The Vatican

Carlo Acutis to be canonized

The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has recognized a miracle attributed to Carlo Acutis. As a result, the young Internet apostle will be canonized. The news comes along with the recognition of miracles performed through the intercession of other blessed and servants of God, including two martyrs.

Paloma López Campos-May 23, 2024-Reading time: 2 minutes
Carlo Acutis

Blessed Carlo Acutis (CNS photo / courtesy Sainthood Cause of Carlo Acutis)

In a decree published by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the Vatican confirms the miracle performed through the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis. With this, the canonization of the Internet apostle, known for his love of the Eucharist, is now possible.

Carlo Acutis and his highway to Heaven

Carlo was born in London in 1991 and died in 2006 of leukemia. Despite his young age, he carried out an apostolate through the Internet that reached thousands of people, to whom he spoke about the Eucharist. He considered Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament "a highway to Heaven" and died with a reputation for holiness. It is not surprising, therefore, that Pope Francis proclaimed him venerable as early as 2018.

Shortly thereafter, in 2020, the Pontiff beatified Carlo Acutis in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Four years later, another miracle performed thanks to his intercession led the Vatican to take the step for the young man to be canonized.

As the decree of the Dicastery notes, Pope Francis has convoked a consistory in which "the canonization of Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, Marie-Léonie Paradis, Elena Guerra and Carlo Acutis" will be discussed.

Upcoming saints

Giuseppe Allamano was an Italian priest who died in 1926. He founded the religious congregations of the Consolata Missionaries and the Consolata Missionary Sisters. In 1990, Pope St. John Paul II celebrated his beatification and now he will be elevated to the altars thanks to another miracle recognized by the Vatican.

Marie-Léonie Paradis is also the founder of a congregation, the Little Sisters of the Holy Family. This Canadian nun died the same night she received the news of the approval of the congregation's rule, after decades of working to help priests along with her sisters.

For her part, Elena Guerra is a nun whom Pope John XXIII called "the apostle of the Holy Spirit in modern times". She founded the congregation of the Oblate Sisters of the Holy Spirit, also known as Zitinas. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints recognized the miracle attributed to her intercession on April 13, 2024.

Martyrs, priests and laypersons

The decree published by the Sala Stampa also recognizes a miracle through the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Giovanni Merlini, an Italian priest of the 19th century. It also notes the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Guglielmo Gattiano, a Capuchin priest who died in 1999.

On the other hand, there are two lay people whose heroic virtues have been recognized by the Dicastery: Ismael Molinero Novillo, a Spaniard who died during the civil war from tuberculosis; and Enrico Medi, an Italian physicist known for his informative work.

In addition, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints mentions the martyrdom of a diocesan priest and a laywoman. The first, Stanislaus Kostka Streich, was born in 1902 in Poland and died at the age of 36 martyred for his faith in his country. Likewise, the Servant of God Maria Magdalena Bódi died a martyr at the age of 24 in Hungary.

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