Pier Giorgio Frassati: Verso l'alto!

An Evolving World

In Italy in the 1920s, technology, transportation, and the arts were all evolving at a breakneck pace. At the same time, a storm of political upheaval that would lead to great suffering was brewing. Benito Mussolini came to power, bringing Fascism to Italy. Many young Italians drifted away from the Church, choosing atheism or relativism. But one young man, brought up in a wealthy family, instead dedicated himself to the service of the poor - and the love of God. This young man was Pier Giorgio Frassati. 

The Eye of a Needle

In 1895, a man named Alfredo Frassati purchased a small local newspaper in Turin. He quickly expanded it to cover the entire young nation of Italy. He renamed it "La Stampa" ("The Press"). Alfredo's successes made him quite wealthy. Though he was an agnostic, he still had his children baptized and receive all their sacraments. Little did he know that one of his children would soon be on the road to Sainthood. 

Like his Father, Pier Giorgio Frassati lived an active life and strove to be the best he could be. However, Pier Giorgio discovered something his father had not: the love of Christ. He had a passion for God he kept discreet in front of his agnostic family. He tried hard to not offend his family with his faith or cause controversy; one story tells of how he would bless his food before even entering the dining room. He didn't limit himself to only prayers; He would secretly give to the poor and destitute out of his own allowance. 

Pier Giorgio’s love of God and of the poor didn’t stop him from being the best friend he could be. An avid mountaineer, he took many trips with other young people of Turin to the mountains and other destinations. He was a member of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, as well as a Third Order Dominican. He also took an active role in politics and social reform. This led to him even being arrested for protesting against Mussolini and his government.

In 1925, while on a boating trip with friends, Pier Giorgio suddenly began to feel tremendous pain in his back. The doctors quickly diagnosed him with polio. Unable to rise, Pier Giorgio gave a list to his best friend of tasks that he still had to do inthe coming days for the poorest of the poor in Turin. Only then did Pier Giorgio’s secret life of holiness come to the surface. Pier Giorgio had had a busy daily schedule providing for many people out of his abundance. Not an anonymous philanthropist, he gave to the poor directly, spending time with them as he delivered medicines and food. During one of these visits, Pier Giorgio had contracted polio. He passed away on July 4th, less than a week after the boating incident. 

Verso L'alto

When Pier Giorgio died, thousands of the poor of Turin attended his funeral, lining the streets to honor him. He hadn't just been their patron; he was their friend. His death led Alfredo to return to the Sacraments. It’s also been recently announced that Pier Giorgio will be canonized in 2025. You can listen to the thrilling adventure of his life this Monday at thesaintspodcast.com!

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