately, Carlo becomes less the patron saint of teenagers and more the patron of what adults wish their teenagers would be.

An inhibiting idealisation

Such idealization can have a discouraging effect on young Catholics.

How can they not feel overwhelmed by these models of early perfection?

The "freshness" and "spontaneity" of adolescent faith are valuable but cannot be the sole spiritual horizon offered to youth.

Christian maturity also involves navigating deserts, persevering over time, and deepening faith through trials. Models of holiness for young people must allow them to envision spiritual growth that extends into adulthood, strengthening their resolve to mature and fulfil their faith.

By emphasizing mimicry—"someone like you"—we risk neglecting the truly inspirational dimension of sainthood. Saints should reveal what we aspire to be, not merely reflect what we already are.

Moreover, by confining Acutis to the role of "saint for the young," the church risks diminishing the universal scope of his testimony.

His way of living the Eucharistic mystery can move an adult as much as a teenager, and his approach to evangelisation through digital tools can inspire a senior as much as a young person.

While age-based segmentation serves understandable pastoral concerns, it ultimately impoverishes the Gospel message.

This also reflects the church's hesitation to allow a genuinely youthful voice that speaks to everyone.

This challenge surfaced in the recent Synod, where many young people felt ignored.

Yes, a 16-year-old in sneakers can teach the whole church about love for the Eucharist, missionary zeal, and service to the poor.

Yes, young people have a rightful place in the church's structure and governance, serving everyone.

The true modernity of Carlo Acutis

Blessed Carlo Acutis undoubtedly deserves canonisation.

But we must stop reducing him to a teenage icon that obscures his core message: his radical Eucharistic witness, which transcends age categories. And we must have the pastoral courage to present young people with a broader array of models of holiness, including figures who navigated the complexities of adult life while remaining faithful to the Gospel ideal.

The true modernity of Carlo Acutis lies not in his sneakers or gaming console but in his ability to make the heart of the Christian faith accessible and desirable.

In this, he is a true saint: one for our time and for all times.

• Clément Barré is a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Bordeaux in southwestern France, and a team member of Enfance Adolescence, the diocesan Service for Children and Youth Ministry that aims to foster encounters with Christ, the church, and others among children and adolescents.
• First Published in La Croix International. Republished with permission.

A lesser-known initialism from the past is SAG, which stands for Saint Anthony Guide. People used to write this on the back of their envelopes, seeking help from the patron saint of lost causes, St. Anthony of Padua. This practice dates back to 1729 when a wife tried to communicate with her merchant husband who had travelled from Spain to Peru. After not receiving any response to her letters, she wrote a letter and placed it on a statue of St. Anthony in her local church. Following days of prayer, she found a letter from her husband and some coins at the church, which gave her relief.

For those who send many emails, you could consider adding B.C.G. at the end of your message. Blessed Carlo Acutis was known for his computer skills. He was recognized for his positivity, computer skills, and devotion to the Eucharist, which were central to his life. He was beatified by Pope Francis on 10th October 2020. and on 23rd May 2024, Francis acknowledged a second miracle attributed to Acutis' intercession and approved the process to make him the first Millennial saint.

You could sign off your emails with your name and then a B.C.G. and then an S.C.G. underneath once his canonization process is complete! Read more

Lying in a glass-sided casket in jeans and a track jacket, the body of Carlo Acutis, an internet enthusiast who died in 2006 of leukemia at the age of 15, was venerated by some 41,000 visitors during a 19-day-long celebration of his beatification, the last step before sainthood, that ended Monday (Oct. 19).

His hands locked above his chest, his unruly curls resting on a pillow, Acutis lay in repose at the Shrine of the Renunciation at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi, Italy. A silicone mask was placed over his face and hands in order for the remains to be presented "with dignity for the veneration of the faithful," according to the church.

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Venerable Carlo Acutis
The teenager, computer geek and leukemia victim will be beatified. The Medical Council of the Congregation for Saints' Causes has approved a miracle attributed to the Venerable Carlo, who died in 2006.

The miracle involved a Brazilian child who was healed from a rare congenital anatomic anomaly of the pancreas in 2013.

The Italian teen's beatification is expected to take place in Assisi, which is where Acutis is buried.

Acutis, who was 15 when he died, offered his suffering for the pope and for the Church.

Last May, his mother, Antonia Salzano, said "Jesus was the center of his day."

He attended daily Mass, frequently prayed the rosary, and made weekly confessions.

His mother said priests and nuns would say they could tell the Lord had a special plan for her son.

"Carlo really had Jesus in his heart, really the pureness … When you are really pure of heart, you really touch people's hearts," she said.

Acutis's gift for computer technology resulted in a website which catalogued Eucharistic miracles.

This website was the genesis of The Eucharistic Miracles of the World, an international exhibition which highlights such occurrences.

Blessed Lazarus (also called Devasahayam)
A miracle has been attributed to 18th century Indian martyr Blessed Lazarus, who suffered severe persecution after converting from Hinduism to Catholicism.

Blessed Maria Francesca of Jesus
A miracle has also been attributed to the intercession of Blessed Maria Francesca of Jesus. Francesca, who died in Uruguay in 1904, was the missionary foundress of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of Loano.

Both Blessed Lazarus and Blessed Maria Francesca of Jesus can now be canonized as saints. Their canonisation dates have yet to be announced.

Fr Rutilio Grande García and two lay companions
The Vatican has recognized the martyrdom of a Jesuit priest, Fr. Rutilio Grande García, and his two lay companions, who were killed in El Salvador. Grande, a close friend of St. Oscar Romero, was shot by a right-wing death squad while travelling in a car on March 12, 1977.

Servants of God
The heroic virtues of Servant of God Mario Hiriart Pulido, a Chilean engineer and lay member of the Secular Institute for the Schoenstatt Brothers of Mary who died in Wisconsin in 1964, have been recognised.

So have the heroic virtues of three Italian priests: Fr. Emilio Venturini, Fr. Pirro Scavizzi, and Fr. Emilio Recchia.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Image: Patheos