Gamer and programmer Carlo Acutis could be the right saint for Gen Z, new book argues

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnVATICAN CITY (RNS) — In a new book, “Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers,” Vatican journalist Courtney Mares tells the story of how an average ’90s kid who loved computers ended up on the path to sainthood and how his life inspires Catholics in today’s digital age.In life, Acutis combined a profound devotion for the Eucharist, which he described as his “highway to heaven,” with a sincere passion for computers and video games. He died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, but his death sent ripples through the community that surrounded him and beyond. Pope Francis made Acutis blessed, a first step toward sainthood in the Catholic Church, in October 2020.
“As a computer-programming Millennial on the path to sainthood, Carlo has shown that Apple computers, Spiderman comics, and Super Mario on Nintendo 64 and a life of heroic virtue are not mutually exclusive,” said Mares, answering questions by Religion News Service via email.
Mares said she was drawn to Acutis’ story because of how it showcased holiness in the 21st century. “Carlo’s story challenges us — not because he was crucified upside down or burned alive or shipwrecked on a missionary journey — but precisely because he lived a life of heroic virtue by living a relatively normal life for a kid in the 1990s and early 2000s,” she added.
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