The Carlo Acutis Challenge began as a shared vision between Nick Ali, Director of Evangelization, and Fr. Paul MacNeil, Vicar for Education in the Diocese of St. Catharines. They wanted to encourage the youth of our diocese to use their unique gifts to share their faith and spread God’s love throughout their own communities.
Born in 1991, St. Carlo used his technology skills to research and document Eucharistic miracles around the world. He created a website that continues to inspire people 20 years after his death. He famously believed that "the Eucharist is the highway to heaven," and he used modern technology to share that highway with others.
St. Carlo died of leukemia at the age of 15. However, he left behind a legacy that led him to becoming the first ever Millennial saint. He was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020 and was canonized by Pope Leo XIV last September. St. Carlo Acutis is now widely known as "the patron saint of the Internet."
Last spring, students across Niagara Catholic spent significant time learning about this modern-day saint. Through classroom lessons and visits to every single class by our elementary chaplaincy leaders, students saw that St. Carlo was just like them. He was a regular teenager who loved video games, soccer, and hanging out with friends, but he also had a deep love for Jesus and a remarkable talent for computers.
Over the summer, the diocesan team met with Acting Board Chaplaincy Leader James Carnegie and Religion and Family Life Consultant Amanda Boyer to plan the challenge. They designed it so it could be used for class-wide lessons or individual participation. Once the materials were sent out, students were challenged to reflect on their faith, think about their own talents, and then create something meaningful.
The response was incredible. Some schools had individual entries, while others held school-wide contests or submitted large group projects. The team was excited to see these projects firsthand at faith fairs held leading up to and during Catholic Education Week. From coding original video games and building board games to painting and making blessing bags, every project was unique.
On May 2 to kick off Catholic Education Week, the Diocese hosted the first Saint Carlo Acutis Showcase at Denis Morris Catholic High School. The event featured 32 projects from Grades 4 through 12, representing Niagara Catholic schools, home-schooled students, and private school students from across the diocese.
Elementary Panel Winners
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1st Place: Angelina Jones and McKenna Roddick (Grade 7, St. John Catholic Elementary School). These students used Python to code a website from scratch. Every element, such as the colouring sheets, faith activities, and a step-by-step rosary guide, was designed and uploaded by the girls themselves.
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2nd Place: Wesley Emond (Grade 8, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary). Wesley used his knowledge of the sacraments to create a board game that combined elements of Snakes and Ladders and Monopoly. His project showed a clear and deep understanding of his faith.
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3rd Place: Gia Mongit (Grade 8, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Elementary School). Gia used her talent for painting and her love of writing to create a notebook of agape love, featuring sketches that illustrated the importance of the Sacraments.
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People’s Choice Award: The Constructing the Universe Club (Sacred Heart Private School). Their display showed how God’s hand is in all of creation by connecting geometry, nature, and the Catholic faith.
Secondary Panel Winners
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1st Place: Denise Gapasin (Grade 9, Blessed Trinity Catholic High School). Denise used her photography skills to show God’s presence in everyday life, specifically in people, nature, and love. Each photo was tied to scripture and Catholic Social Teachings. She also interviewed community role models about how they see Jesus, creating a beautiful look at how we can find a deeper connection with God.
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2nd Place: Ansh Cyriac (Saint Paul Catholic High School). Ansh wrote a moving essay on the Immaculate Conception of Mary. He was able to explain a complex theological concept in a way that was easy for everyone to understand.
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3rd Place: Keeda Haines (Lakeshore Catholic High School). Keeda painted a powerful image showing the secular pressures Christian teens face today. She spoke about how hard it can be to maintain your faith during such an easily influenced stage of life and how God's light helps us stand out.
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People’s Choice Award: Elio Caruso and Peter Faraj (Denis Morris Catholic High School). Elio and Peter created a podcast about lesser-known saints. The podcast was both informative and fun, and their passion for their faith was clear to everyone who spoke with them.
Looking Forward
We were incredibly impressed by the projects submitted by our students. If the showcase proved anything, it is that the fire is alive in the hearts of our young people. Their love for Jesus was evident in everything they created.
While the Saint Carlo Acutis Challenge was originally meant to be a one-year event, it is clear that this was just the first of many to come. We are so grateful to Bishop Bergie for his support and inspiration. We are already planning for next year, so mark your calendars. We will kick off Catholic Education Week 2027 with another showcase!