By Sarah McMillan\/cvnznews.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supporters of an upcoming exhibition of eucharistic miracles and the visit of a relic of one of the Church\u2019s newest \u2013 and youngest \u2013 saints say they hope it will be a source of inspiration for Catholics of all ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
St Carlo Acutis, who was canonised last September, was an Italian teenager with a deep Catholic faith and a passion for spreading that faith using technology. Among his online projects was a website of eucharistic miracles, which he built before he died in 2006 at the age of 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has been dubbed by many \u201cthe patron saint of the internet\u201d, in light of that work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Palmerston North priest Fr Marcus Francis says when the visit of a relic and the associated exhibition to Australian dioceses was publicised, an approach was made to see if the tour could extend to New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That addition could be made, albeit with a limited timeframe \u2013 meaning the tour will not take in the whole country. It is officially known as the Mission of St Carlo Acutis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fr Francis said visits of a relic, in this case the pericardium of St Carlo, are not all that common in New Zealand. They are a powerful tool for devotion, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe veneration of relics draws us closer to the saints and our regard for them assists us in our desire to imitate Christ more closely as they did,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe call on them for their intercession as the great cloud of witnesses who have received the crown of faith ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pericardium is the membrane that surrounds the heart. It has great importance physically, protecting the body\u2019s most vital organ, but also deep spiritual meaning as the site of people\u2019s sentiments and actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The exhibition element of the mission will help raise awareness of the new saint, who doesn\u2019t have the benefit of centuries of devotion and recognition other saints enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fr Francis said it was hoped that the Mission of St Carlo Acutis can serve as a springboard for New Zealand interest in World Youth Day 2027, to be held in South Korea, and the 2028 International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Mission will stir up a desire in young people and Catholics in general to engage not only with the Catholic faith in New Zealand but to deepen that faith by joining in these global Catholic events,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen said he is excited to host the relic of St Carlo and the exhibition in the diocese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDuring the time of Confirmations last year, we were preparing for the canonisation of St Carlo \u2013 someone who was not that different from them, in history and in age,\u201d Bishop Gielen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSt Carlo helps to inspire young people to think about how they can live a life that is inspired by God and shaped by God\u2019s love, his peace and his mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile our Church is blessed with countless holy men and women in the communion of saints, a millennial joining those ranks can speak to today\u2019s young people in new ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fr Francis concurs, saying the mission will provide \u201ca focus on the example of St Carlo, who died at the age of 15 as a result of acute leukaemia, as someone capable of attaining holiness and heroic virtue despite his youth\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Catholic Enquiry Centre will support the Mission\u2019s visit to New Zealand by providing educational resources on St Carlo Acutis and the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat an inspirational and missionary young man St Carlo was,\u201d said CEC Director Carly Mulqueen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are pleased to be working alongside the organisers of the Mission to help more people encounter the story of St Carlo, and to discover more deeply the beauty and truth of the Eucharist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mission of St Carlo Acutis will arrive in Wellington on June 6, before returning to Australia on June 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Information on local events will be advertised through dioceses, parishes and schools.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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