SAINTS CORNER - An Saint in the Making: Servant of God Giulia Gabrieli

Hello, again! It's Julia! Recently, I have been learning about some saints from recent times. Last time, we learned about Venerable Carlo Acutis, and this time we are going to learn about a young girl who shares my name! Giulia Gabrieli is currently a candidate for sainthood. That means she is not yet a saint, but one day she will be. Giulia is currently a Servant of God, the first step in becoming a saint. 

In 1997, Giulia was born in Italy. She was the oldest child of two - her little brother was born later. His name is Davide Gabrieli, and he is a teenager and is still alive. Giulia died in 2011 (which is the year my nine-year-old sister was born - that's how recent she died). She loved to do many things you like to do. She loved to shop and hang out with friends and listen to music (her favorite song was Strada Facendo, and she especially liked the version by Laura Pausini)...but she also loved Jesus, and her life was lived for Him. Giulia also had a special talent for writing. She won awards for her writing, and after she died, a book of hers was published, titled Un Gancio in Mezzo al Cielo, which is Italian for "a hook in the middle of the sky". In it, she told the story of herself, and it is a truly inspiring story (unfortunately, it has not yet been translated into English). 

In 2009, she noticed swelling in her hand while she was on vacation. Everyone thought it was a bug bite, but when the swelling persisted, Giulia was taken to the doctor for tests. They found that Giulia's swelling was caused by a form of cancer. Giulia dedicated her last days to God, praying the rosary all the time and even visiting religious sites. During her illness, she stumbled across the life of Blessed Chiara Badano, whom you can read about here. Giulia's faith in Jesus gave her great peace. 

On August 19, 2011, while the Way of the Cross was being held during World Youth Day, Giulia went to heaven at the age of fourteen. Giulia's book was published, and the people who knew her worked tirelessly to let the whole world know about her. Now, Giulia is a Servant of God, three steps away from sainthood. If you are ever sick, pray for Giulia to help you. She is a powerful intercessor because she understands kids our age, because she was a kid just like you once upon a time. 

Giulia Gabrieli, PRAY FOR US!

SAINTS CORNER - A Saint for Computers: Venerable Carlo Acutis

 Hello there! My name is Julia!

Do you know what steps it takes to get to sainthood? If you don't know, I am going to tell you right now. There are four steps - Servant of God, Venerable, Blessed, and Saint. In the last post, we learned about Blessed Chiara Badano, a young Italian teenager who got cancer and died when she was only eighteen years old. She loved tennis, hanging out with friends, and doing many things you like to do. And Chiara Badano isn't the only saint out there like you! There are many, many saints in the making who do the same things you do! A good example is Venerable Carlo Acutis. Chiara Badano died in 1990, but Carlo Acutis died in 2006 - that's the year I was born! There are still saints who walk this earth, and one day even you could be one!

Carlo was born in 1991 in London, England, but he moved to Italy, the home of his parents, as a baby. He loved to play soccer and program computers. But the thing that stood out most about Carlo was that he loved the Eucharist. From the day after his First Communion, he never missed a daily Mass. He was always there to receive Jesus into his soul. Carlo's parents weren't especially religious, but the Holy Spirit was working inside Carlo and Carlo managed to get his parents to go to Mass with him. He also loved to play the rosary. 

At school, Carlo always reached out to kids who got picked on. He played soccer with them and encouraged them. He played video games with them. Carlo loved video games, but he only allowed himself to play an hour a week as a penance. Carlo also loved to program computers. His mother had to buy him textbooks that you would find in a college so he could learn more information. He knew so much about computers that he created a blog to catalog all the Eucharistic miracles around the world (you can visit it here). 

Carlo died when he was fifteen, of cancer. His unwavering faith has inspired so many people. Venerable Carlo Acutis WILL BE BEATIFIED THIS SUNDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2020. That means he will continue climbing the ladder to sainthood and become Blessed Carlo Acutis. 

Carlo was so close to God that his body is incorrupt. He is on display for people to see in Italy. He remains buried in his jeans and Nike sneakers. He is an incredible saint for our modern era, and he is always looking out for the young children in the world. 

Venerable Carlo Acutis, PRAY FOR US!