Shining Christ’s Light: Lessons from the Life of St. Lucy
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We have a truly exciting weekend ahead, as young Carlo Acutis will be canonized on Sunday. Much has been written about Carlo, who died after a brief illness at just 15, but who made a profound impact on his community and now on the world. The lessons we can learn from him are endless, and we need his wisdom and his intercession now more than ever, especially as we fight the demons of the culture of death.
In her book My Son Carlo, Carlo’s mother writes about his faith; his moral courage; his intelligence, especially in computer programming; his incredible love and compassion for his fellow man; and his devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist.
“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven,” Carlo would frequently say. He rightly understood that the Eucharist transforms lives and gives us a foretaste of heaven. He wanted others to understand this as well, so he created a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles around the world.
While Carlo was often a normal kid who liked to have fun with his friends and played video games, there was also something extraordinary about him. As he lay dying, he told his mother: “I die happy because I did not spend my life wasting my time on things not pleasing to God.”
And it is clear that he did not waste any time. Carlo filled his days with prayer, daily Mass, and a daily rosary. And he literally took his faith to the streets every day. He volunteered with the homeless, often taking them blankets and food. He visited the sick in hospitals. He fed the hungry, usually giving his own money away or buying things to make people’s lives better. He taught catechism classes at his church. He spoke out in his classes about the truths of Catholic teaching (and helped many convert!) and was not embarrassed to talk about the evils of abortion, the importance of strong and faith-filled families, and the beauty of chastity.
Additionally, Carlo went to confession regularly and kept a journal of his behaviors, noting what he could do better. He often wrote his thoughts about Church history or Church teaching, and he reflected frequently on just how long eternity is.
His mother explained that he understood the horrors of hell and had researched and read many books about the visionaries of Fatima and other saints who had seen visions of hell. She said it greatly troubled him that people choose to turn their backs on God, and he understood that the evils of today come from a Godless society.
His mother wrote, “According to Carlo, during exorcisms the devil claims victory through abortions, pornography, immorality, betrayals of the family, and New Age practices which are spreading through the world, because they become an arbitrary substitute for God’s commandments and Jesus’ teachings.”
She went on to write, “All souls that are close to God have always had to wage a spiritual war, which is often brutal.”
Carlo understood this spiritual war and spoke often about making moral choices and staying close to God, knowing that while the devil may win some minor battles, God, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, claims the ultimate victory.
It is this victory that made Carlo unafraid to die. As he lay in the hospital bed, he offered up his sufferings for the Church and Pope Benedict. He joked with the nurses, and he expressed his concern for his family and the people around him.
Carlo died on October 12, 2006, and four years later, to the day, his mother gave birth to twins. It was just one of the ways she felt he was sending her a message from heaven.
Carlo liked to say that “all people are born as originals but many die as photocopies.” It was his way of cautioning people to not get lost in worldly things and to always look to heaven. He witnessed the temptations of the material world, especially for teens, and he understood that these temptations come directly from the devil. This is why he spent so much time trying to help people see the love and light of Christ.
Carlo Acutis made an incredible impact during his short time on earth, and now we can officially say that he was victorious in the spiritual battle he fought—and that we all fight—against the forces that demean, discard, and devalue people. The lessons we learn from Carlo are now a part of Church history and will forever be taught and remembered. For that, we are immensely grateful, and we ask for his intercession as we carry on the work he began.
Teach your teens about this amazing saint with St. Carlo Acutis: Extraordinary in the Ordinary—a downloadable lesson booklet from the Culture of Life Studies Program created just for homes, schools, and CCE programs.
We can go to Saint Carlo with our prayers, asking for his intercession. This novena reflects upon his life and his actions and will guide us in becoming more Christlike.
Because Carlo had a special devotion to Mary, after each day’s prayer, say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, you once said that the Virgin Mary was the only woman in your life. We know how very special our spiritual mother is and how much she loves us. Help us to increase our devotion to her. Help us to seek her in times of trouble and in times of joy, just like we would an earthly mother. Please go to her with our intentions [add them here]. Ask her to take these prayers to her Son. And please pray for us, that we may grow in closeness to both Mary and Jesus. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, after making your First Communion, you faithfully attended daily Mass. You also had a special devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, and you frequently would stop by the tabernacle and pray, wanting to spend even more time with Jesus. You understood how precious that time was, and you knew the importance of prayer and quiet time with Our Lord. Help us learn from you how to spend time in quiet reflection so that we, too, will become closer to Him. Now that you are there in His presence, please take our prayers [mention them here] to Jesus and implore Him to answer them. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, in addition to attending daily Mass, you faithfully said the rosary every day. Our Lady has often said how important it is to say the rosary and to go to her in prayer. Sometimes our lives get busy, we let worldly things get in our way, and we don’t pray enough. We don’t take the time you took to talk to our mother, to seek out her wisdom and guidance, and to allow her to comfort us and intercede on our behalf. Help us to make that time. Pray for us so that we are able to put aside those worldly distractions and go to her in prayer. And please pray for our intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you once said that our goal must be the infinite, not the finite, because the infinite is our homeland. You understood that the earth is not our final home and that everything we do here on earth determines where we will spend eternity. Your goal was to always be close to Jesus, and that should be our goal as well, for if we stay close to Him, we will surely spend eternity with Him. Please pray for us that we spend every day trying to get closer to God, listening to His words, talking to Him in prayer, and doing good things for others. And please pray for my special intention [mention it here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you taught others that our compass must be the word of God. Your example and the love you showed to others made a difference in the lives of so many. Pray for us, that like you, we may live our lives with God’s word as our guidepost and that all we do is done for His glory. Help us to not only listen to His words but to live them and to teach others, just as you did. And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you spent countless hours helping those most in need, especially children and the elderly. You made an impact on their lives. You taught them about Christ. And you made them feel like they mattered. Because you understood that every person is created in the image and likeness of God, you built a culture of life within your community as you taught others the importance of doing good. Help us to be more like you, to treat others well, and to give of ourselves, even when we don’t feel like it. And please pray for me and my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you placed the Eucharist at the center of your life and called it your “highway to heaven.” You rightly understood that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist and that fortifying yourself with Him, especially every day like you did, helped you become holier. In becoming holier, you became closer to Christ. You wanted to share Eucharistic miracles with the world, so you spent years compiling a list so that we could all see the miraculous nature of the Eucharist. We so desperately want to become like Jesus. We want to be closer to Him. Please pray that we put aside any pettiness, anger, resentment, or hatred that we feel. We know those have no place in our hearts. And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you asked us to spread the Gospel through our lives so that each of us can be a beacon to light the journey of others. You were certainly that light for so many. You taught the catechism to young students. You took food and clothing to the homeless, and you taught your friends how to live like Christ. Your life was an amazing example of living the Gospel and spreading that light so that others could come to know Jesus through you. Imagine what our world would be like if we all did that! We should all have that desire—that fire in our hearts. Please pray that we change our behaviors so that we, too, can be the light of Christ here on earth. And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Saint Carlo, you once said, “To be close to Jesus is my life plan.” You had such devotion to and such love for Christ. You spent hours in adoration craving a closeness to Him. You prayed unceasingly. You are a beautiful example of how to love and how to pray. Please pray that I work hard at becoming closer to Him. It’s so easy to become lazy in prayer, but prayer must be a part of us, not simply a part of our day. Help us to incorporate into our days conversations with Christ, Adoration, short prayers throughout the day, and time to just listen to Him so that prayer is not just something we do before bed. And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
Say three Hail Marys.
Susan Lochner Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame and an MLS from Indiana University. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2003; nearly 17 of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently, she is the editor of American Life League’s Celebrate Life Magazine—the nation’s premier Catholic pro-life magazine. She is also the director and executive editor of ALL’s Culture of Life Studies Program—a pre-K-12 Catholic pro-life education organization. Susan has written hundreds of Catholic and secular articles and has edited nearly two dozen books.
