You are invited to select a saint’s name!
In her book, My Son Carlo, Antonia Acutis talks about a family tradition her son enjoyed. Each year, they would draw the name of a saint from a basket.
“It is said,” she writes, “that the saint who comes up will accompany you in a special way for a whole year.” Those who participate are encouraged to learn about the saint, and to pray for intercession from this new friend.
While Antonio says Carlo almost always drew the name of Jesus, the Virgin Mary or the Holy Family, in the last year of his life, months before he fell ill, he received the name of Saint Alexander Sauli, a Barnabite bishop who lived in the 1500s. He is the patron saint of young people and his feast falls on October 11.
As Carlo was brought into the clinic where he succumbed to leukemia after less than a week, his mother recognized the church across the street as the home of the relics of Saint Alexander.
Carlo slipped into the coma from which he would never awaken on October 11, the feast of St. Alexander. He died, no doubt welcomed into heaven by the many saints he had come to know, including St. Alexander, the following day.
All are encouraged to print the list of saints available on this page, or create their own list, and then draw the name of a saint in order to ask for their intercession this year. Consider following Blessed Carlo’s family tradition, integrating this activity into an annual activity at the beginning of each year.
Downloadable list of saints to use for this activity
In her book, My Son Carlo, Antonia Acutis talks about a family tradition her son enjoyed. Each year, they would draw the name of a saint from a basket.
“It is said,” she writes, “that the saint who comes up will accompany you in a special way for a whole year.” Those who participate are encouraged to learn about the saint, and to pray for intercession from this new friend.While Antonio says Carlo almost always drew the name of Jesus, the Virgin Mary or the Holy Family, in the last year of his life, months before he fell ill, he received the name of Saint Alexander Sauli, a Barnabite bishop who lived in the 1500s. He is the patron saint of young people and his feast falls on October 11.
As Carlo was brought into the clinic where he succumbed to leukemia after less than a week, his mother recognized the church across the street as the home of the relics of Saint Alexander.
Carlo slipped into the coma from which he would never awaken on October 11, the feast of St. Alexander. He died, no doubt welcomed into heaven by the many saints he had come to know, including St. Alexander, the following day.
All are encouraged to print the list of saints available on this page, or create their own list, and then draw the name of a saint in order to ask for their intercession this year. Consider following Blessed Carlo’s family tradition, integrating this activity into an annual activity at the beginning of each year.
Downloadable list of saints to use for this activity