1st Millennial Saint-The Saint of the Internet - really!

Time2bCatholic.com

 I don't know if you've heard of the newbie Saint, St. Carlo Acoutis yet - he died at age 15 in Italy from leukemia 18 years ago in 2006.  And wow did that kid make a difference in the world.

Blessed Carlo Acoutis was Cannonized (pronounced by the Church to be a Saint) September of 2025.  He's the first Millennial Saint - the first Saint to be buried in sneakers - he will forever be known as The Saint of the Internet - and Cyber Apostle of The Eucharist.  I kid you not!  As with any Catholic Saint, at least two Miracles have been attributed to his intersession.  I'm sorry, that sentence just made me giggle - health miracles - not internet miracles like "He helped me recover my essay" :)).

Could you imagine if Blessed Carlo Acoutis' parents had raised him the old fashioned way where "kids should be seen and not heard"?  Or perhaps the opposite - with "gentle parenting" that might have failed to mold character? Or if his mom banned video games, or decreed he should limit his screen time... Or, or or...  Is it possible that despite our parenting wins and fails, we need God's intervention to complete our parenting wins and fails?  And yes I just suggested that God completes our fails -- God makes lemonade from every lemon.  His mom admitted that she went to Mass for her childhood Sacraments and her wedding - that's all.  She was far from the pious, "I'm raising a saint" type of Mom.  And Carlo had nanny's because his parents worked so much...  Nevertheless their kid noticed that everywhere he went - there were lines - for football, for rides...but never for church.  He became so focused and vocal about "Why weren't people lining up to see Jesus?" that soon he had his non-religious family going to daily Mass.  Family adults, including his Hindu nanny, converted to Catholicism because of him!  ...He'd bring food to the homeless...he'd argue pro life issues with classmates on the other side of that issue--he'd do and encourage all devotedly Catholic acts --and much more--all as a pre-teen/teen - and all years before his illness was diagnosed.  At age 11, he played the typical video games kids play - and decided to teach himself computer coding.  That self-training helped him create "the" computer exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles that has now been shown at thousands of parishes on five continents.  'Kid suggested that learning about Eucharistic Miracles will remind people to get back to Mass.  'Kid's right.  On my path to becoming Catholic, a book on Eucharistic Miracles was a major factor in keeping my curiosity lit--I would've loved a video, no less a whole exposition!  

For those who do not know, during a Catholic Mass, the priest, who was made a priest in the same way the Apostles of Jesus were trained by Jesus to ordain the next priests, literally able to trace the process back to the original 11 Apostles, acting in the place of Christ, says the words Christ said at the Last Supper, over the bread and wine.  At that moment, the bread and wine at that altar table, just like Jesus said it would, each become the body, blood, soul, and divinity (God-ness) of Christ.  There's literally a modern-day miracle at every Mass.  Catholics are supposed to know this to be so - it is the source and summit of the Catholic faith.  But sometimes, faith waivers, religious-ed pales, - and of course those who are not Catholic, are skeptical.  So occasionally, in many different time periods, and in many different countries, Jesus has permitted select Eucharists to be desecrated - and studied - as proof to those who do not believe in His Real Presence in the Eucharist.  Such Eucharists present with flesh and or blood. True to Jesus' style, Eucharistic Miracles happen in unlikely places and times.  The round flat wafer-bread called the Host, begins as flour and water - made by nuns, or more often recently by very few worldwide, specifically "allowed" companies.  Miraculously, no matter what decade or country or religion (or lack thereof) of the scientists given bloody Eucharistic Miracle hosts to examen, their findings always reveal the same facts.  Under a microscope, and more recently with more sophisticated technology, bloody, and even the non-bloody parts that look like bread, (but scientists of all types pathologists, medical examiners, surgeons, heart experts etc.) record the same conclusions: living, fresh, human heart-muscle tissue, viable white blood cells - despite how long the "samples" have been disconnected from a human (often they remain years in a church-open to the elements) - always AB blood type - and specific medical details that suggest trauma before death.  The worldwide medical community concludes and admits that due to the worldwide rigorous blind testing, where many scientists would love to prove the Church wrong, these remain legitimate unexplainable miracles.     

             More details about Eucharistic Miracles will be in future blog posts here at TTBC.

So being a latchkey kid, "wasting time" on video games, and having non-attentive parents - while it no doubt influenced St. Carlo's development, so did the Holy Spirit.  Carlo was allowed to explore his talents, and given a computer, and guidance when asked, --and he was allowed to explore his faith, by being taken to Church when he asked to go.  So in the words of another saint, St. Padre Pio, "Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry!"  ...God has a plan for each of us, and I think - only my opinion mind you - that the key to discovering God's plan is to keep bringing our questions, our curiosity, --our lives-- back to Jesus, and letting our children do the same.   

Many notice that young children and animals, are really good judges of character and truth.  When Dean and I were selling our first home, we had an Open House.  Our son was a newborn, so the Realtor, a friend of ours, would show the downstairs, then just in case I was nursing, he would yell up to me that he was sending someone upstairs.  Our sweet cat typically mushed against the legs of prospective buyers as they went up the stairs.  Except for this one woman.  Our cat, unprovoked, hissed and spat at her--something we never, ever, heard her do - before or after.  Our Realtor friend said he'd never seen anything like it--the cat walked from stair to stair blocking the woman's path and hissing.  I went to the top of the stairs and told her I was sorry, but that she could not come up.  Kids and Cats - they sense stuff.  Be aware and open to, how easily and strongly our children draw to the truth and the light of Jesus.  I've been working with kids for years and years now - I field endless questions about Santa and the Tooth Fairy--but it's rare I get a question questioning the truth of Jesus.  ...What he did--endless questions :) --but questions about his reality...nearly never.  It's like the kids quietly know the truth.

Parents and the Trinity - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are a parental team. 

Why would we choose to leave a "ringer" off of our team?!  If your children ask to go to Mass - get 'em to Mass!

"...Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14).   

I'm glad Blessed Carlo's mom did.  

St. Carlo Acoutis - Pray For Us!!

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check out:

-'Lots of YouTube's about Carlo Acoutis!  One that stood out to me was his Mom's interview with Chris Stefanick.  Oh, to be able to have a conversation with the mother of a Saint! 

Pull up: EXCLUSIVE interview with Bl. Carlo Acoutis' Mother! (The FIRST Millennial Saint)

-'Lots of YouTube's and books about Eucharistic Miracles! We'd love for you to share your favorites with us on our facebook page!