While its true that initially St. Carlo Acutis was raised by parents who were not particularly devoted to their Catholic faith, sanctity runs deep in his family's ancestry.
His mother, Antonia Salzano Acutis, shared in an interview that there are two canonized nuns on her side of the family, as well as a famous mathematician on her husband's side.
She said, "We have saintly roots and mathematical roots, and the result was Carlo."
St. Giulia Salzano
Born in 1846, St. Giulia was entrusted to the Sisters of Charity in the Royal Orphanage of Saint Nicola La Strada when her father died during her childhood. This fostered within her a vocation to the religious life and she felt drawn to teach children.
She was particularly devoted to teaching the catechism, as she once said, "While I have any life left in me, I will continue to teach the catechism. And then, I assure you, I would be very happy to die teaching the catechism."
St. Guilia died in 1929 at the age of 82 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. Her feast day is May 17.
According to Antonia Salzano, she is a relation on St. Carlo’s maternal grandfather’s side. Interestingly enough, St. Guilia was friends with St. Caterina Volpicelli, who is the second saint related to Carlo.
St. Caterina Volpicelli
Born in 1839, St. Caterina was raised in an upper-middle class family and initially was attracted to the pleasures in life, as the Vatican biography explains:
Caterina had been trying to outshine her sister in society, frequently going to the theatre and the ballet, but prompted by the Lord's Spirit who revealed God's plan to her through the voice of wise and holy spiritual directors, she soon gave up the transient pleasures of an elegant and carefree life, to adhere with generous decision to a vocation of perfection and holiness.
She was at first active in the Apostleship of Prayer (now known as the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network), but later on founded the Institute of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She also founded orphanages, and helped promote deovtion to the Holy Eucharist.
St. Caterina participated in the first National Eucharistic Congress celebrated in Naples in 1891. She died in 1894 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. Her feast day is December 28.
Antonia Salzano said that St. Caterina is a relation on St. Carlo's maternal grandmother’s side.
These two saints were undoubtedly interceding for young Carlo and their intercession had great effect, as he had a desire during his short life to teach others about the Eucharist.
