Renata Steffens
A boy kneels in prayer before an image of Blessed Carlo Acutis during Eucharistic adoration April 7, 2022, at St. Rita of Cascia Church in the South Bronx, N.Y. In the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin. Photo: CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) Two young saints set to be canonised in 2025, Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, can bring young Irish people to God, an Irish priest involved in saints’ canonisation causes has said.
While most people think of saints as being older or from centuries ago, Blessed Pier Giorgio – who died age 24 – and Blessed Acutis – died age 15 – can encourage young people to embrace sanctity today, Fr John Hogan OCDS told The Irish Catholic.
“Pier Giorgio and Carlos Acutis had very different personalities,” said Fr Hogan, responsible for promoting saints’ causes in the Diocese of Meath. “But they both would bring the young to God,” the priest added, when asked if they can be an example to Irish youth.
The blessed are set to be canonised during the 2025 Jubilee, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, announced, saying that Pier Giorgio’s canonisation is “on the horizon”, while Fr Hogan commented that Carlo Acutis is also on the road to be canonised.
Fr Hogan said that “holiness is living virtue and it is personal and unique” and he believes the young saints will encourage the youth of Ireland to embrace the holiness as a way to enhance their lives.
Pier Giorgio is often recognised for his unique approach to evangelisation: going on hikes, climbing, and being an avid joker made him popular among his peers. It was on those informal activities that the young blessed would talk about life in Christ, and bring more people to the Church.
During a speech for World Youth Day 2016, Pope Francis said that “Pier Giorgio was a young man who understood what it means to have a merciful heart that responds to those most in need,” and encouraged young people to look at him as an example.
Fr Hogan believes Pier Giorgio represents another side of the holy life and proved that the life in the Church is not only not boring but can also be an adventure. The canonisation of young saints will be “an encouragement to other young people to seek the Gospel and become holy,” concluded the Meath priest.