New book highlights the heroic virtues of “a Saint in Sneakers”

Blessed Carlo Acutis has in recent times become quite popular within the Catholic Church. Indeed, he is the first Millennial to be Beatified, demonstrating, that holiness is not something of the past and can be had and lived even now. Courtney Mares’ new book Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers does a superb job at giving an account of Carlo’s life and especially of his heroic virtue in a digital age.

Carlo’s parents were raised Catholic but were not particularly devout and went to Mass infrequently. Carlo’s faith was influenced very early on by Beata Sperczynska, a Polish girl hired by the Acutis family to watch over Carlo and take him to and from school. Beata would take Carlo with her to Mass and explain the Catholic Faith to him. From an early age, then, Carlo began to take his faith seriously and attended Mass whenever he could. Since he lived in Milan, he regularly attended the Ambrosian Rite. As Carlo became more interested in his faith, however, this caused his parents to have a “reversion” to the Faith and grow closer to God.

Carlo also helped to convert Rajesh, another one of his companions hired by the Acutis family. Carlo’s simple faith and example inspired Rajesh, who was Hindu, to be baptized and to be received into full Communion with the Catholic Church. Carlo’s conversions did not stop there. Rajesh’s mother came to visit after his baptism and stayed with the Acutis family. Carlo invited her to attend Mass with them. Rajesh’s mother did not understand Italian and so Carlo had to explain the Mass and the Catholic Faith to her in English. After Carlo told her about the apparition of our Lady of Lourdes. Rajesh’s mother was so struck by the story that she went to visit. After her return, she too was baptized.

Carlo’s greatest love was the Eucharist; he often called it his “Highway to Heaven.” Numerous priests and people who knew Carlo and saw him go to Mass noted that he would stay for a while and make a thanksgiving after Mass. Many of his friends recall that when defending the Eucharist, or trying to deepen people’s faith in the Real Presence, Carlo would often turn to discuss Eucharistic miracles. It is clear that he also had a great love for Eucharistic miracles. He helped to create panels depicting and describing Eucharistic miracles for exhibitions. He even traveled to a number of miracle sites in Europe. His favorite was the miracle of Lanciano, Italy, where the accidents of bread and wine appeared as the Flesh and Blood of Christ and were scientifically analyzed and proved to be real Flesh (specifically heart tissue) and real Blood (type AB – the same that was found on the Shroud of Turin).

Like most children nowadays, Carlo grew up with access to the internet, video games, and television. He enjoyed movies such as Jurassic Park and also watched TV shows including Transformers, Spiderman, and The Smurfs. And while he played video games, Carlo showed a great deal of temperance. He even used this time for catechesis and evangelization with his friends. “For Carlo,” Mares writes, “playing video games with friends was still integrated with his life of faith. He had conversations with his gaming buddies about the importance of going to Mass and Confession.”

Mares notes that a number of people who have examined Carlo’s life have noted striking similarities with that of St. Francis of Assisi. Carlo had a great love of nature and animals and frequently hiked around the Assisi region. He would also give away his own money to the poor, as well as give them food and other materials. Carlo is even recorded as saying that he felt the happiest when he was in Assisi. Today, Carlo’s tomb is in the Sanctuary of the Renunciation (referring to St. Francis’ rejection of wealth and embrace of poverty) in Assisi.

In 2006, Carlo became very ill with a fever, and then inflammation of the throat at the beginning of October. A doctor who examined him told his parents not to worry. However, Carlo was soon experiencing a great deal of suffering. He is recorded during this time of trial as saying “All that I am to suffer, I offer to the Lord.” Carlo’s condition worsened and his parents took him to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Carlo passed on to eternity on October 11, 2006. A great number of people from his life attended the funeral Mass.

Mares goes on to record the miracle that led to Carlo being beatified. On October 12, 2013, a little boy by the name of Matheus Vianna visited the shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil with his family. Matheus had a rare malformation of his pancreas, which caused him to be malnourished and to vomit frequently. After Mass, the priest, Fr. Marcelo Tenorio, blessed those present with a relic of Carlo that he had obtained from the Acutis family. As soon as Matheus kissed the relic, he was immediately healed and was soon able to eat normally without any side effects.

In concluding her book, Courtney Mares sees Carlo Acutis as a saint for our digital age and especially as a patron for Generation Z. She notes:

Carlo Acutis loved computers, but he did not lose himself on an online world, spending all day gaming without leaving the house…teens today can still learn from how he prioritized the sacraments, which helped to guide him to make better choices and to make his time online fruitful.

Carlo’s life is a great example for all members of the Church, but most especially young people that one can enjoy popular media and culture, and still live a life of heroic virtue and one day join the angels and saints in praising God in heaven. Courtney Mares’ book on the first saint in sneakers, jeans, and a sports jacket is easy to read, is accessible to all ages, and is sure to inspire readers of all ages and from all walks of life.

Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers
By Courtney Mares
Ignatius Press, 2023
Paperback, 177 pages.