Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

08-18-2024Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

One of the things I love most about our Catholic faith is the wealth of examples of holy men and women provided by the Church’s canonized saints. No matter the differences in our personalities, circumstances, or gifts, we have a multitude of saints to whom we can relate for any number of reasons, and we never have to feel alone on our spiritual journey to holiness. Certain situations have come up throughout my life, when it seems a particular saint, sometimes one that is new to me, will try to get my attention. When this happens, I always try to respond and explore what the saint is trying to tell me with an open heart and mind. I often go down an exciting new path of prayer and devotion I had not anticipated, bringing me many graces. Such is the case with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. After a brief biography, I would like to introduce you to the spirituality of my new friend.

Pier Giorgio Frassati, born on April 6, 1901, in Turin, Italy, was a remarkable young Catholic whose brief life left a unique mark on those around him. The son of a prominent newspaper owner and politician, Frassati developed a deep faith and compassion for the poor that often contradicted his family's secular outlook. He balanced his studies in mining engineering with an active spiritual life, daily Mass attendance, and extensive charitable work through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Frassati was known for his joyful demeanor, love of outdoor activities, and ability to inspire faith in his peers. His political activism against the rising Fascist movement in Italy and his commitment to Catholic social teaching made him a voice for justice in his time. Tragically, Frassati contracted polio, likely from his work with the sick and poor, and died on July 4, 1925, at the age of 24. His funeral revealed the extent of his hidden works of charity as thousands of Turin's poor lined the streets to mourn him. In 1981, Frassati’s body was exhumed and found to be completely incorrupt. Beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II, who called him the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” and patron of World Youth Day, Frassati's life continues to inspire many, especially young Catholics, as a model of joyful faith and radical charity lived out in everyday circumstances. His canonization is currently planned to take place in the Jubilee year of 2025, and he is honored as the patron saint of students, Catholic youth, mountain climbers, skiers, and Dominican tertiaries.

At the heart of Frassati’s spirituality was a deep love for the Eucharist and a commitment to daily prayer. Despite growing up in a family where faith was not strongly emphasized, Frassati developed a deep spiritual life that he was never embarrassed to share with his friends. He regularly attended Mass and spent hours in Eucharistic adoration, finding strength and inspiration in Christ’s presence. He encouraged others to adopt the same devotion to the Eucharist for themselves, saying, “I urge you with all the strength of my soul to approach the Eucharistic Table as often as possible. Feed on this Bread of the Angels from which you will draw the strength to fight inner struggles.”

Frassati’s prayer life was not confined to church walls. He found God’s presence in the beauty of nature, particularly in the mountains he loved to climb. He once wrote, “Every day that passes, I fall more desperately in love with the mountains… I am ever more determined to climb the mountains, to scale the mighty peaks, to feel that pure joy which can only be felt in the mountains.” For Frassati, the grandeur of creation was a constant reminder of God’s greatness and an invitation to contemplation.

Frassati’s spirituality was more than merely contemplative. He embodied Christ’s love in action and led a life oriented towards service. He took Jesus’ words, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt 25:40) literally, seeing Christ in the face of every poor and suffering person he encountered. His charitable works were extensive and often sacrificial and secret. He would give away his bus fare or even his own coat to those in need. He would also frequently forego family vacations to stay behind to care for the poor. This commitment to the poor was not just about material assistance, but also about treating those he served with genuine friendship and respect, recognizing their inherent dignity.

One of the most striking aspects of Frassati’s spirituality was his irrepressible joy. He was known for his sense of humor, love of practical jokes, and ability to make faith attractive to his peers. This joy stemmed from a deep trust in God’s love. Through him, we see that we can be fully devoted to God while embracing the pleasures of life. His example reminds us that authentic Christian joy is a powerful form of evangelization that is desperately needed in this world today.

Frassati had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which complemented his Eucharistic piety. Marco Beltramo, a friend of his, wrote, “We can't understand the spirituality of Pier Giorgio if we don't understand his love for the Blessed Virgin Mary." At 21, he became a member of the Dominican Laity, which required him to pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary daily. His sister, Luciana, wrote, “Wherever there was a celebration in her honor, Pier Giorgio would show up with a bunch of flowers. He did this from the time when he was a student at the Sociale, in other words, from when he was a young boy.” His friends also reported that whenever they were on an adventure together, whether on a train or in the mountains, Frassati would always lead the group in a Rosary, thus including the Blessed Mother in the adventure.

Frassati had a remarkable gift for friendship and used his relationships as opportunities for mutual growth in holiness. He was not afraid to challenge his friends to deepen their faith, but he did so with such genuine love and joy that his influence was difficult for them to resist. This aspect of Frassati’s spirituality reminds us of the importance of Christian community in our spiritual lives. It challenges us to see our own friendships as opportunities for shared spiritual growth and mutual encouragement in the faith.

During Frassati’s final illness, he demonstrated a spirituality that embraced suffering as a participation in Christ’s redemptive work. He said of suffering, “Our life, in order to be Christian, has to be a continual renunciation, a continual sacrifice. But this is not difficult if one thinks what these few years passed in suffering are, compared with eternal happiness where joy will have no measure or end, and where we shall have unimaginable peace.” In his suffering, as he lay dying, he still only thought of others and wrote a note to a friend asking for his medicine to be taken to a poor sick man he had been visiting. He provides a powerful witness in a culture that often seeks to avoid or numb pain and shows us that even in our darkest moments, we can find meaning and purpose by uniting our sufferings with those of Christ.

This week, contemplate these various aspects of Bl. Frassati’s spirituality. Do some of his qualities match your own, or are you inspired to emulate him by changing or growing in certain aspects of your own spirituality? My hope is that you, too, have found a new heavenly friend. Regarding this holy man, I could only cover a small fraction of his life and spirituality in the allotted space. I highly encourage you to learn more about him by visiting www.frassatiusa.org. They have a wealth of information there, including several books available for purchase.