Prayer for the Spring season ahead

Blessed Carlo Acutis – A Saint for Our Times

I was fortunate to visit St Francis of Assisi Parish, Mill Park last week to listen to an oration about, and pray at a first-class relic of, Blessed Carlo Acutis, whose canonisation the Church will celebrate next month. Thank you to the St Francis parish community and Father Anthony Girolami for this wonderful opportunity.

His short life is a beautiful story of courage and devotion, and he was a remarkable young man who has captured the hearts of Catholics across the world. Born in 1991 and passing away from leukaemia at just 15, Carlo lived an ordinary teenage life with an extraordinary love for God. Known for his joy, kindness, and deep devotion to the Eucharist, he used his gifts in computer programming and technology to create an online catalogue of Eucharistic miracles – a powerful way of sharing the faith with others.

Carlo’s story resonates deeply with young people in our Loyola community. Like many of our students, he enjoyed sport, gaming, and spending time with friends. Yet, he constantly asked how he could use his time and talents in service of God and others. His motto, “Not me, but God”, reminds us of the Ignatian call to be companions of Jesus, using our gifts to bring hope, justice, and love into the world.

As we look forward to his canonisation, Carlo inspires all of us – students, staff, and families – to see faith not as distant or abstract, but as alive, practical, and life-giving. He invites us to ask: how can we use our talents to be “Companions of Hope” in our own community?

Blessed Carlo Acutis - to be canonised as the first 'Millennial Saint'