A Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis Set to Become the Catholic Church's First Millennial Saint

In a profound and historic move, the Catholic Church is poised to canonize Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who passed away in 2006, making him the first millennial saint. This remarkable designation highlights not only his fervent faith but also his pioneering use of technology to spread the Gospel, earning him the unofficial title of 'God's Influencer'.

Born in London in 1991 and later moving to Milan, Carlo Acutis lived a seemingly ordinary life, yet his spiritual depth was anything but.

From a very young age, he exhibited an extraordinary devotion to the Eucharist, which he referred to as his 'highway to heaven'. He regularly attended Mass, spent time in adoration, and even persuaded his parents, who were not particularly religious, to deepen their own faith.

What truly set Carlo apart was his innate understanding of the internet's potential as a tool for evangelization.

Long before the rise of modern social media influencers, Carlo, armed with a basic computer, taught himself programming. He meticulously created websites and online exhibitions documenting Eucharistic miracles and apparitions of the Virgin Mary around the world. His goal was simple: to use the digital realm to make the wonders of faith accessible to everyone, especially his peers.

Tragically, Carlo's life was cut short at the age of 15 when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia.

He offered his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church, passing away on October 12, 2006. Even in his final days, his humility and unwavering trust in God left a lasting impact on all who knew him.

The path to sainthood for Carlo began with his beatification in 2020, following the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession: the healing of a Brazilian boy suffering from a severe pancreatic illness.

More recently, Pope Francis officially recognized a second miracle – the healing of a Costa Rican university student who suffered a severe head trauma and made a miraculous recovery after her mother prayed for Carlo's intercession. This second miracle paved the way for his canonization.

Carlo Acutis embodies a new kind of saint for the 21st century.

His life serves as a powerful testament that sanctity is achievable in the modern world, even amidst the distractions of technology. He utilized the very tools often criticized for drawing people away from faith to instead draw them closer to God. As the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis offers a beacon of hope and inspiration, particularly for young people, demonstrating how digital natives can be digital apostles, leveraging their skills for divine purpose.