October 12, 2026, Memorial of St. Carlo Acutis, Holy Rosary (Joyful Mysteries
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Friends of the Rosary, Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Carlo Acutis (1991-2006), the First Millennial Saint. He was a Catholic Italian teenager, a gamer and computer programmer who loved soccer and the Eucharist, and, as Pope Francis described him, a model of holiness in a digital age. Today, he is the patron Saint of youth, the internet, and computer programmers. Acutis, Carlo Acutis was born May 3, 1991, in London, though his family moved to Milan shortly after. From a young age, Carlo had a special love for God, even though his parents weren’t especially devout. His mom said she had been to Mass only for her First Communion, her confirmation, and her wedding, but young Carlo's unique and unexplained devotion led to her deep conversion. The priest promoting his cause for sainthood noted that Carlo “managed to drag his relatives, his parents, to Mass every day. It was not the other way around; it was not his parents bringing the little boy to Mass, but it was he who managed to get himself to Mass and to convince others to receive Communion daily.” He had a gift for empathy and was known for defending kids at school. He tried to stay disciplined and play games for only an hour a week, even though he really wanted to play more. He had a great devotion to Mary and loved to pray the rosary. He was fascinated by Eucharistic miracles. Using his research, he began creating what would eventually become a website on this topic. Carlo was concerned by people growing distant from the Church and the sacraments. He said, "The more often we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven." At age 15, Carlo was diagnosed with an untreatable leukemia. “I offer all the suffering for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.” Carlo died from his illness on Oct. 12, 2006. At his request, he was buried in Assisi because of his love for St. Francis. His tomb has been opened, and his intact body lies in repose in a glass tomb where he can be venerated by pilgrims. He is displayed in jeans and a pair of Nikes, the casual clothes he preferred. “For the first time in history we will see a saint dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater,” said the rector of the Sanctuary of Spoliation in Assisi, where Acutis’ tomb is located. “This is a great message for us; we can feel holiness not as a distant thing but as something very much within everyone’s reach because the Lord is the Lord of everyone.” Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi said, “Carlo is a boy of our time. A boy of the internet age, and a model of holiness of the digital age." Also, today marks the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which will conclude on October 12, 2027. Pope Leo XIV declared a Guadalupan Jubilee Year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the new Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play
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Friends of the Rosary, Today, on the Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano, we read in the Gospel (Luke 12:54-59) how the Lord challenges the crowds to understand the signs of nature and their ability to interpret the weather, but remain blind when recognizing the spiritual significance of His presence and the extraordinary moment of salvation unfolding before them. "You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" Our own age shows remarkable scientific and technological capabilities, yet these achievements do not automatically produce moral clarity or spiritual understanding. We can explain increasingly complex aspects of the world while we overlook fundamental questions about truth, charity, and the gift of eternal life. Christ invites us to develop the wisdom necessary to recognize God’s presence amid the distractions of everyday existence. The Gospel reminds us that intelligence and practical knowledge are insufficient when they are separated from spiritual wisdom. In the same reading, Jesus also emphasizes the urgency of reconciliation before judgment arrives. Spiritual discernment must lead to concrete action, especially the willingness to correct mistakes, forgive offenses, and restore broken relationships. The present moment is a gift of divine mercy, offering us the chance to change our lives before it passes. St. Paul also encouraged people to recognize God's presence in their time. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play
Friends of the Rosary, Today, October 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of the beloved Pope St. John Paul II (1920-2005), Karol Jozef Wojtyla. Born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920, his exceptional apostolic zeal, particularly for families, young people and the sick, led him to numerous pastoral visits throughout the world. Also, among the many fruits he left are the rich Magisterium and the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He also attracted young people by beginning the celebration of World Youth Day. No other Pope met as many people as Pope John Paul II. On May 13, 1981, an attempt was made on Pope John Paul II's life in Saint Peter's Square. Saved by the maternal hand of the Mother of God, following a lengthy stay in the hospital, he forgave the attempted assassin and, aware of having received a great gift, intensified his pastoral commitments with heroic generosity. Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Paul II in Saint Peter's Square on May 1, 2011, his immediate successor and, for many years, his valued collaborator as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Pope Francis canonized him on April 17, 2014. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play
Friends of the Rosary, In today’s reading (Luke 12:39-48), Jesus continues His teaching on vigilance by presenting the image of a faithful steward entrusted with responsibility over his master’s gifts. Everything we receive — talents, knowledge, opportunities — carries the responsibility to use it wisely, in accordance with God’s will. Christ warns against the temptation to neglect our duties when accountability seems distant. Leadership, within a family, an institution, or society, is a calling to serve others with justice, humility, and integrity, recognizing that authority ultimately belongs to God. And those who have received more will be expected to give more. "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." St. Thomas Aquinas explained that human talents and resources find their proper purpose when directed toward virtue and the common good. God’s gifts invite greater service. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play
Friends of the Rosary, In today’s Gospel (Luke 12:35-38), Jesus called His disciples to remain vigilant, like servants awaiting their master’s return. Jesus said to them: "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival." How can we remain vigilant? The best way to live faithfully with Christ today. For St. Augustine, spiritual wakefulness means keeping the heart attentive to God. The Christian must guard against allowing earthly attachments to extinguish the desire for eternal life. Vigilance requires both faith and action. Good intentions must be accompanied by charitable works and perseverance in virtue. St. John Chrysostom emphasized that readiness for Christ was expressed through a life of prayer, generosity, and moral responsibility. The uncertainty of our final hour encourages us to live faithfully today. Keeping our lamps burning means cultivating a faith that stays alive through prayer, good works, and fidelity to God’s commandments. We cannot postpone spiritual readiness indefinitely. Our daily responsibilities, distractions, and ambitions can easily push God to the margins of our lives. Yet holiness is built precisely through ordinary moments, when we choose patience over anger, generosity over selfishness, and faithfulness over convenience. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play
Friends of the Rosary, In today's Gospel (Luke 12:13-21), Jesus warns against the illusion that wealth can guarantee happiness and security. Christ does not condemn material success, but the greed and selfishness that can accompany it. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.” Through the parable of the rich fool and the true riches of life, the Lord revealed the danger of accumulating possessions while neglecting the soul. The rich man thinks only of himself, forgetting gratitude, generosity, and his responsibility toward others. His mistake is to confuse temporary abundance with lasting fulfillment, placing his confidence in possessions rather than divine providence. True wealth, Jesus teaches, consists in becoming rich before God through faith, charity, and a life directed toward eternity. Our possessions and achievements will eventually disappear, but the love we offer and the good we accomplish through God's grace endure. St. Thomas Aquinas explained that material wealth is an instrument rather than humanity's ultimate good. Genuine happiness rests in God, who alone can satisfy the deepest desires of the human heart. Ave Maria! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy! + Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app: Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play