On Sunday, Sept. 7, two new saints were canonized in Rome, Italy by Pope Leo XIV: St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassatti. Both saints died at a young age; St. Carlo was just 15, and St. Pier was 24. Executive Director of Campus Ministry Mrs. Kearns ’78 explained why she believes these young saints to be so inspirational: “These two men were incredibly young; they serve as an inspiration especially to young people. I’m hoping St. Carlo will inspire many young people that if they put God first in their lives, they can experience a life that is full of sports, music, academics, gaming, friends and so much more. Putting God at the center of our lives doesn’t limit or constrain it; it expands our lives.”
St. Carlo Acutis was born in 1991, in London. He moved to Italy with his family shortly after his birth. St. Carlo developed a strong relationship with the Lord at a young age. In fact, St. Carlo’s faith even influenced his mother’s faith. He would go to Mass often and had a deep love for the Eucharist. Another inspirational aspect of Carlo’s life was his service toward the poor and vulnerable.
St. Carlo was generally an ordinary kid. He enjoyed playing video games and playing sports demonstrating that people don’t need to be some extraordinary, heroic person who goes around performing miracles; they just need to be open to God’s work in their life.
He is also very well known for his technological gifts. St. Carlo Acutis famously created this website that displays the Eucharistic miracles around the world. Through his online site, the Eucharistic miracles have been displayed across five continents.
He died of leukemia in 2006 and was beatified in 2020. Additionally, two miracles are attributed to St. Carlo, both being healings from his intercession. His body is displayed in Assisi, Italy, which thousands of people have visited. St. Carlo Acutis is the patron saint of the internet, and his feast day is on Oct. 12.
While St. Carlo Acutis is associated with computers and technology, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati is associated with the outdoors and mountain climbing. Born in 1901, he was also a faithful person since his childhood. He was known for his joyous demeanor and service to the poor. St. Pier Giorgio stood up against fascism and communism during his time and deeply valued Catholic Social Teaching.
Even after contracting polio, St. Pier Giorgio’s heart was still with the poor. In fact, many of the poor and marginalized people he served attended his funeral. Later, people discovered his body to be incorrupt, and his intercession is associated with the healing of an American seminarian.
A phrase written on the back of a photo of him on one of his mountain adventures reads, “to the heights” in English. This phrase has become very popular because of its deeper meaning that points to the goal of striving to reach heaven. St. Pier Giorgio Frassati died in 1925 and was beatified in 1990. His feast day is on July 4, and he is the patron saint of youth, students and mountaineers.
Both saints had a beautiful openness for their faith and allowed it to shine through their actions. Senior Emma Ramirez shares her thoughts on the newly canonized saints, saying, “They remind us that holiness is not reserved for the extraordinary but is possible in everyday life when lived with love and faith. Their lives are a testament to God’s grace at work in the modern world.” We can all learn from their example by aiming to deepen our faith in God through our lives because we are all called to holiness.
