Bl Carlo Acutis to be declared a Saint

Carlo Acutis

Source: Vatican Media, CBCEW

Blessed Carlo Acutis is among a group of people who going to be declared Saints. The Vatican announced the news today, after Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, met with Pope Francis, who approved the promulgation of several decrees related to the causes of canonization of several men and women.

Carlo was born on 3 May, 1991, in London, England, and died on October 12, 2006, in Monza, Italy, of leukaemia at the age of 15.

Pope Francis beatified Carlo in 2020 in Assisi, where he had had made multiple pilgrimages and where he was buried.

The miracle recognized on Thursday is related to a woman from Costa Rica.

On 8 July 2022, Liliana prayed at Blessed Carlo's tomb in Assisi, leaving a letter describing her plea. Six days earlier, on 2 July, her daughter Valeria had fallen from her bicycle in Florence, where she was attending university.

She had suffered severe head trauma, and required craniotomy surgery and the removal of the right occipital bone to reduce pressure on her brain, with what her doctors said was a very low chance of survival.

Liliana's secretary began praying immediately to Blessed Carlo Acutis, and on July 8, Liliana made her pilgrimage to his tomb in Assisi.

That same day, the hospital informed her that Valeria had begun to breath spontaneously. The next day, she began to move and partially regain her speech.

On 18 July, a CAT scan showed that all bleeding had disappeared, and on August 11 Valeria was moved to rehabilitation therapy. She made quick progress, and on September 2 Valeria and Liliana made another pilgrimage to Assisi to thank Blessed Carlo for his intercession.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols commented: "This is the fast-track to sainthood! Carlo Acutis, born in London, baptised in the Church of Our Lady of Dolours, Fulham Road, died at the age of 15 in 2006, computer savvy and sometimes bullied at school, he is now held before the world as an inspiration for all.

"Why?

"He understood the purpose of life. He said that he was not afraid to die because he had not wasted a minute of his life on things that didn't please God. He had a pathway to follow. He said "The Eucharist is the highway to heaven". He lived each day cheerfully, 'always united with Jesus'.

"A joyful, courageous, generous, faith-filled teenager. A saint for our day and everyday. And a Londoner! A star!"

In the decree, Pope Francis announced he will convene a Consistory of Cardinals to deliberate the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, as well as Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, Marie-Léonie Paradis, and Elena Guerra.

The decrees also recognized a miracle attributed to Blessed Giuseppe Allamano (1851-1926), an Italian-born priest who founded the Consolata Missionaries.

The miracle regarded the healing of an indigenous man in Cape Verde named Sorino Yanomami, who was attacked by a jaguar on February 7, 1996, in the Amazonian forest.

Even though his brain was left partially exposed, Sorino survived the ordeal thanks to surgery in Boa Vista and the intercession of Blessed Allamano after several members of his congregation prayed a novena for Sorino.

Pope Francis also recognized a miracle attibuted to the intercession of Venerable Giovanni Merlini (1795-1873), an Italian-born priest of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood.

The Pope recognized the martyrdom of a Polish priest - Servant of God Stanislav Kostka Streich (1902-1938)- and a Hungarian-born laywoman - Servant of God Mária Magdolna Bódi (1921-1945) - both of whom were killed in hatred of the faith by communists.

The decrees also recognized the heroic virtues of the Servants of God Guglielmo Gattiani (Italian Capuchin priest, 1914-1999), Ismaele Molinero Novillo (Spanish layman, 1917-1938), and Ismaele Molinero Novillo (Italian layman, 1911-1974).

The Pope also approved the "favourable votes of the Ordinary Session of the Cardinals and Bishops for the canonization of Blessed Emanuele Ruiz and 7 Companions, of the Order of Friars Minor, and Francesco, Abdel Mooti, and Raffaele Massabki, Lay Faithful, killed in hatred of the Faith in Damascus (Syria) between July 9 and 10, 1860."

Watch a short video about Carlo here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_oZIY_f5w

See the website he built: www.miracolieucaristici.org/en/Liste/list.html