Close Encounter of a Sacred Kind: Meeting the Mother of a Soon-to-be Saint

It was Fall 2023. My archdiocese (Philadelphia) was hosting a Eucharistic Revival event in the Doylestown section of Bucks County (a 45-minute drive from Philadelphia). My girlfriend (now fiancée) and I made a long trek to the most amazing shrine in the Greater Philadelphia area. We never knew that it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

The day was filled with great topics, fellowship with fellow Catholics, and a chance to recommit to being close to our Lord. The best part was the main headliner, considered a “walking relic.”

What brought a near sellout attendance was the chance for the thousands gathered to hear testimony from Antonia Salzano-Acutis, the mother of Carlo Acutis. Antonia shared how her son was dedicated to our lord in his only 16 years on earth. The crowd was in awe of how this teenager devoted his life to sharing the most Blessed Sacrament for generations to come.

What came later was a chance encounter with the mother who brought this future saint into the world. Archbishop Perez told her that she was a “walking relic”. What a bold statement from the shepherd, who was thrilled about the news of being the first millennial to reach the high altars of sainthood.

As my girlfriend and I took a walk around the back side of the shrine, I couldn’t help but see a gathering in what appeared to be something out of the bible. We agreed to go in for an investigation. The moment we walked in, we saw Antonia Acutis greeting many attendees, clergy, and even the media.

We decided to wait in line to greet her, and it would be the moment the both of us will never forget.  

He conversed and got a picture with her. When we told her that we were dating, her eyes were open with great delight. Her final words to us were, I’ll pray for you both,”

Her prayers, along with many of our family members and friends, have made a difference in my now fiancée’s romantic relationship journey as we will embark on the journey to heaven through the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Who knew that a chance encounter was one of a holy kind?