How a parish play on Carlo Acutis inspired love for the Eucharist

Children from a Catholic parish of Sydney (Australia) created a play on the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis that has inspired the Eucharistic devotion between children and community families.

Fr. Epeli Qimaqima, pastor of the parish of San Joaquín, told CNA – an English assistance of Ewtn News – that the work caused a lasting spiritual transformation and “joined the parish in more than one sense.”

“It was not about writing a play for the simple fact of having it,” said the priest. “But, as a pastor, he had been reflecting on how we can catechize the family in these times,” he added.

The work Highway to heaven It was represented on October 12, 2024, feast of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Written and directed by Anna Harrison, of the Catholic youth of Sydney, she had children from 7 to 15 years old who dramatized the life of the Italian adolescent, known for her love for the Eucharist and her computer skills.

“My initial idea was to do a work on the history of Fatima,” said Fr. Qimaqima. “But the children of the parish constantly asked me about Carlo Acutis. … they felt very familiar with him due to his age, and knew everything about him.”

The children said they connected with Acutis because they looked a lot like them in everything: he enjoyed football, swimming and video games. But what impacted them most was their devotion to the Eucharist.

In the months after the work, Fr. Epeli Qimaqima observed that children and their parents spent time in the perpetual worship chapel of the parish.

The production involved children from the performance and changes of the scenario to the management of the props. And the impact went far beyond the function: one of them now stops to pray in the chapel on his way home. The parents also began to attend Masses during the week and meet outside the Church.

“I have heard that they are gathering outside the parish to have coffee and talk about what is happening,” said Father Qimaqima. “I think some parents discovered new things about their children during essays. Many told me: I never thought my son could do this.”

The priest, Fiyi Primary ex -American, commented that the initiative was born from his desire to reach families.

“I checked the gospels and rediscovered that the way of teaching of Our Lord was through the narrative, the parables,” he said. “So I thought that perhaps we could use the theater as a way of telling stories to catechize the family, the children and their parents, through the dramatization of the lives of the saints,” he explained.

The day of the work included a parish celebration, a mass and a barbecue. “We had a great day for the children, which ended with a mass at the end of the day and then a barbecue and ice cream, a lot of ice cream,” said Father Qimaqima. “It was very fun for adults to see children so happy,” he said.

Pilgrimage to Rome takes an unexpected turn

Fourteen children and their parents later joined P. Qimaqima and other parishioners in a pilgrimage to Italy to attend the Acutis canonization mass, originally scheduled for April.

The group had just arrived in the Plaza de San Pedro when they learned of the death of Pope Francis and that the canonization had postponed.

“We didn’t believe it,” said Christopher La Rosa, 13, who played Acutis in the work. “We had to wait for the death bell to sound and then we believed it.”

Instead of a canonization, the group attended the Pope’s funeral.

“I had never been at so many funerals, but going to the funeral of a Pope … It was very filling, but it was crazy because I could see the Pope and his body,” said Francesca Manu, 9 years old, to CNA in Rome.

Sophie Tawadros, 13, added: “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend the Pope’s funeral and really say goodbye, because it has been Pope since I was born, I think, and she is the only Pope I have met.”

“The change of plans made our pilgrimage a much deeper encounter with God,” said Fr. Qimaqima.

Prayers before Carlo’s tomb

The group also visited Assisi to pray before Acutis’s tomb. “I always wanted to see his body because he is one of our family’s favorite,” said Antonia Mallet, 11.

“He has taught us that (the Eucharist) is actually the body of Jesus, not only a simple piece of bread, but really becomes the body of Jesus,” he added. Acutis “really inspires me to offer my suffering for the intentions of the Pope and for all the souls of purgatory,” Mallet said.

The rose commented that before Acutis’s tomb, he asked the young Blessed to intercede “to approach God, protect me from all worldly distractions and concentrate on the heavenly.” “He has inspired me to share the gospel with more people,” he added.

Back in Australia, the parish plans to tune in a live broadcast of the canonization on Sunday, September 7 and has invited the community in general to join the celebration.

Last week, the San Joaquín parish received 780 children from 11 Catholic schools for a special jubilee celebration in Honor Acutis. The students walked almost 30 minutes on pilgrimage from a nearby park to the Church, where they attended a concert.

The cast is rehearsing again Highway to heaven For two functions in October, which will mark the first feast of Carlo Acutis as a canonized saint.

Father Qimaqima said the impact is visible throughout the community. “They tell their friends from school what they are doing in the church … so they bring their friends from school.” “They bring their parents to the church,” he said.

Durable friendships have also been forged among children, many of whom attend different schools.

“They leave the phone aside … they sit in a circle, laughing, telling stories,” said Father Qimaqima. “It is wonderful to see what the Lord is doing in the lives of the people I am called to serve in this parish,” said the priest.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published inCNA.