The canonization Mass for St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis was held Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. It was 4 a.m. in Tarboro, North Carolina, but a group of youth had been awake and waiting for the Mass since 3:30. This meaningful act of watching the Mass live from the Vatican deepened the faith and unity of the younger generation, as well as reminded them of the universality of the Catholic Church.
But they did more than just wake up early on this one day.
The Catholic community of St. Catherine of Siena shared a vibrant novena while preparing for the canonization Mass. It included Eucharistic adoration, documentaries and the veneration of a first-class relic of (then) Blessed Carlo. This focus on adoration reflected Carlo’s own deep devotion to the Eucharist and drew many young people and families to prayer.
In addition to the spiritual events, the parish also hosted a lively food festival for the wider community of Tarboro on the day before the canonization. The festival included an exhibition that told the story of Carlo’s life and highlighted various Eucharistic miracles. Children also had the opportunity to engage with Carlo’s story in an age-appropriate way through coloring pages, which detailed his life through pictures. The exhibition and coloring pages were done to help families deepen their understanding of Carlo Acutis’ witness.
On the day of the canonization, the St. Catherine of Siena community gathered for a Mass outdoors to celebrate the two new saints of the Catholic Church. They had a special altar off to the side with the relic of St. Carlo Acutis and parishioners had the opportunity to look closely and touch the relic.
During the homily, Father Eric Imbao, C.I.C.M. reminded the community that “daily prayer, Mass, Eucharist, confession and charity to the poor … are clear paths to holiness,” and these five pillars were embodied by the lives of the saints.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the relic was processed to its final spot in the church and the community gathered for a fellowship and potluck.
The Mass was a special reminder for parishioners that saints are not only from generations past but are also being formed now, in our youth. Carlo, for example, was born in 1991 and died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15; Pier was born in 1901 and died in 1925 of polio at age 24. The lives of these two special saints serve as an example to the youth of this community that no one is too young to entrust their lives to God and serve him with their entire hearts.
Through these special nine days of prayer, fellowship and education, the St. Catherine of Siena parish thrived in faith and community spirit. This time was made even more special because many of the youth who participated had also gone to Rome for the Jubilee of the youth and brought with them the relic of St. Carlo. This novena, and associated events, stood as a testament to the parish’s commitment to the veneration of the saints in heaven, devotion to the Eucharist and inspiration for a new generation of young saints-in-the-making.
