Sydney: What began as a parish play has blossomed into a movement of faith, friendship, and family renewal. At St. Joachim’s Parish in Lidcombe, children as young as seven stepped onto the stage to dramatize the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis and in doing so, awakened a new love for the Eucharist in their community.
The production, titled Highway to Heaven, was performed on October 12, 2024, Acutis’ feast day. Written and directed by Anna Harrison of Sydney Catholic Youth, it featured young parishioners between 7 and 15 years old, telling the story of the teenager who blended computer coding with deep devotion to the Eucharist.
Parish priest Fr. Epeli Qimaqima said the impact far exceeded expectations. “It wasn’t about having a play for entertainment,” he explained. “It was about finding a way to catechize families. And the story of Carlo became the answer.”
Children immediately resonated with Acutis a boy who loved soccer, video games, and swimming, yet who prioritized daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration. For many of them, that likeness made holiness seem possible. One participant now visits the parish adoration chapel every day after school. Parents, too, were drawn deeper into parish life, attending weekday Mass and forming friendships beyond Sunday services.
The initiative transformed the parish. “Some parents told me, ‘I never knew my child could do this,’” said Fr. Qimaqima, himself a former teacher. “The rehearsals helped families rediscover each other.”
The journey didn’t stop at the stage. Fourteen parish families traveled to Rome for Acutis’ canonization only to be met with unexpected news: Pope Francis had died, and the canonization was postponed. Instead, the group attended the pope’s funeral, an experience that, as one child put it, “made the pilgrimage an even deeper encounter with God.” The group later prayed at Acutis’ tomb in Assisi, where children asked for his intercession in their own words.
Back in Sydney, the momentum continues. St. Joachim’s recently hosted 780 students from 11 schools for a Carlo Acutis jubilee celebration, complete with a pilgrimage walk and a youth concert. The cast of Highway to Heaven is now preparing for encore performances this October, coinciding with Acutis’ first feast day as a canonized saint.
“The ripple effect is astonishing,” Fr. Qimaqima reflected. “Children are bringing friends, families are growing closer, and even in an age of screens, I see kids sitting in circles, laughing, telling stories all because of what the Lord is doing through Carlo’s witness.”