Could Joe Wilson Become the next Millennial Saint?
George Kommattam - January 2026
The Catholic Church in Scotland has taken an important step toward recognising the holiness of a young layman whose simple but deep faith continues to inspire Catholics, especially the youth. In November 2025, the bishops of Scotland formally approved the opening of the canonisation cause of Joe Wilson, a 17-year-old Catholic who died suddenly in 2011.
Joe Wilson was an ordinary teenager by all outward appearances, yet his interior life revealed an extraordinary closeness to God. In his personal diary, he wrote with remarkable clarity and conviction: “I will always be close to God, because He is the most important thing in my life.” These words have since become a key expression of his spiritual legacy.
Those who knew Joe personally sensed his holiness even during his lifetime. Valerie Fleming, the postulator of his cause, recalled an incident from his final year at Taylor High School, a Catholic school in Scotland. During a religion class discussing what a modern-day saint might look like, the teacher posed the question to the students. Fleming said that the entire class turned around and pointed to Joe, and the school principal remarked, “There he is.”
Joe’s faith was nurtured through family life, Catholic education, and personal prayer. He often visited Carfin Grotto, a Marian shrine known as the “Lourdes of Scotland,” located close to his home. Much like Marian shrines in Kerala that draw the faithful for quiet prayer, Carfin Grotto became a place where Joe found peace and deepened his friendship with God, especially during his final years.
Joe’s devotion became visible to the wider community when he fell into a coma due to a congenital heart condition. Hundreds of people gathered at Carfin Grotto for a candlelight prayer vigil, praying fervently for his recovery.
His spiritual life was strongly influenced by the saints, particularly St. Thérèse of Lisieux. According to Fleming, Joe embraced her “little way” of holiness, living with humility, generosity, and trust in God—values deeply familiar to Indian Catholics.
On December 20, 2011, just five days after his 17th birthday, Joe died at Wishaw General Hospital from Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, a heart condition that can affect young people without warning. His sudden death was a profound shock to his family and community.
After his death, Joe’s father discovered a diary his son had kept since the age of 14. The writings revealed a spiritual maturity far beyond his years, including reflections on suffering, hope, prayer, and the Eucharist. Writing about Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Scotland in 2010, Joe noted: “Jesus will be on the altar! Or at least, as close to Jesus as we can be on earth.”
In one of his final reflections, Joe expressed a deeply Catholic understanding of suffering and eternal hope:
“I know the world won’t be perfect, and that’s why I love having faith… All those who were not loved on earth, I’m sure, are sitting on the highest thrones in heaven.”
According to Fleming, Joe’s writings continue to touch people far beyond church circles. They particularly inspire young people by showing that holiness is possible while living a normal life-studying, playing sports, and maintaining friendships-while remaining deeply rooted in faith.
If canonised, Joe Wilson would become Scotland’s first millennial saint. The last Scottish-born saint, St. John Ogilvie, was a martyr from a very different historical period. Joe’s cause, by contrast, highlights the call to holiness among today’s youth and laity.
As the Vatican process moves forward, Joe Wilson’s life stands as a reminder to Catholics everywhere-including in Kerala-that sainthood is not limited to priests, religious, or past centuries, but can grow quietly in homes, schools, parishes, and prayerful hearts.
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