Into the mystery: How virtual reality is reimagining Catholic evangelization

SYDNEY (OSV News) -- The experience begins with a luminous church window framing a radiant image of Blessed Carlo Acutis hovering inches before your face.

As angelic music plays and hues of blue transform your immediate surroundings, reality itself shifts, as you are transported into a portal between heaven and earth.

A celestial voice beckons you to choose from four objects related to the soon-to-be-saint: a set of rosary beads, a soccer ball, altar bread and wine, or a laptop.

The moment your selection is made, the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis awakens around you, in a living canvas of faith and technology.

One of the big highlights of the Catholic youth festival, Purpose Fest 2025, held in Sydney in July was undoubtedly the world premiere of the Carlo Acutis virtual reality experience -- formally titled "Carlo Acutis: A Light in the Digital World" -- which offered attendees a snapshot of the faith and the future.

Hundreds of young people clamored to be the first in the world to step into the groundbreaking virtual reality journey that transports attendees into the life and spiritual legacy of the young man to be canonized Sept. 7 by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, along with another young Catholics' favorite -- Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Aligned with the church's mission to adapt to changing cultural contexts without compromising the Gospel, the Archdiocese of Sydney now stands at the forefront of evangelization through innovation as they premiered this world-first virtual reality encounter into Blessed Carlo's faith journey and his devotion and love for the Eucharist.

Developed by the director of the Sydney Center for Evangelization, Daniel Ang, the Carlo Acutis VR experience -- was the result of months of teamwork dedicated to presenting the timeless Gospel in fresh and compelling ways.

"Virtual reality will never replace the richness of real, embodied life in the church," Ang shared, "but it can be a new frontier for creativity and encounter, a space in which the truth is sought and where beauty can be contemplated in a fresh and really impactful way.

"To be honest, I was a bit nervous as it was my first engagement of VR as a project, and finalized only in the hours before the conference, but it was all worth the risk."

"Seeing people's faces as they stepped into the VR world for the first time," And continued, "was amazing: walking through the streets of Milan where Carlo Acutis shared his faith, standing in the bedroom where he built his website about Eucharistic miracles, sitting in a small chapel like one where he might've prayed the rosary, or kneeling in a cathedral where he would he would have received the Eucharist."

Ang described it as "powerful," adding that it was "just a joy to see people learn about Acutis' life and witness. Beyond the novelty, the most satisfying part for me was that people came to know Blessed Carlo's life more deeply and I hope in that way he becomes an inspiration for discipleship in our own time."

After trying the experience for himself, Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney shared his own thoughts.

"The Carlo Acutis VR experience was very clever. It was a fun and powerful way to encounter this young saint whose life shows how faith and technology can go hand in hand. A good reminder that holiness is possible in every age -- even our digital one," he said.

Sisters Annabelle and Angelina Toma and best friend Rose Zoori from Sydney's suburb Wetherill Park had little knowledge of Blessed Carlo before trying on the VR goggles -- the gateway to the experience.

"We know he has something to do with the internet and that he is going to be a saint," suggested Annabelle.

"I hope this doesn't hurt my eyes," said Angelina as one of the many assistants adjusted her headset.

As the experience began, onlookers laughed as the three friends clutched at air and whooped with delight. It was a 10-minute experience that left them emotional and inspired.

"It was like stepping into his shoes," shared Annabelle. "I feel like I know so much about him. To see his devotion come alive through virtual reality made his story so much more real and inspiring."

"It's more engaging for young people like us to experience something like this, than read it in a book. It's a great way to connect with the youth," said Angelina.

Rose agreed: "I think with the modern teenagers, they'll love this because it's new, fun and it's associated with games. This is just a stepping stone into the right direction."

Sister Elizabeth Foley, of the Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, bridged tradition with innovation as she also slipped on the goggles.

"It's tapping into a whole new world, isn't it?" she said, excitedly grasping at air for the next few minutes.

Removing the goggles from her veil, she looked at the streams of young people immersing themselves in the world of Blessed Carlo and smiled: "I really enjoyed it. This is their world. I'm an old lady, I'm into Facebook, but for the young people, that's going to attract them and help them to come to love God, and that, for me, is the most important thing."

It is the most important goal for the archdiocese too, a hope that through these new forms of expression, the message of Christ remains vibrant and accessible, regardless of the medium.

"These cultural opportunities for spreading the Gospel remind us that while the Christian faith is eternal, it is not immobile," Ang said.

"I think VR can deepen their understanding of holiness in everyday life but also crucially awaken spiritual curiosity for many students and others besides, provoke a sense of intrigue and desire to know more about the faith or its great witnesses, which is vital step on the path toward mature discipleship," he added.