The canonizations of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis by Pope Leo XIV on Sunday should inspire every believer to strive for sainthood, film producer and Catholic activist Eduardo Verastegui told Newsmax on Monday.
On "American Agenda," Verastegui said the historic moment was "an amazing inspiration" and a reminder that holiness is not reserved for a few, but a calling for all.
"These incredible young men were not afraid to ask God every day to help them to be saints," Verastegui said. "We are all called to be saints, and we cannot be afraid of that. We're all broken, but with humility we can get on our knees every day and ask God for help."
Frassati, an early 20th-century Italian known for his charity and joy, and Acutis, a 15-year-old computer wiz dubbed "God's influencer," were declared saints before crowds of pilgrims in Rome.
Acutis, the first millennial saint, used his technological gifts to spread devotion to the Eucharist online before his death in 2006 of leukemia. Frassati also died young, of polio in 1925 at age 24.
Verastegui said witnessing the canonization alongside the families of the new saints was deeply moving. He recalled meeting Acutis' mother and asking her to pray for him, calling the encounter "a very touching moment" filled with tears and gratitude.
But for Verastegui, the celebration was not only about looking back at their lives, but also about accepting a challenge.
"Carlo used social media to evangelize," he said. "We need to do the same — not for vanity, not for pride, but to spread the love of Christ."
He emphasized that sainthood begins with daily devotion: attending Mass, receiving the Eucharist, praying the rosary, and serving others.
"If you want to go to heaven, you have to be a saint," Verastegui said. "Anything else is a distraction. You watching me right now — you could be the next saint."
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