(1991-2006) Carlo was born in London to a non-religious Italian family and then moved back to their native Italy. He was led to the faith through his Catholic grandparents, religious nannies, and Catholic schools. Carlo frequently received the Eucharist, spent time in adoration, went to Confession weekly, and became a catechist at 12 years old. He volunteered to serve the homeless and destitute and stood up for classmates who were bullied. Carlo created a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions. He died of leukemia at 15, offering his sufferings as prayers for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church.
Pope Francis noted in the Apostolic Exhortation “To Young People and to the Entire People of God”: “Carlo was well aware that the whole apparatus of communications, advertising and social networking can be used to lull us, to make us addicted to consumerism and buying the latest thing on the market, obsessed with our free time, caught up in negativity. Yet he knew how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty.” (Christus Vivit, March 25, 2019). Does our use of technology reflect our Catholic and recovery values?
“Sadness is looking at ourselves, happiness is looking towards God” (Saint Carlo Acutis).
Reflection by Brad Farmer