The Miraculous Part 5
July 10, 2025
The Miraculous Part 5
I stumbled upon a Catholic church in Limerick on my recent visit to Ireland. In the small, attached gift shop, I saw a large, prominently displayed poster picture of a dark-haired young man. I thought to myself, “That is unusual to have a teenager’s picture in a religious gift shop.” I learned from the shopkeepers that the large picture was of Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian boy who suddenly died of undetected leukemia in 2006, and who was canonized as the first millennial saint of the Catholic Church on September 7, 2025. He is known for being fascinated by the church, God, and by miracles since his early childhood. He had a passion for computers and created an online, comprehensive catalog of Eucharistic miracles. This website is still in use.
To become a saint canonized by the Catholic Church, the candidate must be associated with at least two proven miracles. A miracle involving the healing of a young boy with a pancreatic disorder after contact with one of Acutis's T-shirts was attributed to Carlos. A second miracle of his involved the healing of a girl with a severe brain injury after her mother prayed to Acutis. Both miracles occurred after Carlos’s premature death.
Carlos died on October 12, 2006, only 12 days after being rushed to the hospital for a very inflamed throat. It was determined after being transferred to a hospital that treats blood diseases that Carlos had acute leukemia. The doctors treating his final illness asked him if he was in great pain, to which he replied, "There are people who suffer much more than I." His final words to his mother were:
“Mom, don't be afraid. Since Jesus became a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don't need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in eternal life.”
The Roman Catholic Church recognizes more than 10,000 saints, though the names and histories of some of these holy men and women have been lost.
As we read about Carlos and many other canonized people, it is easy to discount their stories. Yet, in many respects, the information is very believable to those who ascribe to the supernatural powers of a divine being. It is miraculous how these sainted people have deeply touched and transformed the lives of so many.
Spiritual practice: You can access Blessed Carlo Acutis' online exhibition of Eucharistic miracles at www.miracolieucaristici.org. He created this website to document and share information about Eucharistic miracles recognized by the Catholic Church. The website includes a list of miracles, a virtual museum, a map showing their locations, and downloadable materials for sharing. If you go to this website, you may process your take on it by journaling your reaction to what you learned.
Self-inquiry: What do you think about the possibility of your doing something miraculous?
Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of knowing about Carlos. His faith enriches me, and for that reason, I am closer to the miraculous. Amen
