Catholic Saints Podcast: Carlo Acutis' Canonization

Host: Dr. Elizabeth Klein
Guest: Dr. Ben Akers
Date: September 6, 2025

Overview

This episode celebrates the recent canonization of St. Carlo Acutis, the first "millennial saint" of the Catholic Church. Dr. Elizabeth Klein and Dr. Ben Akers explore Carlo’s relatable, contemporary life; his extraordinary faith, charity, and use of technology; and the impact of his legacy both on the Church and on the next generation. The conversation highlights the integration of holiness into everyday life, particularly for young people growing up in the digital age.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introducing Carlo Acutis: An Ordinary Boy with Extraordinary Holiness

[02:11 – 04:08]

• Dr. Akers shares personal connections, including meeting Carlo’s mother and being gifted a relic.
• Carlo was born in London in 1991 to Italian parents; the family soon moved to Milan.
• He died of acute leukemia on October 12, 2006, at just 15.
• Carlo’s mother describes him:

  “He was an ordinary boy living an ordinary life, but he opened his ordinary heart to Jesus, who made it extraordinary.” – Dr. Ben Akers, quoting Antonia Salzano [03:46]

• Dr. Klein draws a parallel to Mary’s ordinary openness to God being the root of her greatness.

Faith Born in the Family

[05:33 – 06:58]

• Carlo’s curiosity about churches as a young child reignited his mother's faith.
• Antonia (his mother) reports Carlo’s incessant questions led her to catechism classes.
• Carlo’s commitment to faith from First Communion onwards: daily Mass, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and the Rosary.
• “His witness, even as a little child, kind of brought her back to the faith.” – Dr. Ben Akers [06:44]

Relatable Holiness: Video Games, Pets, and Virtue

[07:53 – 09:21]

• Carlo played soccer, had pets, enjoyed Pokémon, and received a PlayStation at age 8.
• Not canonized “because he played video games,” but exemplified temperance by limiting himself to one hour per week upon hearing of excessive gaming’s dangers.
• Carlo’s example shows sanctity is not about rejecting modern life but sanctifying it:
  “It’s not that you have to avoid all these good things…but you need to understand how they fit into a charitable life.” – Dr. Klein [08:29]

Evangelization and Influence

[09:21 – 11:13]

• Carlo evangelized those around him, including household staff: his questions about faith inspired baptisms in non-Christian adults.
• “His asking good questions and then the strong faith…was very attractive to people.” – Dr. Akers [09:33]
• Dr. Klein connects this to the Gospel invitation, describing Carlo as “mature in the faith.”

Charity and Simplicity

[10:03 – 11:52]

• Turned down a family pilgrimage to the Holy Land so the money could go to the poor.
• Gave food and purchased sleeping bags for Milan’s homeless; declined new shoes to donate instead.
• Carlo saw money as a tool for charity:

  “Money is only ragged paper. What counts in life is the nobility of the soul. That is the way one loves God and loves one neighbor.” – Carlo Acutis, relayed by Dr. Akers [11:13]

The Eucharist, the Internet, and New Evangelization

[12:51 – 14:55]

• Carlo excelled at computer programming and saw the internet’s double-edged nature.
• Used his digital talent to catechize – created a parish website and, more famously, the Eucharistic Miracles website, now touring and accessible globally (miracolieucaristici.org).
• Developed the exhibit for two and a half years; five computers caught fire during work, which his mother attributed to spiritual opposition.
• The exhibit launched just days before Carlo’s death.

Notable Quotes: The Eucharist at the Center

[16:02 – 17:31]

• “When we face the sun, we get a tan. When we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.” – Carlo Acutis, relayed by Dr. Akers [16:02]
• “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.”
  Carlo explained this to his mother in practical terms:

  “In Italy… the autostrada, the highway, is the fastest way to get to point A to point B… The fastest way to get to Christ, to heaven, is the Eucharist.” – Dr. Ben Akers [17:28]

Swift Passing and Offering Suffering

[17:56 – 18:52]

• Became ill October 2, died October 12, 2006; diagnosed with acute leukemia.
• Offered his suffering for Pope Benedict XVI and the Church.
• Last words to his mother:

  “Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid… I can’t even imagine what God has ready for us when we get to heaven.” [18:43]

• Beatified in 2020 and canonized in the Jubilee Year, 2025 — an exceptionally rapid path.

Family Miracles and Ongoing Legacy

[19:14 – 19:56]

• As he was dying, Carlo promised a sign to his mother. Four years to the day after his death, she gave birth to twins at age 44, attributing them to his intercession.
• His siblings relate to him through comic books rather than direct devotion; for them, Carlo is more “cool older brother” than “saint.”

Slogan and Lasting Challenge

[19:57 – 20:33]

• Carlo’s personal motto:

  “Non io, ma Dio.” (“God, not me.”)

• At the end of his life, he declared,

  “I’m happy to die because I live my life without wasting even a minute of it on anything unpleasing to God.” [20:29]

• Dr. Klein observes: “How long would we all be in the confessional if we spent our time thinking how many minutes I spent doing anything not pleasing to God?” [20:33]

Lessons for Today’s Listeners

[20:55 – 22:22]

• Dr. Akers: “Physical age does not mean spiritual age… The Internet’s like a digital continent that needs digital missionaries.”
• Carlo’s example: Pioneering evangelization in new media, using ordinary life as a springboard for sanctity.
• Resources for further exploration:
  • “Carlo: God’s Influencer” (Animated film for kids and adults on Formed)
  • “Based on a True Saint: The Boy from Milan” (Spiritual documentary)
  • “Carlo Acutis: Digital Disciple” (Voyage Comics – a devotional comic favored by Dr. Klein's son)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “He was an ordinary boy living an ordinary life, but he opened his ordinary heart to Jesus, who made it extraordinary.”
  – Dr. Ben Akers, quoting Carlo’s mother [03:46]

• “Money is only ragged paper. What counts in life is the nobility of the soul.”
  – Carlo Acutis, through Dr. Akers [11:13]

• “When we face the sun, we get a tan. When we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.”
  – Carlo Acutis, through Dr. Akers [16:02]

• "The Eucharist is the highway to heaven."
  – Carlo Acutis [17:28]

• "I live my life without wasting even a minute of it on anything unpleasing to God."
  – Carlo Acutis, through Dr. Akers [20:29]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 02:11 | Carlo’s background, mother’s influence | | 05:33 | Faith development in family | | 07:53 | Relatable aspects: video games, virtue | | 09:21 | Household evangelization | | 10:03 | Charity and simplicity; personal anecdotes | | 12:51 | Digital evangelization: websites and exhibit | | 16:02 | Eucharist-centered quotes & reflections | | 17:56 | Carlo’s illness, death, and offering suffering | | 19:14 | Miracles in family after Carlo’s death | | 19:57 | Personal motto and reflective challenge | | 20:55 | Takeaways for today’s listeners | | 22:09 | Recommended further resources |

Conclusion

St. Carlo Acutis’ life is a call for profound holiness in the midst of an ordinary, digital age existence. By seamlessly integrating faith, charity, humility, and modern tech, he continues to inspire both young and old to pursue sanctity, evangelize creatively, and recognize the Eucharist as the “highway to heaven.”
St. Carlo Acutis, pray for us!