Blessed Carlo Acutis, a saint for our time and a model for the young.

Carlo Acutis was born to Italian parents in London on the 3rd May 1991. He was exceptionally gifted in working with computers, as well as computer programming. He also liked film editing, website creation, and editing and laying out small publications.  He liked to play PlayStation but he kept it to a minimum not to waste too much time on it. He had a deep devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and so he developed a website which catalogued The Eucharistic Miracles of the World.   
Carlo contracted leukaemia. The doctor treating Carlo asked him if he was suffering much pain and he responded, “There are people who suffer much more than me.” He died on 12 October 2006 when he was only fifteen. Before his death, Carlo said, “I am happy to die because I lived my life without wasting even a minute of it on anything displeasing to God”. This is what he asks of us, that we may not waste our lives on pointless things that don’t please God. 
In 2018, Pope Francis confirmed his life of heroic virtue and declared him ‘Venerable’. A miracle was then attributed to his intercession from 2013, which involved a young boy from Brazil who suffered from a rare pancreatic disease. Pope Francis confirmed this miracle in early 2020, and Carlo was beatified on 10th October the same year. 
Carlo is a role model and inspiration for teenagers striving to be both holy and normal in today’s society.