On 12 October the Catholic Church recalled the blessed Carlo Acutisthe young man who died in 2006 at just 15 years old, proclaimed blessed in 2020 whose remains rest in Assisi at the Sanctuary of the Undressing. For some time now, the Piedimonte Matese Scout Group 1 he tied himself to his name and his spirituality and dedicated a small monument to him in the garden of the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia in Alife trusting in the arrival of a relic.
Next Sunday (October 16) at the Sanctuary, during the 8.45 am Mass, the rector Don Emilio Di Muccio will commemorate the blessed in the presence of the Scouts from Matese and the many people who are getting to know his charism.
But why so much attention on Carlo Acutis? Why is the number of those who turn to the blessed young man growing? We asked Carlo VirelliChief Scout and ad Marialuce Riccio18 years old, Scolta at the “Carlo Acutis” Clan / Fuoco.
How and why did the Scout Group Piedimonte Matese 1 cross the holiness of Carlo Acutis?
Carlo Virelli: It happened on the occasion of a summer camp reflecting on the witnesses of our time; the boys were immediately struck by the figure of Carlo who, with his simple and short life, fully lived the choice of giving himself totally to Christ. The will to deepen his life, his spirituality, his pure and authentic faith has matured.
This knowledge has been so engaging since to make Carlo a friend, a brother, a traveling companion, so much so that he decided to name the Clan / Fuoco after Blessed Carlo Acutis. For this experience to become more incisive and engaging, to make known to the territory the testimony of him as a Scout group we decided to dedicate a stele to him at the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia in Alife and we hope soon, praying the Lord, to also have a relic of him.
How, the spirituality and the charisma of this boy meet with the formative proposal that Agesci offers to its children?
Carlo Virelli: There are several characteristics of Carlo that meet with the educational and formative action of the Scouts. Carlo had a special call from the Lord to which he promptly responded with faith and generosity and his short earthly life testifies to it: his making life a gift, for us Scouts is identified with the word “service”. Carlo lived a boy’s life of his age between school, sports, friends but did not waste his free time which he dedicated, in silence, to those in need: the testimony of his mother who always saw the same shoes on his feet is significant. he asked that he had made new ones as soon as he bought them, he replied that he had given them to a poor boy, whom he had met and who had noticed barefoot. And then, another characteristic that binds him to the Scout experience was his love for nature, seen not only as a common home, but above all a gift from God.
You have chosen to name your Clan / Fire after Blessed Carlo Acutis. Because? What does the blessed young man communicate to other young people? What do you find in him…?
Marialuce Riccio: Ever since we had the opportunity to get to know his life, we have felt him as our brother, an additional element of the group constantly walking with us, both metaphorically during our life path, and materially in the crossing and in the visit. of beautiful landscapes during the Route. What we think it can communicate to other young people is this will to live and help othersof sincere and humble humanity, values that our generation has somehow the task and the power to bring back to the first place within society, given the unpleasant social and cultural events we are witnessing.
Young people have myths, they are tied to fashions, to pleasant tendencies: each generation grows up with a model in front of it… Carlo Acutis has chosen Jesus Christ and especially the Eucharist. What thoughts does the radical nature of Carlo’s choices and the happiness that flowed from them arouse in a young woman of your age?
Marialuce Riccio: Certainly that of Carlo is neither a common nor an easy choice, as developing such a fervent faith requires a much longer life and experience path. Personally I admire all this, undoubtedly a strong choice of character and personality, but above all of happiness. Carlo was happy just like that, living his life and his terrible illness with joy in his heart, even if this involved going against the tide. Carlo was happy because he was himself. Considering me a Christian, this figure succeeds more and more in bringing me closer to the mystery of the Eucharist and the message of the Gospel, but with its simplicity and his message of “non-conformism” it is capable of capturing even those who do not consider themselves Christians: I believe this is the most interesting and transversal aspect that strongly attracts me to the young blessed.
The data confirm that two years after the beatification, an increasing number of people and in particular of young people want to know the spirituality of this young blessed; many turn to him to ask for help, to ask for thanks: it is a personal, intimate experience that we leave to the secret of every heart. What are young people looking for today? And those who cultivate an experience of faith, on what do they base their journey as believers?
Marialuce Riccio: I do not deny that I have turned to Him myself several times, in my spirituality, and to continue to do so both in the darkest moments of life and in small victories; I am happy that many of my peers have also rediscovered the faith or have entrusted themselves to him in the same way I did! I firmly believe that today’s young people, among other things, are looking for authenticity and transparency, two values that have certainly been lost throughout history in various areas of society, and that go well with what the young Carlo’s message is: this research includes both young believers and atheists. This generation is attracted to figures who can somehow approach their world, take an interest in their problems, inspire them: those who rediscover themselves as believers tend to seek this sort of simplicity, perhaps also through characters such as St. Francis of Assisi (in the same way as Charles).
Blessed Carlo, seen by you. What music or song would you listen to today? Which actor would he particularly like? And which film would he prefer to see dozens of times? How would he dress? How would you see him around the streets… with what message would he introduce himself to other young people?
Marialuce Riccio: Not a very easy question to answer… Sticking to your image, for me you would most likely support socially committed artists who carry messages of peace and love, such as Keanu Reeves or Emma Watson. If she were still alive, perhaps even Lady Diana and her campaigns would have been appreciated by the presumed Carlo today (she was only 6 when she passed away) or Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai. Considering her passion for computer science, she would have esteemed Steve Jobs. She musically she would have listened to some indie or pop band, he would have preferred some films inspired by true stories or with meanings about the beauty of lifewhile as regards the exterior I imagine a boy with a great desire to live and many friends, who, although different, still manage to draw some lessons from their special friend.
An appeal to those who do not know him; an appeal to those who do not want to know …
Marialuce Riccio: Without any doubt, knowledge is the best weapon to be able to build one’s opinion on the basis of a news story for example or, as in this case, to a real character. What is perhaps too often overlooked in this speech is the understanding towards those who do not want to understand, or receive the message. Surely one way to try to match those who ignore or voluntarily decide to ignore the faith could be precisely to trace the simplicity of this person, who seems to meet every type of spirituality. To conclude, my appeal for those who want to know more is to discover this Blessed little by little, trying to “empathize” with those who were the most significant moments of his life, to read some of his famous phrases and to also listen to some testimonies of his dear mother, Antonia Salzano.
