Special Character Report: St. Carlo Acutis

On Monday, our school had the privilege of hosting a presentation and viewing the first-class relic of St. Carlo Acutis.

Having St. Carlos Acutis' relic visit to Dunedin was a great experience for young people here - a global icon of faith coming right to our doorstep. Normally, saints feel like distant figures from the history books who lived hundreds of years ago in Europe. But Carlo was just a normal kid like us who loved video games, wore sneakers, and used the internet.

Because New Zealand is so far away from the rest of the world, getting a rare visit like this doesn't happen often. The fact that his relic was here in Dunedin makes the idea of holiness feel real, local, and achievable. It showed us young people that we are fully capable of creating a lasting impact right here, right now. The idea of finding your purpose and going on to achieve amazing things became more real after seeing how an ordinary teenager was able to accomplish so much through his faith and talents.

Common Questions on Saint Carlos Acutis:

• Who was Carlo Acutis? Carlo was an Italian teenager who loved computer programming, video games (like PlayStation), and football. He is best known for using his tech skills to build a website documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world before he passed away from leukemia in 2006 at just 15 years old.

• What is a "first-class relic"? In the Catholic tradition, a first-class relic is a physical part of a saint's body (such as a piece of hair or bone). It serves as a tangible, physical reminder of their life and faith. St Carlos Acutis’ relic was a section of his pericardium.

• Why is he called the "Cyber Apostle"? Because he proved that modern technology and the internet can be used for good. He is often regarded as a patron of the internet and of young people in the digital age, showing that you can be tech-savvy and deeply spiritual at the same time.

• Is he a saint yet? Yes! Pope Francis officially canonized him, making St. Carlo Acutis the very first millennial saint of the Catholic Church.

Special Character Prefects (Ethan and Mata)