CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PENANG
Unity in Diversity | Communion, Participation, Mission
CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PENANG
Unity in Diversity | Communion, Participation, Mission
Unity in Diversity | Communion, Participation, Mission
Unity in Diversity | Communion, Participation, Mission
Patron Saint of Computer Programmers and Youths
Canonized on 07 September 2025 by Pope Leo XIV
Carlo Acutis was born May 3, 1991, in London where his father was working. Just a few months later, he moved with his parents, Andrea Acutis ad Antonia Salzano, to Milan, Italy, where he grew up. Carlo was diagnosed with leukaemia as a teenager. Before his death in 2006, he offered his sufferings for Pope Benedict XVI and for the Church, saying:
"I offer all of my suffering to the Lord, for the Pope and for the Church in order not to go to purgatory but to go straight to heaven”
From a young age, Carlo had a special love for God. Antonia Salzano, his mom, said that before Carlo, she went to Mass only for her First Communion, her Confirmation and her wedding.
But as a young child, Carlo loved to pray the rosary. After he made his First Holy Communion, he went to Mass as often as possible. Carlo’s love for the Eucharist also inspired a deep conversion for his mother.
He managed to drag his relatives, his parents to Mass every day. It was not the other way around; it was not his parents bringing the little boy to Mass, but it was he who managed to get himself to Mass and to convince others to receive Communion daily.
Antonia Salzano (Carlo’s mother) spoke to “EWTN News Nightly” in October 2023 about her son’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She said: “He used to say, ‘There are queues in front of a concert, in front of a football match, but I don’t see these queues in front of the Blessed Sacrament’ … So, for him the Eucharist was the centre of his life.”
Carlo’s witness of faith as a child led adults to convert and be baptized. Rajest Mohur, who worked for the Acutis family as an au pair when Carlo was young, converted from Hinduism to Catholicsm because of Carlo’s witness. Carlo taught Mohur how to pray the rosary and told him about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Mahur said that one of the things that most impressed him as a non-Christian was the witness of Carlo’s love and concern for the poor, how he interacted with the homeless man who would sit at the entrance of the church and would bring tupperware dishes filled with food out to people living on the streets.
Carlo wasn’t afraid to defend Church teaching, even in situations when his classmates disagreed with him. Many of Carlo’s high school classmates remember Carlo giving a passionate defence for the protection of life from the moment of conception when there was a classroom discussion about abortion.
Carlo was a faithful friend. He was known for standing up for kids at school who got bullied, particularly a classmate with special needs. When a friend’s parents were getting a divorce, Carlo made a special effort to include his friend in the Acutis’ family life. With his friends, he spoke about the importance of going to Mass and confession, human dignity, and chastity.
Carlo was fascinated with computer coding and taught himself some of the basic coding languages. He used his computer skills and internet savvy to help his family put together an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles that has gone on to be displayed at thousands of parishes in five continents.
His spiritual director has attested that Carlo was personally convinced that the scientific evidence from Eucharistic miracles would help people realize that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and come back to Mass.
Oh God, Our Father, thank you for giving us Carlo, a life example for the young and a message of love for everyone. You made him become enamoured with Your Son Jesus, Making of the Eucharist his “Highway to Heaven”.
You gave him Mary, as a most loving Mother, and, with the Rosary, you made him a poet of her tenderness. Receive his prayer for us. Above all, gaze upon the poor, whom he loved and helped.
Grant for me too, by his intercession, the grace that I need … (mention your intention in silence) And make our joy fulfilled, placing Carlo among the Saints of your Church, so that his smile may shine again for us in the glory of your name. Amen.
(“Our Father”,“Hail Mary”, “Glory be to God”)