One of the highlights of the Catholic youth festival Purpose Fest 2025, held in Sydney this month was the world premiere of The Carlo Acutis VR Experience, which offered attendees a snapshot of the faith and the future. Source: Catholic Weekly.
Hundreds of young people clamoured to be the first in the world to step into the groundbreaking virtual reality journey that transports attendees into the life and spiritual legacy of the young, soon-to-be saint.
Aligned with the Church’s mission to adapt to changing cultural contexts without compromising the Gospel, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney now stands at the forefront of evangelisation through innovation as it premiered this world-first virtual reality encounter into Blessed Acutis’ faith journey and his devotion and love for the Eucharist.
Developed by the Director of the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, Daniel Ang, The Carlo Acutis VR Experience is the result of months of teamwork dedicated to presenting the timeless Gospel in fresh and compelling ways.
“Virtual reality will never replace the richness of real, embodied life in the Church,” Mr Ang said. “But it can be a new frontier for creativity and encounter, a space in which the truth is sought and where beauty can be contemplated in a fresh and really impactful way.”
He said he was a bit nervous as it was his first engagement of VR as a project, and it was finalised only in the hours before the conference, but it was worth the risk.
“Seeing people’s faces as they stepped into the VR world for the first time was amazing: walking through the streets of Milan where Carlo Acutis shared his faith, standing in the bedroom where he built his website about Eucharistic miracles, sitting in a small chapel like one where he might’ve prayed the Rosary, or kneeling in a cathedral where he would have received the Eucharist,” he said.
After trying the experience for himself, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP said he thought The Carlo Acutis VR Experience was very clever.
“It was a fun and powerful way to encounter this young saint whose life shows how faith and technology can go hand in hand. A good reminder that holiness is possible in every age – even our digital one,” he said.
Sisters, Annabelle and Angelina Toma, and best friend Rose Zoori from Wetherill Park, had little knowledge of Carlo Acutis before trying on the VR goggles – the gateway to the experience.
As the experience began, onlookers laughed as the three friends clutched at air and whooped with delight. It was a 10-minute experience that left them emotional and inspired.
“It was like stepping into his shoes,” Annabelle said. “I feel like I know so much about him. To see his devotion come alive through virtual reality made his story so much more real and inspiring.”
Angelina said: “It’s more engaging for young people like us to experience something like this, than read it in a book. It’s great way to connect with the youth.”
Rose agreed: “I think with the modern teenagers, they’ll love this because it’s new, fun and it’s associated with games. This is just a stepping stone into the right direction.”
The Vatican announced last month that Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonised on September 7.
FULL STORY
Into the mystery: How virtual reality is reimagining Catholic evangelisation (By Darren Ally, Catholic Weekly)
