COME HOME TO COMMUNION BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS RELIC INSTALLED AT CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOSEPH

By Sara Kraft

“What’s special to me about Blessed Carlo Acutis is a young man bringing his family back to fervent faith,” stated Father Stephen Hansen, Pastor of Cathedral of St. Joseph. “That’s an amazing thing, and tells the power of children.”

On July 1, at the beginning of the parish year of the National Eucharistic Revival, Bishop Johnston blessed a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis that is displayed at Cathedral of St. Joseph. Blessed Carlo Acutis is one of two patrons of the National Eucharistic Revival. Any piece of a blessed or saint’s body is a first-class relic. This relic includes several strands of Carlo’s hair.

“To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan,” stated Blessed Carlo Acutis. Carlo is a modern-day blessed who died in 2006 of leukemia at the age of 15. He was buried in jeans and Nikes. Carlo had a passion for video games, including Pokémon and PlayStation, but limited himself to playing computer games one hour per week. He is most famous for his website categorizing Eucharistic miracles and generosity toward the poor.

The relic came to the Cathedral of St. Joseph because, in 2020, Father Hansen acquired a relic of Saint Josemaria Escriva. Sometime after placing the relic of Saint Josemaria on display, Father

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Hansen wondered if there shouldn’t be an additional saint on the same wall. One day when Bishop Johnston was on a visit to the Cathedral he asked him, “Bishop, can you think of a saint whose relic could complement St. Josemaría’s?” Bishop Johnston simply replied, “a young Blessed!” Father Hansen knew of Bishop Johnston’s respect for Blessed Carlo and began searching for where a relic could be acquired. Father Hansen then wrote to the Association for the Cause of Canonization of Blessed Carlo and with a sealed letter from Bishop Johnston, the request was approved. The relic was picked up in Assisi this spring, along with the letter of authenticity.

This letter of authenticity includes a description of the relic and the reliquary in Latin, and is signed by the church authority who issued it. In this case, it was the Postulator of the Cause for Beatification and Canonization.

After the relic arrived, 7th and 8th grade students at Cathedral School selected quotes of Blessed Carlo Acutis to be included in the frame with the relic and letter of authenticity.

The relic was placed in the rear of the Cathedral near the Sacred Heart statue. The Cathedral is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those who would like to venerate it.

“By venerating the relic, we are adoring God (as adoration is reserved for God alone) who inspired the saint and the saint’s heroic virtues,” explained Father Hansen. Father Hansen hopes the relic will inspire the faithful to become saints. “Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us.”

Dino Durando is the Director of the Office of Domestic Church and Discipleship and the Office of Marriage and Family for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. He and his wife Cathy have been married (almost) 25 years and have 10 children and one grandchild.