While we continue to pray for that great canonization miracle for Pier Giorgio, other favors continue to be reported. Here are two wonderful testimonies recently received (coincidentally from two 21-year-old friends of Pier Giorgio):
Jennifer Shepard (Brandon, FL) writes:
Pier Giorgio Frassati is not only one of my best friends, but I consider him to be a great brother to me in spirit. I am a mediocre student, especially in math. I recently read that Blessed Pier Giorgio did not do too well in grammar school, but he persevered. Well, the new semester in college was starting up soon and I knew a friend to go to when I am having a struggle. This was my third time taking college algebra. I am terrible in math. My first semester taking it I withdrew from the class. I wanted to wait until the fall until it got "easier" Fall of 2008 I took the class and I failed. I tried all I could. It was no use, I thought I was never going to pass the class. Then, something inside of me was determined. I am not a quitter, but I felt as if this class was of no use and I was going to move on. Around this time Blessed Pier Giorgio got a hold of me and it got me interested in his life. A couple weeks has passed. Bl. Pier Giorgio inspired me to persevere with my math class and I did not give up, but I began with a smile on my face. That morning, before the first day of class started, at my house, I asked for Bl. Pier Giorgio's intercession that I may do well in my math class and that I may never give up, that I always keep trying. After I asked him to pray for me I found an inner peace in my soul. I knew I had a great friend at my side. I went to class full of energy (my class was at 8:00 a.m. twice a week.) Every class period I could feel his presence with me. I knew he was right next to me, helping me. I asked questions, got A's on all my homework, I have got passing grades on all my exams. The first two times, I never had a B on an exam. I have done well in all of my exams so far. I am nearing the end of the semester and I am going to achieve a passing grade with a C or higher. This may seem small, but this was my last hope in taking this class. I am thankful for Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati for his friendship and prayers. Thank you, Bl. Pier Giorgio! Thank you to all who reads this. Verso l'alto!
Nathan Gallegos (Sydney, Australia) writes:
Hi there, During the celebration of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, the body of Blessed Pier Giorgio had been in St Mary's Cathedral. I had not had a chance to visit his relic during the week, and was not sure if I would have the time to, but I would have liked to. During this time, my great grandmother had been very weak, and on the verge of dying - she was 100 years old. Near the end of the week, we received word from family that she was in hospital, and doctors had said she had only a couple of days left. On the 22nd of July, 2008, two days after World Youth Day ended, we went to St. George hospital in Kogarah (NSW) to visit my great grandmother, and to say our last goodbyes. The whole family was there. I spoke a little to my great grandmother, who had cancer of the blood. She had a strong mind, and kept saying that she would like to "go home"- she just wanted to get out of the hospital. I was meant to go out to the cinemas with my friends later that night, but I told my great grandmother that I would go to St. Mary's cathedral to pray for her before Blessed Pier Giorgio, as today was the last day that his relics were in Sydney. So I rushed off to Sydney and when I got to the cathedral, it was crowded full of Italian pilgrims who had just finished Mass. I didn't think I would be able to see Blessed Pier Giorgio, so I was just about to settle at the back of the cathedral and say a decade of the Rosary, when a lady told me that I should really go to see his relics. So I squeezed through the crowd as soon as Mass finished and made my way to the front and knelt before the body of Blessed Pier Giorgio. I was always interested in him after someone said that I looked a little like him. I prayed a decade of the Rosary before his body, and asked him to intercede for me and pray for my great grandmother, that if it were God's will, she would be better, but if not, that God would take her in to heaven. It was amazing to be before Blessed Pier Giorgio. After this, I left and walked in late to the cinemas to meet my friends. Not long after this day, I heard that my great grandmother had returned home, with the family. She reached her 101st birthday, on the 12th of August, and lived on before finally passing away in the last week of October, 2008 - more than 3 months after the doctors told her she had a couple of days to live. She was a very devout catholic, praying the Rosary almost every day. I believe with no doubt that my great grandmother was able to return home and pass away there, because of the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio. Thank you, and God bless.
Jennifer Shepard (Brandon, FL) writes:
Pier Giorgio Frassati is not only one of my best friends, but I consider him to be a great brother to me in spirit. I am a mediocre student, especially in math. I recently read that Blessed Pier Giorgio did not do too well in grammar school, but he persevered. Well, the new semester in college was starting up soon and I knew a friend to go to when I am having a struggle. This was my third time taking college algebra. I am terrible in math. My first semester taking it I withdrew from the class. I wanted to wait until the fall until it got "easier" Fall of 2008 I took the class and I failed. I tried all I could. It was no use, I thought I was never going to pass the class. Then, something inside of me was determined. I am not a quitter, but I felt as if this class was of no use and I was going to move on. Around this time Blessed Pier Giorgio got a hold of me and it got me interested in his life. A couple weeks has passed. Bl. Pier Giorgio inspired me to persevere with my math class and I did not give up, but I began with a smile on my face. That morning, before the first day of class started, at my house, I asked for Bl. Pier Giorgio's intercession that I may do well in my math class and that I may never give up, that I always keep trying. After I asked him to pray for me I found an inner peace in my soul. I knew I had a great friend at my side. I went to class full of energy (my class was at 8:00 a.m. twice a week.) Every class period I could feel his presence with me. I knew he was right next to me, helping me. I asked questions, got A's on all my homework, I have got passing grades on all my exams. The first two times, I never had a B on an exam. I have done well in all of my exams so far. I am nearing the end of the semester and I am going to achieve a passing grade with a C or higher. This may seem small, but this was my last hope in taking this class. I am thankful for Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati for his friendship and prayers. Thank you, Bl. Pier Giorgio! Thank you to all who reads this. Verso l'alto!
Nathan Gallegos (Sydney, Australia) writes:
Hi there, During the celebration of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, the body of Blessed Pier Giorgio had been in St Mary's Cathedral. I had not had a chance to visit his relic during the week, and was not sure if I would have the time to, but I would have liked to. During this time, my great grandmother had been very weak, and on the verge of dying - she was 100 years old. Near the end of the week, we received word from family that she was in hospital, and doctors had said she had only a couple of days left. On the 22nd of July, 2008, two days after World Youth Day ended, we went to St. George hospital in Kogarah (NSW) to visit my great grandmother, and to say our last goodbyes. The whole family was there. I spoke a little to my great grandmother, who had cancer of the blood. She had a strong mind, and kept saying that she would like to "go home"- she just wanted to get out of the hospital. I was meant to go out to the cinemas with my friends later that night, but I told my great grandmother that I would go to St. Mary's cathedral to pray for her before Blessed Pier Giorgio, as today was the last day that his relics were in Sydney. So I rushed off to Sydney and when I got to the cathedral, it was crowded full of Italian pilgrims who had just finished Mass. I didn't think I would be able to see Blessed Pier Giorgio, so I was just about to settle at the back of the cathedral and say a decade of the Rosary, when a lady told me that I should really go to see his relics. So I squeezed through the crowd as soon as Mass finished and made my way to the front and knelt before the body of Blessed Pier Giorgio. I was always interested in him after someone said that I looked a little like him. I prayed a decade of the Rosary before his body, and asked him to intercede for me and pray for my great grandmother, that if it were God's will, she would be better, but if not, that God would take her in to heaven. It was amazing to be before Blessed Pier Giorgio. After this, I left and walked in late to the cinemas to meet my friends. Not long after this day, I heard that my great grandmother had returned home, with the family. She reached her 101st birthday, on the 12th of August, and lived on before finally passing away in the last week of October, 2008 - more than 3 months after the doctors told her she had a couple of days to live. She was a very devout catholic, praying the Rosary almost every day. I believe with no doubt that my great grandmother was able to return home and pass away there, because of the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio. Thank you, and God bless.
2 comments:
In reading the accounts of Jennifer and Nathan, I find two points of interest that I myself experienced:
Jennifer (and others who have written) say that they feel a type of "presence" or "companionship" in their relationship with Bl. Pier Giorgio. Nathan comes to a crowded cathedral with probably several hundred people....yet is approached by a stranger and personally encouraged to go to the front of the church to venerate Bl. Pier Giorgio's relics...why him in particular? I would say that Bl. Pier Giorgio was personally inviting Nathan because our Blessed had "business" to conduct with him. The point of Nathan's grandmother facing death, I'm sure, struck a personal chord with our young Blessed.
Lastly....both writer specifically mention a sense of peace and contentment. This was Bl. Pier Giorgio's intent throughout his life...even in his own household hours before his death!
I became acquainted with Bl. Pier Giorgio about three years ago by reading the two books written by his sister, Luciana. I am considerably older that Nathan and Jennifer, having been a high-school theology teacher for over 30 and now retired. I'm wary of "emotionalism" in matters of practicing one's Faith, yet I must say that Bl. Pier Giorgio's life and charism somehow "spoke" to me as if he was saying that he could somehow personally relate to me on my journey in life. In short, I simply refer to him as "carissimo fratello" ( my dearest little brother) after finding that he personally intervenes in my life in very clear ways...as if he's clearing a pathway for me. Maybe it's because I always sympathized with students like him who had a tough time with academics, but really were trying their best....I always cut them some slack!
I'll close by saying what I, Jennifer, and Nathan experienced is true, and I would encourage all those (of any age!) who read this to take Bl. Pier Giorgio's invitation seriously: to form a prayer pact with those who invoke him that transcends the boundaries of space & time....a request he wrote to a friend shortly before he died.
John - North Riverside, IL
I am currently praying for Blessed Pier Giorgio's intercession for my father who has terminal colon and liver cancer.
http://catholicnerdwriter.blogspot.com/2009/06/final-exams-blessed-pier-giorgio.html
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