“Beata was one of the first people to speak to Carlo about God,” says Antonia, mother of Blessed Carlo Acutis. When Carlo was born, his mother had only set foot in a church three times: for her first communion, her confirmation, and her marriage. Carlo’s family then moved to London for professional reasons, where the young boy was entrusted for four years to the care of a Polish nanny, a practicing Catholic with a special devotion to St. John Paul II.
His parents were believers but not practicing their faith, and it was Beata who guided young Carlo’s first steps in the faith. It was she who took him to Mass for the first time. Through her prayers, conversations, and example, she sowed in Carlo’s heart those little seeds of faith which, with time, took root and bore the extraordinary fruits that are now known to the world.
This teaches us an important lesson about the role of caregivers such as nannies, babysitters, daycare providers, etc., in the lives of our children. Their influence, whether for good or ill, can be significant. Here are some ways caregivers can help young souls to blossom:
1Awakening them to the faith
A nanny or babysitter often spends many hours with the children in her care. These are opportunities to talk to the children about Jesus, to teach them prayers or songs, to read to them about the lives of the saints, and to organize activities related to the Christian faith. Of course, this all presupposes that the parents, the first educators, are informed and agree to it. The point is not converting or evangelizing, but awakening a soul to God’s love for each person.
The story of Carlo and Beata makes us realize the impact a caring Christian presence can have on a child’s heart. This effect is all the greater when there is coherence between the convictions transmitted by the childcare provider and the parents.
2Giving Christian answers to children's questions
Starting around age 3, children often ask very profound questions about the meaning of life, about death, about creation, and about religion. The people taking care of the children, who are present and available when the child asks these kinds of questions, can guide the child toward knowing and loving God. Offering a Christian answer is another way of giving God a place in the child’s heart.
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Carlo Acutis’ principal: He’s a beacon for children and young people
Carlo’s mother testifies in this regard: “He was three or four years old when he started asking very deep questions. He was very attracted to the Church, Jesus, the Virgin Mary …” He assailed his mother with questions about faith, and his nanny too, no doubt. His nanny was able to give him well-formed answers and to encourage the grace of baptism, received just after his birth, to unfold in him in a very special way.
3Being an example
It cannot be over-emphasized how much an adult’s example of Christian life is a powerful means of education. Children imitate almost everything they see adults doing. A child seeing his or her babysitter or nanny praying, praising the Lord, saying grace, or thanking Heaven for a good day is a powerful way to initiate a young soul to the Christian faith.
4Praying for the child
A nanny, babysitter, or daycare provider has the wonderful opportunity of praying for the child in her care, even if the fruits are not immediately visible. Speaking of parents’ prayers for their children, Brother Thierry-Joseph compared the adults’ prayers to a flood of graces accumulating in front of the child’s door:
“Only the child can open his heart to God, who wants us to be radically free. The day the young person makes up his mind, God enters more easily.”
If Carlo opened his heart with incredible promptness and candor, other children will also undoubtedly open their hearts, if the adults who take care of them also entrust them to God, with faith and love, in their prayers.
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The mother of Venerable Carlo Acutis says he was her little savior
Blessed Carlo was exceptional not only for his holiness but also for his wisdom and understanding, especially at such a young age. Meditate on his words with these 10 inspiring quotes from Blessed Carlo Acutis …
And today we celebrate...