Young Sydney Catholics will encounter the faith of Blessed Carlo Acutis – the first millennial saint – through the world’s first virtual reality experience dedicated to his life and legacy. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Developed by Sydney Centre for Evangelisation director Daniel Ang, in collaboration with leading Sydney-based tech innovators, the Carlo Acutis: A Light in the Digital World exhibit marks a new chapter in digital evangelisation.
Inspired by the vision of Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Richard Umbers, it brings faith and technology together like never before.
“One of Bishop Umbers’ key encouragements has been to explore the potential of new technology and how it can serve the Gospel,” Mr Ang said.
“This new initiative invites young people to see holiness not as something distant, but as something real and relatable – something lived in their own digital world.”
Far more than a technological novelty, the experience offers a spiritual encounter with a role model of holiness who is inspiring a generation.
Born in 1991 and dying from leukemia at just 15, Carlo Acutis loved pizza, video games, and soccer —but at the heart of his short life was a passionate devotion to the Eucharist, which he called his “highway to heaven.”
He will be canonised on September 7.
During the two to three-minute journey, young Catholics are not just learning about Carlo –they’re invited to dream about their own path to becoming a saint.
“Our goal isn’t just to inform, it’s to awaken and transform,” Mr Ang said.
“We want young people to understand that holiness isn’t some unreachable ideal, nor does it require extravagance. It’s a real and present call.
“This VR experience helps them encounter that truth in a way that’s immersive, deeply personal, and unlike anything they’ve experienced in Church life.”
The exhibit will be unveiled next month at Sydney Archdiocese’s Purpose Fest and will serve as a trial of virtual reality initiatives ahead of the International Eucharistic Congress, which Sydney will host in 2028.
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A world-first VR journey with Blessed Carlo Acutis (By Darren Ally, The Catholic Weekly)
