Blessed Carlo once said, “All people are born as originals but many die as
photocopies.” Far from being a photocopy, Carlo was unique—and an
inspiration to all of us. 15 years, especially the first 15 years from birth is really an unnoticeable and unimportant year of people. But the legacy he kept for us in his short span of life has profoundly influenced the world.
He was showing and educating us by modeling himself for the love for video games, films, sports, and normal “kid” activities, that everyday people can become holy.
With wisdom far beyond his 15 years, Carlo continues to teach us about
Eucharistic devotion, evangelization, and love of the saints.
Blessed Carlo’s love for the Eucharist cannot be overstated. Even though his parents
were not particularly religious, Carlo encouraged them to go to Mass frequently as
a family. He would also ask his mom to take him to Eucharistic Adoration.
Just after he made his first Communion, Carlo encouraged his family to consecrate
themselves to the Sacred Heart. Carlo understood that Jesus’ Sacred Heart and the
Holy Eucharist are one and the same.
When he was 11 years old, Carlo wanted to teach the world about the Eucharist.
He created a website that catalogued all of the approved Eucharistic miracles, such
as the miracle of Lanciano.
Blessed Carlo once said, “Our soul is like a hot air balloon. If by chance there
is a mortal sin, the soul falls to the ground. Confession is like the fire
underneath the balloon enabling the soul to rise again. … It is important to
go to confession often.”
Confession was very important to Carlo. He used to confess even small sins,
knowing that sins keep us from having a closer relationship with Our Lord.
Carlo said, “What does it matter if you can win a thousand battles if you cannot
win against your own corrupt passions? It doesn’t matter. The real battle is with
ourselves.”
Carlo understood that Jesus is always waiting to forgive us for each one of our
sins, and he knew that we should trust in Our Lord’s Divine Mercy. As Pope
St. John Paul II said, “Confession is an act of honesty and courage – an act of
entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.”
Prayer: Blessed Carlo, please intercede for me that I might not fear Confession.
Help show me that Our Lord wants to forgive my sins if I will only go to Him
in contrition.
Blessed Carlo had a strong love for the saints, especially the Blessed Mother.
In fact, he once said, “The Virgin Mary is the only woman in my life.”
Carlo also had a devotion to St. John, especially because this “beloved disciple”
leaned his head on Jesus—near His Sacred Heart—at the Last Supper. Carlo
understood this as an act of Eucharistic worship. Since Carlo had a great love for
the Most Holy Eucharist, he had a strong devotion to this great Apostle.
Carlo enjoyed spending time in Assisi, mostly because of his love of
St. Francis. For this reason, Blessed Carlo was buried in Assisi. Also, he was
devoted to the angels and once said, “Continuously ask your guardian angel
for help. Your guardian angel has to become your best friend.”
Honoring the Saints
Prayer was extremely important in Carlo’s life. Mostly, he had a strong love of
praying in the presence of the Eucharist. He also had a strong devotion to the
Most Holy Rosary.
His gaze was always looking upward. He once said, “Sadness is looking at
ourselves. Happiness is looking towards God.”
As someone who was always striving to grow closer to the Lord, he said, “The
the only thing we have to ask God for, in prayer, is the desire to be holy.”
Praying Regularly
Blessed Carlo was known among his friends and family as being incredibly
humble and kind. He was approachable and friendly—not proud and distant.
He wanted to reach people where they were in their journey of faith.
Rajesh Mohur, an employee of the Acutis family, said, “When [Carlo] started to
explain to me the Word of God, the Bible, he did so with sweetness. It was as if
we had already gone up to Heaven.” Blessed Carlo’s witness to Mohur prompted
him to be baptized.
Carlo had a special love for the homeless. In fact, he asked his parents to give
them sleeping bags, and he would often spend his own money. He would also
bring food to them—not leftovers, but the hot meals that his family was eating
for dinner.
He also loved his friends and family. Most importantly, he would tell them
about the faith and the love of God. As one example, he frequently went to
Mass on First Fridays—and he told his friends about the importance of
participating in this devotion. He also encouraged his mother and father to
attend church, and due to his example, they became more fervent in their faith.
Loving Others
Due to Carlo’s love for God and for others, he had a deep desire to evangelize to
the world. Pope St. John Paul II called Christians to a new evangelization. He
said, “I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies
to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ, no
institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to
all peoples.”
When he was only 11 years old, Carlo answered this call to the new
evangelization by designing a website that included 150 Eucharistic miracles
(see page 11). He completed the website the year before he died. Since this time,
his website has been turned into a traveling exhibition that has been to many
countries on five continents.
Countless people have been strengthened in their faith due to this website and
exhibition. Even as a teenager, Carlo was able to reach the world with the message
of Jesus.
Evangelizing
Blessed Carlo experienced much suffering at the end of his life. As Carlo was dying
of leukemia, a doctor asked him about his pain. He responded “There are people
who suffer much more than me.”
With his selfless concern for others—even when he was in such pain—we can
learn the lesson of accepting our suffering while also uniting our problems with
our Crucified Lord.
Accepting Suffering
O God our Father, we thank you for giving us Carlo, a model of life for young
people, and a message of love for all. You made him fall in love with your son
Jesus, making the Eucharist his “highway to heaven.” You gave him Mary as a
beloved mother, and you made him, through the Rosary, a cantor of her
tenderness. Receive his prayer for us. Look above all upon the poor, whom he
loved and assisted.
(This article is an edited version of an e-book prepared by EWTN)