Blessed Carlo Acutis’ Mother Places His First-Class Relic in New Diocesan Shrine in New Jersey
The faith community of St. Dominic parish in Brick, New Jersey, celebrated the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis on Oct. 1 with a very special guest among them — Acutis’ mother, Antonia Salzano Acutis. After the jubilant Mass concluded, Salzano Acutis took the relic of her son from the hands of Bishop David O’Connell of the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, and together they processed to the narthex, where a new shrine to Carlo Acutis was blessed.
In her remarks to the faithful gathered for the celebration, Salzano Acutis declared: “Sainthood is for everyone. Carlo became a saint by practicing the seven theological and cardinal virtues.” She emphasized: “This is what makes us all saints.”
“Carlo prayed the Rosary and read sacred Scripture every day,” she shared. “He went to confession each week. Since his holy Communion at 7 years old, he never missed daily Mass. Before Mass or after, he would also spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Carlo believed the Eucharist was his ‘highway to heaven.’”
Blessed Carlo’s Life
Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London and then moved with his family to Milan, Italy. There, he grew up to be a “normal” teenager — a gamer, a brilliant computer programmer and a website developer. He liked to travel, enjoyed his PlayStation, and took great care of his pets. He loved St. Francis of Assisi and the poor. He was also deeply in love with this Catholic faith and practiced it with all his heart.
At just 14 years old, Acutis turned his devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament into a website. He cataloged more than 100 Eucharistic miracles around the world that have been approved by the Catholic Church. The website inspired the “Eucharistic Miracles” exhibit, which has been viewed more than 10,000 times across the globe and counting.
