A saint, a sacred relic and infinite grace

Upon arriving in Assisi, Italy, in March, I was immediately struck by the city’s profound beauty and spiritual depth. From the moment I stepped off the train, there was a palpable sense of the presence of Saints Francis, Clare and Carlo. Assisi provides a rare opportunity to walk in the footsteps of both the great saints of the Church and a saint of our modern time.

That saint, the first millennial saint, as he’s been called, was the reason for my mission to Assisi: to collect a relic of Saint Carlo Acutis.

In September 2025, Pope Leo XIV canonized Carlo Acutis, who was subsequently chosen as the patron of our newest Catholic school in Oklahoma, Saint Carlo Acutis Academy, which serves both the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.

In December, Archbishop Coakley submitted a formal petition to the Diocese of Assisi requesting that our school be named the benefactor of a relic of Saint Carlo Acutis. In January, this request was graciously approved, with the stipulation that the relic be received in person. I was deeply honored to be entrusted with this responsibility and to travel to Assisi to receive this sacred relic on behalf of our school community.

During my stay, I resided in a peaceful former monastery, which offered a prayerful setting to spiritually prepare for the significance of the days ahead. Providentially, this visit coincided with a time when the relics of Saint Francis of Assisi were exposed for public veneration, allowing me to participate in this deeply meaningful devotion.

I attended an English-language Mass at the Abbey of San Pietro, where I encountered a warm and welcoming community of the faithful, many of whom were American. I was especially struck by the many connections between Oklahoma and Assisi, and by the genuine enthusiasm expressed by those I met for the growing relationship with Saint Carlo Acutis Academy.

I had the privilege of meeting Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo, custodian of the relics of Saint Carlo Acutis. He extended a gracious welcome and introduced me to Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi. One of the most profound moments of the trip was a guided tour of the Bishop’s Palace at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. There, I walked through the “Door of Decision,” the very doorway through which Saint Francis passed as he renounced his worldly possessions to fully embrace a life of poverty, chastity and obedience in service to Christ.

After passing through this sacred threshold, I received a personal prayer and blessing from Archbishop Sorrentino – an experience both humbling and unforgettable.

Carlo believed Assisi to be a place of profound spiritual significance and often expressed a desire for his family to have a second home there so they might spend more time in its sacred presence. During my visit, I came to understand more deeply the devotion Saint Carlo Acutis held for Saint Francis. One quickly realizes that it is nearly impossible to love one of these saints without being drawn to the other.

Though his life was brief, Carlo embodied the virtues of mercy, grace and charity in a remarkable way. What makes his witness so compelling is his simplicity – he was an ordinary teenager who lived an extraordinary faith. In his normalcy, he offered the world a powerful example of how sainthood is attainable in everyday life.

When you enter his church, you find Carlo dressed in Nike shoes, jeans, and a simple jacket—peaceful in repose, approachable and familiar. Yet, standing before him, there is an undeniable sense of the presence of Christ. I was able to see all three saints and ask for their intercession for our school and our students. 

My time in Assisi was a truly beautiful and grace-filled experience. As I departed the Bishop’s Palace, I was given the unexpected honor of encountering Cardinal Ernest Simoni of Albania. As he stepped from his car just ahead of me, his attendant noticed my amazement and kindly asked if I would like to meet him. I responded with an immediate and enthusiastic yes, hardly believing that the day could become any more extraordinary.

Yet it did. This encounter was followed by the profound privilege of venerating the relics of Saint Francis, bringing the day to a deeply moving and prayerful close.

It was, without question, the trip of a lifetime. While I returned home from Assisi, I left a part of my heart there, among the saints who continue to inspire and intercede for us. And brought back a part of Saint Carlo Acutis, to be among us and be there for a bright and beautiful future with our school.


Photo: Misty Smith, head of school for St. Carlo Acutis Academy, traveled to Assisi, Italy, in March to receive a relic of Saint Carlo Acutis. Photo provided.