Vatican official urges local Catholics to model faith of young saint-to-be
October 14, 2024 at 2:20 p.m.
Before the Oct. 12 Mass he celebrated in St. Dominic Church, Brick, Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, meets Father Brian P. Woodrow, pastor, left, and parochial vicars Father Marian Kokorzycki and Joseph Gnarackatt. Mike Ehrmann photosThe life of Blessed Carlo Acutis “is an encouragement not to waste time on this world, but to use the gifts that God given us and discover our own originality,” said Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary. He celebrated Mass at St. Dominic, Brick, Oct. 12, the feast of Blessed Carlo.
“This blessed boy…had a special relationship with God based on the love for the Eucharist,” said Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, who was invited to celebrate the parish’s regularly scheduled 4 p.m. Mass. While at St. Dominic Parish, Bishop Nykiel also had an opportunity to see the shrine that the parish dedicated in the future saint’s name.
Blessed Carlo, who died in 2006 at the age of 15, often said the Eucharist was his “highway to heaven,” Bishop Nykiel said.
“Likewise, Blessed Carlo often repeated ‘if you receive the Eucharist every day, you go straight to paradise.’ … Jesus was to him a friend, a teacher, a saint.”
Parishioners pray before the relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the shrine that was dedicated in his name in St. Dominic Church, Brick. Mike Ehrmann photosBishop Nykiel was principal celebrant of the Mass, joined at the altar by Father Joseph Gnarackatt and Father Marian Kokorzycki, St. Dominic parochial vicars. Father Brian Patrick Woodrow, pastor, welcomed Bishop Nykiel on behalf of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. Father Woodrow also presented a gift of an icon of Blessed Carlo to Bishop Nykiel. The icon was written by iconographer Kristina Sadley, a member of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square.
A Holy Shrine
Bishop O’Connell dedicated the Diocesan shrine to Blessed Carlo at St. Dominic Church Oct. 1, 2023, as a tribute to the extraordinary life of Blessed Carlo and as a place for individuals to pray for his blessings and venerate his sacred relic. Father Kokorzycki obtained the relic while on pilgrimage in Assisi, Italy, in 2021. The relic was received in the parish April 28, 2022, at which time Bishop O’Connell forged a new bond between Blessed Carlo and the youth of the Diocese.
During the Oct. 12 Mass, Father Woodrow read a letter from Bishop O’Connell, who stated that, “As we await his canonization, during the upcoming Jubilee Year, may Blessed Carlo favor all who visit this shrine with his heavenly intercession.” Pope Francis and the Consistory of Cardinals have approved Blessed Carlo for sainthood, and his canonization is expected sometime in 2025.
Father Woodrow noted that the shrine has had many visitors, including the parishioners of St. Dominic Parish and students of St. Dominic’s School.
“Having a thriving Catholic school here, filled with so many devoted young grammar school students, clearly helps to spread (Blessed Carlo’s) message of the need for greater devotion and reverence to our Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Woodrow said.
“We have seen an incredible number of pilgrims, young and old, coming to pray to this young ‘saint-to-be’ here at our parish,” Father Woodrow said. He noted a schedule is being prepared to allow for more visitors to the shrine and church.
Model of Faith
Blessed Carlo devoted his life to the Catholic faith and desired to help others discover God’s grace and his living presence in the Eucharist. As a young boy, he utilized his interest in the modern technology of his time and created a website, where he recounted every Eucharistic miracle of the past – to draw people to the Body of Christ.
As he explained the life and mission of Blessed Carlo, Bishop Nykiel acknowledged that the teen “understood that the digital world needs God” and that the youth’s “online ministry” has touched countless lives and spread the power of the Eucharist.
“He had a deep devotion to Blessed Mary Mother of God … he had a burning desire to draw as many people as possible to Jesus,” Bishop Nykiel said.
Blessed Carlo’s admiration for God’s children guided him to share God’s Word so that people could experience God’s presence and intercession in their lives. Blessed Carlo said, “The Word of God is for me as a compass.”
Bishop Nykiel said Blessed Carlo shows people that being a saint is not just a possibility, but a reality and, as Catholics, “we are called to be saints.”
He added that Bishop Carlo wholeheartedly believed that everyone could become saints by discovering their uniqueness and vocations.
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Before the Oct. 12 Mass he celebrated in St. Dominic Church, Brick, Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, meets Father Brian P. Woodrow, pastor, left, and parochial vicars Father Marian Kokorzycki and Joseph Gnarackatt. Mike Ehrmann photosThe life of Blessed Carlo Acutis “is an encouragement not to waste time on this world, but to use the gifts that God given us and discover our own originality,” said Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary. He celebrated Mass at St. Dominic, Brick, Oct. 12, the feast of Blessed Carlo.
“This blessed boy…had a special relationship with God based on the love for the Eucharist,” said Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, who was invited to celebrate the parish’s regularly scheduled 4 p.m. Mass. While at St. Dominic Parish, Bishop Nykiel also had an opportunity to see the shrine that the parish dedicated in the future saint’s name.
Blessed Carlo, who died in 2006 at the age of 15, often said the Eucharist was his “highway to heaven,” Bishop Nykiel said.
“Likewise, Blessed Carlo often repeated ‘if you receive the Eucharist every day, you go straight to paradise.’ … Jesus was to him a friend, a teacher, a saint.”
Parishioners pray before the relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the shrine that was dedicated in his name in St. Dominic Church, Brick. Mike Ehrmann photosBishop Nykiel was principal celebrant of the Mass, joined at the altar by Father Joseph Gnarackatt and Father Marian Kokorzycki, St. Dominic parochial vicars. Father Brian Patrick Woodrow, pastor, welcomed Bishop Nykiel on behalf of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. Father Woodrow also presented a gift of an icon of Blessed Carlo to Bishop Nykiel. The icon was written by iconographer Kristina Sadley, a member of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square.
A Holy Shrine
Bishop O’Connell dedicated the Diocesan shrine to Blessed Carlo at St. Dominic Church Oct. 1, 2023, as a tribute to the extraordinary life of Blessed Carlo and as a place for individuals to pray for his blessings and venerate his sacred relic. Father Kokorzycki obtained the relic while on pilgrimage in Assisi, Italy, in 2021. The relic was received in the parish April 28, 2022, at which time Bishop O’Connell forged a new bond between Blessed Carlo and the youth of the Diocese.
During the Oct. 12 Mass, Father Woodrow read a letter from Bishop O’Connell, who stated that, “As we await his canonization, during the upcoming Jubilee Year, may Blessed Carlo favor all who visit this shrine with his heavenly intercession.” Pope Francis and the Consistory of Cardinals have approved Blessed Carlo for sainthood, and his canonization is expected sometime in 2025.
Father Woodrow noted that the shrine has had many visitors, including the parishioners of St. Dominic Parish and students of St. Dominic’s School.
“Having a thriving Catholic school here, filled with so many devoted young grammar school students, clearly helps to spread (Blessed Carlo’s) message of the need for greater devotion and reverence to our Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Woodrow said.
“We have seen an incredible number of pilgrims, young and old, coming to pray to this young ‘saint-to-be’ here at our parish,” Father Woodrow said. He noted a schedule is being prepared to allow for more visitors to the shrine and church.
Model of Faith
Blessed Carlo devoted his life to the Catholic faith and desired to help others discover God’s grace and his living presence in the Eucharist. As a young boy, he utilized his interest in the modern technology of his time and created a website, where he recounted every Eucharistic miracle of the past – to draw people to the Body of Christ.
As he explained the life and mission of Blessed Carlo, Bishop Nykiel acknowledged that the teen “understood that the digital world needs God” and that the youth’s “online ministry” has touched countless lives and spread the power of the Eucharist.
“He had a deep devotion to Blessed Mary Mother of God … he had a burning desire to draw as many people as possible to Jesus,” Bishop Nykiel said.
Blessed Carlo’s admiration for God’s children guided him to share God’s Word so that people could experience God’s presence and intercession in their lives. Blessed Carlo said, “The Word of God is for me as a compass.”
Bishop Nykiel said Blessed Carlo shows people that being a saint is not just a possibility, but a reality and, as Catholics, “we are called to be saints.”
He added that Bishop Carlo wholeheartedly believed that everyone could become saints by discovering their uniqueness and vocations.