The Catholic Church is about to have its first Gen Y saint.

Image of teenager Carlo Acutis during a mass at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi - Photo: NEW YORK TIMES

The New York Times reported on May 23 that Pope Francis is preparing to canonize Italian Catholic teenager Carlo Acutis, making him the first Catholic saint of Gen Y (or Millennial generation).

However, the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints and the cardinals have yet to announce a specific date or plan for Carlo's canonization.

Be holy in life

Carlo (May 3, 1991 - October 12, 2006) was born in London (England), then returned to his hometown in Milan (Italy) with his family. In 2006, Carlo passed away from leukemia at the age of 15.

Speaking to the New York Times in 2020, Carlo's biological mother, Antonia Acutis, said the young teenager had shown his religious devotion from a very young age.

Since the age of 7, Carlo diligently attended daily Mass. Mrs. Acutis said it was her son's faith that inspired her and brought her to Catholicism.

Carlo regularly helps the less fortunate, donating material to help the homeless.

In particular, in the last months of his life, Carlo used his natural computer skills to tell stories about miracles around him and spread the Catholic faith, instead of entertaining his peers.

“Carlo used the Internet and his computer skills to spread the faith, giving the Catholic Church the opportunity to show a more positive side on social media,” Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a professor of history at the University of Notre Dame (Australia), said of Carlo.

Catholics often call Carlo the “patron saint” of the Internet because of his passion and talent in computer engineering during his lifetime.

“Carlo's life is a testament to the fact that the Internet can be used for good purposes, spreading good things,” said Carlo's mother.

Professor Kathleen said that canonizing Carlo would help the Catholic Church engage more with young people.

“This is an example of someone as young as them being made a saint. Hopefully this can attract young people back to the church,” the history professor added.

Carlo's journey to sainthood

According to the canon law of the Catholic Church, canonization is a long process, going through many steps with strict regulations.

First, the person must be recognized by the local diocese for his or her holy life to be given the title Servus Dei (Servant of God), followed by the title Venerabilis (Venerable One).

The person must then have the first miracle recognized before being declared Blessed. The person is eligible for canonization when the second miracle is certified after the beatification ceremony.

In 2020, Pope Francis beatified Carlo (the third step in the four-step process to sainthood in Catholicism) after the head of the Catholic Church believed that a boy with a congenital pancreatic defect was suddenly cured after touching one of Carlo's remaining shirts.

In order to continue the canonization, on May 23, Pope Francis announced a decree recognizing a second miracle about a Costa Rican university student recovering after falling off his bicycle and suffering a serious head injury.

The student's mother went to Carlo's tomb in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in the central Italian town of Assisi to pray after doctors told her the student's chances of survival after surgery were very low.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giao-hoi-cong-giao-sap-co-mot-vi-thanh-gen-y-dau-tien-20240524170256205.htm