Son of local family blessed by Pope Leo XIV on a trip to Rome

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

When Charles and Kaitlin Marks traveled to Rome with their six children for the canonization of Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlos Acutis, their sights were set on a spiritually fulfilling trip. Their experience, however, far exceeded their expectations when, during a papal audience, Pope Leo XIV selected from the crowd the Marks’ young son, Jack. Pope Leo had Jack lifted from Mrs. Marks’ arms and brought to him, blessing him before returning him to his weeping parents.

“We knew, we knew we wanted to try to get one of our children blessed,” said Mrs. Marks. “So when we got through security and we stepped into the square, we prayed, ‘Holy Spirit, help us know where to stand.’”

Whether it was divine intervention through the Holy Spirit or the small American flag that Mr. Marks had given Jack, their hope of having a child blessed was fulfilled in, “such a joyful moment,” said Mr. Marks.

The Marks made the decision to travel to Rome for the canonizations because of a deep devotion to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who has been the wedded couple’s patron saint since they were dating.

“We just came up with this prayer consecrating our relationship to the Lord, and at the end of it, we would say, ‘Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us.’ That’s where our devotion to him started,” said Mrs. Marks.

In this way, the couple’s devotion to the recently canonized saint has come full circle. From prayers of two college students to those of married parents with six children, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati has provided them with spiritual nourishment.

“We felt like we just had to be there for the canonization of Pier Giorgio … we felt from God asking us to do this for our children,” said Mrs. Marks.

As for young Jack, the experience of his papal blessing can be summed up in just a few words. “Kaitlin asked him, ‘Jack, how does it feel to be blessed by Pope Leo,’ and he just says happy,” recalled Mr. Marks.

St. Frassati was an Italian Catholic activist dedicated to social justice and a member of the Third Order of St. Domnic. He was an avid mountaineer and athlete. He died July 4, at the age of 24, of polio. His feast day is July 4. He is patron of young Catholics, mountaineers and Third Order Dominicans.