Jaden Sequeira ’29
He behaved just like any other teenager: he wore jeans and sneakers, played video games, and had fun with his friends. But today, he is known as the world’s first millennial saint, using the internet as a tool to spread God’s Word. Saint Carlo Acutis is a role model for young people around the world, and you can learn from his story, too.
Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 to Italian parents. He moved to Milan, Italy as a baby and lived in a middle-class family. At the beginning of his life, his parents weren’t regular churchgoers. Antonia Salzano, Carlo’s mother, described herself as non-religious before Carlo’s birth, and said that she only attended church for special occasions, like her wedding. However, Carlo always showed interest in God: he posed questions about Jesus, asked to visit churches, and prayed regularly. When his grandfather passed away, Carlo suggested that his family go to church to pray for him, impressing the adults around him.
Carlo insisted on receiving his First Communion when he was seven, and from that day on, he went to Mass every day and spent time in Eucharistic adoration. He famously said, “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” This suggests that instead of just trying to be a better person, we need to let God enter our lives and trust fully in Him.
However, Carlo’s devotion wasn’t limited to prayer. When he was nine years old, he used textbooks to teach himself how to code. With that knowledge, he created a website dedicated to spreading awareness about Eucharistic miracles from around the world. Eventually, he documented over one hundred cases of these Eucharistic miracles on his website, with the goal of helping people believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Beyond personal creations, he also programmed websites for Catholic organizations and churches in his community. Instead of using the internet to entertain himself, he used it to inform and educate people.
However, every rose has its thorn. And for Carlo, it was illness. In 2006, Carlo got very sick. At first, it seemed like it was just a normal flu, but it soon turned out to be leukemia: a fast-moving blood cancer. He visited two hospitals in Italy where doctors discovered that his blood levels were low and his organs were failing. But upon hearing this, Carlo was calm, saying he offered his suffering “for the pope and for the church.” On October 11, 2006, he suffered a brain hemorrhage, and the next day, he passed away at age 15.
To become a saint, you need to perform two miracles through your intercession after your death. Both of these were fulfilled by Carlo. In 2010, a 4-year-old Brazilian boy named Matheus was diagnosed with a pancreatic disorder that made eating difficult. Matheus’ parents organized prayers asking for Carlo Acutis’ intercession, and Matheus touched a relic of Carlo’s clothing. Soon after, medical tests showed that Matheus’ pancreas was completely back to normal. Doctors couldn’t explain the sudden cure, and after a long investigation, the Vatican approved this as a miracle.
Carlo’s second miracle occurred in Costa Rica. In 2022, a 21-year-old student named Valeria suffered a severe brain injury after a bicycle accident in Florence, Italy. Doctors were sure that she would die or have serious disabilities. Her mother travelled to Assisi and prayed at Carlo’s tomb for her daughter. Days later, Valeria’s condition suddenly improved: her breathing steadied, her brain damage decreased, and she began to live a normal life. Once again, doctors could not justify this scientifically. In May 2024, Pope Francis approved this as a miracle, the final step needed for him to become a saint.
Carlo Acutis was officially canonized in St. Peter’s Square on September 7, 2025, becoming the first millennial saint. He was just like us: a teenager who grew up on the internet. Church leaders attribute his calm attitude towards leukemia and his short, faith-filled life towards a journey to sainthood.
He only lived 15 years, but he refused to die without making an impact. Instead of letting the internet, popularity, or money decide who he was, he used his talents to be the person God wanted him to be. He used the internet as a tool to spread God’s Word. His story asks us all a question: will we try to fit in with everybody else, letting trends and social norms control us? Or will we be original, like Saint Carlo Acutis, by using our gifts, our free time, and even our phones, to do something better? He said, “to always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan.” The next move is ours.