Last week, Anne-Marie Welsh, retired Director of Communications for the Diocese of Erie, visited St. Marys Catholic Middle School and Elk County Catholic High School for an assembly on the Blessed Carlo Acutis. Anne-Marie had the honor of speaking with Carlo’s mother and now helps to carry on his message.
Carlo was declared “blessed” in 2020 after the Vatican dicastery that studies sainthood processes recognized a miraculous healing through Acutis’ intercession — a child in Brazil who recovered in a “scientifically inexplainable” manner.
Last year, the church paved his way to sainthood by attributing to him a second miracle — the complete healing of a Costa Rican student in Italy from major head trauma in a bicycle accident after her mother prayed at Acutis’ tomb.
Acutis used his computer savvy to create an online exhibit about more than 100 eucharistic miracles recognized by the church over centuries, focused on the real presence of Christ that Catholics believe is in the consecrated bread and wine. He also taught catechism and did outreach to the homeless.
Carlo went on a pilgrimage to see John Paul II, offered up his suffering from cancer for Benedict XVI, and was later beatified during Pope Francis’s pontificate. Now, it will be up to the next pope to canonize the Church’s first millennial saint.
