RELICS of Saint Carlo Acutis were part of a visit at St Agnes’ Catholic Parish on Thursday 9 July, 2026.
Parishioners had the opportunity to see and venerate the relics, attend Mass, pray the Rosary, and talk about the life and legacy of Carlo Acutis.
In the Catholic tradition, relics are honoured as a meaningful connection to the life, faith and holiness of a saint.
The relic of a quarter of Carlo’s pericardium, the membrane that surrounds and protects the heart, is one of three that travel the world while one remains permanently in Assisi.
Australia is the 25th nation to receive the relic in the past four years.
Kate Hobbs accompanies the relics and exhibition on their travels.
“I believe that God has raised a saint in our time to bring us back to the very basics of our Catholic faith,” Ms Hobbs said.
The modern secular world seems far removed from the religious world of saints and relics, yet this story of Saint Carlo Acutis, who is recognised as the first millennial saint, has attracted large crowds, particularly of young people.
Carlo is remembered for his deep faith and use of technology to share stories of Eucharistic miracles from around the world.
When he was seven years old Carlo wrote “to always be close to Jesus, that is my life plan.”
Carlo was born in 1991 and grew up in Milan.
He remained passionate about spreading the teachings of the Catholic Church until his death from leukaemia at the age of 15 in 2006 in Assisi.
He was canonised as a saint in September 2025.
In his homily Father Paul Gooley spoke about Carlo being “an absolutely normal teenage boy, a student and a son, who found time to teach the catechism to children, who helped the poor living in his neighbourhood, who began an apostolate online using the internet to proclaim Jesus to the world.
”He played the saxophone, played football, designed computer programs, had fun with video games, and he loved watching crime movies.
“Carlo managed in an extraordinary way while living a simply ordinary life, like many of us, to dedicate his life, moment by moment to God.”
By Pauline CAIN
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
