Written by the Saint Carlo Acutis Virtual Academy (CAVA) Communications Team
This past Easter break, members of our Blessed Carlo Acutis Virtual Academy (CAVA) community embarked on what we believed would be a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Rome to witness the canonization of our patron, Blessed Carlo Acutis. Plans had been in motion for months. Plane tickets were booked, Mass intentions prepared and anticipation and excitement ran high. As a virtual Catholic school deeply connected to Carlo’s witness of digital evangelization, this was more than a trip—it was a spiritual milestone.
But God had other plans.
Instead of witnessing the canonization of the first “Millennial Saint,” we found ourselves unexpectedly present for another monumental moment in Church history: the final Easter blessing, death and funeral of Pope Francis. What began as a joyful pilgrimage became an even deeper encounter with the mystery of faith, sacrifice and Church unity. Two members of our leadership team—our principal, who joined the Archdiocese of Miami delegation, and our vice principal, who traveled with her family—offer reflections on this profound journey.
From a Principal’s Perspective: Representing the Archdiocese at a Sacred Moment
Written by Dr. Rebeca Bautista, CAVA Principal, rbautista@cava.academy
In traveling with the Archdiocese of Miami to Rome for the Jubilee 2025 pilgrimage, I anticipated a celebratory event—the canonization of a young, relatable saint whose story continues to inspire our students and our school. Instead, we found ourselves shepherding our flock through an unexpected, sacred farewell to a beloved pontiff.
The shift in tone was immediate and deeply reverent from the moment we landed in Rome. As we walked the streets, draped in silence, reflectiveness and prayer, we saw how the Church grieves with a unified hope. Representing CAVA during this time was an unexpected honor. I prayed in St. Peter’s Square for our school, faculty, families and especially our students—many of whom were moved by the coverage of Pope Francis’ passing and the outpouring of love from around the world.
Though we did not witness Carlo’s canonization, we lived the very lessons he embodied: detachment from our expectations, a readiness to follow Christ even when the path shifts and a reliance on the Church’s enduring presence. His canonization will come in God’s perfect time, but this experience gave us something equally transformative—renewed purpose, deeper unity and a more profound sense of being the universal Church.
From a Family’s Perspective: Faith in the Footsteps of Saints
Written by Mrs. Jaclyn Don Cáceres, CAVA Vice Principal, jdoncaceres@cava.academy
Traveling with my children to Rome was already a dream come true, but to be there for such an unexpected, holy moment is something we will carry in our hearts forever.
We went with one mission in mind—to honor our school’s namesake and spiritual guide, Blessed Carlo Acutis. Our students and faculty know his story well: a teenage boy with a devotion to the Eucharist and a gift for using technology to spread the gospel. In many ways, CAVA mirrors his mission—bringing Christ to our community in this digital age and walking with our students on their unique learning journeys.
As my family and I stood in front of his tomb in Assisi, we prayed for our students, faculty, school community and personal intentions. The digital pilgrimage our school lives daily felt tangible in that moment. Yet just a few short days later, after having had the distinct honor to attend Easter Mass at the Vatican and receive an Easter blessing from Pope Francis, we stood in the shadow of St. Peter’s Basilica, watching as thousands gathered to pray for the repose of his soul. What an honor it was to receive the Holy Father’s final Urbi et Orbi blessing!
We never imagined explaining to our children how history was unfolding right in front of them. We stood in line with people from every nation, waited through the night and prayed beside strangers-turned-friends as we paid respects to the Pope’s body lying in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica. From Carlo’s youth and energy to the steady witness of the papacy and the timeless succession of the Chair of Peter, the Church’s richness and universality were unmistakable.
For our family, and for our school, this was not a change of plans. It was an invitation to trust and to witness God’s providence in real time.
CAVA: A School Rooted in Eternity, Responsive to the Present
At CAVA, we teach our students that holiness is not reserved for the perfect moment—it happens in real time, in real life, in the unexpected. This pilgrimage, while altered in agenda, reinforced exactly that. It was a living catechism, a digital school stepping into the flesh of Church history.
From the tomb of a teenage saint to the funeral of a pope, we experienced the continuity of our faith. We returned home not with disappointment, but with awe. And we continue forward—strengthened in our mission to form students who, like Carlo, seek God in the here and now.
“The Eucharist is my highway to heaven,” Blessed Carlo once said.
This Easter break, it was also our compass in Rome.
