A Book Review . . . Blessed Carlo Acutis And His “Highway To Heaven”

By JIM VALOIS

It was eye-opening that the premier week of the independent film Sound of Freedom grossed more than 40 million. Action packed, the movie dealt with the horrific subject of the sex trafficking of innocent children in a non-political and tastefully done drama.
The gripping fact-based story generated an explosion of interest as it told of the dangerous journey of Homeland Security special agent Tim Ballard to rescue two young children. Racing against time, Ballard understood the inestimable dignity and value of the two little ones — saving them and reuniting them with their father.
The unexpected surge in interest in the movie correlated with another unlikely tsunami of interest in a compelling true story that happened a few years earlier. This story centered on the life of a teenager from Italy that exemplified and promoted the inestimable dignity and value of every person too. On October 10, 2020, Carlo Acutis drew an estimated 3,000 people to his beatification Mass and many more tuned in to the livestream.
In a new book about Acutis, the author writes: “When Carlo became the first millennial beatified by the Catholic Church, more people searched on Google for information about him than about the Pope” (p. 13).
Furthermore, a major project of the young man was informing others about eucharistic miracles and “the term eucharistic miracles showed a massive increase in search frequency” at the time (p. 13).
In a marvelous new book entitled Blessed Carlo Acutis and subtitled A Saint in Sneakers, we get a clear picture of the just and noble life of this young man. Written by Courtney Mares, the short read provides a comprehensive study of Blessed Carlo. Mares, who writes for Catholic News Agency, is a seasoned journalist based in Rome and covers her subject in a nuanced and elegant manner. The biography sheds much light on his genuinely happy and purpose-driven life. Young people will gain immeasurably from this well-written and terse work, but the audience for this profile extends much further.
It is really a book for everyone in our technological age — where often the fast pace, the fake, and the superficial dominate. Carlo Acutis stands in stark contrast as a witness to authentic peace and joy-filled Christian living. Let’s take a closer look.
Carlo was a very human saint. He helped others in need and maintained his interests and recreation. For example, he learned how to program a computer at a young age and used his skill to aid religious sisters and others when they had computer issues. Mares explains: “As a computer-programming millennial on the path to sainthood, Carlo has shown that Apple computers, Spider-man comics, and Super Mario on Nintendo 64 and a life of heroic virtue are not mutually exclusive” (p. 13). These human interests that Carlo had in computers, Spider-man, and Super Mario can help adolescents understand that sainthood does not mean having no hobbies or fun.
Early on in his short life, Carlo had a heart for the poor and those with special needs. Instead of merely having pity for the needy, he would sell his toys and give the money to help them. When in Assisi during the summers — a favorite location for Carlo — the family was visited by the Little Sisters of the Lamb. These sisters would go door to door asking for bread to help those in need. Carlo’s father later explained in testimony to the Vatican:
“Carlo not only wanted to give them bread, but he asked me to invite them to lunch, and I granted his wish” (p. 54). Many examples of defending those being bullied and showing generosity to the homeless shine like gems throughout the biography.
For those of you who have witnessed courageous young people defending the truths of the faith or publicly praying boldly for the unborn against the lies of the age, Carlo Acutis will bring a smile to your face because of his steadfast witness. Carlo — with his friendly and optimistic spirit — convinced others of the realities of Purgatory and Hell when necessary; he even debated with a priest who denied the existence of both of these basic doctrines of the faith.
By nature, Acutis was affable and sanguine, yet he was fearless in defending the dignity and value of the unborn among his classmates and friends. Beyond his years, he often counseled friends to live chaste lives who were following the tide of premarital sex and instructed others to avoid drinking and drugs because, he pointed out, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Carlo did not remain silent on cultural trends that were harming people, but rather he spoke truth to power.
An additional example of the power of witness was the conversion of Rajesh Mohur, a Hindu companion for young Acutis who was hired to look after him. Rajesh noticed that the young boy would wake up early to attend Mass and then pray a bit longer in front of the tabernacle. The author recorded this fact: “Rajesh observed how young Carlo’s behavior changed when he entered a church….‘His behavior changed when he was inside the church, with all respect. He knew that there was something different where Jesus lives….That touched my heart…when I saw Carlo’s behavior’” (p. 42). Also Rajesh was turned off by those of his fellow Hindus who were wealthy but did not do anything for the poor at a Hindu shrine he was sent to by his father. Rajesh took note that young Carlo actually gave money or material things to those in need. And Carlo — the young witness to the faith — helped teach Rajesh how to pray the rosary and invited him to join his family in praying it. These incidents and many more highlighted in the book show that Carlo Acutis was very evangelistic, and this foundational characteristic of his life is an inspiration to follow.
Throughout the book, the reality that Carlo Acutis’ life is intrinsically linked to the sacraments becomes obvious. He prayed about news stories that he watched on television, often sacrificed his favorite foods for the good of others, and sought to educate people on the truths of Revelation. He developed a passion for the Real Presence and called the Eucharist “my highway to Heaven.”
In fact, thanks to his mother, he was introduced to a weeklong event in Rimini that had many exhibitions. This was organized by the Catholic movement Communion and Liberation and his mother was on a discussion panel on the Eucharist. This inspired Carlo to embark on a long-term project of building an exhibition for the event on eucharistic miracles.
Mares describes the project: “Over the next two and a half years, Carlo and his family worked to create panels describing the history behind eucharistic miracles for the exhibition. With his Internet savvy and his language skills, Carlo was able to find images and to research information on different miracles” (p.60).
The author does an excellent job of showing that the sacraments and life of faith were the driving force behind Acutis’ brilliance.
This is an important book in that it teaches universal wisdom for all from the life of this amazing young Blessed. We learn that Beata — his Polish nanny — played a significant role in Carlo’s journey by taking him to Marian shrines and helping form the practice of praying the daily rosary. Beata also catechized him in the basics of the Catholic faith. This of course underscores how teaching the authentic faith to another may help produce a saint!
Another noteworthy point is the value of taking pilgrimages to Catholic shrines — and the lasting impact that can make. And the witness of Carlo Acutis also enlightens us on how to suffer well.
At a time when humanity faces new threats to life, the dignity, and value of each person and often a deafening silence to counter the deceitful clamor, the witness of Carlo Acutis points a clear pathway forward.