As the Diocese of Wilmington faithful prepare for the Eucharistic Congress Oct. 5 in Ocean City, Md., many are also looking forward to the upcoming canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the late tech-savvy teen who loved the Eucharist.
Two confirmed miraculous healings have been attributed to the intercession of this first millennial-generation saint, paving the way for his canonization in 2025.
Known as “The Apostle of the Eucharist,” he is inspiring a younger generation to grow closer to Jesus.
The Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at Aquinas Academy in Bear, Del., is named for Blessed Carlo, and a first-class relic of the future saint is displayed there.
Students and teachers say the Eucharist and Adoration have taken on a deeper meaning at the small, private kindergarten-through-12th grade Catholic school.
“When you go in to see Jesus and he’s with Jesus, it’s surreal to me,” junior Dominic Gaunt said. “It’s a different type of experience than going to regular adoration.”
On the Eastern Shore of Maryland, St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Chester, Md., is hosting a free Eucharistic Miracle Exhibit Oct. 18-20.
José Lovo is a member of the Eastern Shore Spiritual Eucharistic Nourishment (ESSE Nourishment) organization, which is eager for its fellow Catholics to deepen their faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
“The percentage of those who believe in the real presence has been dramatically decreasing,” Lovo said. “In our Lord’s greatest wisdom and mercy, in order for us to elevate our reason … he provides us tangible, visible miracles in the Eucharist.”
The exhibit is made up of posters based on the website catalog of Eucharistic miracles Blessed Carlo began compiling when he was only 11 years old. He completed the project of more than 150 Eucharistic miracles two and a half years later. In 2006, at the age of 15, he died of an aggressive form of leukemia in Monza, Italy.
“I relate to him a lot because he loved sports and video games,” said Seth Fagles, a ninth-grader at Aquinas. “He’s inspiring — he makes me want to grow closer to God.”
Gaunt agreed. “He was big into electronics, and I am as well. And I also play sports. I’m glad to get to have him here (in the chapel) to be closer to him and to be closer to Jesus.”
Principal John Moore is new to his job as head of Aquinas Academy, founded by his father, the late John “Jack” Moore, 26 years ago.
For Moore, the arrival of the relic and Blessed Carlo’s “charism of the Eucharist” just days before the inauguration of the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel Dec. 21, 2023, was “humbling and validates what we’re doing here.” Bishop William Koenig approved the chapel a month earlier.
For the Moore family, who comprise much of the staff of Aquinas Academy, the chapel is the fulfillment of a dream of Jack Moore, who died May 17.
Sadly, it became a place to pray for his healing after he became ill about the time of the chapel’s dedication. Each day, John Moore kisses the relic when he enters the chapel and students can touch it and make the sign of the cross.
The relic, a strand of Blessed Carlo’s hair, was given to Aquinas Academy by James and Hilda Villasenor and their seven children, four of whom attend Aquinas. At the time they were unaware that the chapel was to be named in honor of the future saint.
“I feel that having the relic here is such a blessing,” third-grade teacher Diane Fisher said. “It reminds (us) of how Blessed Carlo was just a normal kid who had a love for the Eucharist, … but he played games like these kids and did all the normal things. And I think it’s great for the students and the staff to remember that, because we can get caught up in busyness that can rob us of our joy.”
Teacher Monica Moore, John’s sister, said, “What impresses me is my students’ relating to Carlo a lot more, especially the boys. They talk freely (to him), more like a friend.”
“Since they can relate to him better, he is a good gateway for them to have a close relationship with God, because they can more easily mimic Carlos,” she said.
“We’re just so thankful to the bishop and Father (Joseph) McQuaide for giving us permission to have the Eucharistic Chapel (and) we’re thankful for Blessed Carlo for coming into our lives,” Moore said. “We feel rejuvenation here at this school.”
“After my father’s passing, it was tough, but we feel that God wants us to be here — that we’re doing his work, we’re doing his mission. We just felt so much love and support from the diocese” Moore said.
A first-class relic of Blessed Carlo is also included in the Eucharistic Miracles Exhibit.
Lovo, who has memorized some of the words of Blessed Carlo, is inspired by the young saint’s example and influence. “(He said) the more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on Earth we will have a foretaste of heaven,” he said.
As a very young lay person and millennial, Blessed Carlo “is a great model for us,” Lovo said.
“Despite all the difficult things in his life, he managed to take far and beyond his belief in the Eucharist and our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s really amazing,” he said.
Blessed Carlo’s example shows children and teens it’s possible to “be a normal functioning member of society, and at the same time love the Eucharist and make it the center of your life,” Moore said. “And I think our kids have done that. They’re at least working toward that.”
Lovo hopes that “prayerfully, there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit” as a result of the exhibit, which will also include “several spiritual nourishment activities.”
The exhibit of “scientifically studied” miracles is important, he said, “because you start to see that these tangible miracles is our Lord saying, ‘I am here. Believe that I am here,’ in order for our reason to get a grasp of that real presence.”
“What we want to accomplish is for us Catholics to go back to the most important commandment,” Lovo said. “All of the commandments from our Lord are very important, but that commandment: ‘This is my body. This is my blood.’”
“To believe in that real presence, and therefore to get to love more the Eucharist,” are key to Eucharistic revival, he said.
To view Blessed Carlo’s virtual exhibition of Eucharistic miracles, visit http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/galleria/en/galleria.html.