Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonized, reminding us of the call to sanctity for young people. St. Teresa of the Andes, Chile's first saint, is also highlighted, with her feast day being celebrated. Teresa of the Andes, inspired by Thérèse of Lisieux, entered the Discalced Carmelites at 18. She made her religious vows in articulo mortis at 19, shortly before her death from illness.
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The upcoming canonization of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati by Pope Leo XIV on September 7 highlights the universal call to holiness, particularly for young people 1. Carlo Acutis died at 15 from leukemia in 2006, while Pier Giorgio Frassati succumbed to polio at 24 in 1925 1. Their lives, along with that of St. Teresa of the Andes, demonstrate that sanctity is attainable at any age through God's grace 1.
St. Teresa of the Andes, Chile's first saint, was born 125 years ago and lived a short but impactful life 1. As a child, she engaged in typical youthful pursuits like tennis, croquet, swimming, singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments 1. Her spiritual journey was profoundly influenced by reading St. Thérèse of Lisieux's "Story of a Soul," leading her to discern a vocation with the Discalced Carmelites 1.
She made a vow of chastity at 15 and entered the novitiate at 18, receiving the name "Teresa of Jesus" 1. Tragically, she fell seriously ill with typhus or Spanish flu at 19, professing her vows in articulo mortis shortly before her death on April 12, 1920 1.
St. Teresa of the Andes' holy life inspired many to seek her intercession 1. A miraculous healing attributed to her was medically validated in 1987, leading to her beatification by Pope John Paul II later that year 1. A second miracle was validated in 1992, and she was canonized by John Paul II in March 1993, continuing in the footsteps of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who also died young at 24 and was canonized in 1925 1.
St. Teresa of the Andes remains highly revered in Chile, with an estimated 100,000 pilgrims visiting her tomb annually 1. Her earthly birthday, July 13, is celebrated by the Discalced Carmelites, while April 12 marks her "heavenly birthday" 1. The lives of these young saints serve as powerful examples that even a brief earthly existence, when dedicated to God, can lead to a glorious and eternal reward 1.
Holiness: What is the universal vocation?
The universal vocation for all Christians is the call to holiness, which is the fullness of Christian life and the perfection of charity . This call is not merely a moral exhortation but an undeniable requirement arising from the mystery of the Church .
Holiness is both a gift from God and a task for believers . It is the fulfillment of human dignity as persons created in God's image and likeness and redeemed by the blood of Christ . The Second Vatican Council emphasized this universal call, making it a central aspect of its teaching on the Church .
The universal call to holiness is fundamental for the renewal of Christian life and the full participation of the laity in the Church's life and mission . The Church, as the sacrament of holiness, needs holy priests, religious, and lay people to carry out the task of evangelization and to be living witnesses of God's unchanging love .