20/06/2026
โLove Mary, Love the Eucharistโ: Fr. Jerome Ponce, OFM Highlights the Marian Spirituality of Saint Carlo Acutis
TANYAG, TAGUIG CITY โ June 19, 2026 โ Parishioners, youth, church workers, and devotees gathered at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish for a Marian formation talk led by Fr. Jerome Ponce, OFM, who reflected on the theme โAng Mahal na Birheng Maria sa Buhay ni San Carlo Acutis.โ The gathering offered participants a deeper appreciation of how devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary led the young saint to an extraordinary love for Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Fr. Ponce presented Saint Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint of the Catholic Church, as a model of holiness for the modern world. Canonized by Pope Leo XIV on September 7, 2025, Carlo became known worldwide as the โCyber Apostle of the Eucharistโ because of his use of digital technology to promote faith, especially devotion to the Eucharist.
At the heart of the talk was one of Carloโs well-known statements: โMary is the only woman in my life.โ Fr. Ponce explained that this declaration reflected Carloโs profound relationship with the Blessed Mother, whom he regarded as his mother, protector, friend, and guide to Jesus.
โSino si Maria sa ating buhay?โ Fr. Ponce asked the participants. โInilalapit ba tayo ng ating debosyon kay Maria kay Kristo o inilalayo tayo nito?โ
He emphasized that authentic Marian devotion always leads believers closer to Jesus and never away from Him.
The Secret of Carloโs Holiness
According to Fr. Ponce, the secret of Carlo Acutisโ holiness was simple: the Eucharist and Mary.
Carloโs famous motto, โThe Eucharist is my highway to heaven,โ summarized the center of his spiritual life. From a young age, he attended Mass daily, prayed the Rosary faithfully, and went to confession regularly.
โRosaryo, Misa, at Kumpisal,โ Fr. Ponce said, โito ang mga haliging bumuo sa kabanalan ni Carlo.โ
The Franciscan priest explained that while Carlo deeply loved Mary, his devotion never ended with her. Rather, Mary continually led him toward Jesus in the Eucharist.
โHabang minamahal niya si Maria,โ Fr. Ponce noted, โmas lalo niyang minahal si Kristo.โ
Mary: The First Tabernacle
One of the highlights of the formation was the reflection on Mary as the first tabernacle.
Before Christ became sacramentally present in churches throughout the world, He first dwelt in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For this reason, Fr. Ponce explained that Mary possesses a unique relationship with the Eucharist.
โKung nais nating matutong mahalin si Hesus sa Eukaristiya,โ he said, โmatututo tayo kay Maria.โ
The connection between Mary and the Eucharist became evident in Carloโs life. His devotion to the Blessed Mother nurtured within him a profound Eucharistic spirituality that eventually shaped every aspect of his life.
The Rosary: A School of Prayer and Holiness
Fr. Ponce also described the Rosary as a school of prayer and a school of holiness.
For Carlo, the Rosary became a powerful weapon against temptation, anxiety, and the countless distractions of modern life. Through praying the mysteries of Christ with Mary, he learned to focus on what truly mattered.
Participants were reminded that the Rosary is not merely a repetitive prayer but a means of contemplating the life of Jesus through the eyes of His Mother.
Maryโs words at the Wedding Feast of Cana served as the foundation of this spirituality:
โDo whatever He tells you.โ
According to Fr. Ponce, these words summarize the entire mission of Mary. She always points believers toward Jesus and teaches them to follow Him faithfully.
From Devotion to Action
The Franciscan priest stressed that genuine devotion must lead to concrete Christian action.
The life of Saint Carlo Acutis demonstrated a progression from devotion, to deeper knowledge of Christ, and ultimately to service.
Beyond prayer, Carlo performed acts of charity and showed concern for those in need. His spirituality was not limited to personal devotion but was expressed through love of neighbor and generosity toward the poor.
โAng tunay na debosyon,โ Fr. Ponce explained, โay humahantong sa pagkilos para sa kapwa.โ
Evangelizing in the Digital Age
As the โCyber Apostle of the Eucharist,โ Carlo also showed how modern technology can become an instrument of evangelization.
Fr. Ponce encouraged participants, particularly the youth, to imitate Carlo by using digital media responsibly and creatively to share the Gospel.
Whether in the family, parish, school, workplace, or online communities, Christians are called to become witnesses of Christ.
He challenged young people to remain faithful to their identity as disciples of Jesus and echoed Carloโs famous exhortation:
โBe original.โ
In a world that pressures many to conform, Carloโs life demonstrates that holiness remains possible for every generation.
Mary Guided Carlo to Sainthood
As the formation concluded, Fr. Ponce highlighted the virtues that marked Carloโs life: humility, purity, obedience, and faith.
These virtues, he said, were cultivated under the maternal guidance of Mary, who led the young saint toward a deeper union with Christ.
Participants were encouraged to strengthen family prayer, teach children to pray, deepen their love for the Eucharist, and cultivate devotion to the Blessed Mother.
As a concrete spiritual challenge, Fr. Ponce invited the faithful to undertake 30 days of praying the Rosary, attending Holy Mass, and spending time in Eucharistic Adoration, following the example of Saint Carlo Acutis.
The formation ended with a simple yet powerful message that captured the spirituality of the young saint:
โLove Mary. Pray the Rosary. Love the Eucharist.โ
For in the life of Saint Carlo Acutis, the faithful discover that devotion to Mary always leads to Jesus Christโthe true highway to heaven. /Fr. Lito Jopson, Pasig Soccom
