Tag Archives: St. Mary Catholic School

Latin Lesson From Sloan

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Yesterday afternoon, Sloan and I were running errands. As we pulled out of the grocery store parking lot, we started talking about death. Don’t worry, our conversation wasn’t completely random. Earlier that morning, Fr. Jeff Lewis preached about the squirm-inducing topic as he covered its origin, inevitability, and earthly aftermath (the funeral).

As we chatted, Sloan admitted that death was a difficult concept for her but that she is doing her best to embrace memento mori.

Memento what?

Thanks to Sloan, I learned about “memento mori.” We need to remember death.

I didn’t expect a Latin lesson from my 7-year-old daughter (thanks, St. Mary Catholic School!). I had Sloan explain what it meant in her own words and then I feverishly looked it up once we arrived home. Memento mori translates to remember your death in English. In the context of Catholicism, it is a reminder to anticipate and meditate on our own deaths. By practicing memento mori, we can prepare for the reality that we all face while living a life that will put us in the best position for God’s judgment.

Tough stuff, right? If you are like me, memento mori can be a difficult topic to grapple with, especially when you encounter it head-on late at night. But just because something is difficult or seemingly unpleasant doesn’t make it unnecessary to examine.

This month is an opportune time to contemplate memento mori. In the Catholic Church, we use November to contemplate our own mortality while also remembering the faithfully departed. As part of the “Month of Remembrance,” we place a special emphasis on those souls in Purgatory and pray even more intensely for them. Thus, I think by remembering those who have gone before us and praying for them, we can become more in touch with our own memento mori journey.

Visiting a cemetery this month is a great way to practice memento mori and to remember/pray for souls.

Death is scary but it is also inevitable. Thankfully, death is also a glorious and necessary step toward salvation. Memento mori! Don’t Blink.

My 2024 Top 3 Trunk-Or-Treat Displays

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With Halloween on a Thursday, this past weekend was the opportune time to hold spooky community celebrations. Our family hit the trunk-or-treat circuit as we visited a variety of events throughout town.

During our travels, we saw countless creative/fun trunk-or-treat set ups as Halloween fans went all-out to decorate their vehicles and appeal to kids. I wanted to share with you my personal top three trunk-or-treat displays from the weekend…

Jurassic Park – This trunk was from the St. Mary Catholic School trunk-or-treat on Friday night and it paid homage to a 31-year-old blockbuster film (I feel sooo old). Although I am so sick of the t-rex costumes that ran their course several years ago, my attitude toward the incorporation of dinos in a trunk-or-treat set up is completely different. I am a big fan of Jurassic Park and this trunk used a fierce dinosaur as the centerpiece and surrounded it with plants and plenty of symmetry. If this blog could play sound, you would hear the Jurassic Park theme song because in real life that unmistakable tune was playing as attendees approached this trunk.

This Jurassic Park trunk was at the St. Mary Catholic School Halloween Extravaganza.

Dia de los Muertos – On Saturday morning we went to AM Cannon Park of west central Spokane. The trunk-or-treat offered here was organized by Latinos En Spokane so everything from the music to the booths to the trunks themselves reflected a Latino influence. I especially appreciated the Dia de los Muertos trunk that provided plenty of education about the multi-day Mexican holiday. The decorations, masks, colors, and information made it a very engaging stop at the event.

This trunk was at AM Cannon Park on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Motorcycle Bones – The final trunk-or-treat we attended on Saturday was at the Ponderosa Village (shopping center). After trick-or-treating at so many car trunks, it was nice to approach the trunk of a motorcycle. A much more intimate trunk-or-treat experience is offered when a motorcycle is involved and although this is just a hypothesis, it seems like a more liberal release of candy is also a defining characteristic. The people at this trunk were awesome!

This “trunk” at the Ponderosa Village Trunk-Or-Treat was a nice change of pace.

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Some pretty cool trunks, right? But don’t eat too much candy just yet my friend, Halloween Week is just getting started. Don’t Blink.

Garth Thursday Rundown

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Here in the Inland Northwest, we have transitioned from hot temperatures in 90s to more early autumn-like temperatures in the 70s. With school now in session and football in full swing, it seems about right. You know what else seems about right? Five random topics on a Thursday…

Garth – At the end of August, Garth Fritel passed away (read obituary). This man was afflicted with ALS but still managed to live a fulfilling life centered on his family and faith. Garth embraced his debilitating disease as his cross and inspired so many (including myself—I wrote this post in 2022) by his love for Christ. Those of us who attended mass with Garth will never forget how he gave all his strength to receive the Holy Eucharist via syringe at every opportunity. I am grateful I had to chance to say goodbye to Garth and thank him for increasing my faith. Please pray for Garth’s soul and for his wife, Adeline, and daughters, Tovah and Daphne. May eternal rest be grant unto Garth, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Garth is pictured with his two daughters, his wife, Fr. Lewis, our St. Mary formation director, and NCR’s Kevin Wells (this photo is courtesy of Kevin Wells).

Fr. Jeff Sketch – I have written extensively about how our parish priest, Fr. Jeff Lewis, enriches our family in faith and friendship. Both of our children love him dearly. This photo is from this past weekend at the home of our friends. Sloan drew a portrait of Fr. Jeff and presented it to him for his approval. I don’t know if he was impressed…

Sloan reveals her sketch to Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Evacuate! – I could handle the humidity and rain of South Carolina, but the hurricanes sure got old. Every year I lived in the South, there was always a major storm that threatened our area. However, there was only one that caused us to evacuate. On this date six years ago, we packed up (Sid, 1-year-old Sloan, and me) and drove to Jacksonville where we stayed at Sid’s aunt’s house for a few days. We made the best of a stressful situation as we visited Disney Land, went to the zoo, and caught up with Sid’s cousin.

When we evacuated to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Florence, we made a day trip to Disney World.

National Chocolate Milkshake Day – Judging by the bold words to the left, you know what day it is. Let me take you back seven years to when I revealed my list of Top Five Favorite Corporate Milkshakes. Usually I make you follow the link to see my #1 choice but I am feeling generous tonight and will straight up tell you: Sonic is home to the best milkshakes in the country. However, if you want to find out the other four chains with excellent milkshakes, you need to actually read the post.

Beau and Sloan drinking a milkshake in November 2023.

Back to Homework – Last week, Sloan and Beau returned to St. Mary Catholic School. They spent those first few days getting acclimated to everything. This week? The homework has started! The below photo is from Monday night as my children hammered out their assignments. Sid and I have differing philosophies on homework but I think it is a great way to instill responsibility and time management while keeping the mind sharp.

Sloan and Beau hard at work completing their homework.

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We have a busy weekend ahead of us. The fair, first soccer game, birthday party, fundraising dinner, and more! Whether you have a packed schedule like us or not, I hope your weekend is fulfilling. Don’t Blink.

Making Saints In 2023-24

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It was quite the scene in the first grade classroom on the last day of school. After mass this morning, the students returned to the room one last time to pack up items and say goodbye. Many of these 6-and-7-year-olds were crying and giving hugs. As the time arrived for us to go, I had to practically drag Sloan out of the classroom as she protested with tears in her eyes, “But daddy, I don’t want to leave.”

First graders in Ms. Lunsford’s class, including Sloan, say goodbye to each other after the last day of school on June 14, 2024. (photo courtesy of Paola Devila de Muela.

The vibe at St. Mary Catholic School was a little different this year and it extended far beyond just a tight-knit first grade class. With a new focus on the making of saints, St. Mary students were immediately challenged by a heavenly goal. From there, other more earthly goals like academic excellence and social growth fell right in line.

It was a blessing to walk these two across the parking lot and to their classrooms each day at St. Mary Catholic School in the Spokane Valley.

Both in my 2022-23 school year wrap up post and the entry I wrote on the first day of this school year, I outlined the potential that existed for the next 180 days. With new principal Mr. Stephen Hart reinvigorating St. Mary’s Catholic mission and two familiar teachers leading the classrooms of my children, I had high hopes—and I wasn’t disappointed.

St. Mary Principal Mr. Stephen Hart opens the doors for the first time during the 2023-24 school year. He ended up doing incredible things!

Sloan had an excellent year as a first grader in Ms. Emily Lunsford’s class. Although she made strides academically in Kindergarten, she struggled at times with jealousy and acting out. That all disappeared this year. Taking Mr. Hart’s charge seriously, my daughter made an honest attempt to be St. Sloan. Instead of going to the principal’s office for behavior, she was going to the principal’s office to pray. What more can I say? (Ha! I rhymed).

From her first day to her final day, Sloan had a fantastic school year.

Highlights of Sloan’s school year included being named Future Saint of the Week, proclaiming a reading at the first grade mass, being featured in the school promotional video, and performing in the talent show. Her reading efficiency and math prowess grew at the same immense rate as her pure and beautiful faith in God.

Ms. Emily Lunsford is a talented and devoted teacher who helped Sloan so much.

Beau also had a solid year. His St. Mary rookie debut in Mrs. Leanne Shaurette’s Pre-K3 classroom was loaded with cuteness and growth. We loved Mrs. Shaurette when she taught Sloan three years ago and the feeling was re-enforced this year. The tears in her eyes when we said goodbye immediately triggered my own.

Beau had a lot of fun this year and made many friends.

Highlights of Beau’s first year included making many new friends, being class leader, learning basic skills, and building a strong relationship with his fifth grade buddy, Savannah.

Mrs. Leanne Shaurette is very special to our family.

Perhaps the differentiator that makes St. Mary Catholic School so special is that students aren’t the only ones creating highlights. Parents are invited (and expected) to be involved. What a fruitful year it was for Sidney and me! From worshipping at school masses to serving as the guest reader in Sloan’s classroom to attending the school auction to helping out in class, it has been a lot of fun.

It was a year of fun events, opportunities to serve, and chances to grow closer to God.

But the best part of this past school year was the sense of community. As cliché as it sounds, St. Mary Catholic School is a family and the level of support that is championed equally by the staff, students, and families is downright special. How else do you explain teachers using their lunch period to attend Adoration so they can pray for the students? Many of our close friends are parents of Sloan’s classmates and it was nice to meet new parents from Beau’s class, too. It also helps to have a solid friendship and admiration for the school principal along with the man who oversees the entire St. Mary education program, Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Fr. Jeff receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass this year. Community members are always welcome at the school masses and they always foster so much joy.

Speaking of Fr. Jeff, his homily during today’s final school mass drove home an important challenge. He told the students that the arrival of summer vacation doesn’t mean a vacation from practicing our faith. Rather, it is an invitation to remain fired up with the Holy Spirit until school begins again.

Because, let’s face it, the making of saints is a year-round process. Don’t Blink.

2024 Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts

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My mom has always said “homemade Mother’s Day gifts are the best” and I think that rings especially true this year. Sloan and Beau worked hard the couple weeks leading up to Mother’s Day at school to create some truly heartfelt and unique gifts.

In the first grade class at St. Mary Catholic School, the children made portraits of their moms surrounded by characteristics describing them. Vibrant colors and jaded shapes were infused to make the standalone piece of art almost Picasso-esque…well, that might be a stretch 😂. But what isn’t an exaggeration is that this gift came straight from the heart of Sloan and her love shines through. Her dad might be slightly embarrassed that she can already draw better than him.

The Mother’s Day gift that Sloan made in Emily Lunsford’s St. Mary Catholic School first grade class.

Beau’s gift looked somewhat similar to something Sidney received about three years ago. Oh that’s right! Sloan made the same oven mitt present when she was in Mrs. Shaurette’s Pre-K3 class for Mother’s Day 2021. Well, if we use Beau’s version as much as we use Sloan’s, it will be an immensely useful gift.

Beau holds the Mother’s Day gift he made in Mrs. Leanne Shaurette’s St. Mary Catholic School Pre-K3 class.

But of course it isn’t the practicality that makes homemade Mother’s Day gifts so special (although it is an added bonus). Rather, it is the personality, love, and memories tucked into each one. Beau’s oven mitt is stamped on the top with his own personal mitt…err…hand. It also came with a bookmark containing a cute poem and a “recipe” straight from Beau’s imaginary cookbook. For those who can’t zoom in on the “Pasta” recipe card, it says: She cooks the pasta in a pan in the oven. Then she puts blue raspberry syrup on it (she likes that). Then we eat it at my Grandma’s. I love you. – Beau

A close up look at the gift Beau gave Sid.

Like I said, it is all about the memories 😂.

Much gratitude to St. Mary for pushing their students to make meaningful Mother’s Day gifts. I can’t wait to see what they come up with for Father’s Day 😉. Don’t Blink.

Fruit Medallions Thursday Rundown

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Do you prefer root beer or cream soda? I really have no reason to ask that other than I needed something to begin this blog post. Now that we got that out of the way, I am pleased to present my latest Thursday Rundown. Here we go with tonight’s five topics…

St. Mary Video – At this past Saturday’s gala, the latest St. Mary Catholic School promotional video made its debut. After watching it on the big screen in the middle of a large audience, I was able to view it again in a more private manner when the video was published to social media earlier this week. Principal Stephen Hart discussed the school’s mission of “making saints” but he had some help from his students. One of these students happens to be Sloan (shocker, right? 😉). Well, let me tell you, when it comes to her performance, my brother summed it up perfectly: Sloan is going to Sloan. You can watch the video here.

A screenshot of Sloan in the 2014 St. Mary Catholic School promotional video. You should watch it!

Sweet Prize – Earlier this month I won a social media contest. I participated in a See’s Candies X promotion and notched the victory. Last Friday, UPS dropped off a large cardboard box at my door. See’s took great care to add ice packs and plenty of packing to secure my prize. They sent me a box of their signature chocolates and a bag of their fruit medallions. I was pleasantly surprised by the medallions. I figured they would be chewy but instead they were soft and so fresh. I don’t think I have ever tasted a better gummy candy. Thanks, See’s!

Beau holds the See’s gummies while Sloan holds the See’s chocolates.

National High Five Day – With today being National High Five Day, I couldn’t resist calling to mind the most legendary brother high five/handshake there is. My brother and I developed a special handshake when we were kids and it has stuck around for a few decades. It is intricate, goofy, and pretty fun. You can read about it and/or watch it.

My brother and I in 2003 right before we executed our handshake.

Waterdog Challenge – I don’t normally do eating challenges but when I do you better believe I complete them. Today is the ninth anniversary of my successful completion of the Waterdog Challenge. I visited a tiny beach ice cream shop in South Carolina to attempt a tall task: 7 scoops of ice cream, 5 toppings, 1 waffle plate….FIVE minutes. It was quite the experience as I gave it my all to win that t-shirt. When the time elapsed, my last piece of the waffle dish was in my mouth and I was declared a winner. My mouth was numb for the rest of the day but my pride was not. Here is the full account of the wacky challenge.

I once ate seven scoops of ice cream in five minutes.

Pyloric Stenosis Awareness – Next week, we will mark the seventh anniversary of Sloan’s successful corrective pyloric stenosis surgery. I have documented this traumatic event in Don’t Blink before (and with this video), but as a newborn Sloan could not keep her food down. Each time she ate something, she violently threw it up. In addition to his permanent spot in our nightly prayers, we send Sloan’s surgeon a note of thanks/update each April. Thanks be to God for Dr. Robert Cina and Sloan’s health!

This photo was taken on April 22, 2017. This was moments before Sloan went in for surgery at MUSC in Charleston, South Carolina. Both of our parents were there for support.

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Well, come on, root beer or cream soda? I like both but the latter is my jam. Thanks for reading and have an amazing weekend. Don’t Blink.

Meeting A Spokane Icon

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On Saturday night, Sidney and I met a person from my childhood past. Throughout my time growing up in Spokane, the local news was constantly on at our house. My parents made it a priority to tune in because of community connectedness, the ability to follow our local sports teams, and sometimes just for background noise.

We also tuned in for the weather. Whether we needed an update on the latest snowstorm, info on what to wear for Bloomsday, or just a general outlook on what the unpredictable and diverse weekly weather would bring to the Inland Northwest, we turned to the local news.

Growing up in Spokane during the 1990s and early 2000s, there was a power player on the local weather scene: Tom Sherry.

On Saturday night at the St. Mary Gala, Sidney and I met Tom Sherry.

Sherry’s name was synonymous with Spokane weather—and, if I dare say—Spokane celebrity in general. If you know anything about how the local news works, you are aware that a typical newscast consists of multiple throwbacks to the meteorologist for weather updates. Watch an hour of local news and you will most likely see the weather person a handful of different times.

With so much exposure, you better believe a sense of pressure exists: either develop rapport and trust with your audience or find a different job.

Well, given those two options, there was a reason why Tom was comfortably installed at KREM for decades. I believe Sherry’s success and longevity went way beyond his command of the weather. He was charismatic, relatable, and deeply ingrained within the community. The man’s legendary charitable work alone gained him the respect of Spokane local news viewers.

I remember the feeling of peace, comfort, and normalcy I felt upon returning to Spokane in 2020. After leaving the community in 2005 to go to college and eventually start my career, I returned 15 years later to find a familiar presence on the news.

Re-connecting with Sherry via the airwaves gave me the opportunity to introduce him to my wife and children before his retirement in 2022. Then, on Saturday night, I had my first ever chance to connect with him in-person.

Over the weekend, St. Mary Catholic School held its fundraising gala. None other than Tom Sherry graciously agreed to emcee the event. The dad of two children who attended St. Mary, Tom holds the school in very high esteem.

After telling our friends, Ryan and Allyson Andrade, of my family’s history with Sherry, Allyson took it upon herself to flag down Sherry during a gala break. Tom came over to our table and talked with us for several moments and graciously took a photo with Sidney and me.

When I told him I was part of a KREM family growing up, he quipped, “Thanks for keeping me employed.” He then talked to Sidney about living in South Carolina and mentioned his connection to Charleston. We also discussed what makes St. Mary so special and other topics. The conversation was just as warm as Tom came across all those nights on KREM.

Thanks for emceeing the St. Mary Gala, Mr. Sherry, it was a pleasure to meet you. Don’t Blink.

Blue Cotton Candy Thursday Rundown

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How lucky am I? It is Thursday and that means the pleasure is mine to offer five random topics for your reading entertainment. Let’s get started…

Beautiful Anniversary – Tomorrow will mark the 4-year anniversary of when we brought Beau home from the NICU! What a joyous day it was. Thanks to all the doctors, nurses, and staff who gave our little guy the absolute best care while he was a patient at the McLeod Health NICU Unit in Florence, SC. To learn more about Beau’s birth, the challenges he faced, Sid’s emotional ride, and the role our faith played, tap here. Thanks be to God!

This was the incubator that Beau rode in to the NICU.

Daddy/Daughter Dance – This past Friday was the annual St. Mary Catholic School Daddy/Daughter Dance. I shared photos on my social media accounts and made this video of the incredible time I had with Sloan. I will have an official dance photo to share in the near future but I thought for tonight’s post I would include some photos from dinner. Is there any question about where we went? Of course it was Red Robin (for like the 97th time since 2021).

Red Robin for the win! We double-dated with Sloan’s classmate, Colie, and her dad.

Cotton Candy Mess – My wife may have threatened my sister when she saw the mess Beau made with the cotton candy portion of his Valentine’s Day gift. The threat went along the lines of, “Miranda, if you ever give my kids cotton candy again, you will die a slow and painful death.” Verdict is still out on whether she really meant it or not 😂.

Beau made a big ‘ol mess with his cotton candy.

National Wisconsin Day – I am sad (actually, I’m not) to say that I have never been to Wisconsin before. But even though I have never stepped foot inside the state, I still feel like I have a connection. This past fall I wrote about my history with the University of Wisconsin. On two different occasions, I saw the Badgers play in the NCAA Tournament. The first time was when I was working for the University of Montana and we played UW in Albuquerque. The second time was when I was working Coastal Carolina University and we played them in Omaha. Then, this past football season, WSU hosted Wisconsin in Pullman. I had the opportunity to produce a video of Badger fans trying our famous Cougar Gold cheese. So, to the whole state of Wisconsin…I salute you.

This is me at the 2012 NCAA Tournament when Montana played Wisconsin in Albuquerque.

Lenten Anecdote – After my Lenten blog posts this week (here and here), I wanted to offer one final observation. I had the pleasure of attending the school mass at St. Mary yesterday with Sloan. These services are always a treat because Fr. Jeff Lewis always preaches so genuinely to the students. During his homily he noted that sometimes we frame Lent as simply a sprint to Easter Sunday and then afterwards we go back to our old ways. He challenged us to use Lent as a “boot camp” to prepare us for Easter but to also get us in shape for life post-Easter as well. Basically, what we do during Lent should draw us closer to God on a permanent basis—not just during these 40 days.

Fr. Jeff Lewis distributes ashes to a St. Mary student (photo from 2020 and courtesy of St. Mary).

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Thank you for your interest in Don’t Blink. Wishing you a fabulous weekend with plenty of relaxation mixed in. Don’t Blink.

Baja Blast Thursday Rundown

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Greetings to all! Is it Thursday already? Well, I think I am prepared for the latest rundown so let’s just jump in and cross fingers that my topics add up to five…

Baja Blast 20th Anniversary – I was a bit shocked when I saw the below display in Safeway. Not surprised that 20 years of life with Baja Blast had already passed but rather that it had only been that long. For some reason I thought I remembered Baja Blast being on the Taco Bell taps since the Stone Age, which would pre-date high school and thus eclipse more than 20 years of teal soda happiness. But I will take the word of Mt. Dew and celebrate just the two decade-milestone.

I am actually surprised that Baja Blast has only been around for 20 years.

Parenting Decision – Sidney and I put our feet down the other night. No more! Not in this house! We told Sloan and Beau that they could no longer make “ice cream soup” (their term) when we treated them to dessert at night. Our kids had become pretty obsessed with eating just a couple bites of their ice cream before swirling and mashing it into a lumpy, sticky liquid. I reached my boiling point when I watched Beau turn gourmet, beautiful ice cream into a disgusting soup when I took him out to a parlor after he ran a weekend errand with me. Not only does “ice cream soup” ruin a special treat but it also makes a mess and is terrible table manners. If the kids ever want to eat ice cream again I think we made ourselves clear.

After watching Beau reduce this beautiful treat to ice cream soup (they gave us a dish with his cone which you can’t see in the photo) I knew we had to put an end to the practice.

Throwback – Thought this week would be another good one for a Throwback. This comes from the “awkward Christmas card pose” file. I don’t know which one of us thought, “Oh, let’s go across the street and pose on the playground slide” but it is now etched in time. What were we thinking?! 😂

I will take “Random and Awkward Family Photos” for $1000, Alex.

90s Films – This past week I watched a couple of well-known movies from the 1990s. On Friday night, Sid and I watched “The Bone Collector” with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. The ending was completely problematic but it was still a fun mystery to try and solve. Although I usually prefer villain-Denzel, he played a great paraplegic hero in this film. Then, just recently, I watched “Searching For Bobby Fischer.” I thought this movie was great and beautiful at the same time as I thought the performance by the boy who played the chess prodigy was superb. The film made me want to go out, buy a chess board, and teach Sloan how to play.

I enjoyed watching both “The Bone Collector” and “Searching for Bobby Fischer.”

Snowball Growth Chart – With all the snow that dumped on the Inland Northwest yesterday, there was more than enough to roll it up into balls and measure the entire population of Spokane. Beau came in at a solid height of 14 snowballs. I didn’t want to waste Ms. Shaurette’s time so I didn’t measure myself but I am pretty sure I would have measured 27 snow balls.

Beau measured 14 snow balls according to the St. Mary snowball growth chart.

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Alright, everything did add up to “five” tonight. I guess that means my work here is done. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the NFL Playoffs this weekend. Don’t Blink.

Saints Alive!

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A few days after dressing up for Halloween, Sloan and Beau put on different costumes. They ditched the witch and Spider-Man garb for something a little bit holier. Our children had the honor of dressing up as saints for the latest St. Mary Family Faith Night this past Saturday. Titled “Saints Alive,” the theme came on the heels of All Saints Day on November 1.

Sloan and a friend make a craft at the St. Mary Family Faith Night on Nov. 4. The theme was “Saints Alive.”

Sloan dressed up as the greatest saint of them all—St. Mary. Sid put the costume together and Sloan proudly carried her baby Jesus throughout the event.

Sloan poses for a photo before we went to Family Faith Night. Sid put together her St. Mary costume.

While Sloan depicted perhaps the most well-known saint, Beau portrayed one of the soon-to-be newest saints. He dressed up as Blessed Carlo, the patron saint of the internet.

Beau dressed up as Blessed Carlo Acutis. The favorite video game of Carlo was Mario Kart and he liked to play soccer. The paper Beau is holding contains a QR code linking to Carlo’s Eucharistic miracles website.

I was in charge of Beau’s costume and was so humbled to put it together. You see, the case of Carlo Acutis is a little different than what most people might think of when they hear the word “saint.” Carlo didn’t live 1,500 years ago, he wasn’t a clergy member, and he wasn’t a martyr. Rather, he was born in 1991, played video games, and liked to kick around the soccer ball.

Blessed Carlo…I mean Beau…throws a stuffed animal at the baskets that are situated in front of St. Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals) at the St. Mary Family Faith Night.

In other words, he was relatable.

Blessed Carlo is sometimes referred to as “the first millennial saint.”

But just because he is a modern day individual who shared probably many similarities with us doesn’t mean he wasn’t holy to the bone. Carlo converted non-believers and non-practicing people to the faith (including his parents), he stuck up for the meek/vulnerable, and he had an incredible devotion to the Eucharistic among so many other things.

St. Carlo is the patron saint of the internet.

Carlo’s devotion to the Eucharistic spurned a huge part of his legacy. The computer genius documented the many Eucharistic miracles that exist and categorized them into a website. He then helped create panel presentations of these miracles that now travel around the world. Sidney and I have been blessed to see one of Carlo’s displays before.

Carlo Actuis during his beatification mass in 2020.

Like so many other beatified people and saints, Carlo would die young. The grace and bravery with which he handled his bout with leukemia is nothing short of inspiring and holy. When asked about the pain, he simply said “There are people who suffer much more than me.” Carlo died at 15.

Beau reels in a catch at St. Peter’s Fishing Hole.

To have a slated saint like Carlo is so beneficial to my children. When we watched a story on Carlo the other night, tears filled the eyes of Sloan. He not only resonates with my kids, he inspires them to be saints as well. And you know what? He does the same for me, too.

Sloan holds the doll she convinced to play Baby Jesus at the St. Mary Family Faith Night.

Thank you to Marie Bricher and St. Mary Catholic Church for offering such an awesome evening. May all the saints pray for us. Don’t Blink.