Among the thousands who made their way to Rome for the canonization of St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on Sunday, September 7, was an 11-year-old boy named Roman, whose personal encounter revealed the quiet power of the saints – and the prayers of a mother. Wearing sunglasses and a San Francisco Giants cap, Roman said he felt “excited” to be at the canonization.
After meeting Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo on July 6 at San Rafael Arcángel, a mission church in northern California – where the priest had brought a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo – Roman’s mother, Amanda, purchased one of Msgr. Figueiredo’s books, “Carlo Acutis, 5 Steps to Being a Saint.” Msgr. Figueiredo is the Director of International Affairs for the Diocese of Assisi, Italy.
“Dear Roman,” Msgr. Anthony wrote, “St. Carlo is your friend in heaven. I am praying for you.” Almost immediately, Amanda knew she had to attend the upcoming canonization with Roman. But how could she plan an international trip, just two months away, with her son?
That encounter with Msgr. Anthony sparked a journey – one that began with a signed book and soon turned into a mission shared by Roman himself. Amanda told her son about her idea, and when he learned about the canonization of not one, but two young Blesseds, he was determined to be there. With the help of his mother and the support of their parish community, Roman launched a creative fundraiser: selling Italian sodas after Mass to raise money for the trip. In one day alone, he raised $1,000.
Amanda’s love and encouragement were instrumental at every step, from organizing the soda stand to helping Roman turn their dream into a life-changing pilgrimage. Together, mother and son journeyed across Italy to walk in the footsteps of the very saints who had inspired them.
Their journey began in Assisi, where they visited the Porziuncola, a small church nestled inside the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Angels. While there, Amanda, unbeknownst to Roman, prayed for her son to hear the voice of God. After leaving the basilica, she purchased 35 medals of Carlo Acutis, planning to share them with friends back home. She carried them with her throughout the day, unaware that they would soon serve a greater purpose and become, in a very real way, a direct answer to prayer.
That evening, just before Mass at the ancient church of Mary Major in Assisi, Roman stood quietly near Carlo’s tomb, gazing at the body of a young man whose life had inspired his journey. In that moment, he felt the Lord stirring in his heart. He began handing out the medals to the friars, men, women and children gathered nearby. When he returned to the pew, he told his mother that he felt a stirring in his heart to give away all the medals. Amanda was filled with emotion, for her prayer had been answered: her son had heard the voice of God.
Roman, who loves basketball, baseball and swimming, delighted in typical childhood pleasures, enjoying Nutella-filled donuts and exploring the medieval streets of Assisi. But what Roman loved most of all was the peace of the city with cobblestone streets and hills blanketed with olive groves. “I feel at peace here,” he told Amanda, echoing the serenity many pilgrims experience in the hometown of St. Francis, St. Clare and now St. Carlo, “and I want to come back.”
From Assisi, the mother and son continued north to Turin, the hometown of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young man known for his devout faith, adventurous spirit, and love for the poor. Roman visited his tomb at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (home of the Shroud of Turin), where many pilgrims come to pray.
The pilgrimage culminated in Rome, where Roman and Amanda took part in the canonization Mass, witnessing the moment these two modern role models were officially declared saints. Mother and son were seated just twenty yards from the papal altar, overlooking a sea of nearly 100,000 pilgrims that extended far beyond the square.
Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in “The Chosen,” was also seated near the papal altar, and young Roman got a chance to meet him. “Oh, wow,” he said after, “I met Jonathan Roumie!”
Roman and his mother, Amanda headed back to northern California two days later, their hearts overflowing with gratitude and joy. When asked if he wants to be a saint one day, Roman said, “Yes! We should all try to be saints!”
(Lynch is a Third Order Franciscan and a member of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Mount Joy.)
By Kelly Ann Lynch, OFS, Special to The Witness
