Bl. Carlo Acutis

Blessed Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991 in London, United Kingdom to Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano. His parents were financially well-off and worked in Germany and the United Kingdom before settling down in Milan, Italy in September 1991.

From a young age, around 3, he demonstrated great interest in Catholic churches and often asked to see them. At the age of 7 he received his First holy Communion at the convent of St. Amdrogio and Nemus. He was commonly observed praying before the Tabernacle before and after Mass. He also went to Confession once per week. He enjoyed visiting Assisi where St. Francis is entombed.

In addition to his love for the Church, Acutis was deeply interested in computers and taught himself how to code and build websites while still in primary school. His brief high school career was spent in the care of the Jesuits at the Institute of Leo XIII.

Acutis was also known to give away his pocket money to the poor and to speak up in defense of the disabled. He had a habit of inviting kids to his house whose parents were divorcing to support them.

Acutis used his knowledge of computers and coding to build websites for Catholic organizations. His most popular website was one that listed miracles from around the world based on a catalog he compiled since age 11. He completed the site shortly before his death.

When Acutis developed leukemia as a teenager, he offered up his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church. He was quoted as saying, "I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, the Pope, and the Church." As part of his devotion, Acutis asked his parents to take him to various Eucharistic shrines, although his declining health made travel increasingly difficult.

Acutis died in on October 12, 2006 at age 15, in Monza, Italy.

Exactly four years following his death, his mother gave birth to twins which she attributed to her son's intercession. She also said her son has appeared to her in dreams foretelling his canonization.

Carlo Acutis was labeled a "Servant of God" in 2013, one of the first steps towards canonization. A miracle was attributed to him in November of 2019. In that miracle, a seven-year-old child who was born with a pancreatic defect was miraculously healed. She prayed to Acutis, asking for his intercession and shortly after, the defect was miraculously cured.

Pope Francis announced the beatification of Carlo Acutis while visiting Assisi, Italy on October 10. He made another announcement on October 11, during his Angelus prayer.

Carlo Acutis's feast day is October 12, and he is a patron for computer programmers and youth.