CARLO ACUTIS

Carlo Acutis died of fulminant leukaemia when he was only fifteen years old, leaving a great void and deep admiration in the memory of all those who knew him for what had been his short, but intense testimony of an authentically Christian life. He had not missed attending daily mass since receiving his first communion at the age of seven. Either before or after the celebration of the Eucharist, he always tried to stand in front of the tabernacle to worship the Lord, who was truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Our Lady was his great confidante and he never missed an opportunity to honour her by reciting the rosary every day. Carlo's modernity and relevance combined perfectly with his profoundly Eucharistic life and devotion to the Virgin Mary, which contributed to making this very special boy admired and loved by everyone. Carlo was extremely gifted when it came to anything to do with computing, so much so that his friends and adults with degrees in computer engineering considered him a genius. Everyone was astonished by his ability to understand the hidden secrets of computing, which are normally only accessible to those who have studied at university level. Carlo's interests ranged from computer programming to film editing, to website creation and the newspapers he wrote and laid out, as well as to his volunteer work with the most needy, with children and the elderly. This devoted young man from the diocese of Milan, who was able to offer his suffering up to the Pope and the Church before he died was, in short, a mystery.