By Forum Staff
Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan earlier this month dedicated the official Diocesan Shrine to St. Carlo Acutis at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Bayside. The dedication follows the canonization of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025.
The Mass, which included the shrine dedication, took place on Sunday, Oct. 12. During the Mass, the official decree signed by Bishop Brennan was read aloud by Sacred Heart’s pastor, Monsignor Thomas Machalski. October 12 is now recognized as the Feast Day of St. Carlo Acutis.
“Carlo’s reverence for our Lord propelled him into a missionary life devoted to bringing true happiness for himself and others. And now, as a saint, Carlo Acutis continues to be a missionary, and this shrine recognizes the growing devotion to him,” said Bishop Brennan.
Photo Courtesy of Alexandra Moyen
Deacon Kevin McCormack leads the faithful in the veneration of the relic of St. Carlo Acutis.
“It’s a great honor and a privilege for our parish to have been named the diocesan shrine of this great young saint. When I was in Rome for the canonization, I heard a bishop say God gives us the saints we need at the time we need them. I truly believe that all of us, young and old, have much that we can learn from this holy young man in our times,” said Monsignor Machalski.
Carlo Acutis died in 2006 at the age of 15 after battling acute myeloid leukemia. Acutis, who attended Mass daily from the age of seven, designed a website listing “The Miracles of the Eucharist,” documenting every miracle throughout the world associated with the bread and wine consecrated at Mass and transformed into the body and blood of Christ.
Two miracles have been attributed to St. Carlo Acutis: the sudden healing of a boy in Brazil who had a malformed pancreas and the recovery of a young Costa Rican woman from a severe head injury.
