An Exciting Time To Be Catholic

"We should imitate the virtues of the saints just as they imitated Christ, for in their virtues there shines forth under different aspects the splendor of Jesus Christ." - Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei

As someone who wasn't always Catholic, I've come to understand something profound about the Church that I couldn't quite put into words during my conversion journey. The Catholic Church isn't some dusty institution clinging to the past. She is alive, vibrant, and constantly showing us that holiness is possible right here, right now, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. This is why the Church's declaration of saints has always mattered, and it's why my heart is filled with excitement about Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati becoming the newest saints of the Catholic Church.

I love the saints because they are living proof that we truly can live as Christians in a world that often seems to pull us in every other direction. They show us that it's possible to be engaged with the world around us while keeping our hearts firmly fixed on heaven. And perhaps most profoundly, they remind us that we have friends in heaven who are praying for us as we navigate this often difficult journey of faith. As a mother and grandmother, this is an important truth to remember and it gives me great hope for my family's future.

God Raises Up Saints When the World Needs Them Most

Throughout history, God raises exactly the saints the world needs at exactly the right moment. In the early days of the Church, He gave us Sts. Peter and Paul, and St. Stephen. Just after the death of the Roman Empire (which marked the beginning of the so-called Dark Ages), He gave us St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica. When the Church needed reform, He gave us St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Philip Neri. When parents and children needed models of everyday holiness, He gave us Thérèse of Lisieux and Louis and Zélie Martin. When the world was torn by war, He gave us saints like Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein. We can give example after example of this -and now, when our children are growing up in a digital world that often seems hostile to faith, He is giving us Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati.

These aren't random choices. God, in His perfect wisdom and timing, knows exactly what each generation needs to see that holiness is possible for them. He gives us saints who speak our language, who understand our struggles, who show us that the path to heaven can be walked in our own shoes, in our own time, with our own unique gifts and challenges.

What Makes a Saint? Understanding Heroic Virtue as a Parent

Most parents try to instill virtue in their children. Sometimes we do it subtly, like teaching toddlers to share their toys or helping teenagers navigate peer pressure with integrity. And sometimes we are direct and deliberate, sitting them down for those important conversations about right and wrong, consequences and character. In the end, I've learned that virtue isn't something that just happens; it's built, day by day, choice by choice. Scripture tells us: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

When the Church considers someone for sainthood, She looks for evidence of heroic virtue that goes beyond what we might naturally be capable of on our own. It's proof that someone habitually allowed the Spirit of Jesus Christ to work through them in extraordinary ways. To be heroically virtuous is to be Christ-like. Jesus Christ lived the ultimate example of a virtuous life.

A saint, by definition, is simply a Christian who mastered the virtuous life and is now in heaven.

"It is also one of the most consoling truths of our faith that our holy forebears are, at this very moment, beholding the face of God in heaven. And although they enjoy incomprehensible bliss as the reward of their earthly labors and sacrifices, they do not forget about us. They are close to us, especially when we pray to them in faith.The Church presents the saints to us as models so that we will plainly see that the heights of holiness are indeed achievable according to our state in life and the gifts and abilities God has given us." - From Good Catholic series, Heroic Virtue

We Can All Become Saints

As St. Francis de Sales affirmed, "All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live, and no matter what our life work may be." We see this evidenced in the varied lives of the saints. Not all were priests or religious sisters. Some were students, teachers, professionals, spouses, parents, and even children.

It is possible for us all to become saints, but only with the help of God's grace.

"We do not have to become saints by our own power; we have to learn how to let God make us into saints. That does not mean, of course, that we don’t have to make any effort…We should fight, not to attain holiness as a result of our own efforts, but to let God act in us without our putting up any resistance against him; we should fight to open ourselves as fully as possible to his grace, which sanctifies us". -Fr. Jacques Philippe, In the School of the Holy Spirit

Carlo Acutis: The Saint For the Digital Generation

Blessed Carlo Acutis is the first millennial saint, and I can't think of a more perfect saint for young people to turn to. He was, by all accounts, a "regular boy" who liked sports and video games, yet he radiated a love for God that transformed everyone around him.

What strikes me most as a mother is how Carlo's faith influenced his own family. His mother has shared that her own faith wasn't particularly strong before Carlo's influence, but watching his devotion to God changed her. As a mother, this heartens me and helps remind me that children can be the ones leading their families closer to God. It also helps me to remain humble and to know that God loves my children even more than I do - it is not up to me to be the perfect mother... God works with us!

Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint

Carlo had a knack for technology and used his skills to create a website documenting Eucharistic miracles so that people all over the world could see the incredible power of the Holy Eucharist. While there are certainly negative consequences that come with technology, Carlo found a way to utilize it for good. This is an important message for our children and grandchildren - that technology itself isn't the enemy, it's how we use it that matters.

Even when he was diagnosed with leukemia at just fifteen, Carlo didn't allow the diagnosis to dampen his spirit. He embraced his suffering with deep trust in God, saying, "I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church." Most importantly, Carlo had a deep love for the Eucharist, calling it his "highway to heaven" and making it the center of his life through daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.

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[For practical ways to follow his example, see this post on our sister site, Good Catholic: "The Original Influencer: 4 Tips From Blessed Carlo Acutis As We Prepare For His Canonization"]

Pier Giorgio Frassati: The Hidden Saint Who Lived Joy

If Carlo speaks to the digital generation, then Pier Giorgio Frassati speaks to every parent who has ever worried about raising children in a world of privilege and comfort. He also speaks to athletes and to those who seek adventure but also want to honor God in their pursuit. Born into wealth and social prominence, Pier Giorgio could have easily lived a life of self-indulgence. Instead, he chose a path of hidden holiness that was only fully revealed after his death at twenty-four.

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Pope St. John Paul II called him the "Man of the Eight Beatitudes," and his motto was "Verso l'alto!"—"To the heights!" As someone who loves the mountains and hiking, his maxim resonates with me. No doubt anyone who has spent time in the mountains anywhere might agree that there is a sacredness about their beauty. When that is combined with the challenge of a difficult hike or climb, there is a learned discipline and resilience.

Here's the paradox: the higher Pier Giorgio climbed toward God (literally, as an avid mountaineer), the lower it seemed that he descended to serve humanity. The same strength that carried him up the mountainside carried him down into the slums of Turin, where he would kneel beside the sick and give away his possessions to the poor.

What I find most encouraging about Pier Giorgio is that his friends called him "an explosion of joy." He shows us all, especially young people, that holiness doesn't mean being somber all the time. True joy comes from knowing and serving God.

Pier Giorgio's funeral revealed the hidden reality of his life. His family expected a quiet affair, but instead, the streets of Turin filled with hundreds of the city's poor who wept openly for the young man they had known as a tireless friend. Only then did his family understand the true scope of their son's hidden life of service.

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Why These Saints Matter for Our Families Right Now

As I think about Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati being canonized together, I'm struck by how perfectly they complement each other as models for my children and grandchildren. Carlo shows us that holiness can flourish in the digital age, while Pier Giorgio shows us that holiness often hides in plain sight. Both lived relatively short lives yet achieved something extraordinary: they became saints not by withdrawing from the world, but by engaging with it fully while keeping their hearts fixed on heaven.

In an age when young people are often portrayed as selfish or disconnected from faith, the Church is lifting up two examples of radiant joy, generosity, and holiness. These canonizations are the Church's way of saying: "Look! See what is possible! See how extraordinary life becomes when it is lived for God!"

This is exactly what our world needs right now. We need saints who understand technology and can show us how to use it for good. We need saints who understand the challenges of living faithfully in a comfortable, privileged world. We need saints who love God's creation and show us that joy and sanctity go hand in hand, that serving others is the path to true happiness, and that young people can achieve holiness.

A Living Faith for Every Generation

These canonizations in 2025 are proof that our Catholic faith is vibrantly alive in every generation. The Church is not just honoring two young men who lived good lives—She is declaring that the same Spirit who worked in the apostles is still at work today. The same call to holiness that echoed through the centuries is still being answered by young people who choose to say yes to God's grace.

When we look at these saints, we see that we don't have to become someone else to become holy. We have to become the person that God has been calling us to be all along.

Our Friends in Heaven

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1

Perhaps most profoundly, the saints remind us that we have friends in heaven who are praying for us on our journey. Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati have joined this great cloud of witnesses, ready to intercede for anyone who calls upon them, especially young people who are trying to live faithful lives as they did.

I encourage you to get to know these two new saints. Let their examples inspire your family to reach for the heights of holiness, just as they did. These canonizations remind us that sanctity is not a thing of the past but a present reality, available to anyone willing to say yes to God's grace.

Sts Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us and for our families!

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