Hajja Salesjana October-November 2020

8 H AJJA S ALESJANA Jesus was his first priority. Carlo also liked to make things around him more beautiful. When he was young, when we would go to the sea, he’d bring his mask with him and make it a game to “go hunting” for litter on the seabed. He would often take the dogs for walking in the park and pick up rubbish that was there. Just little things to make his corner of the world better. Did Carlo have to struggle very hard for these virtues, or do you think many were gifts of grace from God? Carlo knew very well the struggles and worked hard on himself. He used to say, “Every minute that passes is a minute less for us to qualify ourselves for God.” He didn’t want to waste time and always tried to bring people toward what was essential — the Essential, who is God. Many people will witness, he was really pure of heart. He had a way of composing himself, a way to act and speak that was inspired. He never disturbed his classmates — many people today, who are within the Church, they have a way of really disturbing others; overbearing, often not knowing when it is a good moment to evangelize, or how to speak. With Carlo, he was really balanced — he was so close to God. He understood how to attract people. That was a gift of God. What would you say to other parents who may be struggling with raising sons, or who are currently watching their children suffer from cancer or disease, some advice? You know, to live close to someone like Carlo means to not remain neutral in your own faith. For me, Carlo brought me closer to God. the internet was leading people toward a false sense of self. Now, we hear of young people committing suicide. He saw the internet as a way to reach people, but he also would say how terribly the internet would be used by the devil, especially, even then, with pornography. What were some of Carlo’s extraordinary virtues? Carlo was aware, deeply aware, of others’ struggles. It was as if he could see what sins people carried with them, and he always tried to help people — his friends, with their struggles with purity and experimenting with drugs. He always tried to help them. There were many of his friends, people who knew him, that witnessed how he would help them. He was a leader when he spoke, because when he spoke, he was filled with God. He would always say he tried to live in the presence of God. He had a special way of approaching people, I think, because of this. For Carlo, he also knew when to evangelize. He was asked to help in catechism [class], and he did — but he never forced this on others. Many people knew Carlo, and many were of other beliefs. That exhibition that he made — that still goes all over the world, the exhibition on the Most Holy Eucharist — this was his gift. He used the gifts he had to evangelize this period of time. When we would go on trips to photograph the different Eucharistic miracles — you see, for him to create the website, and later, the exhibitions, he knew people (especially young people) would want to see them. We would go on these trips, and the first thing he would do when we arrived, was to go find a church that was open, so he could say “Hello” to Jesus.