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USA Today
4 hours ago
- General
- USA Today
Every mother thinks her son is a saint. Hers actually will be.
Every mother thinks her son is a saint. Hers actually will be. Antonia Salzano wasn't particularly religious until she saw faith through her son. Others can follow his example, she said while touring the US. Show Caption Hide Caption Pope Francis okays Carlo Acutis to become the first millennial saint Pope Francis approved the canonization of Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old who died in 2006 from leukemia. NEW YORK – Every mother thinks her son is a saint, but Antonia Salzano's is about to become a real one. Carlo Acutis was only 15 when he died of leukemia nearly two decades ago. But he had led the kind of holy life that set him apart from young people, Salzano said May 29 to a nearly full chapel at the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx. She hopes his life can inspire others to develop their faith at a time when religion, including the Catholic Church, has been waning among young people. "Each one of you is special, remember," she told hundreds of congregants, including students. "God loves you infinitely and, really, you can be the light of the world." Acutis is set to be canonized by United States-born Pope Leo XIV as the first millennial saint. Salzano, who is Italian but whose grandmother was born in New York, is touring America to spread messages about her son's life to younger audiences. She spent the afternoon of May 29 visiting Mount Saint Vincent's and Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of New York's archdiocese. That is, when she wasn't stuck in New York City's infamous traffic. Acutis' holiness was visible in his daily life, Salzano told Mount Saint Vincent's parishioners, in his devotion to attending Mass and studying the eucharist, as well as in how he treated others. Salzano, who would go on to study theology to better understand her son, said she was simply a witness to this. "Of course, I'm not a saint," she told USA TODAY after the Mass. "I only have this role." Acutis died in 2006. Ever since, people have reported miracles after praying to him, including a Costa Rican woman cured from a severe brain hemorrhage in 2022, and a Brazilian boy whose pancreatic malformation disappeared in 2013. These documented cases propelled his sainthood. In 2020, Pope Francis beatified him, giving him the title of 'Blessed.' The College of Cardinals in July 2024 voted to canonize Acutis. He was set to officially become a saint on April 27 at the Jubilee of Teenagers, but Francis' death six days earlier led to a postponement. Acutis' canonization is now expected later this year. Mount Saint Vincent's Rev. William Cain admitted to parishioners before Salzano arrived that he had had trouble writing that day's homily. 'What might be holier than a saint?' Cain, a Jesuit priest, quipped. 'The mother of the saint.' Who was Carlo Acutis? Initially a mostly nonreligious woman, Salzano acknowledged her son was special. Acutis, born in London in 1991, began saying the rosary daily at around 5-and-a-half years old. At 7, he had his first first communion. His friends looked to him for guidance and support, and he stood up to bullies who picked on students with disabilities, Catholic news outlets reported. At home, his mother said he'd reflect each night: What did I do today? How did I behave ‒ with classmates, teacher, parents? Much of this is known, Salzano said, because he took lengthy notes as a boy. He wanted to win the battle of original sin that humans are born into, she said, echoing something her son would repeat: 'All of us are born original, but many of us die as photocopies.' A computer lover, he created a website about eucharistic miracles: the bread that exemplifies the body of Christ, becoming actual flesh, which Acutis chronicled of cases in Argentina in the 1990s; or, as he described, wine turning into blood, such as in Croatia in 1411. Acutis loved video games. But to discipline himself, he limited himself to one hour per week. Also every week, he went to confession. This purified him of sins that typically weigh on people, Salzano said. From 'Blessed' to forthcoming saint Scores of clergy and laypeople clamored inside the university's chapel to take pictures with Salzano and shake her hand. Young girls who wore braids and plaid skirts – telltale signs of Catholic school attendance – cued up. So too did boys, in burgundy polos and khakis flagging their religious school bona fides. Seated toward the back of the chapel, Clare Fay, 25, donned beige Adidas Gazelles and carried a tote. 'There are still saints today,' said Fay, originally from Alabama and a recruitment associate for a Catholic education nonprofit that sends teachers to Catholic schools across the country. Salzano spoke on Ascension Day, the Christian holiday when Jesus Christ is believed to have risen to heaven. 'It's not coincidental,' Kentucky native Troy Lasley, 30, a teaching fellow in the Bronx, noted. 'We would call that providential.' Fewer younger Americans, including Catholics, describe themselves as religious, polling shows. Pope Francis sought to bring the church to the people, especially younger people disaffected by scandal and abuse. Acutis personified that effort. 'When we look at the stories of saints, we don't necessarily see ourselves. The youth don't necessarily see themselves,' said Susan Burns, president of the University of Mount Saint Vincent and a psychologist, standing near the altar. 'To have a saint who is a millennial, very much, can speak to their stories.' Seeing the mother of a saint might help people explore their faith. Salzano said her son is a sign of hope for others. At the end of her speech, Salzano gifted the university a relic containing a piece of Acutis' hair. She handed out prayer cards depicting his image to hundreds of attendees. One woman sobbed seeing Salzano. Later, she told USA TODAY her daughter was living with a brain aneurysm. Seeing the woman whose son had helped someone with a similar condition seemed like a sign from God. She prayed to Acutis for her daughter. Salzano rushed out of the chapel as more people swarmed her. A car drove her through rush hour traffic, to speak at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Across Gotham, she'd tell others about her saintly son. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
ITV News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Paul Clark: Reporting on Pope Francis among the thousands of pilgrims
I watched Pope Francis give his Easter Blessing - Urbi et Orbi - from the Vatican, on Easter Sunday. A short time later, I witnessed him being driven among the faithful, in St Peter's Square. I did not expect what happened next… I was listening to the radio, just before nine, on Monday morning, when I received a news alert on my phone. Over the next few seconds, it was followed by many more pings. The Pope was dead! Earlier this year, we had been expecting the news, when the Pontiff was in hospital. Though he looked and sounded frail on Sunday, we presumed that he had pulled through. The death of Francis, a few hours after the holiest day in the Christian calendar was still a shock. I have no way of proving this, but I did wonder if the Pope had wished to live long enough, to witness the resurrection. We will never know this for sure, but a number of respected commentators have shared the same view. Cameraman Tommy Hassan, and I, were dispatched to Rome early on Tuesday morning. We were broadcasting live that evening. The next five days were a roller-coaster, as we were caught up in a sea of humanity, which descended upon The Vatican. At one point, I had difficulty remembering which day it was. The faithful came in their tens of thousands! This wasn't my first Papal funeral. Exactly twenty years ago, in April 2005, I was in Rome for the Requiem of John Paul II. I remember the emotion following his death. First, he came from a very Catholic country. Poland was a relatively short journey from Rome. They came… and, they came in their hundreds of thousands to mourn. What I noticed most, was their ages. They were young. So much for a Church which was dying. This time, once again, I was struck by the huge numbers of young people. Many of them had come to Rome because it was the Jubilee of Teenagers; an event which drew tens of thousands from around the world. This event took place, despite the death of Francis. These people may have come here on a pilgrimage. They remained as mourners. Last Saturday morning, at the Pope's funeral, the television cameras rightly focussed on the Mass, and the world leaders who had come to mourn. From where I was standing, on the Via della Conciliazione, the people attending the open-air Mass were not spectators. They were participants. They knelt, they prayed, and they took Communion. In life, Pope Francis had reached out far beyond his comfort zone. He worked among the poor in his native Argentina. He continued to reach out to people on the fringes of society, around the world, and, particularly in Rome. On Holy Thursday, he visited the Regina Coeli prison in Rome. While unable to celebrate the liturgy of the Lord's Supper and the washing of feet, he greeted inmates personally, offering words of encouragement and gifts. That was the measure of the Pontiff. What will be his legacy? We will have a clearer picture of what lies ahead for the Church, after the Conclave.
Herald Malaysia
28-04-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Late Pope Francis' video to young people: 'Learn to listen to others'
Late Pope Francis' video to young people: 'Learn to listen to others' In mid-January, a month before his hospitalization, the late Pope Francis recorded a video message, reminding young people about the importance of listening while others are speaking. Apr 28, 2025 Screenshot of the late Pope Francis in the video message recorded in mid-January 2024 VATICAN: A previously unseen video recorded on January 8 shows the late Pope Francis addressing young people participating in "Listening Workshops." The initiative was founded in Italy by Luca Drusian and brings together young people and adults to discuss various topics, in hopes of exploring the beauty of being heard and listening to others. The video was published on Sunday, a day after the late Pope's Requiem Mass, by the Italian weekly magazine Oggi ("Today"). In the video message recorded in the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis urged young people to always "listen to your grandparents—they teach us so much." 'Dear boys and girls, one of the most important things in life is to listen—to learn how to listen," said the late Pope. "When someone speaks to you, wait for them to finish so you can really understand, and then, if you feel like it, respond. But the important thing is to listen.' Pope Francis noted that many people are unable to truly listen to other people, since they are already formulating their response as the other person speaks. "Look closely at people—people don't listen," he said. "Halfway through an explanation, they'll answer, and that doesn't help peace. Listen—listen a lot.' The late Pope's video message was released as hundreds of thousands of teenagers gathered in Rome to celebrate the Jubilee of Teenagers. Around 200,000 people came out to St. Peter's Square to attend Mass for the second day of the Novemdiales, or "nine days" of mourning for Pope Francis. Though the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday was in suffrage for Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin invited young people to embrace the late Pope's teaching on mercy, so that they might discover the path to peace for their personal relationships and for the entire world.--Vatican News
Euronews
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Thousands of visitors gather at Pope Francis' final resting place in Rome basilica
ADVERTISEMENT Thousands of faithful gathered since from early hours of Sunday at Rome's Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray and pay their respects to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. The flow of faithful has continued uninterrupted since 7 am when the basilica opened its doors, but many had been queuing outside the church gates since the crack of dawn. Several Eucharistic celebrations were held in the side chapels of the basilica after its opening time, with a Mass taking place at 10 am at the central altar. Due to the long queue, the faithful were asked to pause in front of the late pontiff's tomb in prayer for no more than a few seconds each. Cardinals leave the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where the late Pope Francis was buried, in Rome, 27 April 2025 AP Photo/Andrew Medichini Pope Francis' tomb is simple, lit by a warm light and adorned only with a reproduction of the late pontiff's pectoral cross. Only "Franciscus", the late pontiff's Latin name, is engraved on the pale marble, with a single white rose laid near it. Visits are allowed throughout the 9-day official mourning period, after which the conclave to elect the next head of the Catholic Church will be held. No date has yet been set, but the college of cardinals must begin by 10 May, according to the dictates of canon law. Huge crowds descend on the Vatican The faithful also continued to flock to St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday. According to the Vatican press office, approximately 200,000 people were present from St Peter's Square to Via della Conciliazione and from Piazza Pia to Piazza Risorgimento. A solemn Mass was presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former secretary of state and one of the favourites in the next conclave. Access to the square was blocked at around 10:30 am due to maximum capacity being reached. The faithful who were unable to access the parvis settled in Piazza Risorgimento and Piazza Pia, following Mass from large screens that had been set up. People attend a mass presided over by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin for late Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 27, 2025. Andreea Alexandru/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved In addition to the people who came to Rome to pray for Pope Francis, thousands of young pilgrims from all over the world were present in the Vatican for the Jubilee of Teenagers. The three-day programme dedicated to the youth underwent some changes, and the canonisation of Carlo Acutis, considered the first "millenial saint", was postponed. During Mass, Cardinal Parolin reminded the audience of young people that the Pope would have loved to meet them. ''Easter joy, which sustains us in the hour of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today,'' he said during his homily. "You can see it etched above all in your faces, dear children and adolescents who have come from all over the world to celebrate the Jubilee," Parolin added. ADVERTISEMENT "You come from so many places. From all the dioceses of Italy, from Europe, from the United States to Latin America, from Africa to Asia, to the Arab Emirates. With you here, the whole world is truly present." ''To you I address a special greeting, and to the bishops and priests who have accompanied you, with the desire to make you feel the embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis, who would have liked to meet you, look you in the eyes, pass among you to greet you,'' Parolin said.
Irish Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
No calm after the storm for Vatican as young people descend after Pope's funeral
It should have been the calm after the `storm' in St Peter's Square on Sunday. Not so. An estimated 250,000 people had attended the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. The following day, 200,000 young people took part in a Jubilee of Teenagers there. `Calm' was not the word. It was the second of nine Masses that follow the death of a Pope, to be held until May 4th in this case. The celebrant was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State throughout the Francis papacy. He described the pope to the young people as 'a shining witness of a Church that bends down with tenderness towards those who are wounded and heals with the balm of mercy'. [ Pope Francis's funeral: 'Pope among the people' mourned by hundreds of thousands in Rome Opens in new window ] Cardinals visit the tomb of late Pope Francis. Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AFP/Getty Images Cardinal Parolin (70) is yet another tipped to be next Pope. Soon all 135 elector cardinals will gather. READ MORE Many of the young people would have been in St Peter's Square on Sunday anyhow, as it had been planned to canonise Carlo Acutis. With the death of Pope Francis that was postponed. Acutis was from Milan and died from leukaemia in 2006 aged 15. A devout kid with a keen interest in websites, he has already been dubbed 'God's influencer' and will be the Catholic church's first millennial saint. [ ] Downtown Rome was crowded with people on Sunday, with more queues, outside the Basilica of St Mary Major where Francis is buried. He is the seventh pope laid to rest there, the first in 357 years since the funeral of Clement IX in 1669. It is a spectacularly beautiful building inside. Francis's grave is minimal, basic, almost austere. A single white rose lies on the stone slab that bears the name 'Franciscus', with a crucifix above, on a plain lit by a single spotlight. Catholic clergy attend the Holy Mass on Divine Mercy, on the second day of mourning for Pope Francis. Photograph:All so calm and serene. Very different from the Bernini colonnade on top of which the world's media gathered on Saturday to cover the funeral on the Square below, between the statues of St Timothy and the unfortunate St Sebastian with iron arrows penetrating his torso, illustrating how he died. It was there where mere reporters observed the scene below, as senior prelates dressed as Solomon in all his glory baked in warm sunshine, despite the assertive attentions of a phalanx of cameramen and photographers well-armed with tripods and gear. Youth groups and people attend the Holy Mass on Divine Mercy in St Peter's Square. Photograph:Foolhardiness, not bravery, was necessary to venture through to the balustrade, the better to observe for readers' sake the spectacular scene below. At times it seemed likely tripods might penetrate reporters' torsos too, and not necessarily in sympathy with the unfortunate St Sebastian. It's true, a picture is worth a thousand words, but nobody wants that many these days. Yet reporters must continue to record, even if it means going where angels would not, for the glory of the word.
