Bishop Philip writes…
We have a great grace and joy this coming week: the visit of the relics of St. Carlo Acutis to the Cathedral! I will officially welcome the relics and celebrate Mass at 6pm on Wednesday 11th March. The Mass will be followed by catechesis and time for veneration until 9pm. On Thursday 12th, veneration will continue and there will be a Schools Mass at 11am and a closing Mass at 5.30pm. St. Carlo (3 May 1991 – 12 October 2006) has been called ‘God’s influencer.’ At the age of seven, he wrote: “To be close to Jesus always, that’s my life plan.” He also wrote that “by standing before the sun you get a tan… but by standing before the Eucharistic Christ, you become holy”. For him, “the Eucharist is a highway to Heaven”, and the most powerful means to become saints quickly. Famous too is his phrase: “Everyone is born originals but many die as photocopies.” Do try to pay a visit!
You can read below about an exciting Diocesan pilgrimage we are planning to Turin and Assisi summer relating to St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Meanwhile, welcome to this edition of e-News for Tuesday 10th March 2026. Celebrating the visit of the relics, we begin in e-News this week a series of five spiritual conferences that Fr. Tom Kleinschmidt recently gave to our school heads, deputies and leaders on St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati as models for our children. As we enter the third week of Lent, please continue to pray for vocations, especially for the men who came along to discuss the priesthood with me on 4th January. May the Lord give them grace and light to discern their vocation in life, whatever it may be.
With all good wishes and an assurance of my prayers,
In Corde Iesu
+Philip
Bishop of Portsmouth
[Image: Aleteia]
