CHESTERTON – In these historic days, the Catholic Church has acted with purpose to recognize a hero of the faith, a late pontiff and the younger set of believers.
Mournful black bunting decorated some churches in the days following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. Though celebrations related to the scheduled canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis have been delayed as the world awaits the working of a conclave to select a new pope, local gatherings recognized youth and a patron who is growing in popularity.
At St. Patrick in Chesterton, a vigil Mass on April 26 provided an opportunity for children, teens and young adults to be acknowledged and blessed as they heard about the virtuous life of Acutis, often referred to as the “first millennial saint.” The Jubilee for Teens was carried on throughout the world to the backdrop of the bittersweet developments.
Several youth were among those present for the Mass marking Divine Mercy Sunday as Father Jon Plavcan made special mention of the British-born teen. He said Acutis’ goal “to always be close to Jesus” was manifest in his joy and dedication to using Internet communications for the good.
“Congratulations to all of you,” Father Plavcan said, during his homily, which followed a blessing of young people. “Today, we recognize youth most specifically during this Jubilee Year.
He added, “It is very important for our youth to recognize and realize that you are not the future of the Church, you are the present of the Church.”
Speaking about the faithful Italian youth who sought to live the Catholic faith daily and who called the Eucharist “the highway to heaven,” the St. Patrick pastor introduced a sacred memorial.
“We are very fortunate at St. Patrick’s to have a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis. We are one of only five parishes in the United States that have been entrusted with such a relic … we remember him and how he promoted the Eucharist.”
Not a saintly figure from centuries ago, or a person represented in idealized paintings, Acutis, born in 1991, grew up in a wealthy family in Milan, Italy, and was known for his maturity, prayerfulness and charity. As a young teen, he developed skills in Java and C++ computer programming languages. Many of today’s youth enjoy the same multimedia entertainment franchises that he did, such as Halo, Mario and Pokémon.
Called a “computer geek,” Acutis set about helping local parishes with website development. He created websites cataloging Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions. His final work was released on Oct. 4, 2006.
Around that time, Acutis, known to be a healthy and vivacious boy, endured symptoms of inflammation of the throat and other maladies which hastened his visits to Italian hospitals. Soon a diagnosis of leukemia was followed by intensive care, which could not stave off his quickly deteriorating condition. He died on Oct. 12, 2006.
“I’m thinking about how (Acutis) was such a young person and how he made a huge difference, not just in his time, but in the world at this point; he’s known all over the place for what he’s done,” said Augustus Smith, 13.
Smith, a Notre Dame of Michigan City seventh grader, was one of many parishioners who approached the sanctuary at the conclusion of Mass to reverence a first-class relic of Acutis, encased in an ornate reliquary.
He has been eager to honor the saintly youth that he can identify with so closely, but said the delay in the canonization of Blessed Acutis – the original date of April 27, vacated by the Diocese of Assisi – has caused a technical issue.
“The pope passing away affects the whole Church and not just me; it also pushes back the canonization of Carlo Acutis,” Smith explained. “That can affect people like me who are looking to have their confirmation name as ‘Acutis.’”
He was told that by the time of his confirmation this spring, Acutis will not yet be named a saint, so alternative plans were advised.
“I can’t remember the (back-up) confirmation name. We’re working on that in school,” Smith said.
Teens such as Megan Hadenfelt, 18, led the liturgy’s music in the choir, and others such as her sister Maeve Hadenfelt assisted in the sanctuary as altar servers. Maeve Hadenfelt, said it was an honor to gather to celebrate the life of a very relatable saintly figure.
“Whenever I think of Carlo Acutis I think of technology,” the 13-year-old said, admiring a holy card depicting the youthful blessed. “What makes him different from other saints, is that he (was able to) use technology to teach people about God. I find that really interesting … others preached the old-fashioned way.”
Maeve Hadenfelt has concerns about those who take to social media to gossip about others or post scandalous content, and hopes inspiring and faith-based messages continue to gain popularity.
“I’d say cyberbullying is one of the really bad things,” she said. “I think it’s good that Carlo’s (type of content) is there for anyone who needs it.”
In his homily, Father Plavcan also gave advice to adolescents and adults alike that, though Acutis was a computer whiz and enjoyed surfing the Internet, he limited his daily online activity to one hour, so that it would not become an addiction.
“Carlo did not want to waste his time; he wanted to focus on what Jesus called him to do,” Father Plavcan said. “He wanted to bring others to the faith.”
Caption: Sisters Megan Hadenfelt (left), 18, and Maeve Hadenfelt (right), 13, reverence a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis on April 26 at St. Patrick church in Chesterton. The parish hosted members and visitors for a Vigil Mass and celebration of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee for Teens, where youth received a special blessing. (Anthony D. Alonzo photo)
