Blessed Carlo Acutis
a Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS

Assisi: October 10, 2020 Beatification of Carlo Acutis, an Italian 15-year old boy, with an enormous love of the Holy Eucharist.

Carlo was only 15 years old when he died in Monza, Italy, in 2006. Early in that year, he began to feel sick. When he did not get better, his parents took him to the hospital where he was examined and diagnosed with AML, one of the worst types of leukemia – Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Carlo said: “I offer to the Lord the sufferings that I will have to undergo for the Pope and for the Church, so as not to have to be in Purgatory and be able to go directly to heaven.” He died shortly after.

“Carlo was a normal, handsome and popular boy. A natural jokester who enjoyed making his classmates and teachers laugh. He loved playing soccer, video games, and had a sweet tooth. Carlo couldn’t say “no” to Nutella or to ice cream. Putting on weight made him understand the need for self-control. It was one of the many struggles Carlo had to overcome – to learn how to master the art of self-control, to master the virtue of temperance, starting by the simple things. He used to say, “What’s the use of winning 1,000 battles if you can’t beat your own passions?”¹

He lived in an ordinary way and he was original (and not a photocopy¹). His first savings were used to buy a sleeping bag for a homeless man he met sometimes on the way to Holy Mass. “His funeral was packed with many of the city’s poor residents that Carlo helped, demonstrating that the generosity he had extended to the homeless man on the way to Mass had been offered to many other people as well.”¹

He commonly was heard to say, “Each person reflects the light of God.”¹ He was hurt when his classmates did not live according to Christian morals. “The dignity of each human being was so great, that Carlo saw sexuality as something very special, as it was collaborating with God’s creation,” his mother recalled.¹

He had a passion for cleanliness, inside and out. For example, he fetched trash from the bottom of the sea, and taking his dog for a walk, he always picked up whatever garbage he came across. It was his way of improving his corner of the world.

“Carlo’s true passion was the Eucharist: “his highway to heaven.” This led to his mother’s conversion.”¹

Reading about Blessed Carlo suggests how merciful and loving Our Lord really is. We have heard about His Mercy through holy people 200, 300, 400 years ago, but here we have someone who lived in our time. He died in 2006 and was beatified 10 days ago, on October 10, 2020. That is exceptionally fast. Usually the Church is much slower in declaring these things. It is obvious that the Holy Father sees the value of lifting up this lad for all to see how Merciful the Lord is. Here is a young man who lived his 15 years in purity, honesty, honoring his mother, thinking of perhaps becoming a priest. Showing a good example to his classmates, attending Holy Mass daily and receiving Our Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion daily. A bright, happy kid, whose life was cut down by sudden and fatal disease. His death shows that no one knows when the hour is at hand, and he knew when he entered the hospital that he would not leave it again. “Each person reflects the light of God.”¹ In this world, the dignity of persons is often so taken for granted, Blessed Carlo, even at his young age, knew different. He was beatified in Assisi, how wonderful. Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us.

Fred Schaeffer, OFS
October 20, 2020

Home