Preparations are well underway in St Joachim’s Church in Lidcombe as a special group of parishioners ready themselves to head to Rome to witness the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
The group of approximately 40 are made up of the children of the drama club and their parents who with parish priest Fr Epeli Qimaqima will head to Italy for Easter Sunday.
Acutis, often called the first millennial saint, was an Italian boy who lived in Milan and used the Internet to spread the Word before his tragic death of leukemia at 15 in 2006.
Fr Epeli says the parents were “shocked” when he told them it would not only be the children going to Rome.
“They were speechless and completely overwhelmed with the whole concept of going with their children, to Rome for a canonisation, which happens only once,” he told The Catholic Weekly.
“I gave them a week to think about it, pray about it, talk about it, but then they came back a week later and the response was unanimous—they want to go with the children.”
Fr Epeli said even though it is only a small group going to Rome, all of St Joachim’s is supporting them.
“We’re all looking forward to it, even those who are not going, but are somehow in many ways connected with the whole pilgrimage group,” he said.
The idea came about after the children put on a play about Acutis, which told his life story and ended with his death at 15.
Assistant priest Fr Bijoy Joseph says the idea to put on a play of Acutis’ life was to give the children “something they can emulate.”
“We chose Blessed Carlo Acutis, and we chose the method of a play rather than a talk or a presentation as a way to inspire them in a very physical and tangible matter to know our Lord, to know Carlo,” he said.
He says the effects of the play and the continued learning about Acutis have had a positive impact on the children as he has seen “more of an openness to the faith” in them.
“I’ve seen them pray in a much deeper way, especially in Eucharistic Adoration because, obviously, with Blessed Carlo, that’s a big part of his story,” Fr Bijoy said.
“I’ve also seen this interesting thing where the kids are inviting other children to be part of the children’s ministry, there are very inspiring stories where at school or elsewhere, they’ll see someone who’s interested in the faith and then invite them into the group.”
If you would like to support the kids going, you can find the link to their donations page here.