Mass celebrating St. Carlo Acutis will be May 9

+ Enlarge

UTAH —The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City will celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis on May 9.

Blessed Acutis died in 2006 of leukemia at the age of 15. He is known for his devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He created an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles that premiered in 2005, which Pope John Paul II proclaimed as the Year of the Eucharist. Since then, this exhibition has been displayed thousands of places on five continents.

Carol Acutis was beatified on Oct. 10, 2020. “Since then, there have been countless witnesses who have come forward who testify to his intercession and to the amount of good that continues to pour from this young man’s life,” said Father Gustavo Vidal, spiritual director of the Salt Lake diocese’s Blessed Carlo Acutis Apostolate, which helps youth ages 13-18 experience the true presence of Christ.

In the past two years, the apostolate has sponsored youth rallies at various parishes throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City. They now have relics of four young holy people, including Carlo Acutis, “which helps us to present the lives of these saints to the youth as role models to follow,” Fr. Vidal said. These saints “provide the youth with examples of how young people can follow Jesus, can have faith – St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, who was only 14 years old, preferred to die instead of giving up his faith. … These saints also show us love for the Eucharist,” he said.

Having the apostolate in Utah has been a great blessing, said Fr. Vidal, who also is pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Layton. “When we visit the parishes with the apostolate, we have a great response by the youth and by the community members.”

Now that Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized, “we want all the youth to share his faith in our Lord Jesus. … We are encouraging all the parishes to form youth groups,” Fr. Vidal said.

Blessed Acutis will formally be declared a saint at a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 27 during the Jubilee of Teenagers.

Pope Francis has encouraged young people to imitate Acutis in prioritizing “the great gift of the Eucharist,” according to his message for the upcoming diocesan World Youth Days.

Bishop Oscar A. Solis will preside at the May 9 Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. During the celebration, relics of Carlo Acutis and three other saints who died young – Maria Goretti, Jose Sanchez del Rio and Anthony of Padua – will be available for veneration.

Fr. Vidal said that he is excited about this canonization because “it’s the first millennial who is going to be canonized by our Holy Father.”

The Church, he added, recognizes the virtues of people by canonizing them, “but who really makes them saints is God through the Holy Spirit. … We are all called to the be saints.”

God calls every person to follow him, and “God calls us to form our soul, mind and feelings to Jesus. … God is all,” Fr. Vidal said.

The Carlo Acutis Apostolate has created cards with the stories of the four young saints whose relics will be displayed on May 9. During the celebration, these will be distributed, along with other information, “so people are aware of what’s going on,” Fr. Vidal said.

Before the Mass starts, a diverse group of youth will process into the cathedral with the relics, because “we want to represent all the cultures and races,” Fr. Vidal said.

A reception after the Mass will feature a brief presentation about the apostolate.

WHAT: Thanksgiving celebration for the canonization of Saint Carlo Acutis

WHEN: May 9, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Cathedral of the Madeleine, 309 E. South Temple, SLC

All are invited.