It was the pandemic year of 2020 when the organization Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines was established by devotees, made up mostly of teenagers from the province of Bulacan.
Ismael Asky Garcia Dela Cruz, one of its active members, cannot contain his excitement about recent developments that point toward Blessed Carlo Acutis becoming the first millennial Catholic Saint after a second miracle attributed to him.
He said that other than spiritual preparation, the group is talking about what is needed to welcome the arrival of Blessed Carlo Acutis’ pilgrim relic to the Philippines.
“Hanggang ngayon po, kasalukuyan pa rin kaming nagkakaroon ng mga miting upang masiguro po ang kaayusan at kaligtasan ng mga tao na dadalo po sa nasabing pagdiriwang (Until now, we are having meetings to ensure the order and security of all the people who will join the said gathering),” he said.
The group wants to have a proper altar for the Blessed Carlo Acutis and a solemn ceremony, and is working with concerned institutions to make this happen.
“Mapalad po tayo sapagkat hinandugan tayo ng panibagong first class relic ni Beato Carlo Acutis mula sa kanyang laman at mga piraso ng buhok. Salamat po sa Diyos dahil natatangi po ito na binasbasan pa mismo sa ibabaw ng labi ni Kuya Carlo sa Assisi, Italy (We are blessed to have been given this gift of a new first class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis from his own flesh and his hair. Thank you, God, because these are rare and blessed from the very lips of our Blessed Carlo in Assissi, Italy).”
Dela Cruz said that the devotion to Blessed Carlo is slowly but surely becoming popular among Filipinos especially the younger Catholics. He credits the efforts of the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines, especially “Bp. Dennis, Fr. FJ and Diocesan Commission on Youth of Malolos.”
“Nagsimula po itong maliit na samahan na binubuo po ng tatlong tao, sa pangunguna ni Bro. Denzell, na may nagkakaisang layunin at debosyon kay Kuya Carlo hanggang sa lumawak na po sa tulong na rin po ng mga taong nagmamahal din kay Beato, higit sa pamilya ni na silang kasalukuyang tagapagtaguyod (It all started with just three people, headed by Bro. Denzell, with only one aim and single devotion for Blessed Carlo, until it spread with the help of people who love the future saint, especially the family of Bro. Mackee Tengco-Burgos who is guiding all of us),” he added.
Blessed Carlo Acutis, born 3 May 1991, passed away on 12 October 2006. He was a website designer who, according to online sources, “documented Eucharistic miracles and approved Marian apparitions, cataloguing them on a website he designed.”
He was beatified by Pope Francis on 10 October 2020. The youth who follow him admire his devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary, as well as the way he used his modern-day skills to share his faith.
Carlo Acutis died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15. Born in London, he grew up in Milan where he managed the website for his parish and later a Vatican-based academy. He also used his computer skills to create an online database of Eucharistic miracles around the world.