Learning from Saint Carlo Acutis and impacting catholic education
The Eucharist in the digital age
Monday, June 29, 2026
*Diana Victoria Rodriguez
The solemnity of Corpus Christi provides an opportunity for many Christians to contemplate more deeply the central mystery of the Catholic Church, Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist.
It is becoming more challenging in today's world, especially for young people, to relate to this ancient mystery because of the rapid advancements in technology and digital environments.
The life and witness of Saint Carlo Acutis can serve as the perfect bridge between the ancient, sacramental reality of the Eucharist and today’s modern culture of digital technology.
Saint Carlo’s example provides an opportunity for Catholic education to renew its mission of forming disciples who are rooted in an understanding of the Eucharist as a way of being in relationship with God.
The Church teaches that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1324). This strong declaration affirms that the Eucharist is not one aspect of Catholic life among many, but rather the very center from which all Christian life flows and to which all Christian life is directed.
Likewise, the Second Vatican Council teaches that the Eucharist is “the fount and apex of the whole Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11). With this in mind, there can be no true form of Catholic education that is not, at its very foundation, Eucharistic by nature.
One of the challenges we face today is helping students recognize and believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Many young people are growing up in today's technologically stimulating world, characterized by instant communication and increasingly impersonal interactions.
The challenge of cultivating a sense of reverence, silence, and interiority in young people's lives within this type of environment makes it difficult for them to prepare themselves to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.
Saint Carlo Acutis demonstrates one of the best ways to accomplish this. Carlo did not run from the digital world that encompassed so much of his life as a teenager; rather, he used technology as a way to evangelize.
Carlo called the Eucharist his "Highway to Heaven," displaying his ability to comprehend the role of the Eucharist in achieving holiness. While he developed a talent for programming computers and utilizing the internet, Carlo made a point of going to Mass every day and visiting the Blessed Sacrament daily.
His daily Mass attendance and visits to the Blessed Sacrament helped him build a strong foundation of faith that sustained him in this technology-driven world.
Carlo established a website documenting Eucharistic miracles throughout history and across the globe, demonstrating how digital technology can be used to further the mission of the Church today.
Carlo’s website was not just informative; it was intended to be evangelistic. Its goal was to inspire people to have faith in Christ by revealing to them the truth of Christ truly being present in the Eucharist.
Therefore, Carlo exemplifies the Church’s call to evangelization in today’s world through the use of modern tools. As Pope Benedict XVI stated, “The Eucharist draws us into Jesus’ act of self-offering” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 14). Carlo’s life is an example of how this transformation takes place: his digital talents were offered to Christ and served His Church.
The story of Carlo represents both a challenge and an opportunity for Catholic teachers to use digital technology not only for student learning rather than just for productivity or engagement, but also thoughtfully, helping students use it with focus, intent, and faith.
At the heart of this challenge is the need to integrate the culture of digital media with our experience of the Eucharist, so that the online interactions of our students can become opportunities for them to encounter Christ in the Eucharist, discover truth, and be evangelized.
Catholic schools need to provide students with not only intellectual experiences but also direct encounters with Jesus Christ through the Eucharist, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and catechesis that helps students develop a personal relationship with Him.
As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reminds us, “In the Eucharist, we encounter the living God who comes to us and draws us into himself” (USCCB, The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, 2021). The experience of this encounter is transformative and should be the most essential element in the development of every educational experience.
At the same time, educators are being called to walk with their students as they navigate their digital lives. Inspired by Carlo Acutis, teachers can help students view their use of technology not as something that distracts them from their faith, but rather as a means of living out their faith.
Students can be digital witnesses of Christ by using digital media to evangelize through digital storytelling, reflective sharing, and respectful dialogue with others online.
The integration of Eucharistic devotion and digital engagement does not mean that we modify our faith according to the times in which we live; rather, it means that the eternal truth of Christ can be lived and proclaimed in every aspect of the human experience.
Saint Carlo Acutis demonstrates that holiness can be lived out in every age and every place; therefore, we, too, can show others how to live out holiness in our digital world. His life also reminds us that young people are not just the future of the Church; they are the present as well, and they possess great faith and demonstrate remarkable courage in witnessing to it.
As we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, we reflect on the need to reaffirm our faith in the Eucharist as well as our desire to assist others, particularly young people, in developing an authentic relationship with Christ through the Eucharist.
Discipleship continues to be shaped by Catholic education, following the example of Carlo Acutis by teaching students to deepen their love for the Eucharist and courageously live out their faith. In doing so, we fulfill the mission of the Church: leading all people to Jesus Christ, who is truly present in the Eucharist, the source, the summit, and the "Highway to Heaven."
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