Msgr. Thomas Machalski was so intrigued by the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis — the first millennial to be considered for sainthood — he wanted to find a tangible way to use the Italian teen’s life to inspire young people here in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Msgr. Machalski got his wish July 14 when he went to the diocese chancery and watched as Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio officially accepted the first-degree relic of Acutis — tiny strands of his hair — that had been brought to the U.S. from Italy.