CELEBRATING OUR FAITH
🌟 Faith in the Digital Age: The St Carlo Acutis Exhibition
Bishop Peter Murphy’s vision to bring the inspiring story of the millennial Saint, St Carlo Acutis, to the young people of our diocese beautifully came to life at St Joseph’s on 22 and 23 June.
As a school community, we always look for role models who inspire our students to live out their faith in the modern world. One of the most relatable figures for our children today is Saint Carlo Acutis, a young man who was officially canonised by the Catholic Church in 2026.
Carlo was an ordinary teenager who lived in Italy and passed away in 2006 at just 15 years old. Like many of our students, he had a massive passion for life:
- 🎮 A Modern Teenager: He loved playing video games (especially Pokémon and Super Mario), playing football, watching cartoons, and hanging out with his friends.
- 💻 A Tech Whiz: Carlo was incredibly gifted with computers. By the time he was a young teenager, he taught himself how to code, edit videos, and build websites.
What makes Carlo’s story so beautiful for families to read together is how he used his modern talents. Instead of getting lost in the digital world, he used the internet as a tool for kindness and faith. He spent months coding a massive website to document and share miracles from all over the world, wanting to use the power of the web to bring people closer to God. He was also deeply compassionate in his daily life, using his own pocket money to buy sleeping bags for the homeless and standing up for classmates who were being bullied.
He is a wonderful reminder to our students and families that you don't have to live in the distant past to be a saint. He showed us that we can enjoy technology, video games, and modern life, while still using our unique gifts to make the world a brighter, kinder place.
"We are all born originals, but many live as photocopies." — St Carlo Acutis
Our Students' Experience
Our students had a profoundly moving experience engaging with this travelling exhibition. Throughout the visit, the children spent meaningful time viewing the detailed displays, looking closely at the sacred relic, and spending quiet moments of prayer and reflection inside the church. Inspired by his incredible life, the students even took the time to write their own personal, beautiful prayers to St Carlo.
We were also absolutely delighted to welcome so many families and members of the parish for our evening viewing of the exhibition and a shared dinner. It was a wonderful night of community fellowship, and we extend a massive thank you to our families who came along for their wonderful presence and tasty contributions! Our visitors were very grateful.
🍽️ Table Talk: Questions to Share at Home
Talking about faith and values at home is a wonderful way to connect. Here are a few discussion starters inspired by St Carlo Acutis to chat about over dinner this week:
Using Tech for Good: Carlo loved video games and coding, but he used his skills to help others. What is one way we can use our screens or the internet this week to bring joy or help someone else?
- Being an "Original": Carlo famously said, "We are all born originals, but many live as photocopies." What makes each person in our family unique, and how can we celebrate being exactly who God made us to be?
Everyday Kindness: Carlo used his pocket money to help the homeless and always stood up for kids who were lonely at school. Who is someone at school, work, or in our neighbourhood who might need a little extra kindness or a friend this week?
🙏 A Prayer to Saint Carlo Acutis
Dear Lord,
We thank you for the life of Saint Carlo Acutis, who showed us that we can live a modern life filled with faith, joy, and love.
Help us to follow his example by using our talents, our time, and even our technology to build a kinder world. When we go online or use our screens, guide us to choose paths of respect, truth, and friendship.
Teach us to be 'originals' just as you created us, and give us the courage to stand up for others and share your love in our everyday lives.
Saint Carlo Acutis, pray for us.
Amen.