By Katie Vasquez
BELLE HARBOR, Queens — During his life, Saint Carlo Acutis created a website showcasing Eucharistic miracles from around the world.
That work has since been transformed into a traveling exhibit, drawing strong interest across the tri-state area, according to St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy Principal Chris Scharbach.
“It’s been all around the tri-state area over the past two years,” Scharbach said. “Once we heard about it, it was a great opportunity for our kids.”
The Knights of Columbus in Garden City, Long Island, loaned the exhibit to the Queens school for one day, offering students a chance to explore documented miracles tied to the Eucharist.
For seventh grader Andrew Amplo, the experience left a lasting impression.
“It’s just really impressive,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do something like this.”
Classmate Anthony Capek said one miracle in Argentina stood out to him. He described an incident in which a consecrated host reportedly did not dissolve in water and later showed what appeared to be bloodstains. According to Capek, testing indicated the presence of human blood.
The exhibit aligns with the school’s broader goal of encouraging students to connect more deeply with their faith. Seventh grader Caroline Minson said Acutis serves as a relatable example.
“He is a very good role model for younger students like us because we can aspire to be like him,” she said.
St. Francis de Sales is also part of a pilot program introducing an apologetics class focused on defending religious doctrine, with an emphasis on Eucharistic miracles.
School leaders say the initiative is designed to form future evangelists.
“Anything that’s going to help our junior high kids learn a little bit about the Eucharist and bring them closer to that physical presence of Christ is just great,” Scharbach said.
John O’Brien, associate superintendent for the Diocese of Brooklyn, said the program equips students to articulate and share their beliefs.
“Really equipping themselves to defend the faith, to speak about the faith and really be tools of evangelization for their peers and the wider community,” O’Brien said.
Students were also required to take notes during the exhibit and were graded on what they learned.