Offaly school to be named after teen saint

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Lumcloon National School is to be renamed in honour of teenage saint St Carlo Acutis at a special ceremony this month.

The renaming of the school as St Carlo Acutis Primary School, Lumcloon, will be made official on Thursday, November 19, following a proposal put forward by local parish priest Fr Pat Kiernan and supported by the school's board of management.

St Carlo Acutis, who was canonised last year, was considered a suitable choice because of his relevance to young people and his connection with technology.

The English-born Italian teenager was recognised as the first millennial saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Often called "God's influencer" and the "patron saint of the Internet", he combined a deep religious devotion with a passion for computers.

Before his death from leukemia in 2006 at age 15, St Carlo Acutis combined his computer skills with his faith to document over 130 historical Eucharistic Miracles across the globe.

“He's very relevant to children's lives, seeing that he's the patron saint of the internet, websites and youth,” the principal of Lumcloon NS, Michael Hyland, told the Offaly Independent.

Mr Hyland, said the idea for the name came about after Fr Pat Kiernan, a member of the board of management, recognised that Lumcloon NS was the only school in the parish of Cloghan & Banagher, and neighbouring parishes, not already dedicated to a saint.

The proposal was to rededicate the school to a saint as a way of promoting and strengthening its Catholic ethos.

The idea was subsequently put forward to Bishop Paul Connell, who welcomed the proposal.

Pupils at the school are already familiar with the story of St Carlo, with efforts made last year to raise awareness of his life in the lead-up to his canonisation.

Mr Hyland said the school had been keen to ensure children understood the story behind the young saint.

“Last year, obviously, when he was being canonised, there was a big effort to make the children aware in the school,” he said.

Fr Pat has also played a role in educating pupils about St Carlo, providing pictures and information about his life, the miracles attributed to him, and his interest in technology.

Michael said the children now know about “how young St Carlo was in his past” as well as his connection with websites and the internet.

The official rededication ceremony will take place on November 19, when Bishop Paul will visit Lumcloon NS to formally dedicate the school in honour of St Carlo Acutis.

The ceremony is expected to begin at approximately 10am, and the school is looking forward to marking the occasion.