A woman browses the St. Carlo’s Cloud website on her computer March 12.
By Dan Russo
The Catholic Messenger
BETTENDORF — Inspired by the legacy of St. Carlo Acutis, Dan Byrne recently took a leap of faith, leaving his career in the banking industry to launch a website with a mission to connect Quad Cities Catholics.
St. Carlo’s Cloud (stcarloscloudqc.com) has been up and running for about three months. The idea came to its founder after he and his family became immersed in Catholic life on both sides of the Mississippi River.
“In our neighborhood we have Catholic families that attend St. John Vianney, (Our Lady of) Lourdes, St. Mary’s Rock Island, and Our Lady of Grace in East Moline — all within about 10 houses,” reflected Byrne. “While our family attends Mass at Lourdes, I attend a men’s group at St. John Vianney, our children participate in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. Mary’s Rock Island and a homeschool co-op program at Our Lady of the River. When I worked at a credit union, I was closest to Christ the King in Moline and would stop at the outdoor Stations of the Cross to pray.”
The website, which is privately owned and not affiliated with any Catholic diocese, aggregates information about parishes, schools and other Catholic ministries across the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities and surrounding communities. There is also a section for event listings and resources.
“I hope that Catholics find the site useful for learning about programs and events especially during Lent and Advent, quickly finding a parish to attend Mass on holy days of obligation, and learning about the parishes, apostolates, and Catholic owned businesses that make up our faith community,” Byrne told The Catholic Messenger.
The University of Notre Dame graduate is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf and a native of the Quad Cities. He credits his parents, John and Joan Byrne, for providing him with a strong witness to the faith. His involvement in campus ministry while in college built on that foundation. His decision to leave the credit union, he says, was part of a continuing call to conversion. His new path was affirmed by “positive conversations with parishes and parish leaders that this would be useful for our community.”
Byrne and his wife Elizabeth came up with the name for the website after studying its patron saint with their children.
“Carlo has been someone that my wife and I have looked up to for a while and we have shared his story with our children because he lived in a way that our children can relate to,” recalled Byrne. “Carlo used technology to share the beauty of our Catholic faith particularly the website he created on Eucharistic miracles. As someone that is also using technology to evangelize, he was a natural fit for the naming of the site.”
Byrne spent more than a year developing St. Carlo’s Cloud, a for- profit enterprise that is being funded by sponsors. The site continues to add new ministries, business sponsors and Catholic groups to its listings. One of those is St. Francis of Assisi Pet Ministry at St. John Vianney Parish. Members help animals in a variety of ways, according to Kim McCool, a leader of the ministry.
“Our St. Francis of Assisi Pet Ministry has never really been parish-specific — we see ourselves as part of the larger community, and anyone who shares our desire to serve people and their pets is welcome to join our efforts. (St. Carlo’s Cloud) helps us reach people across the (Quad Cities area) who may want to become part of our outreach,” explained McCool. “I especially value moments that help people understand that our ministry has a people-centered approach, serving people through the human–animal bond. When others see how our work connects with and supports people we might not otherwise reach, it’s truly meaningful. That’s why I think St. Carlo’s Cloud is such a beautiful resource — it brings our Catholic faith together.”
Byrne is hoping the website will help Catholics new to the Quad Cities who may have just moved to the area for jobs at John Deere and the Rock Island Arsenal or for other reasons. He also wants to promote collaboration between parish leaders. “We want to help people find new things through technology, but then get off the technology and visit a new parish, join a group, engage with others in the real world to foster connection.”
