In a world where screens often pull young people away from God, the story of Saint Carlo Acutis feels like a breath of fresh air — and a powerful witness for our times.
Born in 1991 in London and raised in Milan, Carlo died at just 15 years old from leukemia in 2006. In 2025, he became the first millennial saint in the Catholic Church. But what makes him especially relatable to young people (and their parents) today is this: he was a normal teenager who loved computers, video games, and technology — yet he used all of it for the glory of God.
A Teen Who Loved Games — But Stayed Free
Carlo was no stranger to the joys of gaming. He owned a PlayStation, played Pokémon, Super Mario, racing games like Gran Turismo, and even Halo with his friends. He also enjoyed Spiderman games and Nintendo titles.
Yet here’s what set him apart: he limited his gaming time to just one or two hours a week. He understood that technology is a gift, but it can also become a chain. Carlo used to say:
“What does it matter if you can win a thousand battles if you cannot win against your own corrupt passions?”
He didn’t let games control him — he mastered them with self-discipline. His mother, Antonia Salzano, has shared that even while playing, Carlo would find natural ways to talk to his friends about faith, the importance of going to Mass, and avoiding dangerous content online like pornography.
A Computer Whiz for Christ
Carlo wasn’t just a gamer — he was a self-taught programming genius. By age 9 he was studying university-level computer books. He learned languages like C++ and Java, worked with Adobe Dreamweaver, and used Ubuntu Linux.
His most famous project? A beautiful international website and exhibition called “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World” (still available today at miracolieucaristici.org).
- He researched and catalogued more than 150 Eucharistic miracles from across 2,000 years of Church history.
- The site includes an interactive world map, photos, explanations in nearly 20 languages, and a virtual museum.
- It later became a popular traveling exhibition that has been displayed in parishes and schools all over the world.
For Carlo, the internet was not a distraction — it was a mission field. He wanted everyone to know the truth he loved most: that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. He famously called the Eucharist “my highway to heaven.”
A Saint for the Digital Age
Carlo Acutis shows us that holiness is possible right in the middle of modern life. You don’t have to reject technology, video games, or culture. You just have to put Jesus first.
He defended bullied classmates at school, helped the poor, attended Mass every day, and offered his suffering from leukemia with joy. Even as he faced death, he told his mother: “I’m happy to die because I’ve lived my life without wasting even one minute on things that don’t matter for eternity.”
A Challenge for Us Today
Saint Carlo challenges all of us — especially young people — with these questions:
- Am I using my phone, computer, and games to draw closer to God and others?
- Or am I letting them waste my time and weaken my soul?
As Pope Francis and the Church present him as a model, may Saint Carlo Acutis pray for us. May he intercede for all gamers, programmers, tech users, and millennials (and Gen Z!) so that we too can become “originals” for God instead of photocopies of the world.
Saint Carlo Acutis, patron of the internet and young people — pray for us!