St. Carlos Acutis

 

I read on social media that some people disagree with the canonization of Carlo Acutis. In the comments, I saw a man complaining that Carlo Acutis died of natural causes and wore jeans and sneakers. I imagine this person isn't familiar with the canonization process. As I understand it, the first step is to request a cause for canonization. After an investigation, an order is issued to continue the investigation of the candidate, and the person is named a "Servant of God." To be declared a saint, it must be proven that the person lived their Catholic faith exemplarily, and two miracles attributed to them are also required. Carlo Acutis was born into a family of non-practicing Catholics. As their son grew up, he became interested in the Catholic faith at a very young age, which led his mother to study theology to answer his questions. From childhood, he had a deep love for the Eucharist and would ask his mother to take him to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He also made his First Communion, I believe at age seven, and from then on, he never missed a single Mass. Such was the love and fervor with which he spoke of the Blessed Sacrament that his Hindu driver converted to Catholicism thanks to Carlo. Furthermore, he had great compassion for the poor from childhood and frequently helped the poor in his community. He also prayed the rosary daily and said that the Virgin Mary was the only woman in his life. He was a computer whiz; even at a young age, he began studying university programming books to create a website showcasing Eucharistic miracles from around the world and thus bring more people closer to Jesus. He made several trips to the sites of the miracles to take photos and upload them to his website. He used to say that the Eucharist was his highway to heaven. At fifteen, he became seriously ill and was hospitalized, where he predicted he would not leave alive. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia. He offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church, so as not to go to purgatory. Before dying, he said he felt at peace because he hadn't used a single moment of his life to do anything that displeased God. On the day of his funeral, the church was filled with the poor people he had helped, so many that many were left outside. The first miracle for which he was beatified was that of a child in Brazil who suffered from an incurable pancreatic condition. The child stood before a relic of Carlo Acutis and asked to be healed, and it happened instantly. The second miracle for which he was canonized was the healing of a young woman who had suffered a fall and, I believe, an aneurism. And that is why Saint Carlo Acutis is now a saint. It's not something the Church invented; it was God who, in his infinite mercy, wanted to give us the example of Carlo to show us that saints aren't just a thing of the past.That one can be holy in everyday life, if one puts God at the center of one's life. Saint Carlo Acutis also used to say that we are all born originals, but many die as photocopies. So we must be faithful to ourselves and to God.