Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena
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Introduction
Carlo Acutis died in 2006 at the age of 15, but not before making a profound impact on his community and on the world. This young man’s intense love for Christ in the Eucharist and for our Blessed Mother inspired everyone who knew him.
Though his life was short, Carlo’s message will live on indefinitely. We hope that, through praying this novena and learning about his life, you will grow closer to God and renew your love for the body of Christ.
About Blessed Carlo Acutis
Carlo Acutis was born in London, but raised in Milan. He had a great love for Jesus and Mary from a young age. His mother remembers that, at age four, he would pick flowers to present to a statue of Mary. He would also kiss Jesus on the crucifix.
As Carlo grew, so did his devotion. He received his First Communion at the age of seven, and from that time on he said the Rosary every day and went to daily Mass.
Carlo was extremely bright and eventually found his passion in computer programming. Using books his mother bought him, he taught himself how to program. He combined this love with his love of Christ in the Eucharist. This inspired him to create a website cataloging Eucharistic miracles around the world.
“The eucharist is my highway to heaven,” Carlo said. He rightly understood that the Eucharist transforms lives and gives a foretaste of heaven.
When not programming, Carlo was a normal kid having fun with his friends. But he was always encouraging them to do the right thing, to speak kindly, and to help others. He and his mother would volunteer with the homeless, taking them blankets and food, and he would encourage his friends to join them. In addition, Carlo taught catechism classes at his church and loved being part of the faith formation of young children.
Carlo went to confession regularly and kept a journal of his behaviors, noting what he could do better.
At 15, Carlo fell ill and thought he had the flu, as many of his friends had gotten it that season. However, his sickness didn’t improve, so his parents took him to the doctor. They were told that he had an aggressive form of leukemia. It was an illness that would quickly take his life.
Though Carlo was in a lot of pain and knew that he would soon die, he offered up those sufferings for the Church and Pope Benedict.
He told his mother: “I die happy because I did not spend my life wasting my time on things not pleasing to God.”
Just a week after his family received the diagnosis—on October 12, 2006—Carlo died.
People—strangers and friends alike—packed the church for his funeral. They told story after story of how his witness changed their lives.
Blessed Carlo Acutis’ Feast Day: October 12
Why Pray the Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena?
You can pray the Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena for any intention! But Carlo has become known as the patron saint of the Internet because of his passion for programming and because he electronically catalogued a list of Eucharistic miracles.
You can also pray for his intercession to help you grow closer to Christ in the Eucharist and to serve the poor as he did.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena Prayers
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, you once said that she was the only woman in your life.
We know how very special our spiritual mother is and how much she loves us. We know that we can go to her with our troubles, with our concerns, and with our heartaches. Help us to increase our devotion to her. Help us to seek her in times of trouble and in times of joy, just like we would an earthly mother.
We know that your faith and your love of Mary compelled you to say a Rosary every day. Help us to increase our prayer life to be more like you.
Pray for us that, just as Our Lady said “yes” to God, we may also have the courage to say “yes” to God. Pray that we strive every day to seek and do His will.
Please go to Mary with our intentions [add intentions here] and plead to her on our behalf. Ask her to take these prayers to her Son.
And please pray for us, that we may grow in closeness to both Mary and Jesus. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, after making your First Communion, you faithfully attended daily Mass.
You also had a special devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, and you frequently would stop by the tabernacle and pray, wanting to spend even more time with Jesus. You understood how precious that time was, and you knew the importance of prayer and quiet time with Our Lord.
We know that Christ is truly present—body, blood, soul, and divinity—in the Eucharist. We know what an immense gift He has given us. Help us to always cherish this gift, just as you did. Help us to approach Him worthily and free of sin. And help us to teach others about the true presence.
In our busy days, we may not always make time to spend prayerful moments in front of the Blessed Sacrament. During these times, remind us that, without Christ, we would have nothing. Remind us of the faith you had, even at your young age. And encourage us to make the decision to spend time in quiet reflection so that we, too, will become closer to Him.
Now that you are in His presence, please take our prayers [mention your intentions here] to Jesus and implore Him to answer them. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, in addition to attending daily Mass, you faithfully said the Rosary every day. Our Lady has often said how important it is to say the Rosary and to go to her in prayer.
When we say the Rosary, we reflect upon the life of Christ. We take time to imagine what it was like to walk with Him, to talk with Him, and to see what the Apostles saw.
The Rosary helps us grow closer to both Christ and His mother. It gives us strength. And armed with this spiritual weapon, we can conquer the evil of the world today.
Sometimes our lives get busy, we let worldly things get in our way, and we don’t pray enough. We don’t take the time you took to talk to our mother, to seek out her wisdom and guidance, and to allow her to comfort us and intercede on our behalf.
Help us to make that time. Pray for us so that we are able to put aside those worldly distractions and go to her in prayer.
And please pray for our intentions [mention your intentions here].
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you once said that our goal must be the infinite, not the finite, because the infinite is our homeland.
Before you died, you told your mother: “I die happy because I did not spend my life wasting my time on things not pleasing to God.”
You understood that Earth is not our final home and that everything we do here on Earth determines where we will spend eternity. Your goal was to always be close to Jesus. Help us to have the same faith you had and to not waste time on things that do not please God.
Help us work toward that same goal you had of being close to God. We know that, if we obey Him and follow His commandments, we will surely spend eternity with Him.
Please pray for us that we spend every day trying to get closer to God, listening to His words, talking to Him in prayer, and doing good things for others. Help us to put God and others first in our lives so that we, too, can die happy.
And please pray for my special intention [mention it here]. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you taught others that our compass must be the word of God. Your example and the love you showed to others made a difference in the lives of so many.
You understood the importance of balancing your life with fun activities and activities that helped strengthen the faith of others. Like any normal kid, you had fun with friends, but you also did so much for those around you.
You taught catechism classes to young children. You helped the homeless. You were a shining example to your friends of Christ’s love and compassion. You even kept a list of ways to improve yourself. And in everything you did, you glorified God.
Help us to remember your example when we are tempted by sin. Pray that we may live our lives with God’s word as our guidepost. And help us glorify God in all that we do.
Let the faith you showed guide us throughout our days. Help us to not only listen to God’s words, but to live them and to teach others, just as you did.
And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you spent countless hours helping those most in need, especially children and the elderly. You made an impact on their lives. You taught them about Christ. And you made them feel like they mattered.
Because you understood that every person is created in the image and likeness of God, you built a culture of life within your community as you taught others the importance of doing good for others.
We live in a broken world where not everyone is valued or loved. We see violence against the elderly, preborn babies, the disabled, and the weak. Please pray that we have the courage you had to stand up for others.
Pray that we help do God’s will as we teach respect for all human beings. And help us build a culture of life where all people understand their value and the value of others.
Blessed Carlo, please go to God on our behalf and ask that He help us to be more like you. Teach us to treat others well and to give of ourselves, even when we lack the motivation to do so.
And please pray for me and my intentions [mention your intentions here].
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you were kind to others, never doing anything to hurt anyone. People felt drawn to your peaceful demeanor. They saw that you had a pure heart. Your friends knew they could rely on you for advice or help when they had problems. Even strangers knew of your kindness.
Sometimes we find it difficult to be kind, especially to those who have hurt us. We have difficulty letting go of our anger.
But we know that forgiveness is part of God’s plan for us. In the Our Father, we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
We are telling God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. That is why we must learn to forgive.
You understood the power of forgiveness. You went to confession regularly. You kept a list of your transgressions and consulted it often in order to improve yourself. Help us to be aware of our behaviors. Help us to strive to do better.
Blessed Carlo, please pray that we put aside any pettiness, anger, resentment, or hatred that we feel. We know those have no place in our hearts.
And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you asked us to spread the Gospel through our lives so that each of us can be a beacon to light the journey of others. You were certainly that light for so many.
You taught the catechism to young students. You took food and clothing to the homeless, and you taught your friends how to live like Christ.
Your list of Eucharistic miracles has inspired so many. It has helped people understand that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist. And it has shown the purity of your love.
Your life was an amazing example of living the Gospel and spreading that light so that others could come to know Jesus through you.
Please pray that we have that desire—that fire in our hearts. Pray that, instead of hiding in the shadows, we step out into the light and defend our faith. Pray that we shine Christ’s light without any hesitation, just as you did.
Help us to change our actions and our words so that we, too, can be the light of Christ here on earth.
And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo Acutis Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessed Carlo, you once said: “To be close to Jesus is my life plan.”
You had such devotion to and such love for Christ. You spent hours in adoration craving a closeness to Him. You prayed unceasingly. You are a beautiful example of how to love and how to pray.
We know that it’s easy to get lazy in prayer or to get busy during the day and to forget about praying. That’s why we are thankful for your examples that teach us good praying habits.
We understand that prayer must be a part of us, not simply a part of our days. Please pray that we work hard at making changes in our lives and that we give the best of us to God, not just the dregs at the end of the day.
We know that we have so many things to be thankful for. And we know there are many ways to pray. Help us to make time to converse with God, to sit with Him in adoration, as you did, and to just sit quietly and listen to Him.
And please pray for my intentions [mention them here]. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.