Hours after Pope Leo XIV canonized two young saints at the Vatican, Catholics from the Trenton Diocese gathered for a special Mass marking the occasion.
The Mass commemorated the canonizations of St. Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died of polio in 1925 at age 24.
These two modern, ordinary young men remind Catholics that “sanctity is not reserved for the cloistered or the ancient,” said Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., principal celebrant of the Mass in St. Dominic Church in Brick. Father Brian Patrick Woodrow, pastor, and six priests from St. Dominic Church and St. Mary of the Lakes Church, Medford, concelebrated.
PHOTO GALLERY: Brick parish celebrates Mass for two saints
St. Carlo’s relic is preserved in the Diocesan Shrine of St. Carlo Acutis, located in St. Dominic Church. St. Pier Girogio’s relic is in St. David the King Church, Princeton Junction. Both were named patron saints in the Diocese by Bishop O’Connell in 2022.
Students from St. Dominic School and St. Mary of the Lakes School attended the celebration. Before the Mass began, Bishop O’Connell prayed in front of St. Carlo’s relic, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by St. Dominic School students and blessed and prayed over a baby with epilepsy.
Pilgrims of hope
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell said both new saints lived the Gospel, guided by the Holy Spirit, with Christ in their hearts and in every deed.
“Both remind us that holiness is not abstract. It’s relational. It’s incarnate, it’s flesh and blood. It’s about seeing Christ in others — especially the poor and forgotten,” Bishop O’Connell added. The young saints dedicated their lives to helping others and guiding them to a path to Christ: St. Carlo, using technology to evangelize and making a website documenting Eucharistic miracles, and St. Pier Giorgio, serving the sick and helping the poor, giving away his train fare to the poor.
Bishop O’Connell said their short lives full of love, faith, and courage were reminders that much can be achieved if people live in and through Christ. He said they also shared devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady, encountering their own suffering, but offering it with serenity and joy,
“They are promises of hope, pilgrims of hope — the kind of hope that does not disappoint,” he said. “The kind of hope that has been the theme of this Jubilee Year. They invite us to fan the flames of hope — today, now.
“They carried their crosses with joy. And now, they wear crowns of glory,” he said.
Following Mass, Bishop O’Connell unveiled and blessed the new addition to the Diocesan Shrine, the St. Carlo Acutis Exhibit Wall, which follows St. Carlo’s story from his childhood and life, featuring his own words and photos of his childhood.
Then all gathered to view the Diocesan Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibit, curated by St. Carlo Acutis, displayed as posters in the St. Dominic School gymnasium.
A saint for young people
St. Carlo’s intercession is needed now more than ever, said Kim Hieber, mother to baby Henry Patrick, who was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy and blessed earlier by Bishop O’Connell. She and the baby’s grandmother, Beth Carman, who attend St. Dominic Church each summer, attended the Mass to beg for graces from St. Carlo to help Henry with his next medical scan.
Both said they believe St. Carlo’s work is bringing about a Eucharistic reign, opening the eyes of young people and giving them hope in this Jubilee Year of Hope.
“He was such a light. He’s bringing such a light to the Eucharist,” said Carman.
Several of those present had also attended Bishop O’Connell’s 2023 dedication of the diocesan shrine, during which St. Carlo’s mother, Antonia Salzano, had been welcomed.
“We were quite moved when we were here during the service, that his mother was here,” said Jim Newbold, parishioner of St. Dominic, who attended with his fifth-grade daughter. He said it made him “realize that as a parent, she suffered such a great loss, and how you can heal and still profess and preach. Her son’s message is inspirational.”
Maureen Matthews of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Avon-By-The-Sea, and Janice Maggil of St. Dominic Parish, are each in that parish’s Rosary Society and had attended the Shrine dedication. At the post-canonization Mass, they said they were happy that St. Carlo is young, therefore able to connect with youth, and that he was alive when they were.
“It will encourage the youth that’s coming back to the church or trying to find some relevancy with the Church,” Matthews said.
“I’m encouraged that more younger generations are coming to the Church,” Maggil added.
Belinda Yuen and Jeff Straffi, members of St. Rose of Lima, Freehold, who, along with their daughter Ava, had visited St. Carlo’s tomb in Assisi, Italy, a few years ago.
Straffi said St. Carlo encourages people to “be kind to everyone and be good to everyone,” and “to keep the Eucharist close and go to Mass and Communion as often as possible.”
Yuen added she was encouraged to “help others in need, and not just to pray, but if you’re going to pray, to live out the prayer.”
The Diocese livestreamed the local Mass commemorating the canonizations. To view an archive of the stream, visit youtube.com/trentondiocese.
Following the Mass, Bishop O’Connell blesses a wall in the shrine that’s dedicated to Blessed Carlo Acutis. The wall,, which displays quotes and pictures of Carlo, was created in honor of the saint’s canonization. Mike Ehrimann photo