House of Saints

Carlo Acutis, the First Millennial Saint

The Italian teenager Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 of a rare form of leukemia at age 15, will soon become the Catholic Church's first “millennial saint.”

Carlo Acutis was born in London of Italian parents on May 3, 1991. Because of work reasons, the Acutis family moved back shortly afterward to Italy, settling in Milan. The young Carlo settled into his new school quite well, and rather than waiting for friends to come to him, he is remembered for being a friend to all. In 2005, he began studies at a new school, run by the Jesuits. During this time, Carlo showed himself skilled in all things to do with information technology, computers, and the internet. He was inspired by Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple. The wisdom Jobs shared struck a chord with the young Carlo: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living the life of someone else.” Another piece of wisdom from Steve Jobs resonated with Carlo: “It is only by saying ‘no’ that you can concentrate on the things that are truly important.”

It might seem odd that Jobs’ words “Your time is limited” would have a profound impact on a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. Yet those words anticipated the length of Carlo’s life. He shared with a friend a premonition he had that his life would indeed be short. Jobs’ warning not to live the life of someone else or live another’s expectations also impacted him strongly. In fact, he rephrased this wisdom in his own way using the memorable analogy of a photocopy: “All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies.” Here, Carlo warns against the slavery of conformity—but not with the modern response of being radically individualistic. Rather, he understood that God made us unique and that each of us needs to discern the vocation the Lord has entrusted to us within the family of the Church. Such was the impact of these words that Pope Francis included them in his apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit (“Christ is alive”), addressed to young people.

For Carlo, this highest good of all was God and his will for his life. “Happiness is looking towards God,” he said. “Sadness is looking towards yourself.” One of his best-known pieces of wisdom says it all: “God and not me.” In Italian, the phrase has an even greater effect: “Dio, non io.” He also shared, “Money is only ragged paper. . . . What counts in life is the nobility of the soul, that is, the way that one loves God and loves one’s neighbor.” Here is a clarity of vision from the future saint that encourages young people not to settle for something beneath their dignity or to pursue goods that fail to satisfy the longings of the human heart.

At a time when excessive screen time is a worry for the parents of teenagers, Carlo is a great example of someone who used modern technology to good effect without wasting time or being distracted. During the autumn of 2004, he accepted the responsibility of being deputy catechist, accompanying candidates for First Communion and Confirmation. During that time, Carlo used his skills to update and develop the websites and communication platforms of his parish and school, opening up new ways to evangelize and share the Good News using new media. Not being naïve about the dangers of the internet, he warned his fellow students about the evils of pornography that “hypnotize” its victims and dehumanize both its producers and consumers. He gently but firmly counseled his fellow students about the importance of the will and the capacity to master it with God’s grace. For Carlo, information technology must be seen for what it is: a tool to share good news, to connect, and to do good. In this regard, he is a role model for young people and indeed for all of us of how to use technology without being manipulated or controlled by it.