Blessed Carlo Book Review

 "To always be united to Jesus--this is my life's plan."--Blessed Carlo Acutis

Recently I was asked by Holy Heroes to review the book Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven by Sabrina Arena Ferrisi.  Before reading this story, I had only heard of the name Blessed Carlo Acutis, but I did not know anything about this 15 year old Italian boy.

Blessed Carlo Acutis is a fairly simple read, although it is 106 pages in length.  Most 3rd grade and older kids could read this book themselves, but younger children would also enjoy it being read to them.  Since Blessed Carlo is a more modern individual, the book is filled with photographs of him as he grew up.  In the past the Saint books I have read were in a story format, but this book is written in more of a informational manner.  The style difference does not detract from the story of Blessed Carlo, however.  His life is interesting and quite inspirational.  I did notice a few details that I felt the author would have benefitted from more precise writing, but again they are quite insignificant to the overall story.  For example, at one point Ferrisi writes, "After receiving his first Communion, Carlo went to Mass every day from the age of seven until he died at the age of fifteen.  On the rare occasions when he could not go to Mass, he would say a prayer of spiritual communion."  These two statements contradict each other.

Overall Blessed Carlo Acutis is a very interesting book, and I think most people would enjoy reading it.  He was widely known for his great charity for all people, his immense love and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and his love for the Blessed Mother.  The book makes it clear that Blessed Carlo was a boy with normal interests, but he was not ordinary.  The word holiness means set apart, and Blessed Carlo, although enjoying similar interests to his friends, was set apart with his focus on God, always striving to live and use each moment of his life to serve God in some way.  

"Holiness is not a process of addition, but subtraction, the less I am, the more I give space to God."  --Blessed Carlo Acutis 

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Currently you can preorder Blessed Carlo Acutis: The Amazing Discovery of a Teenager in Heaven.  Holy Heroes has generously offered my readers 15% off this new book, the Blessed Carlo Glory Story CD, and Blessed Carlo coloring book.  Use the code Carlo 15 to get the discount on these products.  With the feast of Corpus Christi on June 19, Blessed Carlo would be a fitting youth to read about, learning more about his great love of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of Corpus Christi

 May you have a blessed Feast of Corpus Christi!  On this most holy feast may we remember to give of our time, love, and adoration to our Blessed Lord, Who remains within the tabernacle, waiting for us to come to Him in silent conversation and devout adoration.  May we also offer our Lord our hearts, minds, and very beings when we have the great privilege of receiving Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  On this great feast of Holy Mother Church, may we always remember the great gift of this most sacred Sacrament, our Lord Himself.  

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"When you have received Him, stir up your heart to do Him homage; speak to Him about your spiritual life, gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness; welcome Him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence." 

--- St. Francis de Sales

The following prayer, the Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament, was penned by St. Peter Julian Eymard, and its recitation stands as a beautiful way to honor our Lord on the feast of Corpus Christi.

Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Lord, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.  Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal High Priest of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Divine Victim on the Altar for our salvation, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hidden under the appearance of bread, have mercy on us.
Jesus, dwelling in the tabernacles of the world, have mercy on us.
Jesus, really, truly and substantially present in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us.
Jesus, abiding in Your fullness, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Bread of Angels, have mercy on us.
Jesus, with us always until the end of the world, have mercy on us.

Sacred Host, summit and source of all worship and Christian life, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, sign and cause of the unity of the Church, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, adored by countless angels, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, spiritual food, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, Sacrament of love, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, bond of charity, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, greatest aid to holiness, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, gift and glory of the priesthood, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we partake of Christ, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which the soul is filled with grace, have mercy on us.
Sacred Host, in which we are given a pledge of future glory, have mercy on us.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

For those who do not believe in Your Eucharistic presence, have mercy, O Lord.
For those who are indifferent to the Sacrament of Your love, have mercy on us.
For those who have offended You in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, have mercy on us.

That we may show fitting reverence when entering Your holy temple, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may make suitable preparation before approaching the Altar, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may receive You frequently in Holy Communion with real devotion and true humility, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may never neglect to thank You for so wonderful a blessing, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may cherish time spent in silent prayer before You, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may grow in knowledge of this Sacrament of sacraments, we beseech You, hear us.
That all priests may have a profound love of the Holy Eucharist, we beseech You, hear us.
That they may celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with its sublime dignity, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may be comforted and sanctified with Holy Viaticum at the hour of our death, we beseech You, hear us.
That we may see You one day face to face in Heaven, we beseech You, hear us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.

Let us pray.
Most merciful Father, You continue to draw us to Yourself through the Eucharistic Mystery.  Grant us fervent faith in this Sacrament of love, in which Christ the Lord Himself is contained, offered and received. We make this prayer through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

--St. Peter Julian Eymard

"How I loved the feasts!.... I especially loved the processions in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. What a joy it was for me to throw flowers beneath the feet of God!... I was never so happy as when I saw my roses touch the sacred Monstrance..."  

 -- from St. Therese's Autobiography: Story of A Soul

God bless!

+JMJ+

Feast of Corpus Christi

 Holy Mother Church celebrates the solemnity of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Christ, on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday; on the traditional calendar, however, this feast is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, in parallelism to Holy Thursday during the Triduum. Also like Holy Thursday, on Corpus Christi the Church praises God for the great gift of the Holy Eucharist, offering thanksgiving and adoration. However, whereas Holy Thursday is shrouded in a solemn air, marked with the sadness of the upcoming feast of Good Friday, Corpus Christi resembles Easter with joyful acclamations and processions honoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. In 1264 Pope Urban IV established the feast of Corpus Christi as an universal feast of the Church. Upon the request of Pope Urban IV, St. Thomas Aquinas composed the office for this feast, including five beautiful Eucharistic hymns. One of these hymns, “Adoro Te Devote,” (“Hidden God”) is provided below in the original Latin and its English translation. Whether in Latin or in English, this is a beautiful hymn to recite or sing in honor of the feast of Corpus Christi and Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Adoro Te Devote
Adoro te devote, latens Deitas,
Quae sub his figuris vere latitas;
Tibi se cor meum totum subiicit,
Quia te contemplans, totum deficit.

Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,
Sed auditu solo tuto creditur;
Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius,
Nil hoc verbo veritatis verius.

In Cruce latebat sola Deitas.

At hic latet simul et humanitas:
Ambo tamen credens, atgue confitens,
Peto quod petivit latro paenitens.

Plagas, sicut Thomas, non intueor,
Deum tamen meum te confiteor:
Fac me tibi semper magis credere,
In te spem habere, te diligere.

O memoriale mortis Domini,
Panis vivus vitam praestans homini:
Praesta meae menti de te vivere,
Et te illi semper dulce sapere.

Pie pellicane Iesu Domine,
Me immundum munda tuo Sanguine:
Cuius una stilla salvum facere
Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere.

Iesu, quem velatum nunc aspicio,
Oro, fiat illud, quod tam sitio,
Ut te revelata cernens facie,
Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae. Amen.

Hidden God
Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee,
Truly present underneath these veils:
All my heart subdues itself before Thee,
Since it all before Thee faints and fails.
Not to sight, or taste, or touch be credit,
Hearing only do we trust secure;
I believe, for God the Son hath said it–
Word of Truth that ever shall endure.
On the Cross was veiled Thy Godhead's splendor,
Here Thy manhood lieth hidden too;
Unto both alike my faith I render,
And, as sued the contrite thief, I sue.
Though I look not on Thy wounds with Thomas,
Thee, my Lord, and Thee, my God, I call:

Make me more and more believe Thy promise,
Hope in Thee, and love Thee over all.
O Memorial of my Saviour dying,
Living Bread that givest life to man;
May my soul, its life from Thee supplying,
Taste Thy sweetness, as on earth it can.
Deign, O Jesus, pelican* of heaven,
Me, a sinner, in Thy Blood to lave,
To a single drop of which is given
All the world from all its sin to save.
Contemplating Lord, Thy hidden presence,
Grant me what I thirst for and implore,
In the revelation of Thine essence
To behold Thy glory evermore.