“What a privilege! What a blessing!” — President Washut Reflects on Experience at Canonization Mass of Saints Frassati and Acutis
Fr. Dcn. Kyle Washut had the great honor and privilege of serving as a deacon at the canonization Mass of Saints Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis on Saturday, September 7th. Below, a reflection he wrote upon his return to the States.
I first encountered Pier Giorgio over twenty years ago at World Youth Day–his incorrupt body has been present at many of the festivals since Denver 1993–and over the years I have grown to admire him greatly. I admire his ardent love of the Blessed Mother, his profound devotion to the Eucharist, his desire to pursue wisdom, and the way his studies blossomed into deep friendship with his fellow students, and ultimately, with God. He was a university student who integrated his love of outdoor adventure, his deep personal friendships, his eagerness to recite poetry and his habit of bursting into song, and his desire to place the challenges of his studies within a concrete commitment to serve his neighbor and to love God. Pier Giorgio was a man of grit and grace; a young man willing to step outside the norm and pursue authentic greatness with every fiber of his being.
My love for Pier Giorgio has only increased as I have worked at Wyoming Catholic College, as the formation we offer helps our students to intentionally emulate this great saint. Our approach to study, to poetry, to the outdoors, spirituality, and service to the poor are all inspired by this exceptional young man. The first building that the College purchased in downtown Lander served as a student lounge and cafeteria in the early years, as well as the center where students could check out outdoor gear for their own wilderness adventures. When asked to propose a name for the building, the students chose Frassati Hall. Each year, a graduating senior is awarded the Frassati Award in honor of their outstanding work in the College’s outdoor program. And our Oratory houses a framed picture of the saint along with a second-class relic–a gift from his niece in recognition of our exceptional love for him.
On hearing of his upcoming canonization, the College organized numerous celebrations around the event. COR Expeditions led a mountain climbing trip to the mountainous Marian shrine outside of Turin where Frassati loved to climb, I spoke to a Legatus chapter about the life and witness of the saint-to-be, and we organized the summiting of a Rocky Mountain peak on the expected day of his canonization. 
As spiritually fruitful as all of our celebrations were, none of them coincided with Frassati’s canonization, which Pope Leo XIV delayed until September 7, when he planned to canonize Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio together. While initially saddened by the delay, I’ve come to see the joint canonization as containing an important message from Pope Leo to today’s world, one which resonates clearly with WCC’s own mission.
The parallels between these two youthful Italian saints are remarkable, but I was particularly struck by Carlo Acutis’ exceptional asceticism in moderating his use of video games and the internet. He died in 2006, shortly before the smart phone emerged on the scene, but even in those days, he was intentionally restricting his video game use to less than 2-hours-per-week. For this reason, I think Carlo Acutis might well be seen as the patron saint for fasting from technology to allow for its prudent use. Leo, who is so concerned about the digital revolution of AI, canonized the “outdoor saint” alongside the “technology fast” saint, inviting the youth of the world to creatively fast from technology and enter into the wilderness as part of their renewal of holiness.
I mentioned to a friend what a profound “WCC canonization” this seemed to be, and he advised me to reach out to the Vatican to see if I could serve as a deacon for the canonization. I hadn’t even known such a request was possible, but sure enough, the Vatican allows deacons and priests from around the world to concelebrate with the Holy Father at public liturgies, and I was privileged to be among that number. Friend and WCC board member Deacon Tim Flanigan joined me on pilgrimage to the canonization, and together we served as deacons at the Mass, along with around forty others from around the world.
The night before the canonization, Dcn. Tim and I attended the Pier Giorgio Frassati Association for a prayer vigil at the Gregorian University. There, we were privileged to hold the climbing axe that Pier Giorgio wielded on his mountain excursions and that is prominently featured in the mountaintop images of him that have become so famous.
The next morning, we arrived early to St. Peter’s Square, and were invited into the very front rows; as deacons, it was our role to assist the Holy Father in the distribution of communion to such a large crowd. I was pleased to see that my friend and fellow Newman Guide College president, Msgr. Shea was concelebrating at the Mass, and we rejoiced together that after years of waiting and praying, we were privileged to see the joy of Pier Giorgio’s canonization. Pope Leo himself came out to address the crowd just before Mass, exhorting everyone to enter into the celebration of the liturgy, stressing its solemnity while radiantly proclaiming the joy of the day.
The Mass itself was beautiful. The saints’ lives were described, their sanctity proclaimed, and the entire assembly invited to invoke a solemn litany, as Pope Leo raised these two young men to the honor of the altar. Carlo’s younger brother proclaimed the first reading, giving voice to Solomon’s prayer for wisdom–a longing that is found in the heart of every young adult, for it is only through the gift of wisdom that one can fully live out one’s life as intended. The Gospel was proclaimed twice, once in Latin (by a Roman deacon), and then again, in Greek (by a Byzantine deacon), inviting each of us to take up our cross and follow our Lord. The Pope concluded his homily by referencing Pier Giorgio’s final photograph, where he is scaling the mountain and on which he wrote, “Verso L’alto”: “Saints Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces. …to enjoy life to the full and meet the Lord in the feast of heaven.”
At the Eucharistic prayer, we deacons were each entrusted with a ciborium of hosts and a chalice of wine. We stood before the high altar and held the sacred gifts as Pope Leo consecrated them, as the Body and Blood of Our Lord became present in our hands. Then, we were sent to the priestly concelebrants, who each took from us a sacred host, intincted it in the chalice, and received the Eucharist. Afterwards, we went up into St. Peter’s to receive the Eucharist ourselves, and to purify the sacred vessels.
What a privilege! What a blessing! To serve as a deacon for the pope at the canonization of two saints whose witness is so sorely needed for the youth of today!
I pray that, through the prayers of Pier Giorgio, my work and the work of Wyoming Catholic College may serve as an oblation on the altar of the Lord, and that through our unity with the Holy Father, we can offer the saving mysteries of Christ to our students. Strengthened by what they learn and experience here, may they go forth and serve the world, transformed by the great call to holiness that they hear all the more clearly through their fasting from distraction and experiencing the Lord in the wilderness. And I can’t wait to celebrate Pier Giorgio’s first feast day as a saint this upcoming July 4, 2026. Lander is going to have quite the party!
St. Pierre Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Actuis, pray for us.
