Techie teenager Carlo Acutis showed for veneration in preparation for beatification
MANILA, Philippines — A computer-savvy teenager is on his way of becoming a saint as Vatican announced his beatification.
Pope Francis declared Italian Carlo Acutis as Venerable on July 5, 2019 and will be beatify on October 10. Beatification is one step away from sainthood. After beatification, the teenager would be called Blessed Carlo Acutis.
“For the first time in history, we will see a saint dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. This is a great message for us, we can feel holiness not as a distant thing but as something very much within everyone’s reach because the Lord is the Lord of everyone,” Fr. Carlos Acácio Gonçalves Ferreira said.
Carlo's tomb has been opened for public veneration from October 1 to 17.
Acutis was born on May 3, 1991. He was diagnosed with leukemia in his teenage years.
Before his death, Acutis used his technological skills to spread the Word of God. He was skilled in computer programming, film editing, and creating websites, so he researched about Eucharistic miracles then created a website where other people can read about it.
Before he died, he was quoted as saying: “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.”
He died on Oct. 12, 2006 and was buried in Assisi, at his request, because of his love for St. Francis of Assisi.
As a child, Acutis loved to pray the rosary. After he made his First Communion, he went to Mass as often as he could and he made Holy Hours before or after Mass. He went to confession weekly.
