Staff Reports
In Rome this week, hundreds of thousands of worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, two young saints whose lives are already inspiring a new generation. The massive crowd—estimated at 200,000—overflowed into the streets, standing for hours in the September sun to witness this historic moment. The sheer turnout spoke volumes: despite what the secular media insists, the Catholic faith is not shrinking into irrelevance but surging with youthful energy and devotion.
Pope Francis presided over the ceremony, elevating Frassati and Acutis to sainthood while acknowledging their extraordinary witness to Christ. Frassati, who died in 1925 at only 24, became known as a joyful servant of the poor and a man who embraced the mountains as a reflection of God’s beauty. Acutis, dubbed the “sneaker saint,” died tragically at 15 but not before using technology in ways that breathed new life into the faith. His database of Eucharistic miracles and his embrace of digital tools reveal that holiness is not confined to the past—it is alive and very much possible in today’s modern, secularized world.
For young people, especially Carlo Acutis, resonates as a relatable figure. Unlike the cold and empty “influencer culture” the Left often celebrates, Acutis showed that the internet could be used for good, leading others to Christ rather than feeding narcissism. While elite culture demands conformity to trends that spike depression and hollow values, Carlo—jeans, sneakers, and all—proved that authentic joy and purpose come from a life ordered toward God. His example is a striking rebuke to the nihilism that permeates so much of modern youth culture.
What makes Carlo’s story even more remarkable is that he lived his faith despite his own family initially lacking strong belief. It was this teenager who drew his parents deeper into Catholicism. Imagine that—a boy leading his parents to Christ, instead of being led astray by the corrupt ideologies too often thrust upon children today. His short life demonstrated that sainthood is not reserved for a distant past but is attainable right now, even amid smartphones, social media, and cultural chaos.
The canonizations of Frassati and Acutis are more than grand ritual—they signal a revival. In a world where secularism and cynicism claim to dominate, the overflowing crowds in Rome show a hunger for faith and meaning. These two saints prove that Catholicism is not outdated—it is vibrant, relevant, and thriving. If anything, this historic celebration is a reminder that when culture pushes emptiness, the Church offers fullness; when politics peddle division, the Church offers unity; and when progressives claim the future belongs to them, the saints remind us the future belongs to God.
