SSVP presentation Newmarket Part2

“A Vincentian Look at Sainthood”

The Hope and Joy of Pier Giorgio Frassati

Now let’s look at our other new saint . Pier Giorgio Frassati


Characteristics

Pier Giorgio Frassati lived in the early part of the 20th century. Home was in Turin in Northern Italy. He was a man who had a strong prayer life. He was taught scripture verses by his mother. His faith developed and felt a personal relationship with God. Through this relationship he learned that God loved the little ones.

Pier Giorgio was one of the more joyful and attractive saints of modern time. He died in 1925 at the youthful age of 24. He was a handsome, athletic, talented Italian from an aristocratic family. He was struck down by the polio he had contracted from his work with the poor. He would carry food and necessities himself, making a detailed list of who was in need and what they needed. Besides his charitable endeavours, Frassati’s talents were many, as he spread the faith by his sheer charisma and energy. He was an avid mountaineer and hiker and he scaled some of Italy’s grandest peaks. His motto was “verso l’alto” which means “always higher.”

Pier Giorgio and the poor

As a young man, Pier Giorgio became more aware of the poverty around him. Even though he came from a wealthy family, he felt close to those who struggled. He began giving his allowance to help the poor. He often visited sick and lonely people, offering them hope and friendship. His faith and kindness grew stronger as he reached adulthood.

He developed a great love for the Eucharist. From the time he was 12 years old until his death at 24, he received communion everyday. At the age of 17, he joined the Society of St Vincent de Paul. He committed his life to serving the poor. He was also someone who took his catholic social teaching that he learned while growing up and put it into practice. He became a member of a group called “Catholic Action”. He is known as the “man of the beatitudes”.

Despite coming from a family of prestige, Pier Giorgio spent most days in the slums of Turin, visiting the poor and serving the sick. His love for Christ burned within him and brushed off on everyone he came into contact with—from lepers and orphans to college friends and political diplomats. He shared his Faith with kindness and charity, and defended it passionately against the evils of fascism. Pier Giorgio worked to promote fairness and dignity for workers, who often faced harsh conditions. He stood up for their rights while still treating everyone with kindness and respect.

Pier Giorgio’s devotion to God bore fruit not only in his friendships but also in his devotion to the poorest members of his community. He shared his joy with those most in need, never hesitating to sacrifice his own money or goods for the sake of others. He truly saw the presence of Christ in the poor,

He chose to be an engineer. But he wasn’t absorbed in that culture. His life was marked by an extraordinary charity. One time his father bought him first class train tickets for a trip he was going on. He turned around and traded in the first-class ticket for a third-class ticket. Then he would give the rest of the money to the poor. His father Alfredo had to continually buy his son new clothes. You see, Pier Giorgio would “lose them” to the poor. He was described as a fun-loving troublemaker but he also performed many acts of service and charity. Once, as a child, he answered the door to find a mother begging with her son who was shoeless. He took off his own shoes and gave them to the child.

He loved the poor and the vulnerable. He was inspired particularly the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians. He kept it on a small piece of paper in his pocket. It read “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. Love is patient, love is kind. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

He considered hope an active force that drove him to work tirelessly for the betterment of others. Rather than give in to despair, he decided he could do something about it, one little thing at a time.

He frequently visited Turin's slums, bringing food, medicine, and financial assistance to those in need. He saw Christ in the faces of the poor and was a source of hope for them. He often sacrificed vacations at the Frassati summer home in the countryside because, as he said, “If everybody leaves Turin, who will take care of the poor?” This heart of service was not just about material aid; it was a testament to Pier Giorgio's hope in the transformative power of Christ's love by recognizing the dignity of every human being. When we spend too much time focusing on all the bad things happening in the world, it can become overwhelming, and we can feel helpless and hopeless.
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati shows us that when we focus on the difference that we can make in our much smaller community by doing little things with Christian love, we bring hope to others and grow the hope within our own hearts.

The sportsman

He had a great love for the outdoors. He reminds us of how powerful it can be to disconnect from all the noise that surrounds us and find peace in nature, appreciating the incredible beauty God has created for us. For Pier Giorgio, being in nature was like being in a church. He didn’t enjoy these adventures alone. Pier Giorgio loved sharing his outdoor activities with friends. He enjoyed hiking, swimming, and mountain climbing. He cared for the environment. Pier Giorgio had a special awareness of God’s presence in creation. The mountains were the place where he could feel especially close to God, set apart from the distractions of everyday life and in awe of the beauty of nature.

Illness and death

Pier was peaceful and resigned in his lingering torment from the polio, his once fit, strong body soon reduced to its skeletal frame. But the young man was ready. He said “Learn to be stronger in spirit than in your muscles. If you are, you will be real apostles of faith in God “ We can see Pier Giorgio Frassati as our patron saint.

At his funeral, thousands of the people of Turin, the poor, the maimed, the abandoned, including all those he had helped secretly were there. We need more of his hope, his joy, and his true Catholic optimism, that however bad things seem, in the end, all manner of things shall be well. He had great love for the poor.

Miracle

Sainthood is given to a deceased person when 2 miracles are recognized that occurred due to the person’s intervention. Here is one of the two miracles. In 2017, a seminarian at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a basketball game. The doctors recommended surgery. Faced with the challenges of surgery and recovery, He turned to prayer. Inspired to begin a novena to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, he sought spiritual assistance, asking for help rather than healing.

As he prayed one evening in the seminary chapel, he felt an unusual warmth in his injured ankle, which he described as “gentle”. In the days following, he found himself walking without a brace. He visited his orthopedic surgeon and found that the injury had inexplicably vanished. “You must have somebody up there looking after you,” the surgeon reportedly said. The Vatican ultimately determined the healing was a miracle attributable to Frassati’s intercession.

The Eucharist

His hope was nourished by his deep devotion to the Eucharist. He attended Mass daily and spent hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. This practice strengthened his hope in God's presence and love, even in the face of life's difficulties.

What can we learn from him

Pier Giorgio also shows us how to live with joy. He didn’t think faith meant giving up fun or happiness. He loved hiking, skiing, and spending time with friends. He found God in the beauty of creation and in the laughter of others. His life tells us that we can enjoy the good things in life while staying close to God.

Pier Giorgio’s life is still meaningful today. Pier Giorgio’s life reminds us that holiness is for everyone. He was a regular young man who loved God and cared for others. His example encourages us to live with purpose, no matter where we are or what we do. He shows young people that they don’t have to choose between their faith and enjoying life. They can do both. Pier Giorgio’s message is clear: love God, serve the poor, and enjoy life with friends and family.

Closing

So here we have our newest Saints.

St Carlo Acutis       Pray for us

St Pier Giorgio Frassati       Pray for us

End of part 3