Spend This Feast Day Like the ‘Saint in Sneakers’!
On the feast day of St. Carlo Acutis, young Catholics across the country are discovering the “Saint Carlo Acutis: Eucharistic Miracles of the World” mobile app. Developed by the St. Carlo Acutis Shrine at Malvern Retreat House in collaboration with Carlo’s mother, Antonia Acutis, the app brings the saint’s world-famous catalog of Eucharistic miracles directly to the palm of your hand.
For a generation practically hardwired to seek instant gratification through social media, the app turns daily digital habits into a direct doorway to the divine.
“The Highway to Heaven”
Known as “God’s Influencer” and the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis was a computer prodigy who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15. This year marks 20 years since his death, yet he remains a saint for our time.
Driven by an intense devotion to the Real Presence of Christ, Carlo famously called the Eucharist his “highway to heaven” and insisted that “if people really understood the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, then churches would be packed.”
Before his death, Carlo spent years researching and building a digital database of Eucharistic miracles worldwide—a mission his mother says was rooted in a deep love for souls.
He also offered his suffering for the pope and the Church—something we can do today, especially with our dear Pope Leo facing surgery tomorrow!
“This app is very important because besides giving information on Eucharistic miracles, it is useful because people can use their smartphones to see where these places are, in case they want to visit them,” says Antonia Acutis. “It is certainly doing a lot of good... and can help many souls.”
Antonia notes that her son held a profound, lasting affection for young people in the United States, making the app’s reception in America deeply meaningful.
“The first place where Carlo’s exhibit on Eucharistic miracles went to and where it has spread far and wide was the United States,” Antonia says. “Therefore, Carlo is an intercessor for the United States.”
How to “Live Like Carlo” Today
Built with direct input from Antonia Acutis, the app isn’t just an informational archive—it’s an invitation to imitate the young saint’s everyday spirituality. Users can explore:
- The Interactive Miracles Map: Locate historical Eucharistic miracles worldwide and access pilgrimage-planning resources.
- The “Live Like Carlo” Timeline: Discover key milestones in Carlo’s life to see how he balanced sports, video games, and deep mysticism.
- Daily Scripture & Quotes: Access daily reflections paired with Old and New Testament verses reinforcing the Real Presence.
- 24/7 Global Adoration: Stream live Eucharistic adoration from chapels around the globe anytime, anywhere.
“Kids have their smartphones—that won’t go away anytime soon, so we are going to use this technology for the good,” says Mary Bea Damico, executive director of the St. Carlo Shrine and lead developer of the app.
As Carlo famously observed, “We are all born originals, but many die as copies.”
This feast day, as thousands of teenagers reach for their devices out of habit, St. Carlo’s app offers a practical roadmap to stand out from the crowd—trading doomscrolling for a direct encounter with grace.