CARLO ACUTIS AND PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI
On 7 September, Pope Leo XIV will preside over the canonization of two young saints, Pier Giorgio Frassati from the early twentieth century and Carlo Acutis, the first twenty-first century saint. As you may recall, Carlo Acutis’ canonization was originally scheduled for 27 April, to coincide with the Jubilee of Teenagers, and Pier Frassati’s canonization was set for 3 August, the culmination of the Jubilee for Youth. Both canonizations were postponed due to Pope Francis’ death on 21 April.
The declaration that both of these young men are saints is an inspiration for all of us. Unlike many of the saints who lived long ago, we can identify with these men and learn from their lives of holiness. Allow me to provide a brief biographical sketch on both of them.
We are probably most familiar with Carlo Acutis since he died most recently (in 2006) and his short life (he died of leukemia at the age of 15) was so clearly dedicated to our Lord. One of his most famous quotes is: “To always be close to Jesus, that’s my plan.” And, he accomplished that by developing an exhibition of Eucharistic miracles that has circled the globe. Our own Malvern Retreat House holds the first permanent exhibit of Carlo Acutis’ International Eucharistic Miracles of the World.
Carlo was not a quiet monk hidden away from society. On the contrary, he embraced some of the latest aspects of today’s society to grow closer to God and lead others to him. He was born in London of Italian parents in 1991 but the Acutis family returned to Italy shortly after his birth, settling in Milan. In school, besides being a very friendly, outgoing person, Carlo became skilled in information technology, computers and the internet. He was inspired by two statements from Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living the life of someone else,” and “It is only by saying ‘no’ that you can concentrate on the things that are truly important.” Carlo had a premonition that his life would be short and so he dedicated himself to discovering what was most important in life. For Carlo, the highest good of all was God and God’s will for his life. “Happiness is looking towards God, he said. “Sadness is looking towards yourself.” And so, he concluded: “God and not me,” a saying that is even more poignant in Italian: “Dio, non io.”
Like Carlo Acutis, Pier Giorgio Frassati was an Italian, born in Turin, Italy, in 1901. At an early age, he joined the Marian Sodality and the Apostleship of Prayer. He also obtained permission to receive Holy Communion daily; that was rare in those days. Pier developed a deep spiritual life which he was eager to share with his friends. At the age of 17, he joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society and dedicated much of his spare time serving the sick, caring for orphans and assisting the demobilized servicemen returning from World War I. A few years later, while studying to become a mining engineer, he joined the Catholic Student Foundation and the Catholic Action. He also became a very active member of the People’s Party which promoted the Catholic Church’s social teaching based on the principles of Pope Leo XIII’s enclyclical, Rerum Novarum. Inspired by the writings of St. Catherine of Siena, he joined the Lay Dominicans in 1922.
Just before receiving his university degree, Pier contracted poliomyelitis, which doctors speculated he caught from the sick whom he attended. Neglecting his own health because his grandmother was dying, he died after six days of severe pain and suffering at the age of 24. His last preoccupation was for the poor. On the eve of his death, he scribbled a note with his paralyzed hand to a friend directing him to take the medication intended for him to be given to a poor sick man he had been visiting.
Yes, both of these young men can inspire us to grow ever closer to God and his son, Jesus. As we look forward to their canonization, let us pray to them for their intercession, both for ourselves and the young men and women we know, that we may all strive to place God first in our lives and lead others to him.