As Carlo Acutis completes his journey to canonization (postponsed from April 25-27 weekend due to the death of Pope Francis), a relic from the first millennial saint, and a display of his Eucharistic Miracles of the World exhibit, will be present in the Archdiocese of Toronto.

Toronto’s St. Edward the Confessor Parish is hosting the first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis and his Vatican-approved Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibit April 25-27. First set to coincide with his canonization at St. Peter’s Square in Italy, the three-day event will still be taking place and is designed to reflect Acutis’ personal passion for the Real Presence in the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration. 

For Msgr. Patrick O’Dea, pastor at St. Edward the Confessor, the event is the pinnacle of many years’ admiration for the soon-to-be saint. He praised Acutis’ unique and mythical ability to touch the hearts of so many, especially youth. 

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“I remember first reading about him and thinking  what a beautiful model of faith for the young people of the world. It is not as if we are talking about a person who lived 200 or 300 years ago, but a young man who was of this millennium,” O’Dea said. “I have also loved his ability to care for the poor, to bring his family, friends, strangers and the world to Christ.” 

The parish hall will display the Eucharistic Miracles of the World exhibit, a creation of Acutis during his life. A reflection of the young man’s deep love of the Eucharist, the display features a series of vivid panels, each narrating unique miracles from across centuries and parts of the world. Ranging from hosts preserved in church fires, various healings and saints’ devotion that transformed communities, the display encourages visitors to ponder, as O’Dea muses, what captivated Acutis to share each divine story with the world through his website database. 

“When I look at the display, I keep thinking: ‘What is it that intrigued him so much about these events?’ This exhibit brings those thoughts to life as you can see how in love he was with the Eucharist and how it touched him so deeply,” he said. 

The exhibit is curated by Dina and Lito Oanes, who have been travelling with the collection to parishes and schools since May 2019. Originally parishioners of St. Anthony’s Parish in Brampton, Dina spoke of their profound experiences of active faith through the ongoing ministry. 

“The exhibit not only aims to increase awareness in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist and promote Eucharistic Adoration, but it gives us hope that sainthood is available to each one of us,” she said. “(Acutis) created the exhibit because he wanted to bring people to the Eucharist — he did, and is still doing it from Heaven. My husband and I will always consider it a privilege and a great honour to be entrusted with this ministry.” 

While the husband and wife team work together to bring the exhibit to different parishes and schools across the country, the Oanes’ credit the work of various parties who ensure the opportunity to experience the display is open to as many as possible.

“This ministry includes many others who contribute in various ways, such as supportive pastors and principals, lay people like us and our son and niece who make the advertisement poster/flyer for each exhibit,” Dina said. 

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“Each of us may only be doing something small, but collectively and with God’s grace, we achieve something powerful, impactful and even life-changing, which is such a great blessing.”

Also present at St. Edward will be the true relic, a piece of Acutis’ hair.  On the Friday evening there will be a prayer service and blessing with the relic for the parish’s youth ministry before congregants at Sunday’s Mass receive its blessing.

The relic is brought courtesy of Angela Carboni, longtime youth minister and founder of  St. Bernadette’s Family Resource Center. She has been touring the Acutis relic for the past two years after she interviewed his mother, Antonia. 

Seeing an opportunity, O’Dea jumped at the chance to host the relic in Toronto during the planned canonization weekend. 

“ I called (Carboni) right away and I asked her: ‘Are you free that weekend to bring it in?’ I figured she would be in Rome, but she said she wishes to be more present locally.  What a powerful moment it is to line this all up. If we can’t go to Rome, we can have something of him here,” O’Dea said. 

Earlier this month, Carboni spent three days displaying the relic to students of all ages from St. Conrad School in Toronto. Approximately 600 kids from Kindergarten to Grade 8 had the chance to spend time with Acutis, an experience she says is incredibly common when it comes to the connection between Acutis and youth. 

“These children were just enamoured with the relic and his story. (Acutis) has really sparked people, I have seen so many people want to have their encounter with this beautiful, young saint,” she said. “He does listen, and he does touch souls in magnificent ways. I am honoured to be an instrument in bringing him with me to whoever wants to meet him. God has blessed me to bless others.” 

More than anything, O’Dea hopes visitors, whether drawn by curiosity or faith, will leave with a deeper sense of purpose and connection to God. 

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“I hope they go away pondering what they’ve witnessed, feeling that there’s something more to their lives, that maybe they want something of what this young man experienced,” he said. 

Inspired by Acutis’ devotion, he prays that attendees, especially the youth, will grow closer to Jesus through the Eucharist, embracing Acutis’ vision that “what you receive is who you are.”