Maybe you say to yourself, “Who wants to be a saint?” or “Why would I want to be a saint?” Well, it is not so much as being a saint but what a saint does. On September 7, 2025 the Catholic Church canonized a fifteen year old boy named Carlo Acutis. It’s not about canonization that is important here but what this guy did. Yes, Carlo died in 2006 at the age of fifteen from leukemia. Today his life is influencing young people around the world, and this is why. Carlo, in many ways, was no different than any other young man. He liked to play video games and he was very knowledgeable about computers. In fact, people around Carlo considered him a “computer geek” due to his passion for and skill with computers and the internet. He wanted to become a professional chef. He played football with friends, and watched shows like The Simpsons. He spent time with animals, especially dogs. He taught himself how to play the saxophone. He sounds like a normal guy but Carlo had a heart for people. He would provide meals, sleeping bags, and hot drinks to people experiencing homelessness, using his own resources to assist them. He is reported to have treated those in need with attention to their dignity and basic needs. Carlo loved God and because of it he loved people. Today many young people are either returning to God or finding Him for the first time. Also today many more young people are beginning to become civic minded and they are becoming involved with social issues like feeding the poor and reaching out to those in need. Pier Georgio Frassati was another young adult that was recognized today. Pier was 24 when he died. He, too, was concerned about social issues.He spent much of his time helping the poor and less fortunate. When he received any sums of money he chose to give it to the poor rather than using it for himself. Pier was an avid mountaineer and athlete who could swim well. He was a member of the Club Alpino Italiano and climbed mountains such as the Grand Tournalin and Monte Viso. He was a regular guy like anyone else, but he too, cared about people and their needs. He also provided a bed for a tuberculosis sufferer ( a chronic disease of his day) on one occasion as well as supporting the three children of an ill widow and finding a place for an evicted woman. He joined several charitable organizations, including Catholic Action and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, to better aid the poor and less fortunate living in his hometown. When Pier died the streets were lined with thousands of mourners out of reverence for him and for the many people he had helped.
They were just regular guys doing extraordinary things for people in need. How about you? You may not become a saint but you will become a hero, and all you need to do is take some time and help others who need your help.