On May 3, 1991, in London, England, a special baby was born. His parents, Andrea and Antonia Acutis, named him Carlo.

Soon the family moved to Milan, Italy, where Carlo would grow up. Milan is a big, modern city full of buildings, cars, and technology - very different from the ancient villages where many saints lived!

Carlo grew up in a wealthy family. His parents had a successful business. Carlo could have almost anything he wanted.

But from an early age, Carlo was... different.

When Carlo was only three years old, something incredible happened.

His mother took him to visit a church. It was the first time Carlo saw the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar.

Carlo became quiet. His eyes couldn't leave the golden monstrance shining on the altar.

"Mamma," whispered Carlo, "who is there?"

"It's Jesus," answered Antonia. "Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist."

Something awakened in Carlo's heart at that moment. A spark. A deep love.

From that day on, Carlo wanted to go to church every day. Every single day!

But Carlo wasn't a strange or different boy from others. On the contrary!

Carlo loved video games. He played PlayStation and computer games like any boy his age. His favorite games were Pokémon, Halo, and Mario.

He adored soccer. He cheered for Inter Milan. He played in the street with friends.

Carlo had a dog named Chiara (later came more: Poldo and Briciola!). He loved animals.

He was funny. He made jokes. He had many friends at school.

Carlo was a normal boy. A common boy. But with an extraordinary heart.

When Carlo was seven years old, he made his First Communion. It was one of the happiest days of his life!

From that day on, Carlo went to Mass every day. Every single day, without fail!

Before Mass, he prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. He sat quietly, talking with Jesus.

"What do you do when you pray?" friends would ask.

"I talk to Jesus!" Carlo would say with a smile. "And He talks to me! Jesus is my best friend!"

Carlo said that Mass was like going to Heaven without dying. It was the most important moment of his day.

This was one of Carlo's favorite phrases.

But here's something interesting: Carlo's parents weren't very religious when he was born.

They were Catholic, yes. But they didn't go to church much. They didn't pray much. It was more tradition than living faith.

Who evangelized Carlo's parents? Carlo himself did!

"Mamma, shall we go to Mass?" Carlo would ask every day.

"Papa, shall we pray the rosary?"

"Did you know Jesus is really in the Eucharist? It's not just bread - it's Jesus for real!"

Carlo spoke about Jesus with such enthusiasm, with such joy, that his parents began to rediscover their own faith!

Antonia, his mother, started going to daily Mass with Carlo. She began to pray again. She returned to living her faith deeply.

Carlo converted his own family!

Carlo also had great devotion to Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.

"If you want to go to Jesus," Carlo would say, "go through Mary! She's the only woman who can enter and leave Heaven whenever she wants!"

Carlo prayed the rosary every day. Not because he had to. But because he wanted to!

He had a little statue of Our Lady in his room. He talked to her.

"Mary is my Mother from Heaven," Carlo would explain to friends. "She always helps me!"

Carlo visited several Marian shrines with his family: Fatima, Lourdes, Loreto. Each trip strengthened his faith.

At school, Carlo was a good student. Not the best in class, but he tried hard and got good grades.

He had friends from all backgrounds. Some were Catholic, others weren't. Carlo didn't mind. He loved everyone.

But Carlo also had something special: he defended the weak.

If he saw someone being bullied at school, Carlo would intervene. "Leave him alone!" Carlo would tell the bullies.

If a classmate was sad or alone, Carlo would go talk to them. He'd sit beside them. Make friends.

Carlo had a generous heart. He saw Jesus in every person - especially the poor and rejected.

After school, Carlo didn't go straight home to play video games. Well, sometimes he did! But he established a rule for himself:

"No more than one hour of video games a day!"

Carlo knew it was easy to waste too much time with games or computers. So he disciplined himself.

With his free time, Carlo helped the poor. There were homeless people on the streets of Milan. Carlo took them food and blankets.

Carlo used his own money - allowance, birthday gifts - to buy sleeping bags for people who slept on the streets!

"Jesus said that when we help the poor, we're helping Him," Carlo would explain.

He didn't just give things. Carlo would stop and talk to people. He'd ask their names. He'd listen to their stories.

For Carlo, they weren't "homeless." They were friends of Jesus. They were brothers.

Carlo also had a special talent: he was very good with computers!

Remember, Carlo grew up in the 1990s and 2000s. The internet was just beginning. Computers were everywhere.

Many adults didn't understand technology well. But Carlo did!

He taught himself to program. He created websites. He edited videos. He worked with graphic design.

At 9 years old, Carlo was already building websites! His parents were impressed.

But Carlo didn't use this ability just for fun. He had a plan. A special project.

A project that would change many lives...

As Carlo grew, he thought a lot about the Eucharist.

"Why don't people believe Jesus is really present in the Eucharist?" he would wonder.

"If people really believed that God is there, truly, waiting for them... the churches would always be full!"

Carlo felt sad when he saw empty churches. When he saw people who said they were Catholic but never went to Mass.

Then he had an idea. An incredible idea.

"What if," thought Carlo, "I could show the world all the Eucharistic miracles that have ever happened? All the times God proved He's really present in the Eucharist?"

"People would see and believe!"

Carlo decided to create a catalog. A collection. A database of all the known Eucharistic miracles in the entire world!

And he would use his technology talents to share it with the world.

This project would become Carlo's legacy...

Carlo also liked to volunteer.

He helped organize events at the parish. He taught catechism to younger children.

He served as an altar boy at Mass. He was happy to be so close to Jesus at the altar!

Carlo was a boy full of energy and joy. His faith didn't make him sad or too serious. On the contrary!

"Being sad means not thanking God for all the good things He gives us!" Carlo would say.

He smiled a lot. He laughed a lot. He played a lot. But always with kindness. Never being cruel or mean.

As Carlo grew, he became closer and closer to Jesus.

He didn't just go to daily Mass. He went to confession frequently - asking forgiveness for his sins.

Carlo wasn't perfect. No saint was! But Carlo tried to improve every day.

When he got angry or impatient, he apologized. When he made mistakes, he acknowledged them.

"Everyone is born," Carlo would say. "But not everyone truly lives. And everyone dies. But not everyone goes to Heaven!"

"So I want to truly live! And I want to go to Heaven!"

For Carlo, truly living meant loving God and loving people. It meant using his talents for good. It meant being holy.

"We are all called to be saints!" Carlo would say. "Not just some. Everyone!"

Carlo also loved nature and animals.

He had a special affection for abandoned animals. Carlo and his mother took care of stray cats in Milan.

They brought food. Carlo played with the cats. Sometimes they brought some home.

"God created animals too," Carlo would say. "We must take care of them!"

Carlo also enjoyed being in nature. Hiking. Mountains. The sea.

For him, nature showed God's beauty. It was like a book that told about the Creator.

Meanwhile, Carlo continued his special project about the Eucharist.

He researched. He read books. He searched the internet. He asked priests for help.

Carlo was discovering hundreds of Eucharistic miracles! In countries all over the world! Across centuries!

There was the story of Lanciano, in Italy, where the host turned into human heart flesh!

There was the story of Buenos Aires, where the host bled!

There were so many incredible stories of God proving that He is truly present in the Eucharist!

Carlo documented everything. He organized it. He created a website. He prepared an exhibition.

His heart was on fire with love for the Eucharist!

But Carlo didn't know how much time he would have to complete his project.

Nor did he imagine how this project would reach the entire world...