Diocesan Schools Get a Heavenly Helper

On Thursday, April 28. at 10:00 am, Bishop O’Connell will celebrate a Mass for the reception of the relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis at St. Domenic Parish, Brick. Fr. Marian Kokorzycki, parochial vicar and hospital chaplain, obtained the relic during his pilgrimage to Assisi, where Blessed Carlo is laid to rest. During the Mass the Bishop will announce that he is placing all Catholic Schools in our Diocese under the special patronage of Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006).

With the Bishop’s approbation, Blessed Carlo was named a co-patron of our own parish school in 2021. We rejoice that all our schools will now come to know Blessed Carlo and look to him as a special friend and heavenly intercessor!

Born in London and raised in Milan, Carlo’s wealthy parents were not particularly religious. After receiving his first communion at age seven, Carlo became a frequent communicant, making a point of praying before the tabernacle before or after every Mass. In addition to Francis of Assisi, Carlo took several young saints as his models, including Bernadette Soubirous, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, and Dominic Savio.

At school Carlo sought to comfort friends whose parents were undergoing divorce, as well as stepping in to defend disabled students from bullies. After school, he volunteered to assist the homeless and destitute. Considered a computer geek by some, Carlo spent four years creating a website dedicated to cataloguing every reported Eucharistic miracle around the world. He also enjoyed films, comics, soccer, and playing popular video games.

Diagnosed with leukemia, Carlo offered his sufferings to God for the intentions of the reigning pope—Benedict XVI—and the entire Church. His desire to visit as many sites of Eucharistic miracles as possible was cut short by his illness. He died in 2006 and was beatified in 2020. As he had wished, Carlo was buried in Assisi at St. Mary Major’s “Chapel of the Stripping”, where Francis had returned his clothes to his father and began a more radical following of the Gospel.

Among the thousands present at Carlo’s beatification, were many of his childhood friends. Cardinal Vallini praised Carlo as an example of how young people can use technology to spread the Gospel “to reach as many people as possible and help them know the beauty of friendship with the Lord.” His liturgical feast is celebrated on October 12.