Blessed Carlo Acutis

Webmaster • November 22, 2024

This weekend in the side chapel you will see an icon and statue to Blessed Carlo Acutis who will be made a saint next year by Pope Francis.


If you do not know who he is, here is a wee bit about him:


Carlo Acutis was born May 3, 1991, in London, where his father was working. Just a few months later, he moved with his parents, Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano, to Milan, Italy.


Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia as a teenager. Before his death in 2006, he offered his sufferings for Pope Benedict XVI and for the Church, saying: “I offer all of my suffering to the Lord for the pope and for the Church in order not to go to purgatory but to go straight to heaven.”


From a young age, Carlo had a special love for God, even though his parents weren’t especially devout. Antonia Salzano, his mom, said that before Carlo, she went to Mass only for her first Communion, her confirmation, and her wedding. But as a young child, Carlo loved to pray the rosary. After he made his first Communion, he went to Mass as often as possible at the parish across from his elementary school. Carlo’s love for the Eucharist also inspired a deep conversion for his mother. According to the postulator promoting his cause for sainthood, he “managed to drag his relatives, his parents to Mass every day. It was not the other way around; it was not his parents bringing the little boy to Mass, but it was he who managed to get himself to Mass and to convince others to receive Communion daily.” Salzano spoke to “EWTN News Nightly” in October 2023 about her son’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She said: “He used to say, ‘There are queues in front of a concert, in front of a football match, but I don’t see these queues in front of the Blessed Sacrament’ ... So, for him the Eucharist was the center of his life.”


Carlo’s witness of faith as a child led adults to convert and be baptized. Rajesh Mohur, who worked for the Acutis family as an au pair when Carlo was young, converted from Hinduism to Catholicism because of Carlo’s witness. Carlo taught Mohur how to pray the rosary and told him about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Mohur said that one of the things that most impressed him as a non-Christian was the witness of Carlo’s love and concern for the poor — how he interacted with the homeless man who would sit at the entrance of the church and would bring tupperware dishes filled with food out to people living on the streets.


Carlo wasn’t afraid to defend Church teaching, even in situations when his classmates disagreed with him. Many of Carlo’s high school classmates remember Carlo giving a passionate defense for the protection of life from the moment of conception when there was a classroom discussion about abortion.


Carlo was a faithful friend. He was known for standing up for kids at school who got bullied, especially kids with disabilities. When a friend’s parents were getting a divorce, Carlo made a special effort to include his friend in the Acutis’ family life. With his friends, he spoke about the importance of going to Mass and confession, human dignity, and chastity.


Carlo was fascinated with computer coding and taught himself some of the basic coding languages, including C and C++. He used his computer skills and internet savvy to help his family put together an exhibition on Eucharistic miracles that has gone on to be displayed at thousands of parishes on five continents. His spiritual director has attested that Carlo was personally convinced that the scientific evidence from Eucharistic miracles would help people to realize that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and come back to Mass.


Carlo loved playing video games. His mother recalls that he liked Nintendo Game Boy and GameCube as well as PlayStation and Xbox. He had conversations with his gaming buddies about the importance of going to Mass and confession and limited his video game playing to no more than two hours per week. Carlo also liked Spider-Man and Pokémon.


Carlo died on Oct. 12, 2006, and was buried in Assisi. Initially, there were reports that Carlo’s body was found to be incorrupt, but the bishop of Assisi clarified before his beatification that his body was not incorrupt. His body lies in repose in a glass tomb in Assisi where he can be seen in jeans and a pair of Nike sneakers. Thousands came to pray at his tomb at the time of his beatification in October 2020. Pope Francis recognized a second miracle attributed to Carlo’s intercession in a decree on May 23, 2024. The miracle involved the healing of a 21-year-old girl from Costa Rica named Valeria Valverde, who was near death after seriously injuring her head in a bicycle accident while studying in Florence in 2022. The first miracle that led to his beatification involved the healing of a 3-year-old boy in Brazil in 2013 who had been diagnosed with a malformation of his pancreas since birth.


I am dedicating the Icon and Statue to all our young people now and in the future.


We ask Blessed Carlo Acutis to pray for us.

Prayers for the Sick

By Webmaster • September 18, 2026
Please pray for Our Sick : Margaret Callaghan Doreen Cleary,Neil Boyle, John Rielly, Molly Strang, James Clark, Fr. Michael McLaughlin, Patricia Henderson, Joanna Maier (Connecticut USA), Therese Gilgunn Tressy Callaghan, Suzanne McMurray, Marie White,Lesley Watson (Spain) John McGuire, Maureen McHugh,Margaret Burke, Kathleen Daly, Jill Brown, Karen Pritchatt, Louise Newton, Faith Lyndsey, Marie McGuire, James Morton, Paul Kearney, Thomas Daly, Andrew McCluskey, Premature Baby Vincent McDowell, Gudren Berk (Germany), Jaqueline McReynolds, Mary Morrison, Helen Howarth (Easterhouse), Margaret Loan, Avril McCluskey, Carol Corr, Thomas Kennedy, Margaret Park, Alana Hepburn, Michael Ritchie, Hugh O'Donnell, and all our sick. .

Dates for your diary

By Webmaster • September 18, 2026
 24th October Mass of the Sick 10am Mass 7th November Annual Mass for the Dead 10am Mass

This Sunday's readings - Sunday 20th September

By Webmaster • September 18, 2026
First Reading Isaiah 55:6-9 God's ways are far beyond the ways of human beings. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18 God is near to those who call upon him. Second Reading Philippians 1:20c-24,27a Paul tells the Philippians to live for Christ. Gospel Reading Matthew 20:1-16 In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, Jesus teaches about God's generous mercy. Background on the Gospel Reading In today's Gospel, Jesus moves from Galilee to teach in Judea where he is sought out by great crowds and tested by the Pharisees on issues such as marriage and divorce. Jesus also encounters a rich young man who is unable to accept Jesus' demand that he leave his possessions to follow him. Jesus' response to the rich young man sounds very much like the conclusion we will find in today's Gospel: the first will be last and the last will be first. On the surface, the parable of the workers in the vineyard appears to be an offense to common sense. Those who work a longer day ought to be paid more than those who work just an hour or two. When viewed in this way, the landowner seems unfair. That is because we are reading into the parable our own preconceived notions of how fairness and equality should be quantified. A close read shows us that the landowner paid on the terms that were negotiated. The landowner, it seems, has acted completely justly. The parable goes beyond that, however, and we come to see that the landowner is not simply just, he is exceptionally just. He is radically just. He has given those who labored in the field for a full day their due pay. But he has also given a full-day's wage to those who worked only a single hour. No one is cheated, but a few receive abundantly from the landowner just as we receive from God more than what is merely justifiable or due. God, like the landowner, is radically just and abundantly generous. The workers who complain are made to look foolish as they lament the fact that landowner has made all workers equal. Indeed, what more could one ask for than to be treated as an equal at work or anywhere else?  The parable reminds us that although God owes us nothing, he offers abundantly and equally. We are occasionally tempted to think that our own actions deserve more reward, more of God's abundant mercy, than the actions of others. But God's generosity cannot be quantified or partitioned into different amounts for different people. When we think that way, we are trying to relate to God on our terms rather than to accept God's radically different ways.

Prayers for the recently dead, months, mind and Anniversaries

By Webmaster • September 18, 2026
Our Recently Dead Rosemarie Burns, Thomas McNutt Month Minds & Anniversaries Betty King, Ann Durnian, Elizabeth & Stuart Johnston, Aldo Valente, Maureen Sheridan, James Whyte, Pat Dougan Please if you could make sure all month minds and anniversaries are handed in no later than Wednesday Night. If they come in after that they will be read out at Mass on Sunday. If the recently dead come in after the Wednesday deadline they too will be read out at Mass on the Sunday

800th Anniversary of the Death of St. Francis

By Webmaster • September 18, 2026
From Friday 25th September to Sunday 4th October. St. Francis' Peace Prayer will be said at the end of every Mass. Monday 28th September A Parish Mass for St. Peter's in St. John Olgivie Church7pm. Veneration of Relic of St. Francis' at the End of the Mass. I will celebrate the Mass. Bus will be available to take you to St. John Olgivie's if you do not have transport. List at back of the Church. Sunday 4th October Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Blessing of Pets After 11am Mass

Gift Aid

By Webmaster • September 4, 2026
If you wish to sign up for Gift Aid. It is a great way to help the parish financially, costing you absolutely nothing. If you wish to sign up contact myself or Doreen Lee and we will give you the form and hand it back as you can and we can get it organised. As I said it costs you nothing, but helps the parish so much.

Coffee mornings

By Webmaster • September 4, 2026
Coffee Morning Every Tuesday starting from 29th September in the Side Chapel after the 10am Mass.

This Sunday's readings - Sunday 6th September

By Webmaster • September 4, 2026
First Reading Ezekiel 33:7-9 The Son of Man is appointed as guardian of Israel. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 95:1-2,6-9 Song of praise to God, our salvation. Second Reading Romans 13:8-10 The Law is summarized in the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Gospel Reading Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus teaches his disciples how to settle disputes in the Church. Background on the Gospel Reading Today’s Gospel reading is taken from a chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, which is sometimes called the “discourse on the Church” or the “church order” discourse. In this part of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus speaks more directly about matters of Church discipline and order. In today’s reading we find one of only three instances in which Jesus uses the word church in Matthew’s Gospel. In Matthew’s record of Jesus’ teaching, we can hear echoes of the kinds of issues faced by the early Christian community. In the first part of the “discourse on the Church” (Matthew 18:1-14), Matthew addresses the Christian community’s concerns about rank. Jesus responds to the disciples’ question about who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus indicates that those who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven must be like children, and he cautions those leaders who might lead these “little ones” astray. He also responds with the parable of the lost sheep, indicating how God will seek out and bring back those “little ones” who have strayed. In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus addresses a common occurrence in the Christian community: a dispute between two members of the Church. Jesus outlines a procedure for settling such matters fairly. The victim should privately address the offender and attempt to resolve the dispute without outside involvement. If that fails, then the victim should bring two or three witnesses and confront the offender again. If the dispute is still unresolved, the matter should be brought to the attention of the entire community. If the offender refuses to adhere to the reparations prescribed by the community, then Jesus suggests that the offender may be expelled from the Church.  Jesus does not discourage disagreement within the community of the Church; he acknowledges the reality of conflict and error and offers his disciples a means for addressing such matters. It is in the conclusion to this teaching that the message of hope is found: Jesus is present with the community and will guide the community in its relations. If decisions are taken in prayer, then the community can be assured of God’s assistance.

This Sunday's readings - Sunday 30th August

By Webmaster • August 28, 2026
First Reading Jeremiah 20:7-9 Jeremiah laments but cannot fail to speak in God’s name. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 63:2-6,8-9 Our souls yearn for God. Second Reading Romans 12:1-2 Paul encourages the Romans to stay faithful to God. Gospel Reading Matthew 16:21-27 Jesus speaks of his Passion and rebukes Peter for his objection. Background on the Gospel Reading Today’s Gospel continues the story that began in last week’s Gospel. Simon Peter was called the “rock” upon which Jesus would build his Church, and yet Peter continues to show the limitations of his understanding of Jesus’ identity. Now that the disciples have acknowledged that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus confides in them the outcome of his ministry: he must suffer and die in Jerusalem to be raised on the third day. Peter rejects this prediction, and Jesus rebukes him severely, calling him “Satan.” In opposing this aspect of Jesus’ mission, Peter shows that he is no longer speaking based on the revelation from God but as a human being. Jesus then teaches all of the disciples about the difficult path of discipleship: to be Christ’s disciple is to follow in his way of the cross. Peter could not yet understand what it meant to call Jesus the Messiah. It is unlikely that the other disciples understood any better. Messianic expectations were a common aspect of first-century Judaism. Under Roman occupation, many in Israel hoped and prayed that God would send a Messiah to free the Jews from Roman oppression. The common view was that the Messiah would be a political figure, a king that would free Israel from Roman rule. This is perhaps what Peter envisioned when he was led to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. In this passage, however, Jesus is beginning to teach his disciples that he would be the Messiah in a different way.  Jesus would be more like the suffering servant described by the prophet Isaiah than the political liberator. Those who would be Jesus' disciples would be called to a similar life of service. Perhaps this is what Peter feared most in Jesus’ prediction of his Passion. He whom Jesus had called “rock” would also be called upon to offer himself in sacrifice and service to others. Christian leaders today are still called to sacrifice and serve others as Jesus did.

First Friday Mass

By Webmaster • August 28, 2026
There will be a change from this First Friday 4th September. Before both schools came together for the First Friday. This has been the case since I arrived here in St. Peter's. This needs to change because of the numbers of pupils in St. Marks. And after discussion with both headteachers, the change will look like this. 4th September (First Friday Mass) St.Peter's: The Church St. Mark's: The School 2nd October: (First Friday Mass) St. Mark's: The Church St.Peter's: The School And it continue like this.
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