June 19, 2022 – Computer Wiz and Eucharistic Miracles

Carlo Acutis was born in Italy in 1991 (only a year younger than Fr. Kevin!), and in his short life, he was a great light of Christ to many around him.  His parents, while raised Catholic, were not very faithful churchgoers.  But at the prompting of their young son, they started attending Mass with greater regularity, even attending daily Mass.  Carlo had a deep, deep love for Christ and the Eucharist.  He would repeat passionately that in the Blessed Sacrament, Christ was present in the same way he was 2000 years ago during the time of the Apostles.  He would say “Jerusalem is right on our doorstep!”  And he would refer to the Eucharist as his “highway to heaven” and was convinced that “by standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy.”  But he quickly realized that many of his Catholic friends did NOT believe this, that Jesus was really truly present in the Eucharist.  And so he sought to change their minds and hearts.

Carlo was a computer wiz.  His mother even bought him university-level textbooks on computer programming when he was only 8 years old.  He later combined his love for the Eucharist and for computer programming by developing his own website, where he cataloged every Eucharistic Miracle he could find, that is, different miraculous events confirming the Church’s faith that Christ is really, truly present in the Eucharist – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity (in the mystery we have come to describe as Transubstantiation).

He was also humble, joyful, and deeply loved by everyone around him, family, friends, and even poor strangers!  He did what he could to help the poor and homeless, by taking them blankets, food, etc.  He died at age 15 from leukemia and his funeral was packed!  The Vatican has since opened his cause for canonization, and he has been declared “Blessed” (meaning there has been at least one confirmed miracle attributed to his intercession.)

This Feast of Corpus Christi is a day we affirm this mystery that Carlo was so passionate about. The website which he started (and others completed) on Eucharist Miracles is worth a visit as there are HUNDREDS of well-documented Eucharistic Miracles.  You can visit and read about them here: http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html  I greatly encourage you to go learn a few new Eucharistic Miracles! (available in English or in Spanish)

And if you want to learn more about Carlo himself, you can visit this website about him: https://www.carloacutis-en.org/.

AND you can also listen to this news story which includes and interview with his mother https://soundcloud.com/cnanewsroom/ep-23-i-raised-a-saint (Podcast – Ep. 23, “I raised a Saint”)

Peace,

-Fr. Kevin

PS: A reminder that this Sunday, June 16 at 6:30 pm in Hampton, we will be having a Eucharistic Procession, starting at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and processing to Bandshell Park in Hampton.  It is a prayerful procession to pray for our communities commending them to the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ that flows from His Sacred Heart (Friday, June 24 is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).  All are invited and welcome to join us for this prayer experience!