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22 Oct 2025

Boy with statue in Tipperary has canonisation postponed following passing of Pope Francis

Relic from the body of a beatified teenager will visit four Irish dioceses this week

The canonisation of Carlo Acutis, an Italian boy who passed away from leukemia in 2006, has been postponed, following the death of Pope Francis I.

Acutis was to be canonised later this month by the late Pope, having passed all of the necessary posthumous trials, however these plans have now been put on hold indefinitely.

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A statue honouring the beatified teenager was unveiled at Holy Family Church, Ardfinnan, in January of this year.

It was installed the same week as Pope Francis declared that Blessed Carlo Acutis was to be Canonised as Saint Carlo at a Mass in the Vatican on April 27, 2025.

The statue was donated and commissioned to celebrate the Holy Year of 2025, and in preparation of the Parish Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi in the Spring, where parishioners will go to a visit the tomb of the soon to be saint and to have Mass at the shrine where he lies in repose.

Carlo was beatified on October 10, 2020 after the Vatican claims he interceded from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.

The beatification ceremony took place in Assisi, the home of his idol Saint Francis, who dedicated his life to the poor, and where Carlo’s body now lies in repose in the veneration of many pilgrims.

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Parish Priest of Ardfinnan, Fr Michael Toomey said: “Carlo is a powerful example of faith for young people. Having his statue here in our parish encourages young people to come to the church to pray and it makes the church place to pray for young people”.

Father Michael, who is also the chaplain of the High School in Clonmel, has talked about Carlo to many classes. “They have been amazed at Carlos story and can easily connect to him because of similar interests they have particularly with computers, gaming, and football”.

“What fascinates many of the students is that this soon to be Saint is reposing in Nike trainers, his jeans and sweatshirt, who loved computer games and had a passion for football. He makes this soon to be saint relevant to our young people today” Fr Michael said.

The statue in Ardfinnan was made in Italy, and has Carlo depicting a games console, mobile phone and football, along with a shirt of his beloved football team AC Milan, and is in a specially designed shrine which has some history of him, along with some of the quotes of his love of the Eucharist.

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