It can be tempting to think that Bl. Carlo Actuis' love of video games "canonizes" in some way the often secluded world of digital gaming.
Someone could even think that because Bl. Carlo Acutis played video games, it is possible to become a saint through video gaming.
However, it's important to recall that as much as Bl. Carlo Acutis loved to pay video games, he loved serving the poor even more.
Worried about becoming enslaved by video games
In his book Carlo Acutis: A Millennial in Paradise, Fr. Will Conquer recounts a negative experience Carlo had playing video. Conquer explains how one day Carlo invited friends over to his house to play video games.
At first, everyone was having a good time, but it soon turned sour.
His friends became agitated and angry, resulting in many tears and hurt feelings. Carlo was shocked by the experience and realized that "video games controlled his friends."
The experience had a profound impact on him, and Carlo's mother told CNS how Carlo “played video games, although usually just one hour a week because he understood that one could be enslaved by video games.”
Video games are not inherently bad or evil, but becoming addicted to video games, refusing to go outside the home, is an issue.
Friend of the poor
Carlo spent much more time during his week serving the poor, even as a teenager.
Nicola Gori, the postulator of Acutis' cause, explained to the Catholic News Agency how Carlos spent much of his extra money on the poor:
From childhood he showed great charity towards others. His love was extraordinary, first of all for his parents and then for the poor, the homeless, the marginalized and the elderly abandoned and alone...He used the savings from his weekly pocket money to help the beggars and those who slept outdoors. He organized fairs in the parish to help the missions with the funds raised.
He even regularly volunteered at a church-run soup kitchen.
While kids might be attracted to Carlo because of his love of video games, they should be taught that his holiness was not achieved through video gaming.
Carlo was beatified for the heroic practice of his faith, especially his love of the poor and the Eucharist.
Unfortunately he was not beatified for his love of the PlayStation.
