On September 7th, the Church will celebrate the canonisation of two new saints: Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Pier Giorgio Frassati: Born in 1901, Pier was an Italian Catholic layman who was known for his deep faith and dedication to the poor. Born into a wealthy family, he used his own resources to support those in need.
He was a lover of the outdoors with a passion for mounting climbing, which he often saw as an opportunity for his apostolic work, leading his friends to Mass, reading scripture or praying the Rosary.
He was believed to contract an illness from those he tended to, which ultimately led to his death. He neglected his own health to care for his dying grandmother and passed at the age of 24. The night before his death, he managed to scribble a note with his paralysed hand, instructing his medication to be taken to a poor and sick man who he was caring for – a final act of his lifelong compassion.
Carlo Acutis: Born in 1991, Carlo will become the first saint of the twenty-first century. At the age of 7, Carlo told his mum “To always be united with Jesus: This is my life plan.” He attended Mass daily and preached to many – his own family, his au pair, classmates and teachers, and the less fortunate.
He was a tech-savvy kid and used his skills to create a website which documented the Eucharistic Miracles that took place around the world. His devotion for the Eucharist became a highly recognised aspect of his life as the reason he created his website documenting the Eucharistic Miracles was to fill the need to transmit the faith to younger generations in a new way.
He worked on this website for two and a half years before passing from his battle with Leukaemia at the age of 15. It is believed his final words to his mother were “Mom, don’t be afraid. Since Jesus has become a man, death has become the passage towards life, and we don’t need to flee it. Let us prepare ourselves to experience something extraordinary in the eternal life.”
Both these men lived short, yet extraordinary lives. They put other people’s needs before their own, and lent on the power of the Holy Spirit to assist them in their evangelisation. They are both incredible witnesses of the faith, and a strong role model for not only young men, but the youth of our church.
