Frassati and Friends

Five Years and Counting

2011-12-12T09:54:00.002-06:00

Today is the fifth anniversary of the chartering of FrassatiUSA. It was very special to begin and place this organization under the special patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe on her feast day in 2006. Yesterday's second reading ended with this promise from 1 Thessalonians 5:24, "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it." Relying on that promise, we press on in the effort to promote the spirituality of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and his cause for sainthood. Our Lady of Guadalupe and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati...pray for us. Verso l'alto!

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

2011-12-06T12:34:00.000-06:00

It is a good thing that we are supposed to spend the Advent Season joyfully preparing for the birth of Christ because it is so full of many wonderful feast days to celebrate! The feast of Saint Nicholas was always one of the most important for my family not only during my childhood but even up to the present day.

My parents had a way of bringing the liturgical year to life for me and my nine brothers and sisters. Now, every holiday is filled with memories of traditions that were designed to keep our focus on the spiritual meaning of the day. Saint Nicholas Day has always been a family favorite. The night before would be capped off with a live puppet show featuring Saint Nicholas and his sidekick Black Peter. We would hang our stockings and go to bed just a little worried about the possibility of getting a lump of coal and then wake up to that beautiful sight of red stockings bursting with treats. Among the loot would be some delicious, homemade gingerbread cookies. As we all got older and were no longer around to hang our stockings, the packages would come in the mail -- always with the gingerbread cookies and a note saying they were from "St. Nick's helper."

This tradition ended only upon the death of my mother who passed away quite unexpectedly nine years ago. It gave our family such great consolation that she was laid to rest on Saint Nicholas Day. As one of my brothers put it, "she was such a good helper on earth for St. Nick that he decided he needed her in heaven." Many of us continue to bake and enjoy the gingerbread cookies today as a way of keeping her memory alive.

A few years before she died, my mother and I were able to make a trip to Italy to meet our Italian side of the family for the first time. We made our way to the tiny town that my grandparents had left to come to America in the early 1900s. It was very special to visit their parish church that still had the original baptismal font probably used for both of them. And the name of that little church? St. Nicholas! It was as if my grandparents brought him along as a special patron for our family when they said goodbye to the "old country."

My grandparents would have been contemporaries of Pier Giorgio Frassati. Unfortunately, they both died long before I knew about him, so I was never able to ask them if they had ever heard of him while they were still in Italy. But they have heard of him now and I imagine they are all celebrating this feast day together. Happy Saint Nicholas Day! Verso l'alto!

THANKS for GIVING!

2011-11-17T13:50:00.008-06:00

Not long ago, I watched the Masterpiece Theatre version of the Charles Dickens' classic, "A Tale of Two Cities" set in the time of the French Revolution - commonly known as the Reign of Terror. This period would have a connection to Pier Giorgio Frassati toward the end of his life when he and his best friend Marco Beltramo nicknamed themselves, "The Terror."

Pier Giorgio made no secret of the fact that he despised the French, even referring to them as the "Sons of Darkness." So he was purely being facetious when he began signing letters with the name "Robespierre" -- a bloodthirsty French dictator whose execution in 1794 ended the Reign of Terror. In jest, Pier Giorgio would send "terroristic greetings" to his close friends in the Tipi Loschi group that he formed. Today, I suppose his sense of humor would not be considered very politically correct. Somehow, I doubt he would care.

In any case, you can credit or blame Dickens' well-known opening and closing lines for this lengthy, digressing blog entry which really does have something to do with Thanksgiving if you can bear with me long enough!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way ..."

At various points in my life, I find that certain quotes strike me in completely different ways. Many moons ago, when I signed up for a three-credit summer seminar on the writings of Charles Dickens to satisfy requirements for my English minor, I'm sure my focus was simply on what it would take to complete the course. I can say with almost certainty that I spent little time reflecting on the season of Light, the season of Darkness, the spring of hope, the winter of despair, the best of times, the worst of times. Now that I am much older and slightly wiser, I reflect on those things with regularity, especially as I find myself immersed in running a non-profit ministry.

At FrassatiUSA, the challenges are almost always in terms of financial constraints. With no outside funding, no grants, no big donors, the dollars are not easy to come by. I think we may have brought new meaning to the "low" part of the term "low budget operation." It has brought me to my knees; it has brought me to the brink of calling it quits; it has brought me to Pier Giorgio, time and time again. Somehow, miraculously, the non-payroll expenses always get paid. Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months and months turn into years and in less than a month, we will mark our fifth anniversary. God is good!

Some days, the mail brings such consolation that there can be no doubt that the Lord wants this work to continue. This month, we mailed out our annual request for financial support to those on the mailing list. It's not a large list and it never brings in very much money to work with, averaging less than $5,000/year. But the notes that come provide the spring of hope, the season of Light.

For example, the other day, I opened a letter that had enclosed a one dollar contribution. I think of the widow in Jesus' parable and that dollar bill makes me so grateful because I know it was sent out of the little that person had. It is a truly humbling experience to be entrusted with that sort of treasure. A month or two ago, I was in email contact with a guy from Australia about the funding situation here. He offered to and began praying and fasting for this ministry until Christmas, at which time I suppose he expects Baby Jesus to do the rest! Imagine a person half way around the world carrying that burden. Thanks, Steve.

I have received numerous notes from strangers thanking me for the work done here. Some filled with confetti and kindness. Some enclosing extra funds for a cup of cappuccino or coffee, like in the note shown above. I find it so touching when people think of those little temporal joys. That is so very like Pier Giorgio who brought flowers to the poor because he knew they also needed things that made them happy. Along those same lines, yesterday I received a t-shirt that read, Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum. Such a thoughtful and uplifting gesture that really captures the essence of this ministry.

Occasionally, at my old law practice, a satisfied client would write a note of thanks. But here, it happens so regularly, that the worst of times never are, the winter of despair never is, the season of Darkness never comes. And, like Dickens' character Sydney Carton, I am able to say, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done." Thank you so much for all that you do to help spread the spirituality of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Happy Thanksgiving! Verso l'alto!

Celebrating the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul

2011-09-27T12:39:00.002-05:00

Although the charism of many religious groups impacted the spirtuality of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, none was more significant than the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. Even as he lay dying, Pier Giorgio's thoughts were for the poor whom he served as a devoted confrere of his Conference in Turin.

The Church remembers St. Vincent de Paul in the Divine Office today with a beautiful reflection by the saint himself. As I read it this morning, I was impressed with how the life of Pier Giorgio completely embodied the attitude one must have in regard to the poor, as outlined in St. Vincent de Paul's writing. Although it is lengthy, it is well worth reading:

Even though the poor are often rough and unrefined, we must not judge them from external appearances nor from the mental gifts they seem to have received. On the contrary, if you consider the poor in the light of faith, then you will observe that they are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor. Although in his passion he almost lost the appearance of a man and was considered a fool by the Gentiles and a stumbling block by the Jews, he showed them that his mission was to preach to the poor: He sent me to preach the good news to the poor. We also ought to have this same spirit and imitate Christ’s actions, that is, we must take care of the poor, console them, help them, support their cause.

Since Christ willed to be born poor, he chose for himself disciples who were poor. He made himself the servant of the poor and shared their poverty. He went so far as to say that he would consider every deed which either helps or harms the poor as done for or against himself. Since God surely loves the poor, he also loves those who love the poor. For when one person holds another dear, he also includes in his affection anyone who loves or serves the one he loves. That is why we hope that God will love us for the sake of the poor. So when we visit the poor and needy, we try to understand the poor and weak. We sympathize with them so fully that we can echo Paul’s words: I have become all things to all men. Therefore, we must try to be stirred by our neighbors’ worries and distress. We must beg God to pour into our hearts sentiments of pity and compassion and to fill them again and again with these dispositions.

It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such service as quickly as possible. If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you interrupted your prayer to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for such service. One of God’s works is merely interrupted so that another can be carried out. So when you leave prayer to serve some poor person, remember that this very service is performed for God. Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity. Since she is a noble mistress, we must do whatever she commands. With renewed devotion, then, we must serve the poor, especially outcasts and beggars. They have been given to us as our masters and patrons.

One of the most compelling writings by Pier Giorgio is contained in his book of Letters to His Friends and Family. In his notes for a speech on charity to his fellow university students, he expounds the virtues of joining a Conference of St. Vincent de Paul. Again, though lengthy, it is a wonderful meditation on this feast day:

I don’t know if you are all aware what these institutions are that were so marvelously conceived by St. Vincent de Paul.

It is a simple institution suitable for students because it does not involve commitment apart from being in a particular place one day a week and then visiting two or three families every week. You will see, in just a little time, how much good we can do to those we visit and how much good we can do to ourselves.

The members who visit these families are, I would say, unworthy instruments of Divine Providence. As we grow closer to the poor little by little we gain their confidence and can advise them in the most terrible moments of this earthly pilgrimage. We can give them the comforting words of faith and we often succeed, not by our own merit, in putting on the right path people who have strayed not out of malice.

I think I can say that the Conference of St. Vincent with its visits to the poor serves to curb our passions, it gives us increasing incentives to get on the right road by which we are all trying to reach the great harbor.

Seeing daily the faith with which families often bear the most atrocious sufferings, the constant sacrifices that they make and that they do all this for the love of God often makes us ask this question: I, who have had so many things from God, have always been so neglectful, so bad, while they, who have not been privileged like me, are infinitely better than me. Then we resolve in our conscience to follow the way of the Cross from then onward, the only way that leads us to Eternal Salvation.

Now there are many conferences in the city of Turin and among those there is one for university students, which however is composed primarily of people who are on the verge of ending their student careers and beginning the life of adults.

Now we direct to you a warm appeal that you might want to swell the ranks of our members which are now very meager and so that each of you can contribute in your own way to relieve those who suffer.

Come with enthusiasm to this conference, come and every sacrifice of yours will certainly be compensated in Heaven because Jesus Christ has promised that all we do for the poor for Love of Him He will consider it as having been done to Himself. You don’t want to refuse this Love to Jesus Who, because of infinite love for Humanity, wanted to be in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, as our Consoler and as Bread of the Soul.

To be members one is not required to pay membership dues, it is enough to have good will and nothing else. It is true that at the end of the meeting there is a collection, but everybody is free to put whatever he wants.

St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati...pray for us!

Miraculous healing reported through the intercession of Pier Giorgio

2011-09-15T11:21:00.002-05:00

Reports of favors granted through the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati continue to be received and are forwarded to the official postulator in Italy. The following two emails regard the healing of a comatose patient. Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us...

Favors Received: My cousin miraculously recovered from a severe head injury on day 6 of my novena to Blessed Pier Giorgio (day 1 for my sister). Opened his eyes (came out of his coma) and his medical condition(had infections and fevers) stabilized (he was life and death prior) a little more than 12 hours after my mother brought his picture to my cousin's bedside! The doctors and the entire medical staff were amazed at his recovery. He was in a coma for 10 days and in grave condition...he woke up on a Sunday (September the 4th) and not only was discharged from the hospital today (9/13) but WALKED OUT!! He was playing football in the parking lot with his brother. This was TRULY a miracle (I am an RN and have NEVER seen anything like this!) Thank you Blessed Pier Giorgio!! I know it was him!
Date: 09/04/2011

Favors Received: I posted a miracle that occurred in my family last night but I found out today that my cousin Kevin (the one in the coma) started talking yesterday about an angel that was with him the whole time. It was a man...he took care of him. When showed a picture of Blessed Pier Giorgio today by his mother (not seeing a picture of him yet--there was one picture in his ICU room but it was not in his transitional room and that's when he really started to come to) he exclaimed, "That is him!" That's the angel that was with him. We are all amazed. Praise Jesus! Thank you Blessed Pier Frassati!
Date: 09/13/2011

Sponsor a Student at Frassati Catholic Academy

2011-09-07T11:06:00.004-05:00

This is the second academic year for middle school students at Frassati Catholic Academy in the Chicago area. Dr. Diane Vida, principal of the Academy, has 20 returning students whose families are experiencing extreme financial hardship. "Since we are a regional Archdiocese school," she writes, "we do not have one parish to assist us with a special collection."

If you are in the position to sponsor a Catholic education for students ages 10-14 based upon the virtues and Beatitudes of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, please visit the school's website or contact Dr. Vida. Verso l'alto!

Across the Pond, Down Under and In Between!

2011-09-02T11:53:00.001-05:00

"Love frassatiusa.org. Best site there is about Bl Pier Giorgio on the net. Truly."

This was the opening line of an email I recently received from Steve Smyth down in New South Wales, Australia. It was never the vision of FrassatiUSA to be the primary source of info about Pier Giorgio for people all around the English-speaking world, but that seems to be what has slowly taken place since we began this ministry five years ago. What a blessing it is to hear from people from all corners of the world and all walks of life as they share what Pier Giorgio means to them!

Another exciting development is the movement to launch "FrassatiUK" as a way to unite the growing number of Frassati groups in that part of the world. "FrassatiUSA is really our inspiration," wrote Shaun Bailham, as he shared his desire to serve young people in the British isles. I was able to have a long conversation with Shaun earlier this week and was in turn inspired by his enthusiasm. He has just recently created a Facebook page for FrassatiUK where you can lend him your support.

And here in the U.S., yet another Frassati Fellowship is up and running. If you are in the Albany, New York area, be sure to check out the Capital Region Frassati Chapter. Nithin Mathew, writing on behalf of the group, shared the following: "We are a group for young adults interested in learning about Catholic faith. Our group had humble beginnings (like any other) with a handful meeting in a coffee-shop. With grace of our Lord and intercession of our Blessed Mother we have now grown into a fellowship of over 100 faithful Catholics in and around the capital region of New York state. Our weekly meetings are every Wednesday and we have an average attendance of 20-25 young adults (age 18-35) every week."

Needless to say, it is awesome to see Frassati Fever sweeping the globe! Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

Back to school with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati!

2011-07-18T12:50:00.003-05:00

Just two days after we celebrated the feast of Blessed Pier Giorgio, an exciting announcement was made by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston: Frassati Catholic High School is the official name of the new school planned for that diocese. This will be the first high school in the United States to bear Pier Giorgio's name. With plans to open in 2013, the fundraising effort is underway. More information is available at frassaticatholic.org.

Less than two years ago, we celebrated the YouTube announcement by Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago, naming the newest middle school in the diocese Frassati Catholic Academy. The school opened in August 2010 with a spiritual charter inspired by the life and witness of Blessed Pier Giorgio.

Pier Giorgio is definitely no stranger at the college level. At Vanderbilt University, Catholic students pray and fellowship together at the Frassati House. At Wyoming Catholic College, they enjoy meals in Frassati Hall. At the Franciscan University of Steubenville, a movement called Frassati Franciscan is connecting students and alumni. An outreach called Frassati has been launced to unite grad students, alumni and young professionals from the University of Arkansas. Students hike the trails of Maine with the Saint Joseph's College Frassati Society. The list really does go on and on.

The mission of FrassatiUSA is to further the apostolate of Blessed Pier Giorgio and, in doing so, promote his cause for canonization. Although we can take no credit for the wonderful initiatives happening almost weekly now around the country by people who are inspired by Pier Giorgio, it is a cause of great joy to see so much activity taking place, especially in the academic environment. As students of all ages prepare to head back to school next month, may Blessed Pier Giorgio accompany them in every aspect of their lives. Verso l'alto!

"...[w]e Catholics and especially we students have a serious responsibility to fulfill: our own formation.
We, who by the grace of God are Catholics, should not waste the most wonderful years of our life, as unfortunately do so many unhappy young people, who are preoccupied with enjoying the good life, which does not result in good, but which brings the fruit of immorality into our modern society. We should steel ourselves to be ready to carry on the battles we shall certainly have to fight in order to fulfill our program and thus to give to our country, in a not-too-distant future, happier days and a morally healthy society. But for all this is needed: continual prayer to obtain from God that grace without which our efforts are in vain; organization and discipline so that we can be ready for action at the opportune moment and finally, sacrifice of our passions and of ourselves, because without this it is impossible to reach the goal." -- excerpt from a letter by PGF to members of an association of Catholic youth, October 1922

"It's a double feast today!"

2011-06-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

Today's great feast of the holy apostles and martyrs Saints Peter and Paul was a special one in the life of Pier Giorgio. It was the day he celebrated as his name day, what we would call our feast day.

From Luciana Frassati's very moving book, "My Brother Pier Giorgio: His Last Days," we know that the last gift he received from his sister was a cigar case that he chose for himself that day while they shopped together. Later, he joked with a maid, "Two cigars. Today you have to give me two cigars: one for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it's a double feast today!" And when he went out in the evening to share a toast with his friends to celebrate his feast day, his Aunt Elena thought it strange. Like many others in his family, she did not understand his spirituality.

That fateful Monday in 1925 would mark the beginning of the end of his short life. When his friends noticed that he did not seem well, he passed it off as a case of "muscular poisoning. Too much activity these last few months." But his aches and pains did not deter him from spending time with his friends and family and visiting the sick and the poor. He was then and is now the model of how to live holiness in our ordinary lives.

"I also saw him serving for the bishop during the distribution of Communion in La Consolata Church on his feast day, as always with the seriousness and attention to detail that he gave to anything pertaining to the Church. But in his life outside church, he was always rowdy and in high spirits." -- (Testimony of Fernanda Casali Marini in the book, "Mio Fratello Pier Giorgio - La Fede,")

With those same high spirits, let us celebrate this double feast today. Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

Have You Frassati Fellowshipped Lately?!

2011-06-22T13:24:00.014-05:00

With Pier Giorgio's feast day right around the corner, there is much to celebrate and many new places to do so!

This month, the Frassati Fellowship of Winston-Salem kicked off at the parish of St. Leo the Great. I had a wonderful time visiting Fr. Lucas Rossi and all the fine folks involved in this effort. If you are in that area and are in your 20s or 30s, this is a great opportunity to grow in your faith, have fun and fellowship with other people who are seeking to do the same.


La Salette Frassati Fellowship

The Baltimore Frassati Fellowship is also underway with a slate of monthly events at Saints Philip and James Parish. If you're anywhere near Attleboro, MA, check out the newly formed La Salette-Frassati Fellowship at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette.

Feel like a roadtrip to Indiana? Join the Frassati Society of Young Adults for their "Live Out Loud" conference on July 30th and 31st!

Heading to Fargo, ND? Tap into the Frassati Fellowship for a monthly spiritual boost!

Cruising through the Motor City? Check out the calendar for the Frassati Society of Detroit!

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple? Make plans to spend time with the New York Frassati Fellowship!

The list goes on. From the Frassati Society in Marquette, Michigan to Kokomo, Indiana to Tallahassee, Florida to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. And if you are putting on your cowboy boots and heading to Nashville, Tennessee, why not attend Mass at the Frassati House with the Vanderbilt Catholic Community of Blessed Pier Giorgio?It's fun to Frassati! So check out a group in your area or start one of your own! Be sure to share your website or Facebook page with us, so we can let others know where to find you. Verso l'alto!

Another Prayer Answered Through the Intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio

2011-05-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

"I prayed to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati asking for his intercession in helping my youngest son get a good paying job that he would do well at. I promised our Blessed that if he interceded for me, I would see my answered prayer published and that I would have our Priest offer nine (9) Masses in thanksgiving. He interceded for me before the Throne of God and I have now kept my promise to him. I teach High School Confirmation class in my Church. We have a huge framed picture of Blessed Pier Giorgio hanging on the wall at the front of the classroom. We pray his Litany at the end of every class and I pass his holy cards out to the students and their parents on a regular basis. Thank you and God Bless You. -- Shirley J. Schultz "

Pray the Pier Giorgio Birthday Novena!

2011-03-28T14:14:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone is having a good Lenten season so far. With Easter coming pretty late this year, Pier Giorgio's birthday falls in the middle of Lent. What convenient timing for praying the novena! It begins on March 29th and will end on his 110th birthday on April 6th. You can download a copy of the prayers on the FrassatiUSA website. Just click here to go to that page and look in the Forms section on the bottom right.

I know everyone has a lot of personal intentions. But, if you could add to your prayers the healing of Bill Barry, it would be greatly appreciated.

There is so much news and I hope to get back to blogging regularly again soon. In the meantime, Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

Do you have a special prayer intention that you would like to share with others?

2010-11-03T15:44:00.003-05:00

We frequently receive special prayer requests and many of you have asked for a place to share them on our website. We are experimenting with one interactive page that now allows you to add your intention in the "Comments" field. It would be nice to have an online community of friends of Pier Giorgio to pray for these intentions. So, if you would like to participate, visit the "Special Intentions" page. And pray.

BLESSED PIER GIORGIO...PRAY FOR US.

Prayers for Marshall

2010-10-22T13:31:00.003-05:00

It is wonderful to be back in the greatest country in the world! My flights from Rome to Paris to Atlanta to Nashville were quite memorable -- from the momentary panic of losing my passport and boarding pass in Rome to having my bags searched in Paris and being pulled aside by the Customs office in Atlanta. But, as they say, all's well that ends well.

Within hours after returning to the U.S., I received news of a prayer campaign being waged for a 16-year-old high school junior here in Nashville, Tennessee. His name is Marshall Billingsley and he is fighting a rare form of bone cancer that has spread to one of his lungs. Friends and family of Marshall decided to call on the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and have launched a Facebook page called, "Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for Marshall Billingsley."

They are asking as many people as possible to pray the following each day:

"O merciful God,
Who through the perils of the world
deigned to preserve by Your grace
Your servant Pier Giorgio Frassati
pure of heart and ardent of charity,
listen, we ask You, to our prayers and,
if it is in Your designs that he be glorified by the Church,
show us Your will,
granting us the graces we ask of You,
particularly, a complete and miraculous healing for Marshall Billingsley,
through his intercession,
by the merits of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen."

For those of you in the Nashville area, a Benefit Concert is being held on November 4th and all are invited to attend. You can also follow Marshall's journey via the CaringBridge website. Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for Marshall.

Arrivederci Roma!

2010-10-09T07:31:00.007-05:00

I have been "across the pond" for quite some time now and have put a lot of miles on my sandals! I must admit I am really looking forward to returning to the U.S. It has been a very busy time here in Italy but not all of it has been related to Pier Giorgio. I am just recently back from a week in Calabria where I was able to spend time with a lot of my Italian relatives.

The amazing thing about traveling around Italy is that every place seems more beautiful than the one you just left. Calabria is no exception. With the mountains and the sea and the olive trees and the wonderful people, it is a fabulous place to visit. I was spoiled rotten by my relatives with meal after meal of delicious homemade food, including the wine and olive oil. There are no words to describe both the joy of having such a loving family and the sorrow of having them so far away. In any case, I was grateful for the time to spend with them and left with many special memories and handmade treasures.

Back in Rome, the Lord continued to be full of surprises. On October 7th, I attended Mass for Luciana Frassati who died in 2007 at the age of 105 on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. I chose Santa Maria in Trastevere and was not disappointed. It was a special place to be on that particular feast day. Yesterday, on October 8th, the Holy Spirit led me to attend evening Mass at San Crisogono. I had planned to go somewhere else but had to change at the last minute. I was not at all aware that it was the Solemnity of Our Lady of Good Remedy -- the patroness of the Trinitarians who are centered in that church. How wonderful to pray in front of her icon there on her feast day! Today, Wanda suggested we attend Chiesa Nuova. I had no idea that it is the first feast day for the recently beatified John Henry Newman -- the newest pride of the Oratorians who are centered in Chiesa Nuova! It was a Facebook friend who pointed that out. So, my last three days have been one special moment after another. God is good...all the time!

With the necessary check-in time, layovers and travel time, it will take me 24 hours to get home tomorrow -- assuming all goes well! Depending on the jetlag I experience, it may take me a few days to surface! I appreciate all of the prayers offered during the time I have been here in Europe and will continue to remember all of your intentions at Mass this evening. Ciao from Roma and Verso l'alto!

Another Wonderful Model for Youth: Blessed Chiara Badano

2010-09-26T05:52:00.012-05:00

Who believes in coincidence? Not me. Everything happens according to God's perfect timing and it can be nearly electrifying to watch things unfold according to His plans.

Yesterday, a series of events led me to attend the Beatification of Chiara "Luce" Badano at the Sanctuary of Divine Love several miles away from the center of Rome. It took a long walk, the Metro and a bus to get there but it was well worth it. Thanks to Wanda and her friend (who happened to be named Piergiorgio!), I had a ticket to get inside the new church and ended up sitting six rows behind Mr. and Mrs. Badano throughout the Mass. After Mass, I was able to watch them being interviewed by various TV stations.

I had not heard of Chiara Badano until August 22nd when I was visiting some friends in Alabama. In honor of their wedding anniversary, another family hosted a little gathering that I almost didn't attend. It was during a conversation there that Chiara's name came up. When I heard that the beatification would take place on September 25th, something told me I was meant to attend.

Chiara Badano died at the age of 18 in 1990 -- the same year that Pier Giorgio was beatified. She suffered from bone cancer but her spirituality allowed her to embrace her suffering and give it all to God. The story is inspiring and you can find it (in English) on her website: http://www.chiaralucebadano.it/. All of the events were streamed live on the internet and you can watch the recordings (with English translations) from this website: http://media.focolare.org/tech-4.htm.

Like Pier Giorgio, Chiara is often noted for being a regular teenager who showed that we can be holy. One of her meditations during her battle with cancer was, "If you want it Jesus, so do I." She also reflected often on these words, "I'll be a saint, if I am a saint now." Those words struck me as a good way to examine my conscience. Am I being a saint now? Chiara planned her own funeral with the intention for it to be a true celebration of her meeting with Jesus. Her last words to her mother were, "Mom, be happy, because I am. Goodbye." Throughout the Mass, I could not help thinking about the suffering that her parents endured then and the tremendous joy they were experiencing 20 years later. Imagine losing your only child and then witnessing her beatification.

The lives of these two Blesseds are incredible examples of how we can be modern and Christian at the same time. We are all called to be holy. We are all called to be saints. As they unveiled the large picture of Blessed Chiara Badano in the presence of her parents and thousands upon thousands of others who attended, the choir sang "Gloria!" On earth and in heaven, the choirs sang. Blessed Chiara Badano and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati...pray for us!

--

This morning, I stepped out of the 21st century and into the 8th century when I attended the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in the Melkite tradition at the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Many of you may not know that I am born and raised Byzantine Catholic. I grew up hearing the Liturgy chanted in Old Slavonic, so today's Italian mixed with Arabic was quite different, but it was very comforting to experience the Eastern Rite here in Rome.

On a side note, the exterior wall of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is famous for the Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth) -- a tourist staple. People stand in line to put their hand inside the mouth and see if they will pull it out unharmed. If you have seen the movie, Roman Holiday, there is a cute scene with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck standing in that spot. Till next time...Verso l'alto!

Rome Sweet Rome

2010-09-23T07:51:00.010-05:00

Okay, the technical difficulties with the blog seem to have resolved. And I have a few minutes for a quick update. So....

On Friday, Wanda and I went to Torino by train. It has never been my favorite city but it is the resting place for the relics of Pier Giorgio, so I am always glad to go for a little while. I attended Mass at the beautiful Consolata - a place that Pier Giorgio loved to go. Afterward, it was very appropriate to finish the novena in front of his tomb in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The big market was taking place that day, as well, so I milled around there just a bit. By 2:00, we were back on the train for Pollone.

The next day, we went our separate ways again. I have friends and family in the Modena area, so I stopped there for two nights before rejoining Wanda here in Rome. The small town where I stayed was called Castellarano. Lucky for me, they were having their annual festival. It was a wonderful way to spend the weekend. I arrived in Rome on Monday evening, a bit tired after the long day of train travel. But no rest for the weary. Wanda had planned a dinner on her terrace with a French priest and an American seminarian who are both interested in forming some sort of group to promote Pier Giorgio's spirituality here in Rome among young adults. It was a delightful evening. Yesterday afternoon, we met with another American student who is also interested in doing some work on Pier Giorgio's behalf.

The weather here is wonderful and a very welcome and much needed change. I walked to St. Peter's in the morning and caught my first glimpse of Pope Benedict yesterday at the start of the Wednesday Audience. I didn't have time to stay for the whole thing but enjoyed watching him zipping around in the Popemobile to the delight of the crowd on the piazza. A little later, I had lunch with one of Wanda's sisters before she headed out of town. And in the evening, I was able to spend time with a cousin who lives here in Rome. A very enjoyable day from beginning to end.

Now that I am feeling better, I have also been indulging my cappuccino habit. This morning, I went to one of my favorite cappuccino spots: Bar 67 in Trastevere. It's not far from the Basilica of St. Cecilia so I stopped in there to pray awhile in front of the altar where one of the most beautiful sculptures in Rome (in my opinion) can be found. One of the very nice things about Rome is that the churches are open during the day and you can stop in one after another for a moment of peace and prayer. That means lots of opportunities to pray for all of you! Verso l'alto!

Prayers from Pollone

2010-09-15T02:02:00.010-05:00

It has been a week since we arrived here in Pollone. In just that short period of time, I have received news that a friend in Nashville needed a heart valve replacement, our bishop underwent six-bypass surgery, a beloved monsignor passed away, another friend has bleeding in the brain. In addition, I have received many prayer requests via email and the Facebook page. There is always so much to pray for! I can only imagine how Our Lord's heart aches for the billions of people who call upon Him each day with such great needs.

One of the special graces of being here is being able to experience the constant calm that emanates from Pier Giorgio's bedrooms. There are two -- the one he lived in when at this house, and the one he died in at the family home in Turin (moved here many years ago.) I spend the majority of my time in the room where he died. For some reason, it feels like the appropriate place to pray. Literally, prayers are placed at the foot of his bed on little slips of paper. Calling on his intercession, that is also where Wanda and I pray the novena nightly for your intentions. We will be here another few days, just long enough to complete the novena, before returning to Rome.

On Sunday morning, we had the unexpected joy of having Mass in Pier Giorgio's room. When we were in the mountains on Saturday, we attended Mass at the old church in Oropa where the Brown Madonna is enshrined. Afterward, Wanda spoke to one of the priests and he was very much interested in coming to the villa. He is from Poland but is stationed in Switzerland. The majority of the Mass was in Polish, but he made an effort to add a little English for my benefit. He had a voice that reminded me so much of Pope John Paul II and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him, even when I didn't understand a word he was saying! A beautiful thing it is indeed to be Catholic and part of the universal Church.

During the week, I attend evening Mass at the old parish church here where Pier Giorgio often served on the altar. I enjoy making the short walk through town and think of how often he passed by the same houses on the same streets. The other day, I walked down to the cemetery and visited the tomb of Pier Giorgio's beloved sister Luciana and the rest of the family. The house is not the same without her. In fact, I have been sitting in "her chair" for meals and told Wanda that I feel like I am sitting on top of her!

We have had beautiful weather here -- none of the customary rain and a clear view of Mount Mucrone. You can't help but feeling closer to God when you look up at a mountaintop from below and sense His majesty. It is easy to understand how Pier Giorgio was moved to write, "Mountains, mountains, mountains, I love you!"

Even though I have still not loaded all the photos or managed to blog more regularly, be assured of my constant prayers from Pollone. Verso l'alto!

Home is where Pier Giorgio is!

2010-09-11T12:45:00.005-05:00

Before I left for Italy, I was determined to blog more. But not long after arriving, I came down with what I think was just a very bad cold. Now, two weeks and a lot of miles and cities later, I am feeling better but still trying to get over a nagging cough. That's my excuse for the very infrequent blog posts! Tonight, however, I am determined to satisfy those of you who have been wanting more.

I will start in Poland but will use subheadings for those of you who want to go straight to Italy! :)

Warsaw

Wanda and I arrived in Warsaw on Friday, September 3rd. It was my first visit there and a privilege to go with her as it is the place of her birth. We got settled in our rooms and I went straight to bed. Woke up feeling terrible with still a bit of a fever and was disappointed that I would not get to see Warsaw. I only had Saturday there because the plan was for me to go on my own the next day to some other places and rejoin her later. Around 2:30 in the afternoon, I awakened to what sounded like a marching band. Now, Wanda is a great lover of music and often has something wonderful playing. So, I wasn't sure if it was coming from inside the house or outside. It got me out of bed, though. Sure enough, a marching band was coming down the main street. I could also see a lot of booths set up and a festival of some kind taking place. It was the push I needed to get moving. Wanda was not in the house, so I ventured out alone.

One of my first thoughts after spending just a little time in Poland was that I owe a major apology to everyone who came on the FrassatiUSA pilgrimage with me last year. I quickly realized how intimidating it is to be in a country where you do not understand a single word and how I had not considered that when they were with me. Even saying, "I don't speak Polish" is difficult in that language. I didn't stay out long.

Wanda returned shortly after I did and was surprised to see me on my feet. I convinced her I was well enough to see Warsaw and she took me to the old town. We walked past the President's palace where a bit of turmoil is still unfolding over a monument to the former president who died in a plane crash. We timed it perfectly to see the changing of the guard at the palace. We also saw weddings galore. It was like a Las Vegas chapel. One wedding was going on inside the church and another bridal party was waiting outside for their turn! My sense of Warsaw was that it was more American than other places I have been. There was a Subway sandwich shop across the street and a big Starbucks coffee shop -- two things I have yet to see in Italy. My energy was at an end and we called it a night.

Czestochowa
I am only half Italian but full hard-headed and was determined to start the journey to the other cities that I had wanted to see. So, Wanda brought me to the train station on Sunday morning. She has been teasing me a bit about my Blackberry (which she sometimes jokingly refers to as my Raspberry) being a part of my body. The night before I left Warsaw, I was starting to type her instructions into the phone but she said she would write them out. That paper is one of the most valuable things she has given me these last few years! She wrote out the essential information I would need for finding my way and some key Polish phrases. Although I was assured by many people that "every young person in Poland speaks English," I quickly found this was NOT the case. In Czestochowa I met only one. Fortunately, he was in the train station and able to help me use the luggage lockers there. With just a backpack to carry, I headed off to Jasna Gora.

After a lot of pointing and showing my paper to a few different people on the street, I found my way. There was a special event going on -- some sort of Mass for farmers. The main street was filled with booths with local products, farm supplies, tractors and everything imaginable. A large outdoor Mass was taking place. In Polish, of course! I went inside and attended the Mass taking place in front of the image of the Black Madonna. It was completely packed. After Mass, I had an opportunity to sit and pray a rosary for everyone's intentions. I finished my time there by making the little journey on my knees around the sanctuary where the image is enthroned. Back down the hill, I stopped to watch some performers in traditional Polish attire. Then back to pointing at my paper and finding the train station. Managed to get on the right train to Krakow!

Krakow
The second person I met who spoke English was a young woman who came into my car on the train just as it was pulling out. We had a wonderful conversation all of the way to Krakow about everything Polish. Two older women joined us and we included them in the conversation with the first young woman serving as translator. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip. I love riding the trains in Europe. Some people complain that they are not reliable but I find it to be quite the opposite. It is such a relaxing way to see the countryside.

I was met in Krakow at the station by a Polish Dominican brother who brought me to where I would be staying on Stolarska street -- just across from the American Embassy and a minute away from the main square. It was cold and dreary and drizzly and I was surprised to find the heat on inside. In my previous blog, I mentioned how Brother Michael took me to the Priory and showed me around, including the spot where Pope John Paul II dubbed Pier Giorgio "the Man of the Beatitudes." He introduced me to Brother Lukasz. Between the two of them, I had the best guides for Krakow and the surrounding area.

Auschwitz
On Monday, I took the six+-hour tour to Auschwitz. It was incredibly intense and left a lasting impression upon me. Over the years, I have viewed a lot of films and read a lot of books on the topic. The first office for FrassatiUSA was right next to the Tennessee Holocaust Commission and I had many opportunities to discuss the Holocaust and obtain resources in different languages. But, obviously, there is nothing like being there. It was very special to visit the cell of Maximilian Kolbe and say a quick prayer there. Our guide recommended two books. I purchased one that day and finished it the other night. It is titled, "I was Dr. Mengele's Assistant." Powerful and unforgettable. It was overcast and dreary that day which was quite appropriate for the sights that we saw. Too much in and out of the cold for me again, so I was back in bed not long after returning to Krakow.

Krakow (again!)
Trying to prevent a total relapse, I decided to sleep in on Tuesday. I joined a walking tour of Krakow at noon in the main square. Every place has its own special flair. One of the amusing traditions in Krakow is the bugle playing from the highest tower of St. Mary's every hour on the hour. I enjoyed it the whole time I was there. Our walking tour guide was very entertaining and I was able to see some of the most notable sights. Most of all, I loved seeing Pope John Paul II waving to us (okay it was a poster) from the Archbishop's house. I'm not a good one for appreciating architecture and art, etc., but did enjoy heading up to Wawel Castle and the other main points along the way. When the tour split up, I went back to the museum for JP2. I must say, what a totally COOL pope he was! In the middle of one room was a collection of his sports gear, skis, a kayak, shirts given to him by sports teams. I mean, what a guy! Later, I had my first real food in days -- pieroghies in Poland. :) I give Krakow two thumbs up and recommend a trip there to anyone. Not to mention the fact that the US Dollar is worth three zlotych, so your money goes a long way. But hurry before Poland switches to the euro!

Wadowice
It was either the salt mines in Wieliczka or the birthplace of JP2. For me, an easy choice. Unfortunately, there was not an organized tour for Wadowice. It was cold, windy, the usual. And I had to find my way there and back on my own without a cheat sheet from Wanda! The girl at the info booth drew me a map for where to catch a bus. Okay, I found the spot but to call it a "bus" was quite a stretch. It was a total death trap with a driver who was on and off of his cell phone the whole time. He used the brakes often and at the last possible minute. My stomach was three rows in front of me the entire time. After an hour and 20 minutes, we arrived at the final stop. From my first look at the town, I wondered what I was thinking. But after walking to the house where Pope John Paul II was born, I had no regrets. It was just great to be there. The weather was horrible but every once in awhile the sun peeked out for a second. It was the feast of the Birthday of Mary -- how appropriate to spend it in the hometown of a pope whose motto was "Totus Tuus." Attended Mass in the church where he was baptized, confirmed, received first communion, served as an altar boy. It was a wonderful experience. After a couple of hours, I flagged down the bus heading to Krakow. Much to my relief, it was a real bus with a professional-looking driver.

Pollone
Thursday, September 9th -- destination Pollone and the Frassati Villa. Wanda left Warsaw early that morning and we met at the train station in Krakow. It was planes, trains and automobiles all day long! We took the train to the Krakow airport, then a shuttlebus, then a plane to Milano, a car, another train, another train, another car and finally arrived!!!

The second-to-last train I took was standing room only. She found a seat but I was stuck in a wall-to-wall throng at the entrance to the carrozza. Apparently, some accident down the line made this train the one everyone needed to catch. Probably about a dozen of us were crammed into a space meant for one or two. It was like that everywhere. A father with his five-year-old daughter were standing in front of me. A woman was complaining for at least 15 or 20 minutes after the train got moving. All I could think of was the cattle car ride to Auschwitz. No air, no light, no facilities, no space, no food, no water, no hope.

Driving up the main street in Pollone (which happens to be named Pier Giorgio Frassati Street!), Wanda pointed out a new addition. In honor of the 20th Anniversary of Pier Giorgio's Beatification this past May, the town has hung some banners from a few key streetlights. It added to the anticipation of getting back here since leaving last July 5th. What can you say about having an opportunity to sleep in the house where a saint slept, to live in the house where a saint slept, to pray in the room where a saint lived, to kneel at the foot of the bed where a saint died, to pray a novena with the niece of a saint? As many times as I have been here, I know that it is a special grace and one that not everyone can experience. So the first order of business was to begin a novena for all of your intentions. I always find the novena in honor of Pier Giorgio to be very powerful but there is no comparison to the experience of praying it in his room. I went to sleep very happy to be back in Italy, most especially to be here.

I woke up on Friday morning feeling like a small child on Christmas morning -- wanting to go everywhere and see everything. But I really needed to get some rest and so did not overdo it. The weather was beautiful and majestic Mount Mucrone was standing taller than ever. Wanda and I had some business to take care of and I didn't venture far. But in the evening, I did walk up to the parish church for evening Mass. This is a tiny town. I knew what I would find upon arriving at the chapel. The tiny pews and the space in the back where my long legs would fit. The same short little old Italian ladies who lead the rosary. Old Don Mario (the priest) who has been serving God for more than 60 years. It's a little home away from home here.

Today was another picture perfect day. Wanda was inspired to take a ride up into the moutains in Oropa. Just fantastic. We ended with the 4:30 p.m. Mass in the Old Church -- where Pier Giorgio would regularly go to pray at the feet of his beloved Brown Madonna. The church was packed and it was just wonderful to attend Mass there. Afterward, Wanda talked with a priest who is coming tomorrow morning to say Mass here in Pier Giorgio's room. What a great way to celebrate Sunday morning in Pollone!

Well, that is a trip down travel-blog lane! I really wanted to get some pictures uploaded here and onto the Facebook page but it is getting late and I am supposed to meet Wanda in Pier Giorgio's room at 10 p.m. to continue the novena. So, maybe tomorrow... Thanks to everyone for all of the prayers for my safe travels and health. Know that wherever I go, I bring you with me and remain united to you through our common friendship with Blessed Pier Giorgio. Verso l'alto!

In the Footsteps of Pope John Paul II

2010-09-06T16:21:00.003-05:00

There is so much to write about the last several days but, as usual, so little time. Wanda and I headed to Warsaw last Friday. On Sunday, we parted ways for a few days and I journeyed to Czestochowa and then Krakow. I took a 6+ hour tour to Auschwitz and Birkenau today. Tomorrow, I am going to venture on my own to Wadowice -- the birthplace of Pope John Paul II.

Well, that's the short version. The long version goes on for pages and hours and is too much for a blog post. But there is one great story that I have to share. Here in Krakow, I am the guest of the Polish Dominicans -- a group of 92 priests and brothers. Some of them have Pier Giorgio as their patron and a small group just recently visited the Frassati Villa in Pollone. Upon my arrival, Brother Michael took me to the priory to show me some areas that are closed to the public this week (for their retreat.) One place was the earliest room where they studied in the 13th century, the refectory, an underground storage area, some spectacular artwork, the prison where one priest was kept for three years! All very cool things to see but not the highlight.

In a certain sense, these Dominicans are where it all began for Pier Giorgio. Thirty-three years ago, on March 27, 1977, the Cardinal of Krakow -- Karol Wojtyla -- attended the opening of an exhibit about Pier Giorgio. The exhibit was in the halls of the Priory in the large common area outside of one entrance to the main church. It was then that Cardinal Wojtyla was so overcome with emotion and encouraged others to go view the exhibit. As I understand it, the Dominicans were having a retreat at the time that focused on the Beatitudes. Accordingly, Cardinal Wojtyla offered this exhortation: "Go and look at these photographs. Behold the man of the eight beatitudes who bears in himself the grace of the Gospel, the Good News, the joy of salvation offered to us by Christ..."

The title stuck and Pier Giorgio became known ever since as the "Man of the Beatitudes."

Last night, I stood in the spot where Pope John Paul II (then Cardinal Wojtyla) was photographed looking at a picture of Pier Giorgio prior to making those remarks. It was a real moment of completeness for me. Perhaps, just perhaps, if Pope John Paul II had not spoken of or promoted Pier Giorgio so much, I might never have known whom he was. A common thread definitely runs through both of their lives. And both of their lives have so profoundly impacted the direction of mine. For those reasons and many more, it cannot be more appropriate for me to be here now and to be so inspired by the inspiration of Pope John Paul II. Setting off for his birthplace tomorrow is a little pilgrimage of gratitude, I suppose. Having so often visited his tomb, it will be nice to see where it all began for him.

On a sad note, I also retraced a few of his footsteps today, as well as those of Pope Benedict, at Auschwitz in Block 11, Cell 18, where St. Maximilian Kolbe died. Visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau is an intense experience summed up well by Pope Benedict during his remarks in 2006: "Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this?"

Well, it may be a few days before I write again. God-willing, that will be from the Frassati Villa in Pollone where I will rejoin Wanda on Thursday. Looking forward to praying for you there.

The Bells of St. Mary

2010-09-02T08:57:00.003-05:00

There are many pleasures in Rome. One that I had forgotten was the beautiful sound of the church bells that mark the time here in Trastevere. Every 15 minutes, the bell tower of the beautiful basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere tolls a certain tone once for each hour and once for each quarter of an hour. You never need to look at a watch. Unfortunately, I haven't been feeling very well since my arrival here and am forced to spend the entire day today in bed. The bells are my consolation. A wonderful consolation.

Upon arrival, despite a pounding head, I did take a walk down to St. Peter's. It is almost a tradition for me to visit the tomb of Pope John Paul II upon my arrival in this city. I was filled with emotion as I knelt behind the ropes and reflected on all that has transpired these past few years. I prayed for all of the benefactors of FrassatiUSA, everyone on the mailing list, everyone on the Facebook fan page, all of my family and friends. There are so many special intentions. I also asked that holy man to advance the cause of Pier Giorgio Frassati. I think he would have loved to have been the one to canonize him. Now it will be up to someone else some day.

Another favorite spot of mine is the Divine Mercy church here -- officially it is the Church of the Holy Spirit. They have Eucharistic Adoration every day and it is a very peaceful, holy place. I enjoyed being there for Mass.

Of course, here in the piazza where I stay, I am fortunate to be able to regularly visit Santa Maria in Trastevere. It is a beautiful place and a church that is very alive in Rome. During yesterday's homily, the priest made a point worth reflecting on at length. He spoke of how we have become so preoccupied with the rights of every sort of group, the rights of animals, etc. But we have forgotten that with every right comes a corresponding duty to live up to the responsibilities that the right bestows. Ultimately, all of our rights, our very dignity, come from being sons and daughters of God. And with those rights comes the duty to love God in return and live lives worthy of such a distinction as to be called children of God.

Not feeling well has kept me from spending much time with Wanda so far. However, I did get to visit with her and another of her sisters for a little while yesterday. We will make up for lost time in the days ahead. Thanks to everyone who has sent well wishes and the promise of prayers. It is all very much appreciated. Verso l'alto!

To the Top ... sort of!

2010-08-29T13:53:00.003-05:00

In just a few hours, I will be leaving for the long journey to Rome. Although I do not enjoy the inconveniences of travel, the final destination (and the excellent cappuccino!) makes it all worthwhile.

The purpose of this trip is to once again spend time working with Wanda Gawronska, Pier Giorgio's niece, on various matters related to the work of FrassatiUSA and the efforts to promote his spirituality. As always, I will do my best to provide updates and photos that may be of interest. Most importantly, I will be praying for all of the many friends of Pier Giorgio back in the U.S. as I visit so many holy places. Verso l'alto!

The Intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio

2010-08-25T09:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Jillison for sharing this story:

"In late June, my uncle fell while trimming tree limbs and suffered an internal separation of his head from his spinal column. While not paralyzed, he was, needless to say, in critical condition and was thought several times to be near death. One day in particular, I received word that they were calling for the family members to come to the hospital, as they feared he would not last much longer. Not living close by I went to Mass instead and prayed fervently for the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio (he needs another miracle and so did we!!). When I returned from Mass I had a voicemail waiting from my mother – it seemed that an adjustment of my uncle's medicines had reversed the severity of the situation and my uncle was – for the moment – out of the woods. After several surgeries (and a nicked artery during one of them), my uncle is out of the hospital and back home again. And all of this after the doctors had suggested it would be months upon months before he was well enough to leave the hospital and all associated rehab facilities! There is no doubt in my mind that his recovery – while perhaps not "miraculous" – is due in no small part to Blessed Pier Giorgio and his eternal charity."

Frassati Catholic Academy Opens!

2010-08-23T16:53:00.003-05:00

Today was the first day of school for students at Frassati Catholic Academy in the Archdiocese of Chicago! Click here to read a story in the Daily Herald. Take a minute to visit the school's website. We wish all of the faculty, staff and students a wonderful year guided by Blessed Pier Giorgio. Verso l'alto!

A Tee Shirt is Worth a Thousand Words

2010-08-10T11:00:00.012-05:00

Former Beatle Paul McCartney performed recently here in Nashville and the ticket prices were staggering. I was amazed at the willingness of people who paid more than $200 for the "cheap seats" and would have gladly paid $2000 for a seat on the floor. When it comes to music, celebrities and sports, it seems we often have no hesitation in going all out to show our admiration and devotion.

And yet, when it comes to witnessing for our Faith, a timidity creeps in. Human nature can't help it -- we want to be liked and fit in. But conformity was never a goal of Christ. In fact, in Romans 12:2, we are exhorted to be different: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Thoughts like these run through my mind when I put on any sort of religious clothing whether it's a sweatshirt from Lourdes or a t-shirt from Fatima. Just like everyone else, I wonder how I will be viewed.

Last weekend, I was in a shopping mall that caters to a higher end sort of clientele. Now, I personally hate to shop. The female shopping gene I was supposed to have somehow got mixed up with one that loves football! I usually have to "offer it up" when I am forced to go to a mall. But last weekend, it was almost fun. I decided to wear the new Pier Giorgio Frassati t-shirt. I was very conscious of the puzzled looks at his name on the front of my shirt as I walked around. When I ran into a small boy wearing the newest Tim Tebow Denver Broncos shirt, I stopped to chat with him and his mom. They didn't ask about my shirt but I wondered whom they thought Pier Giorgio Frassati was -- maybe a new fashion designer or a member of the Italian cycling team!

The back of this shirt sums up everything about Pier Giorgio in a simple sentence uttered by Pope John Paul II during his beatification homily: "He testifies that holiness is possible for everyone." Whether you're in the cheap seats or sitting on the floor or at the mall or in your home or sweeping floors or entertaining millions or suffering from an addiction or raising a family or unemployed or athletic or uncoordinated or beautiful or plain or rich or poor or anything else, holiness is for YOU! And all I had to do to spread the message was walk around the mall and let the t-shirt do the talking.

So what have your clothes been saying lately?

The Waters of Baptism

2010-07-19T05:58:00.002-05:00

Last week, several members of my family headed from all directions to Maryland for the baptism of our newest addition -- cute little baby Katie! I don't know at what point in my spiritual life I began crying at baptisms but I do find them to be very emotional. As the water flows over that little baby and she is washed clean of original sin and made spotless in the sight of God, we are witnesses to one of the most incredible gifts of grace the Lord has given us.

As they so often do, my thoughts turned to Pier Giorgio. I remembered the beautiful story of how he served as the godfather for a baby of a poor family. The mother did not even have money for a baptismal gown, so he provided the funds and encouraged her to have the baby baptized. And, in his usual unassuming way, he mentioned it only briefly in one of his letters to a friend in 1923: "Now I have a goddaughter, who is 20 days old, I held her at the baptism the other day; she is pretty enough as far as babies are at that age they're more or less all the same."

Pier Giorgio had a great appreciation for the sacramental life and, consistent with his strong commitment to the apostolate of persuasion, he was always finding ways to bring others to these life-changing encounters with Christ. The significance of the sacrament of Baptism was not lost upon him. He referred to it on several occasions in his letters.

In 1924, he wrote to a friend, "And let us hope that this Faith that we have received in Holy Baptism, [...], will accompany us until the last day of our earthly journey [...]" Later, in 1925, while going through a personal turmoil, his letter to a friend gave us one of the most beautiful reflections:

Every now and then I ask myself: shall I go on trying to follow the right path? Will I have the good fortune to persevere to the end? In this tremendous clash of doubts, the Faith given to me in Baptism suggests to me with a sure voice: 'By yourself you can do nothing, but if you have God as the center of your every action then, yes, you will reach the goal.' And I would like to be able to do precisely that and to take as a maxim the saying of St. Augustine: 'Lord, our heart is restless until it rests in you.'

I was happy to discover the picture above when I got home from the baptism -- the water flowing over my niece's head from the hands of the priest transforming her into a pure child of God. It is an eternal grace that we receive at that moment and Pier Giorgio knew it well. He held fast to that grace throughout his lifetime and encourages us to do the same. Maybe if I had the faith he had in his early 20s, I would have started crying tears of joy at baptisms a lot sooner. Verso l'alto!

Celebrating the Feast Day of Blessed Pier Giorgio!

2010-07-04T05:26:00.002-05:00

Over the past several years, each feast day of Blessed Pier Giorgio has become more special for me. It is such a gift to us as Americans that we can celebrate both our Independence and the Feast of Pier Giorgio on the same day. I like to think of it as the "Frassati Fourth of July!" And, often when I give talks about Pier Giorgio's life, I will say, "Think Frassati when you see fireworks!"

Praying the novena in honor of Pier Giorgio during the days leading up to July 4th has also become very meaningful. The meditation on each Beatitude helps to put me in the mindset of Pier Giorgio and reflect on his life, his struggles, his joys, his sacrifices, his family life, and so on. It never fails that I experience some special consolation during that timeframe. This year has been no different.

It is such a blessing to be an American -- something that I took for granted until recent years. This is truly a great country founded on religious freedom and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. In Nashville, Tennessee, where I live, we have one of the country's best Fourth of July celebrations. The feelings of patriotism are overwhelming when you are among such a large crowd with one common bond. In a similar way, from being in "The Pact" and knowing that we are all united in prayer and our commitment to works of charity, there is a special feeling of spiritual camaradarie. All of these sorts of things go through my mind as the fireworks go off over my head.

I feel certain that Pier Giorgio is smiling on us from Heaven today and is grateful to everyone who has helped to spread his devotion here on earth. He continues to be our constant companion on our journey to holiness each day of our lives. So, wherever you are today, whisper a special prayer intention to him. Add a prayer for God to continue to bless America. And have a happy Frassati Fourth of July! Verso l'alto!

Watch Pier Giorgio on EWTN this weekend!

2010-06-30T13:27:00.003-05:00

This weekend on July 2nd, 3rd and 4th, EWTN will re-broadcast a 2009 interview with Wanda Gawronska -- the niece of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. It will air for 30 minutes each day at 1:30 p.m. EST. If you do not have EWTN on your television, you can watch it online via their audio/video streaming: http://ewtn.com/audiovideo/index.asp.

For those of you outside of the United States, check the schedule in your part of the world: http://www.ewtn.com/tv/schedule_index.asp.

Pass it on and tune it in! Verso l'alto!

Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul!

2010-06-29T14:12:00.003-05:00

Today is a very special day for friends of Blessed Pier Giorgio. "Peter" being the first part of his name, this feast was always considered his name day. In those days, it was still a holy day of obligation. (By the way, it remains a holy day of obligation in the Eastern Catholic Church to this day.)

This feast day also marked the beginning of Pier Giorgio's last days on earth after contracting the polio disease. One of the most moving books by his sister Luciana is: My Brother Pier Giorgio, His Last Days. In the opening pages of the book, she recounts the request Pier Giorgio made to the maid Maria on that day. "Two cigars. Today you have to give me two cigars: one for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it's a double feast day today!" (p. 8) I love the fact that his good sense of humor remained with him even to the end. And it is nice to read how much he practiced his faith and celebrated the great feast days of the Church.

We are on the fifth day of the novena in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio. How nice to be able to celebrate the patron saint of Pier Giorgio just a few days before we celebrate the feast of Pier Giorgio himself! Verso l'alto!

Now you can download and print the Frassati Novena!

2010-06-25T09:37:00.004-05:00

For those of you who will be joining the worldwide Novena in Honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, you can now download and print a .pdf version of the prayers. The document is in the forms section on the FrassatiUSA website. Click here to go directly to the novena page.

If you want to include your intentions with those being offered around the world, visit the website of the Compagnia dei Tipi Loschi. Click here to go directly to the page inviting your participation. In the small box on the right, click on the word "INGLESE" to read the instructions in English. They will post your prayer intentions on their website if you send an email to: info@tipiloschi.com and include your name/group and country of origin. (If you want to see all of the intentions already posted on their website, click on the word "ADESIONI" at the bottom of the small box on the right or click here to go directly to that page.) On the Fourth of July, they will offer a special Mass for all of these intentions.

Day One of the Novena begins today. Start your prayer engines! Verso l'alto!

Frassati Novena Begins Friday June 25th!

2010-06-24T16:45:00.002-05:00

We all need a little help from our friends -- especially our friends who are already in Heaven! Friday, June 25th, marks the start of the novena in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. It will conclude in time to celebrate his Fourth of July feast day! All of the novena prayers can be found on the website.

If you are on the FrassatiUSA mailing list, you should have received an email today with some additional info. If you did not receive the email, your email provider may have blocked it or sent it to your spam folder. Be sure to add "info@FrassatiUSA.org" to your address book to be sure to get future emails.

Pope Benedict Promotes Blessed Pier Giorgio as Model for Youth

2010-05-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

Speaking to the youth in Turin recently about the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid, Pope Benedict pointed to Blessed Pier Giorgio as an excellent role model:

"His existence was totally surrounded by grace and love of God, and it was consumed with serenity and joy in the passionate service of Christ and neighbor," the Pontiff said. "Young like you, he lived his Christian formation with great commitment, and gave a testimony of faith, simplicity and efficacy.

"He was a young man fascinated by the beauty of the Gospel of the Beatitudes, who experimented all of the joy of being a friend of Christ, of following him, of feeling in a living way that he was part of the Church."

In light of his testimony, the Pope encouraged the youth to have "the courage to choose what is essential in life."

"Like [Piergiorgio]," the Holy Father said, "discover that it is worth it to commit oneself for God and with God, to respond to his call in the fundamental decisions and the daily ones, even when it is costly."
(Click here to read the whole article.)

Twenty Blessed Years

2010-05-20T19:50:00.003-05:00

When Pope John Paul II beatified Pier Giorgio Frassati on May 20, 1990, he bestowed on future generations a wonderful gift -- the holy example of "the Man of the Eight Beatitudes." The life of Pier Giorgio challenges us to examine our own effort to grow in holiness. He reminds us that holiness can be found in the normality of life and that mediocrity is not an acceptable goal. He teaches us to live and not merely exist. He reveals the joy of being Catholic. Today is a wonderful day to celebrate the last twenty blessed years and look forward to the saintly ones to come. Happy Anniversary, Pier Giorgio! Verso l'alto!

Canonization Novena Begins Today!

2010-05-11T00:01:00.005-05:00

Today is the day to begin the Novena in Honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio if you want to end in time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his beatification on May 20th! A worthy intention to add to your novena would be for a canonization miracle to move his cause forward, if it is God's will. Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

Nashville Needs Your Prayers

2010-05-05T21:07:00.003-05:00

The last several days have been unforgettable here in Nashville -- the home of country music and FrassatiUSA.

I had been to Minneapolis and Lexington to give a series of presentations on Pier Giorgio and returned to Nashville for a relaxing weekend. At some point, it started to rain. It rained. And it rained. And it rained.

By Sunday morning, we all started to realize something wasn't right. When I went outside to look around, I discovered that the streets nearest me were now only passable by boat. The next several hours were spent watching the water rise and trying to decide if and when to evacuate. Many neighbors had already been forced to flee; many were rescued through windows. Some died. It happened so fast that we didn't really know what was happening.

I cannot describe the terrible and sad things I have seen over the last few days. You can probably view a lot of it online at our local news channels (such as www.wsmv.com.) We are still in a difficult and dangerous situation and rain is in the forecast for this weekend.

FrassatiUSA -- along with homes and businesses throughout the area -- is without phone/internet service. We understand it may be up to two more weeks before service is restored. We appreciate your patience during this time as it may take longer to respond to emails, process orders and bring the latest news to you on the website. Please keep Nashville in your prayers.

Thanks to those of you who have checked in to see if my home is okay. Fortunately, I did not have any water damage whatsoever. I wish I could say the same for all of those around me.

A "Miracle" Down Under

2010-04-17T17:37:00.004-05:00

Thanks to John in New South Wales, Australia, for sharing this beautiful testimony:

I live in Sydney Australia and was privileged to kneel next to Pier Giorgio's coffin during World Youth Day in 2008. I took an Iranian friend to visit the coffin here and he was amazed that a Christian sain't's body can be incorrupt. He became very interested in Christianity. This friend was on a temporary protection visa. I gave him a prayer card to PGF and we both prayed that he would get permanent residency here in Austrlaia. Two days after the Refugee Tribunal hearing last year (unknown to us), the person in charge ruled in my friend's favour for permanent residence in Australia. As PGF is not so well-known in the Catholic world, I committed my friend's need for permanent residency solely to PGF. A few days ago, due to the intercession of PGF, my friend got his permanent residency here in Australia and can become a citizen in a year.The delay in getting the news was due to the investigation of the case by our equivalent of your CIA. In my eyes PGF's intercession has produced a non-healing miracle. My friend's life would have been in serious danger if sent home. For me, PGF is now a 'saint'. My friend and I have prayed to PGF for this outcome. I hope my friend will now convert to Christianity.

Shroud of Turin on Display

2010-04-11T18:15:00.003-05:00

You probably have heard that the Shroud of Turin is now on display. An estimated two million people will pass by the Shroud (including Pope Benedict XVI who will visit on May 2nd.) The altar dedicated to Pier Giorgio is located not far from the Shroud in the Cathedral of Turin and so this will be a wonderful opportunity for him to be better known. The 20th Anniversary of his beatification will be marked on May 20th of this year. How wonderful that the Holy Shroud will be on display not far from Pier Giorgio's tomb on that day! (On a personal note, I love the purple -- my favorite color! -- awnings outside of the Cathedral in this short video clip.)

My Good Friend, Pier Giorgio

2010-04-07T20:08:00.008-05:00

It is hard for me to put into words how much Pier Giorgio has meant to me since I first met him 15 years ago. As we have just celebrated his 109th birthday, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the gift of his spiritual friendship.

I am often asked how I got to know Pier Giorgio and how I got involved with FrassatiUSA. It started in 1995 when I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend law school at Vanderbilt University. My new parish priest asked me to help form a group for young adults. We were struggling with a name until he came upon a little brochure for Pier Giorgio and decided to make him our patron. Our "Frassati Society" met for the first time in February of 1996. Until then, I had never heard of Pier Giorgio. Since then, he has been the roadmap for my life's journey. Six years later, I started another Frassati Society at Aquinas College in Nashville. In 2006, I met Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda Gawronska in Rome. Later that year, FrassatiUSA was born.

That's the short story.

The story too long to tell is how much of a role Pier Giorgio has played in my life. For starters, there is the gift of friendship. I like to say that Pier Giorgio should be made the patron saint of friendship because he showed us how true Christ-centered friendships should be lived. My best friend to this day is someone I met through that first Frassati Society here in Nashville. That first parish priest is still promoting Pier Giorgio and is a steady support for FrassatiUSA. The Book of Sirach (6:14) tells us that "a faithful friend is a steady shelter. He who finds one finds a treasure." Pier Giorgio loved his friends and treasured his friendships. He constantly shows me how to do the same.

One of my greatest joys was getting to spend time with Pier Giorgio's sister Luciana. You could not be with her without being reminded of Pier Giorgio. It was a powerful experience for me to attend her funeral when she passed away peacefully at the age of 105. I loved being able to sit beside her and look out on the family gardens and I am blessed to have such happy memories of her. Pier Giorgio loved his sister and I am convinced it was a heavenly gift from him that allowed me to get to know her before her death.

I have also been blessed to get to know all of Luciana's six children, most especially her daughter Wanda. Through Wanda, Pier Giorgio has really come to life for me. One of my most treasured experiences is the time that I spent with Wanda over the course of three years completing the translation and editing of Pier Giorgio's book of letters. During that time in Rome and Pollone, Wanda opened up Pier Giorgio for me in a such a way that I can truly empathize with the disciples who met Christ on the way to Emmaus. "Didn't our hearts burn within us..." they asked after Christ had opened up the Scriptures for them on that journey. (Luke 24:32) Ever since that project, Pier Giorgio has been alive for me in ways I cannot really explain. His presence burns within me in a way that gives me comfort and consolation and courage for the journey. His portrait hangs in my stairwell and I like to talk to him in Italian each morning and evening. Even my friends comment on how he seems to be smiling so broadly at times. It may sound odd but I do sense his presence.

Since founding FrassatiUSA in 2006, I have heard from so many of you. I am not always the best at responding to email but love hearing the many ways Pier Giorgio is working in your lives. It is fascinating to be in my position and see so many "Pier Giorgio seeds" taking root and bearing fruit. Over the years, I have traveled a bit to share his message that "holiness is for everyone" with people of all ages. In every city I visit, I receive more than I give. It is exhausting and yet exhilarating to see how people respond to Pier Giorgio. It never fails that when I grumble the most, he hands out the biggest blessings. That, I think, is to remind me how undeserving I am and how grateful I should be at all times.

Last summer, I was able to lead a group of pilgrims from Rome to Turin in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio. What struck me the most about the group was how diverse we were. It was so clear to see how broad Pier Giorgio's appeal is in our culture -- he has something to offer everyone. We had so many wonderful things happen that could only be attributed to his intercession. Climbing Mount Mucrone on his feast day was the height of going "to the top!" He had to have just loved it.

Life is so daily. And it is too easy to get caught up in the demands and busy-ness of the day and lose sight of what really matters the most. On this occasion of Pier Giorgio's 109th birthday, I have been thinking a lot about how my life is on a course set back in 1901 when Pier Giorgio came into this world. Because of him, I am doing what I am doing today. What an enormous ripple effect. What a mystery. What grace. What a friend.

Verso l'alto!

Pray the Pier Giorgio Birthday Novena!

2010-03-29T17:27:00.006-05:00

Just a little reminder -- if you want to start a novena in time for Pier Giorgio's birthday on April 6th, you should begin today! Here is a link to the novena online . (It is also printed in the little Book of Prayers in Honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.)

Pope Benedict and Pier Giorgio

2010-03-18T08:39:00.002-05:00

I always find it thrilling when the Pope mentions Blessed Pier Giorgio in one of his talks. He did it again just recently in his message to the youth for World Youth Day -- on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the institution of World Youth Day by Pope John Paul II.

Even more exciting is that Pier Giorgio is not mentioned among a list of other saints and blesseds but stands alone in the Holy Father's reflection on our focus on eternal life. You can read the whole message by clicking on the following link: Pope's World Youth Day Message.

Paragraph 5 is excerpted below:

5. Oriented to Eternal Life

"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" This question of the young man of the Gospel seems far from the concerns of many contemporary young people, because, as my predecessor observed, "are we not the generation, whose horizon of existence the world and temporal progress fill completely? (Letter to Young People, No. 5). But the question on "eternal life" flowers in particularly painful moments of existence, when we suffer the loss of a close person or when we live the experience of failure.

But what is the "eternal life" to which the young man refers? It is illustrated by Jesus when, turning to his disciples, he affirms: "I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). They are words that indicate an exalted proposal of endless happiness, of joy of being filled with divine love forever.

To ask oneself about the definitive future that awaits each one of us gives full meaning to existence, because it orients the plan of life toward horizons that are not limited and passing, but ample and profound, which lead to loving the world, so loved by God himself, to dedicate oneself to its development, but always with the liberty and joy born from faith and hope. They are horizons that help not to absolutize earthly realities, seeing that God prepares a greater prospect for us, and to repeat with St. Augustine: "We desire together the heavenly homeland, we sigh for the heavenly homeland, we feel ourselves pilgrims down here" (Commentary on St. John's Gospel, Homily 35, 9). Keeping his gaze fixed on eternal life, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in 1925 at the age of 24, said: "I want to live and not just get along!" and on the photo of an ascent sent to a friend, he wrote: "Toward on high," alluding to Christian perfection, but also to eternal life.

Dear young people, I exhort you not to forget this prospect of your plan of life: We are called to eternity. God has created us to be with Him, forever. This will help you to give full meaning to your choices and to give quality to your existence.

Which Pier Giorgio book is the best?

2010-02-25T18:57:00.013-06:00

I promised to give my two cents on the books available about Pier Giorgio, so I will attempt it here. First, I should say that my favorite books have not yet been published in English. As for those that have, it would be hard for me to not recommend any of them because I have enjoyed them all for different reasons. So, I suppose a better approach would be to answer the question often asked me -- "Which one would you read first?" I usually respond by asking how much you already know about Pier Giorgio and how much you enjoy reading.

Without a doubt, the quickest read and one that will bring tears to your eyes is the book by Luciana Frassati called "My Brother Pier Giorgio: His Last Days." It is a recounting of the last week of Pier Giorgio's short life. It is such a compelling story that it is hard to not feel some connection to Pier Giorgio when you are finished. Even if you are not an avid reader or if you are a slow reader, I think you will be surprised at how much you like this book and how fast you get through it. You will then want to know his whole story which brings us to the biographies.

There are two biographies that are easily obtained here in the U.S. The one that is written by his sister Luciana is "A Man of the Beatitudes: Pier Giorgio Frassati." This is a much longer and detailed account of Pier Giorgio's life by the person who grew up with him and was devoted to him her entire life. I appreciate Luciana's honesty in her books. She never presents herself in the same light as Pier Giorgio. In fact, she is very candid about how much she was not like him from a spiritual standpoint. Because the book was written in the 1950s and geared toward the Italian audience, it has an historical feel to it. A later biography was written by Maria Di Lorenzo. This book, "Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: An Ordinary Christian," although a bit more contemporary in its writing style, draws largely on the books by Luciana Frassati. The final chapter contains interesting information about the beatification process (which obviously was not available at the time that Luciana Frassati wrote her books.)

Two excellent biographies that are now out of print can occasionally be found online and are well worth purchasing: "The Soul of Pier Giorgio Frassati" by Robert Claude, S.J., and "Pier Giorgio Frassati" by H.L. Hughes. (I bought both of them through www.abebooks.com.) Each one adds a little more to the complete story of Pier Giorgio. As is the case in many of the books, there is a particular tendency in these two books to make Pier Giorgio too perfect and his life too easy. His sister tried to address that over-simplification of his spirituality when she wrote her biography discussed above, "Man of the Beatitudes."

Perhaps it would not be the best book to begin learning about Pier Giorgio, but after you know his story, it is compelling and necessary to read his own words. "Pier Giorgio Frassati: Letters to His Friends and Family," provides an opportunity to see Pier Giorgio through his own eyes. I suppose, for that reason, it is one of my favorites. Also, it was my privilege to edit this book -- letter by letter, word by word -- with Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda Gawronska. During that process, Wanda would provide me with background stories and anecdotes that really brought those letters to life. Ironically, it disappoints some readers, I think, to learn that Pier Giorgio really was a normal guy. This is what you find in his letters. And yet, for me, that is the appeal. He will probably never be declared a Doctor of the Church. But he is the most exemplary model for those striving to live out the lay vocation in these extremely challenging times.

For young people around middle-school age, there is a shorter biography called "Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: Journey to the Summit" by Ana Maria Vazquez and Jennings Dean. There is also a very well done comic book called "Pier Giorgio Frassati." It was created by the current superior of the Bridgittine Monks who happens to be a big Pier Giorgio fan. The comic book has a typo on the date of Pier Giorgio's beatification but does a great job of conveying what the bigger biographies take hundreds of pages to relate. It is not easy to get your hands on, but you can contact their gift shop for details. They support their Order by selling delicious fudge, so you might satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time!

Lastly, there are two small booklets that are great evangelization tools. "Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: From Prayer to the Apostolate" is the life of Pier Giorgio in a 42-page nutshell. It is a great introduction to his spirituality. I think every friend of Pier Giorgio should have a copy of "A Book of Prayers in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati." This booklet contains the novena, among other prayers, and is a good companion on the journey verso l'alto!

Many of you have read several of the above and would probably be able to provide more interesting reviews and feedback than me. I will look forward to reading your responses to this post.

Which Pier Giorgio DVD or book is the best?

2010-02-05T10:15:00.013-06:00

I am often asked which book or DVD I would recommend. Just today, I emailed a reply to a seminarian with this very question but his server would not accept the email. (As an aside, many of you do not receive the occasional emails from FrassatiUSA because your servers block our domain.)

In any case, the seminarian's question is one I receive often, so it seemed worthy blog material. Let's start with the DVDs. There are only a few programs that I am aware of. A short children's version is available through EWTN in the "My Catholic Family" series. This DVD has several inaccuracies in it when it comes to Pier Giorgio. So, it may be a good starting point for introducing him to your small children but it needs some fact clarification.

The DVDs available on the FrassatiUSA website are all from appearances on EWTN. The earliest one is from a June 2008 episode of "Life on the Rock." The first 15 minutes or so is about other material. The remaining time includes a good discussion about Pier Giorgio.

Last year, Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda Gawronska came to the U.S. to join me for a mini-series on Pier Giorgio. That series is titled "Sanctity Within Reach" and is packed with good info about Pier Giorgio from the person who is the most knowledgeable person alive. I suggest watching it with subtitles.

Wanda and I also appeared together on "EWTN Live" with Fr. Mitch Pacwa in June 2009. That program was lively and informative and includes about a 20-minute Q&A session following the general discussion. I will leave the question of which DVD is the best up to those of you who have seen them. Feel free to post your honest assessment as comments to this blog.

I am also often asked if there is a Pier Giorgio movie available. Some of you have even found the clips on YouTube of an Italian movie. Click here to view one of the several clips posted. In this brief scene, Pier Giorgio recites (in Italian) the quote many people most associate with him: "... to live without a Faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for the Truth, is not living but existing. We must never exist but live..."

The movie this clip comes from is called, "Se Non Avessi L'Amore" and was produced in Italy by RAI Television following the beatification of Pier Giorgio. It aired on Italian television and is not available for purchase. (I have a personal copy that was taped when it aired back in 1991 but am not able to reproduce it.) The film does not have English subtitles, so you need to understand Italian to follow the story. Many people have asked if subtitles could be added and the movie aired in the U.S. If anybody out there has the power, knowledge, influence, connections, time, etc., to make that happen, go for it!

People have also asked why we don't film a new movie about Pier Giorgio. In a word: money! That would be quite an expensive undertaking. I would love to see it happen, of course, along with many other efforts that we have on the backburner but resources are not there for many projects. In any case, I hope this brings you up to date on the DVD situation. Next time, I will give you my two centesimi on the books! Verso l'alto!

Three Years and Counting!

2010-01-27T12:18:00.004-06:00

Today is a special day here at FrassatiUSA. It was just three years ago on this day that the website was launched and Pier Giorgio's message was sent forth into cyber world! Hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the United States and more than 120 countries have been to the site. I didn't even know there were that many countries with English-speaking people and internet access!

What a privilege it is to hear from people all over the world who have found Pier Giorgio through the site. It's a simple website with not many bells and whistles but it is a thrill to see how it is making a difference. A big thank you to our donors who keep us going and help us bring Pier Giorgio to the world. Verso l'alto!

The Conversion of Saint Paul

2010-01-25T09:36:00.002-06:00

Today's feast is one that always inspires me. Paul, a great persecutor of the followers of Christ, becomes, in a moment of blindness, the greatest evangelist for Christ. The conversion of Paul is so dramatic and life-changing. It is a story that gives hope to those of us who need conversion in various areas of our lives. How fitting that the Church celebrates this feast in January -- the month for making (and often quickly breaking) resolutions.

I'm no theologian and have no profound thoughts to offer. I just love that the method Christ uses to permeate Paul's life is to strike him blind. To fully see, in other words, has little to do with our physical eyesight. And when Paul asks the Lord what he should do, the answer is a simple step: "Get up and go into Damascus." Paul, being blinded, can't find his way alone and so, Scripture tells us, he is led by hand by his companions. (Acts 22:10-11) How gentle the Lord works with Paul and uses his friends and even his former enemies to bring him to the understanding of how he would become a great instrument for the Lord.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati did not have a conversion experience like Paul. From his childhood, he was disposed to love God and that love grew until the moment of his death. And yet, Saint Paul was his favorite saint and model for charity. Despite their different paths, these holy men had a common denominator underlying their spirituality; that is, the understanding that God is love and the love of God compels us to love one another.

On January 15, 1925, Pier Giorgio wrote to his best friend Marco Beltramo, "In the world which has distanced itself from God, there is a lack of Peace, but there is also a lack of Charity that is true and perfect Love. Maybe if all of listened more to St. Paul, human miseries would be slightly diminished."

Today, as we mark the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, it would be an excellent day to listen more to him, to sharpen our resolve to perform acts of charity, to remind ourselves that we can break free from our sinful ways and live for Christ, to seek the blindness that enlightens us.

37 Years - 51 Million Lives

2010-01-22T10:37:00.003-06:00

Today is a day that I find both reprehensible and incomprehensible -- the 37th anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court opinion legalizing the killing of the innocent unborn child in our country. By modest estimates, we have now extinguished more than 51 million lives and counting. I am not able to be at the March for Life this year but am grateful for that loving, peaceful presence of the multitudes that will attend. Last year, I met a group ("Voglio Vivere") that had come from Italy as well as members of the French delegation who reminded me that this is a worldwide issue and we all stand united. One of my favorite quotes of the late, great Pope John Paul II has been on my bulletin board for years to challenge me daily. During a visit to the U.S., in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands, he boldly proclaimed: "We will stand up every time that human life is threatened. When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, we will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life!" This is an important day to stand up. Where do you stand?

Pier Giorgio's last Christmas

2009-12-22T18:46:00.002-06:00

I attended a funeral today and found myself wondering about the deceased's last Christmas. In most cases, we never know what our last days will be like. It is highly unlikely that Pier Giorgio would have ever known that Christmas 1924 would be his last.

Among the testimonies gathered following his death is one that I find amusing and inspiring at the same time. It was submitted by a teacher named Gian Pietro Ravera. He states:

"Christmas 1924 was celebrated according to the Club’s tradition, and in fact about fifteen members gathered that night in a private chapel at 9 Via Ormea where Canon Bues celebrated Mass. I was among those who were invited by Pier Giorgio, who went on and on about how beautiful the Mass would be, as well as the gastronomic delights that would follow. Pier Giorgio and Carlo Pol served the Mass, and I remember how it was difficult to move in the chapel because it was standing room only. Pier Giorgio had some cigars in his suit coat pocket, and they started to fall out when he was making a genuflection. He blushed deeply as he stuffed them back into his pocket. Then, turning toward my side of the chapel and seeing that I had seen everything that had happened, he made a face as if to excuse himself and he suppressed a smile, returning to his prayers with greater intensity than before. I continued to watch him, and the longer the Mass went on, and the more intense and spiritually delightful it became, the more I was moved to see that group of university students follow the liturgy of the Mass with such devotion."

This testimonial provides us with such a classic picture of Pier Giorgio: a young man who persuaded his friends to go to Mass, spilled cigars, thought about good food, witnessed his faith merely by his demeanor, accompanied a small group in a priest's private chapel... Looking back on that night, I think we could safely say that he enjoyed his last Christmas celebration.

Wishing you a holy Christmas season and the joys of faith, food, friends and family wherever you will be. Buon Natale e Verso l'alto!

Pier Giorgio in Minnesota

2009-12-09T11:03:00.007-06:00

Thanks to Sarah Peterson for reporting a "Pier Giorgio sighting" in Stillwater, Minnesota. Quite appropriately, a stained-glass window of Pier Giorgio is located in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel at the Church of St. Michael. Considering how devoted he was to Eucharistic Adoration, there couldn't be a better place to place Pier Giorgio's image. I actually visited this chapel several years ago while attending a conference in Stillwater and have seen this window with my own eyes. It depicts him as a mountainclimber -- a bit too big and bulky, in my opinion -- but very cool to see him watching the adorers from his window spot!

Sarah also reports that she formed a homeschooling group in 2006 called "The Faustina and Frassati Group." You can probably guess who the group's patron saints might be! If you would like to be a part of the homeschooling community in the Stillwater area, check them out.

We love hearing about all of the groups with a devotion to Blessed Pier Giorgio. Tell us about yours!

O Come Let Us Adore Him

2009-12-04T10:58:00.010-06:00

Today is First Friday and, in my parish, that means Eucharistic Adoration. Some of you are blessed to have Perpetual Adoration. What a gift! Perhaps it is the greatest mystery of our Catholic Faith -- our belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. And yet, anyone who has spent any amount of time in Adoration knows that all-pervading peace that fills the chapel.

Pier Giorgio once summed up Adoration in these simple words, “The rulers of the night take their turn in guarding their castles. And we owe greater honor to Jesus than to other rulers."

A very beautiful testimony about Pier Giorgio's devotion to the Blessed Sacrament appears in a book called "La Fede" written by his sister Luciana. (Unfortunately, the book is not yet available in English.) I hope this reflection will inspire you to spend a few extra moments in Adoration during this Holy Season of Advent:

-- as told by Brother Lodovico, S.S.S.
"It was 1920, during a night of adoration in our church, Santa Maria di Piazza. It was about eight-thirty when I heard the doorbell of our residence ringing over and over again. I left the group in church for a moment and went to answer the door. I was surprised but reassured to find a handsome young man, who I didn’t know, standing there before me. He said that he had come to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and that his assigned turn as a member of the university students’ adoration society was that night (the second Saturday of the month).

That night was not for university students, as I told my courteous visitor, but for religious. So I encouraged him to go home because it was late. But this didn’t put off the selfless young man; he pleaded with me to let him come in anyhow, and argued that he would do his adoration that night on behalf of our religious who were on duty.

I tried every way to persuade him from doing this, and I asked him to consider the fact that he was not obliged to stay up all night and pray for long periods like that. But my remarks were of no avail, and his charming and repeated request finally made me give in, just to make him happy.

He was jubilant over his victory, and off he went to church. He entered the sanctuary (a privilege granted to members of the nocturnal adoration society), made a profound genuflection, and then knelt in one of the choir stalls and remained there in devout prayer. During the hour that I knelt next to him, I was immensely edified by his exemplary behavior. I could notice all the holy tricks that he used to stay awake, despite the fact that he was tired and drowsy: sometimes he would pray standing up, or he would read, or recite the Rosary. My fellow religious who were there with me can attest to the fact that he spent the whole night with us, until 4 a.m., when he requested and received Holy Communion. Then he spent an hour in thanksgiving, until 5 a.m., when the church was opened to the public. He had warmed his beautiful soul close to the Eucharistic flame that entire night, and satisfied his hunger at the Table of the Angels, and so he departed peacefully.

As soon as I ran into the priest who was the Director of Nocturnal Adoration, I was quick to tell him about what happened that night. From what I told him, he could figure out who the young man was, so he smiled at me and said, “Don’t be so surprised: that’s our beloved Pier Giorgio Frassati, a devout young university student who’s very keen on nocturnal adoration.”

It’s true: wherever a saint has walked by, he leaves behind footprints that can never be erased!"

Pier Giorgio in Canada

2009-12-02T15:51:00.002-06:00

How blessed I was last week to celebrate Thanksgiving and enter into the season of Advent with some of Pier Giorgio's good friends in Calgary, Alberta. Those of you who know more about Canada than me will know that Canadian Thanksgiving actually falls on the second Monday in October, so I had to celebrate Thanksgiving in spirit.

My reason for being in Calgary was to participate in the year-long "Frassati Project" sponsored by St. Bonaventure Parish. At the invitation of the pastor Rev. Wilbert Chin Jon and the Youth Ministry Coordinator Lucero Young, I spoke to the students at Don Bosco, St. Bonaventure, St. Philip and St. Boniface schools. I also had the opportunity to address the parishioners of St. Bonaventure Church on two separate occasions as a part of the Advent Mission and participate in a Youth Night event. It was a week of planting Pier Giorgio seeds!

At one school, a young girl asked me whether Pier Giorgio suffered when he died. I was and still am touched by the sensitivity of that child to think in those terms. Each day, we are surrounded by people who are suffering in the silence of their hearts. It is so easy to be preoccupied with our own struggles and become blind to those of others, even people who are most near and dear to us. Another young boy wanted to know what Pier Giorgio's favorite fruit was. In its own way, this question also struck me by its thoughtfulness. How much effort do we make to get to know the little things about the people around us that bring them joy?

I must confess that I knew next to nothing about our neighbors to the north (how is that for alliteration?!) until taking this trip. Shame on me! I returned to the U.S. with such a love for the Canadian people and country and with so much gratitude for the kindnesses of everyone I met. Pier Giorgio's spirit of charity is certainly alive and well in Alberta in the shadow of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. (Click here for a one-minute tour of Canada to the tune of their national anthem!)

Trips like that are always a humbling experience for me. Without exception, my travels place me in the presence of people living out holy and inspiring lives and I am challenged to reflect on how well -- or poorly -- I am responding to the Lord's call to holiness. My thanks to Fr. Wilbert, Lucy, Ross and Cris for being my guides "verso l'alto" in Calgary!

From Wyoming to Wisconsin and Beyond!

2009-11-17T11:15:00.012-06:00

If I were a better blogger, I would be posting all of the wonderful news about people and places where Pier Giorgio is making an impact. It's hard to keep up with him! Just yesterday, I spoke with a youth coordinator in the Diocese of Oakland (CA) and enjoyed hearing his stories of how teens react to the message of Pier Giorgio. This week, The SaintCast will have a booth at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City and plans to pass out Pier Giorgio prayer cards there. In Clintonville, Wisconsin, Pier Giorgio is the Saint of the Month both at the school and in Religious Education. At Wyoming Catholic College, a commons building has been named "Frassati Hall." And so on...

Yesterday, I also received a moving note from a woman in her 60s. She and her husband were forced to relocate following Hurricane Katrina. They ended up in Mississippi and after a series of events she began attending a certain parish for adoration. She writes,

"While at adoration I found a prayer card on Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. I read some information on his life and began to ask for his intercession on my finding a job that God may want me to have. My husband attends adoration with me at times and he is now also praying for his intercession for his employment. We want to be productive and be led to where we may be needed. ... We were feeling totally lost and unwanted with our failure to find work. We have people praying for us and now we have asked for the intercession of Blessed Pier Giogio Frassati. After a few weeks of my asking for his intercession I was contacted by a company that teaches after school art classes to elementary school aged children, to be one of their instructors. I begin working on my own with the children after the Thanksgiving holidays."

Two parts of her story touch me the most. The first is how she "found" a prayer card at this church while attending Adoration. Obviously, someone put it there; maybe one of you! We never can fully comprehend what God is doing with us here as we so often plod through each day seeking for meaning. And rarely do we see the good that comes from our simple actions like putting prayer cards in a church that a total stranger will come across and take comfort and encouragement from in a difficult time. Thanks to each of you who have helped FrassatiUSA put more than 65,000 prayer cards into circulation over the past two years. What a great start! We are planting Pier Giorgio seeds and, surely, the harvest will be pleasing to the Lord.

The second thing about her story is that she and her husband are in their 60s and have embraced Pier Giorgio. So often, we think of him as only a model for the youth. But I know for a fact that he is loved by people from 8 to 80 years old! His example is one that crosses all demographics. His message is universal: Holiness is for everyone! Let's continue to spread it to everyone we encounter. Verso l'alto!

Teenager Testimonial

2009-11-16T14:51:00.001-06:00

This note speaks for itself:

"I've changed my life because of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Now I know what true charity is. Now I know that the needy's necessities should be prioritized and not mine. This is not a great miracle, but I do believe that to change my life for the betterment of my people is more than a miracle to be conveyed. From now on, I'm willing to give my scholarship allowance to the needy. I will visit them as long as I could. And will help them each and every way I know I can make them happy. I know Blessed Pier Giorgio will be a saint. Thank you very much. I'm Mark, 18 years old, from the Philippines."

Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

New Song for Pier Giorgio

2009-11-13T09:56:00.003-06:00

For those of you who understand Spanish, our Pier Giorgio friends in Argentina have posted a new song about Pier Giorgio on their website. (If you're not into electric guitars, it may not be the song for you!) Click here to go straight to the music.

New School Named for Pier Giorgio

2009-11-09T15:10:00.005-06:00

For the past several weeks, I've been in on a great Pier Giorgio secret. Yesterday, the news was made public. In the Chicago Archdiocese, a new middle school was announced for the 2010-11 school year. It will be called Frassati Catholic Academy. The school's motto will be "Reach for the Heights!" Needless to say, this is exciting news for all of us laboring in the "Frassati vineyard." Click here to read more from a Chicago paper.

How the time flies...

2009-10-07T14:40:00.003-05:00

It is hard to believe that two years have gone by since the death of Luciana Frassati. Unlike her brother Pier Giorgio who lived to be only 24 years old, she passed the centenary mark and died at the age of 105 on Sunday, October 7, 2007. What a beautiful entry into eternal life -- on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Even more beautiful is that she died peacefully in her bedroom in the place where she was born.

On my first visit to Pollone, Italy, after Luciana's death, I was struck by the absence of her presence. I had gotten used to seeing her each day during my visits there and hearing her voice when she came down the main staircase. These days, I enjoy thinking about her being united with her big brother and accomplishing great things from above.

Our pilgrimage group visited her tomb this past summer and prayed the "De Profundis" there for her intention. It would be a nice spiritual gift to make to her today from wherever you are.

Frassati in Michigan

2009-09-30T10:43:00.003-05:00

More good news of another Frassati Society that has recently formed! According to the group's website, the Marquette Frassati Society was founded by four Catholic churches in the Marquette, Michigan area. "This group reaches out to young adults and families to offer both spiritual enrichment and charitable opportunities to its members along with time for fellowship."

If you are in the Marquette area, check it out!

Frassati in Florida

2009-08-31T11:13:00.002-05:00

Great news about a new Frassati club springing up at St. Francis Catholic High School in Gainesville, Florida. The club will be committed to fellowship, service, prayer, study and action. The group hopes to attend the March for Life in January and be a "campus ministry" group. Thanks to Matthew Irwin and Nicole Muser for the info!

Pier Giorgio sighting at amusement park!

2009-08-21T13:24:00.011-05:00

Have you seen Pier Giorgio lately?! Here is a fun picture of someone spotted wearing the "Verso l'alto" t-shirt at an amusement park (Kennywood) in Pittsburgh. After seeing this, I remembered that Pier Giorgio visited an amusement park in Munich back in September of 1921. He wrote about it to his friend Gian Maria Bertini:

"Last night I went with Mr. Dück and his sister, a nice young lady dark skinned and very Italian looking, to the Festwiese, a feast which takes place every year at the end of September and lasts two weeks and where you can find all amusements like merry-go-rounds, rollercoasters, etc."

If you have any fun pictures of "Pier Giorgio sightings" send them to us! By the way, the Verso l'alto t-shirt is on sale now during our summer clearance. Only a handful of small and mediums are left. Get yours today and hit the roller coasters!

Remembering Luciana Frassati

2009-08-18T06:17:00.003-05:00

Pier Giorgio's younger sister Luciana was born on August 18, 1902. They were 16 months apart and were raised like twins, she said. I met Luciana in 2006 on the occasion of her 104th birthday -- a day I will never forget -- and had the privilege of spending several months in her company at the Frassati family villa. When she died on October 7, 2007, at the age of 105, I was blessed to attend her funeral. This summer, when the FrassatiUSA Pilgrimage arrived in Pollone, Italy, to spend two days at the family home, it was my first trip there without Signora Luciana being in the house. How I missed her presence.

Today we mark her 107th birthday. May God grant her eternal memory and peaceful, blessed repose.

Frassati Servers

2009-08-06T11:19:00.009-05:00

So far this summer, I have learned of two different groups of Frassati Servers. One group is here in the U.S. and one is in Ireland. It struck me that the idea is already intercontinental and, therefore, must be an inspired one! In any case, it is worth passing along to all of you.

From Kansas, Jane Alexander writes, "Our priest, Fr. Jason Borkenhagen, started the Frassati Servers in our parish about four years ago. Both of my sons have been Frassati Servers during this time and have learned a deeper role in serving Mass as well as serving the people of the parish. Frassati Servers are boys of high school age and are given a few more responsibilities in serving the Mass. Along with working, they also get together for ballgames, trips to the lake as well as participating in special Masses at our Diocesan Cathedral."

From Northern Ireland, Father Peter O'Kane writes: "Recently I formed a club for our twenty-five altar servers under the patronage of Pier Giorgio; we call it the 'Frassati Club'. We celebrated Mass together with their families on Pier Giorgio's Feast Day for the first time in the parish and we had a little party afterwards. I told them about the international gathering in Pollone earlier that day and how we were spiritually united to you."

What a great way to inspire youth as they serve the Lord during Mass -- something Pier Giorgio did so often. His example on the altar was edifying to so many who were present. In her book about the Faith of Pier Giorgio, his sister Luciana writes:

"Serving Mass was something normal for him to do, and never burdensome or difficult. He felt instinctively that he was taking one more step up toward Jesus.

So he wanted to do whatever would bring him close to the priest at the altar. Monsignor Pini, for whom he served on many occasions, said one time, “Pier Giorgio served Mass in an exemplary way.”

But even before he said this, just about everyone else agreed. They had seen Pier Giorgio kneeling on the marble or stone steps, his eyes focused on the consecrated Host, and on the deliberate and solemn movements of the priest.

He was happy serving Mass, which explains his deeply spiritual attitude. He was so happy that when he was in Pollone he often served Mass twice a day."

If you have a Frassati Servers group at your church, tell us about it by adding a comment to this blog. Verso l'alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Off to Oropa

2009-08-01T21:55:00.018-05:00

Our last full day in Italy was destined to be our most memorable, if for no other reason than it was Pier Giorgio’s feast day. The biggest suspense during the night was whether the weather would cooperate for us one last day so that we could attempt to climb Mount Mucrone. What a smile swept over my face when I woke up and saw the clear skies. And how awesome to wake up in Pier Giorgio's house on his feast day and then celebrate Mass early in the morning in his bedroom?!

Our bus driver was prompt and we were on the bus and on our way to the Sanctuary of Oropa – the place Pier Giorgio so often went to pray to his beloved Brown Madonna. We reached the cable car station at the base of the mountain around 8:30 and got our tickets for the six or seven-minute ride to the landing. From there, it is about a 10-minute walk to Lake Mucrone. I was very surprised to see how much snow was still on the mountain in early July. It was picturesque but made things a little more dangerous. A few of our group chose to stay behind. The rest of us set off for the top of the mountain. It was slow going but we really did well and made it to the highest point within about 1 ½ hours. A heavy fog was settling and we really had no view of anything down below. In August of 1917, Pier Giorgio wrote to his friend Carlo about a similar weather experience on one of his climbs:

"Today I took a stupendous walk. I left this morning at six: the sky was clear, though tonight it’s raining. Together with my father, Luciana, and the Marchisios I went to Favaro to take the tram to Oropa. After we attended Holy Mass, said at the main altar of the Madonna, we went from Oropa to Sette Fontane, a farmhouse situated in the Elvo valley at the foot of Mucrone. ... A cool breeze was blowing overhead, and the sun was hot. Mucrone was beautiful up close and it made me wish that I could climb it from the steep side. But then came the fog, which covered everything; but once in a while the outline reappeared. Around two o’clock we went down to Pollone. During the return trip the weather changed at each instant, and now a storm is breaking."

The fog and threat of a storm kept us from staying long at the top. After saying some brief prayers, we began our descent. A scary moment occurred when one member of our group took a nasty tumble on the rocks. Miraculously, he didn’t break any bones or sustain any type of head injury, but his right leg was extremely swollen and he had cuts all over his body. Pier Giorgio had to have been present in the man who suddenly arrived on the scene. He was a serious mountain climber, as evidenced by his backpack and poles. He dug through his things looking for a special salve and ended up applying some sort of disinfectant and wrapping the leg in a gauze bandage. He then spent the next hour or so assisting with the slow-going descent. When the men reached the landing near Lake Mucrone, he spoke to me briefly and with an “auf Wiedersehen” was soon out of sight.

God was so good and so clearly among us on the mountain. This man who became the good samaritan was at the top when we were about to begin our descent. I spoke to him briefly in Italian and explained that we were here because of Pier Giorgio. He knew about Pier Giorgio and told me what a good person and mountain climber he had been. No surprise, then, that this man would end up stepping in the shoes of Pier Giorgio to assist our injured climber.

Mountain first aid arrived to take a look at the injury. A trip to the hospital was recommended but declined and we headed back down to the sanctuary via the cable car. When we arrived at the upper church, we saw a huge procession taking place – nearly 1800 people from Asti making an annual pilgrimage. It was a beautiful sight. By the time we all regrouped, it was too late for lunch and we really had to get back to Pollone. Everyone grabbed something quick and headed for the bus. After taking a wrong turn, we had another close call squeezing through some extremely narrow streets but managed to get back on the main road. Unfortunately, this put us so behind schedule that we did not arrive back at the villa until 5:45. We were scheduled to attend an international Mass in honor of Pier Giorgio’s feast day at 6:00 p.m. at the parish church but it looked like we would never make it. After a chaotic 15 minutes or so, we all managed to get there!

It was a beautiful place to celebrate our last Mass as a group – there in Pier Giorgio’s parish church where he often served and attended Mass. Afterward, we feasted in the local restaurant with a full-course Italian meal. At one point, Wanda arrived to tell us that a contingent of French youth were at the villa. We headed back to visit with them. They were praying and singing in Pier Giorgio’s room when we arrived. After they cleared out, we prayed the eighth day of our group novena in the main entrance of the villa and ended with a verse of “Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above.” Then, it was time to begin saying our goodbyes as we had to meet our driver at 6:30 the next morning to head to the airport in Milan.

It was bittersweet to pull away from the villa on Sunday morning with Wanda waving farewell. We finished our group novena on the bus on the way to the airport and we all made it safely to our homes. From start to finish, it was a wonderful adventure. As always, Wanda outdid herself with her generosity and hospitality. I felt so blessed to be with the group that made up the inaugural FrassatiUSA Pilgrimage and am certain that each person was specially called by Pier Giorgio to be a part of it. I know he journeyed with us every step of the way…from the depths of the catacombs to the top of the mountain. And we are assured of his heavenly companionship until we are finally united in our eternal home.

Thanks for traveling along via these blogposts. Hope to see you on a future pilgrimage. Verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Peaceful Pollone

2009-07-31T09:28:00.012-05:00

On Friday, July 3^rd, the eve of Pier Giorgio’s feast day, we set off for the Frassati family villa in Pollone. This is by far my favorite Pier Giorgio place. Our day would be blessed from start to finish but it began with an unexpected travel adventure involving our big bus and the narrow Italian streets!

Our excellent driver Rosario relied on his GPS throughout our trip. Unfortunately, the route it gave him on this leg of the journey led us onto very narrow and steep roads that were not at all suited for a large bus. Oncoming cars had to back up quite a way to let us pass and we were barely avoiding the walls of houses and the protruding balconies.

The situation was stressful and it looked like we might even get stuck. At that point, I asked the group to pray and our priest, Father Gary, began to lead the rosary. Almost miraculously, with each prayer the streets began to widen! Eventually, we arrived at a much better road and were able to continue safely on to Pollone. The streets there are also narrow and impassable by bus, so our driver let us out in front of the entrance gates.

Pier Giorgio’s niece Wanda was there to greet us and get everyone situated in their rooms. It was a special gift of the Frassati family to allow us to stay at the villa. What a privilege to be in the house where Pier Giorgio and his family spent so much time. We walked through his beloved flower gardens behind the house and then went for a little walk through Pollone.

Our first stop was the cemetery and the original tomb of Pier Giorgio. Pope John Paul II visited this spot in 1989, prior to the beatification of Pier Giorgio. He prayed in the crypt for 20 minutes, along with Pier Giorgio’s sister Luciana. In 1990, after the beatification, Pier Giorgio's body was moved to the cathedral in Turin. After Luciana's death in 2007, at the age of 105, her coffin was placed in the same spot once occupied by Pier Giorgio. Before leaving the crypt, we took time to pray the De Profundis for Luciana and all of the deceased members of the Frassati family.

After a good lunch at the local restaurant, we walked toward the Cangio Church. It’s official name is the church of Saints Fabian and Sebastian. It was in this church that the proceedings for Pier Giorgio’s baptism were completed. The local parish priest, Don Mario, kindly came to meet us and opened the church for us. We prayed the seventh day of our group novena inside this small, old church that Pier Giorgio often visited. Our walking tour of Pollone then took us to the plaza for the Parco Burcino – a beautiful park – and then past the Holy Spirit Church and the local parish church known as La Parrocchia. There is a small plaza there with a beautiful view and we stopped to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Back at the villa, Wanda showed us all the newspaper from the nearest town. It had a nice article about our arrival and our pilgrimage itinerary. Quite surreal! Shortly afterward, we had one of the most beautiful Masses of our trip – in the room where Pier Giorgio died. Another of Pier Giorgio’s nieces (Nella) was present and Father gave a nice reflection on the Beatitudes.

Following Mass, we had our first home-cooked meal in days! It was delicious and a lot of fun spending time with Nella at our table. After dinner, we sat outside under one of the huge trees on the grounds. It was really a special time for our group and, again, I could sense Pier Giorgio’s joy at that moment. Here we were, a group of strangers united only by our common love for him, enjoying a wonderful day of faith and fellowship with members of his own family. I don’t know how much more special a day could be. However, we will try to surpass it on our last day of the trip in the only way possible -- an ambitious climb to the top of Mount Mucrone! Until then…Verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Travels in Turin

2009-07-29T11:43:00.012-05:00

Our time in Turin got off to a very interesting start that only convinced me how much Pier Giorgio was with us on our journey. We arrived late in Turin and planned to meet at 9:15 in the hotel lobby to find a place for dinner. Several of the group decided to stay behind but the rest of us headed out and found a pizzeria. After we had been situated at a table, two more members of the group appeared. It was really unbelievable that they had wandered to the exact same place and found us there. We moved to another long section of tables that would accommodate all of us and ordered our drinks. Just minutes later, two more members of our group arrived! It was really incredulous. I have no doubt whatsoever that Pier Giorgio led everyone to that same little pizzeria on that dark and damp night. Ironically, his niece Wanda called while we were there to say that she had also arrived in Turin and was at a pizzeria just then. It was a classic Frassati moment for sure.

Mass was scheduled for first thing in the morning at the tomb of Blessed Pier Giorgio in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Wanda joined us for Mass and it was really a beautiful time together. After Mass, the priest in charge of the cathedral greeted us in Italian and wished us well on our pilgrimage. Our Turin guide was there and began our tour with the cathedral itself which happens to be the home of the famous Shroud of Turin.

Turin, being the birthplace of Pier Giorgio and the place where he spent most of his lifetime, is a special place to visit for that reason alone. Everywhere we went, we knew Pier Giorgio had been there before us. We visited the beautiful old church of San Domenico, most noteworthy to us because it was here that Pier Giorgio took his vows as a lay Dominican. Our next stop was the Basilica of La Consolata, one of the most beautiful churches in Turin and the unofficial headquarters of Pier Giorgio’s many works of charity. He would often arrange to meet people beneath the bell tower and then set out upon one of his many visits to the poor.

Doors opened for us, literally, in Turin. Most remarkable was our experience at the beautiful Salesian church Santa Maria Ausiliatrice where the relics of Don Bosco are located. When we arrived there at 11:55, we discovered the church closed daily at noon and we were initially turned away. We persisted a bit and were reluctantly given permission to enter for a very quick look. Afterward, the priest in charge used his keys to let us into the two other churches on the premises built by St. John Bosco. We knew Pier Giorgio was opening the doors for us!

We continued walking in Turin and passed by the Cottolengo – a huge medical facility that is now a city within a city. It was not as large in Pier Giorgio's day when he would come regularly to visit the sickest of the sick. Our tour ended at the Piazza Corpus Domini, the location of the church built after the amazing Eucharistic miracle in Turin around 1453. Pier Giorgio describes this miracle in one of his letters.

Lunch and a little gelati renewed us for the rest of our day of walking. We visited Piazza Solferino, the original location of La Stampa -- the newspaper founded by Pier Giorgio’s father. A bit further along, on Corso Siccardi, we were able to view the exterior of the former family home where Pier Giorgio and his grandmother died in July 1925. (The house is now a bank.) Across the street is the church where Pier Giorgio was originally baptized and where his funeral took place. It is locally known as La Crocetta. Inside of this church is a large mosaic featuring Don Bosco and Pier Giorgio standing next to each other. Pier Giorgio often served Mass in this church and it contains a few plaques in his honor, as well as a small youth chapel dedicated in his name.

Turin has never been one of my favorite Italian cities. And yet, whenever I visit, I feel a certain closeness to Pier Giorgio. I know that he walked up and down these streets ministering to the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick. He was born here, was educated here, formed his friendships here, fell in love here, spent many nights in Eucharistic Adoration here, engaged in political and religious demonstrations here, died here. His incorrupt body remains here in the cathedral. It is no surprise, then, that his spirit was so alive during our time here. Despite all of that, Turin would pale in comparison to our next stop…Pollone! Verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Beautiful Bologna

2009-07-28T09:29:00.011-05:00

Another early start and we were on our way from Florence to Bologna. First order of business was finding a map as our bus was not able to take us directly to our main destination here – the Basilica of San Domenico where the relics of St. Dominic are located. Pier Giorgio was influenced by a Dominican Father and took vows as a third-order lay member of the community in May 1922. One year earlier, in August 1921, Pier Giorgio visited Bologna and wrote to his mother:

"This morning I visited nearly all the churches of beautiful Bologna. Maybe if I have a few minutes of time left before leaving I'll visit the art museum.

Many greetings and kisses.

Pier Giorgio"

We were privileged to celebrate Mass in the chapel of St. Dominic but Pier Giorgio’s sense of humor was at work. As Mass started and for quite a few minutes into it, the distracting sound of vacuuming from a nearby chapel was drowning out our priest. Fortunately, a sacristan came and corrected our microphone problem so we could hear better and, eventually, the vacuuming stopped. I did find it amusing that we would come so far to have a special Mass here and have to contend with a vacuum cleaner! After Mass, we were greatly rewarded for our perseverance when Brother Tarcisio gave us a wonderful tour of all things Dominic! He provided detailed info about the sarcophagus, bust, relics, xrays, chapel, church, cloister, etc. He brought us back into the cell of St. Dominic where we also saw items belonging to him and relevant to his canonization. Brother Tarcisio also walked us through the original library of the monastery which is currently undergoing restoration.

We ended the tour outside of the basilica and realized it was time for lunch. But where? Just then, a little old Italian lady carrying grocery bags passed by. She told us there was a place nearby and she was going in that direction. We walked down a side street and she pointed out two lanterns above a doorway. It was a place we would have never found on our own and it turned out to be a wonderful non-touristy restaurant and a great spot for a long Italian lunch. Our Canadian pilgrim turned out to be our Bologna expert and informed us that lasagna originated here. Our waiter confirmed the fact and claimed that the Italian pasta called tagliatelle also originated in Bologna. This was an interesting coincidence because Pier Giorgio shared the recipe for tagliatelle in a letter to one of his friends. Needless to say, the food was delicious.

After lunch, we attempted to visit the basilica of San Stefano but it was still closed. This can be a bit frustrating when traveling in Italy but it is the way it is. We all wanted to return to San Domenico anyway, so we headed back for more time with St. Dominic. It is very pleasant to walk around Bologna -- known for its porticoed sidewalks and the two large towers in the main square. The weather cooperated with us again, threatening rain and thundering a bit but never letting a drop fall on us. We met our bus and were on our way to Pier Giorgio’s hometown. Another great day in the company of Pier Giorgio. Until tomorrow in Turin….verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Fun in Florence

2009-07-27T13:33:00.010-05:00

Someday I will have to be sure and thank Pier Giorgio for choosing to admire holy men and women who happen to be from such great Italian cities! His interest in Girolamo Savonarola would take us to beautiful Florence for what would be a rather fun part of our journey.

On the way, we encountered a major hailstorm with spectacular lightning. The driving conditions were so bad that a car had gone off the road and traffic was backed up quite a bit. But one of our daily gifts on this trip was how the weather would be perfect by the time we arrived at our destination. Florence was no different. We reached our hotel in the early evening and a group of us headed out for a walk along the river to the famous Ponte Vecchio. It was a such a full and somewhat surreal day – starting out in Rome, spending the bulk of it in Siena, and ending the night with pizza in Florence.

We were off to an early start the next morning with our Florentine guide Cristina. The church of San Marco was closed for restorations (a common situation when traveling in Italy) but the museum/convent next door was open. This was really our main destination in Florence. Not only is it the home to the many great works of art done by Fra Angelico, but upstairs you can visit 44 cells of the Dominican community from the days of Savonarola. He was the head of the community and was quite a controversial figure at the time. We were able to see the cells he occupied, his mortification belt, his cape, his preaching standard, his rosary, a piece of the wood from where he was burned and so on. Our guide was very knowledgeable about Savonarola and did a wonderful job discussing the controversy, the role he played in Florence politics and the effect of his execution. After getting to know Savonarola a little better firsthand, it is all the more fascinating to think about Pier Giorgio having such a devotion to this somewhat radical friar that he even took his name upon becoming a lay Dominican.

Our tour of Florence took us also to the main cathedral in Florence (the basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore), the Gates of Paradise and the Piazza della Signoria where Savonarola was executed. We celebrated Mass in the Franciscan basilica of Santa Croce – the location of the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo and a beautiful sarcophagus dedicated to one of Pier Giorgio’s favorite Italian poets Dante Alghieri. We prayed day four of our group novena outside of Santa Croce and then had time to explore a little more of Florence without our guide. Some went to see the original statue of David by Michelangelo in the Galleria dell'Accademia. Some took time to shop. I tagged along with the youngest member of our group to climb to the top of the Duomo cupola and enjoy a spectactular view of Florence.

Pier Giorgio made his presence known that evening when we regrouped for dinner at a place not far from our hotel. At the end of our meal, the server brought us a complimentary bottle of limoncello – my favorite Italian drink after cappuccino! In true Tipi Loschi fashion, we each took a photo wearing a paper hat made from our placemats. It was a good round of spontaneous silliness and fun that Pier Giorgio would have approved of. One of the attractive qualities of Pier Giorgio’s spirituality is that he could appreciate the art of Michelangelo, the poetry of Dante, the charism of a fiery Renaissance preacher such as Savonarola, and the joy of friendship. We managed to do the same in our visit to Florence. Off to Bologna tomorrow. Verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Saint Catherine's Siena

2009-07-23T11:10:00.011-05:00

Rome is a spectacular city and it is always hard for me to leave there. I think Pier Giorgio must have liked Rome, too. He once had a friend from Vienna named Maria Fischer who visited the piazza of St. Peter’s but did not like it. He teased her about this and never let her forget it!

The day we left Rome was Monday, June 29^th, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. These great saints, in addition to being important to Pier Giorgio, are also the patron saints of the city of Rome. In honor of their feast day, nearly everything in Rome is closed on June 29^th. However, it was also the day for the new cardinals to receive the pallium from the Holy Father, so there was a lot of religious activity. The pope gave a special Angelus address that day.

In the morning, we had another short visit from Wanda Gawronska who surprised us by showing up at our hotel during breakfast. Our driver for the rest of our journey met us with our bus. His name was Rosario. It was comforting to have a busdriver whose name means rosary! We headed off to Siena – home of St. Catherine.

It was fitting that we would begin our journey to Pier Giorgio’s home in northern Italy on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. During the last week of his life, it was this same day that he began his journey to his eternal homeland and began showing the early signs of the polio that would ravage his strong body. According to his sister’s beautiful book, My Brother Pier Giorgio: His Last Days, he was still in good spirits on that day and joked with the family maid to bring him two cigars: “One for St. Peter and one for St. Paul; it’s a double feast today!”

We arrived in Siena a little behind schedule but were still able to say Mass in the chapel in the basilica of San Domenico. This chapel is a special place because it is located directly behind the head of St. Catherine. I know it is hard to believe that there was a time when it seemed appropriate to separate the relics of saints but, nonetheless, it is a part of our church history. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the body of St. Catherine is in Rome at the basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. Her incorrupt head, however, is on display in Siena at the church of San Domenico. The sacristan who helped us prepare for Mass in the chapel there explained that three separate keys are required to open up the reliquary and remove her head.

(As an aside, bathrooms in Italy are always an adventure and Siena was no exception. We had to pay 50 centesimi to use the “WC.” You enter the ladies room through a turnstile after depositing your coin!)

After Mass, we went to visit the home of St. Catherine and were able to see the place where she slept, the family’s former kitchen and other places of interest. We were also able to visit the chapel where the Crucifix is the very one that St. Catherine was praying in front of when she first received the stigmata. This did not take place in Siena but the Crucifix is there now.

Siena is a lovely town to visit. We came here because of Pier Giorgio’s great devotion to St. Catherine. He was reading her book, The Dialogues, during the last week of his life and found great consolation in it. In fact, on June 30^th, 1925, four days before his death, he visited a friend and read a page from St. Catherine’s account of a meeting she had with Christ. Pier Giorgio exclaimed how fortunate St. Catherine was to see Jesus while she was alive and said that he envied her. As it turned out, it wouldn’t be very long after making that comment that he would be seeing Jesus.

An unexpected bonus for our trip to Siena was that we happened to arrive just days before the running of the famous horserace – “Il Palio.” In Siena, each person is born into one of 17 regions and has a lifetime affiliation with that region. Flags from each region fly all over the town and depict the mascot for the region. Near St. Catherine’s home, the banners of her region, Oca, proudly bear the symbol of a goose. Prior to the Palio, each region’s horse is brought into church to be blessed. As our luck would have it, when we came out of the gift shop next to St. Catherine’s house, a large crowd was in the courtyard. They were wearing the bandana of the Oca clan. The horse they would enter in the race was being led in a circle and cheered for. How fun to see St. Catherine’s team horse!

One of the most famous piazzas in all of Italy is located in Siena – the Piazza del Campo. Among other things, it is noted for its unique shape. On the day we spent in Sienna, the Piazza was prepared for the horse race and the atmosphere was extra festive. We had a nice Italian lunch while watching more of the preparations being made. It was strange to be walking on top of horseprints in the Piazza!

The only time we had a bit of bad weather was toward the end of our visit in Siena. It started to rain as we were walking back toward the church of San Domenico. Several of us were caught under the eaves of a building and had to make a dash through the rain to get back to the bus. It was fun getting slightly soaked in Siena! Pier Giorgio would have loved it! We left after a great day and headed to Florence where we would continue our wonderful journey in Pier Giorgio’s footsteps. Until tomorrow…Verso l’alto!

The Pilgrimage Posts: Rome Sweet Rome

2009-07-21T12:42:00.027-05:00

Anyone who has ever visited Rome knows that it is impossible to see the sights in just two days – especially when one of the days is the major jetlag day! But I am proud to say that the brave band of pilgrims on the first ever FrassatiUSA Pilgrimage made the most of every minute! I have tried to include as many links as possible so that you can take a virtual trip with us.

Our journey in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio began appropriately at the basilica dedicated to his favorite saint – St. Paul. We arrived at St. Paul Outside the Walls on June 27th – just before the closing of the Jubilee Year in honor of the birth of St. Paul. Before getting off the bus, we began our group novena in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio to seek his intercession and protection for our trip. Inside the basilica, we had our first Mass together as a group in the chapel of St. Lawrence. The basilica was already being prepared for a special visit by Pope Benedict and so we were unable to get near the area of the most recent excavation of the tomb of St. Paul. However, we were able to visit the chapel of the Crucifix. The crucifix is considered miraculous because S t. Bridget reported that the face of Christ turned and spoke to her while she was praying at the feet of this Crucifix in 1370. (One of our pilgrims was named Bridget and she shares a birth date with Pier Giorgio, so it was extra meaningful to visit that chapel.)

(A little interesting aside about St. Bridget: When the miraculous Crucifix spoke to her, she was given words of encouragement about founding a religious community. Later, she would found the Order of the Holy Saviour – known as the Brigittines. One community of Brigittine monks is located in Oregon and recently elected a new prior, the Reverend Brother Bernard Ner Suguitan, O.Ss.S. He will be installed on July 23rd, the feast of St. Bridget. He is a native of the Philippines and a big fan of Pier Giorgio! Before entering religious life, he founded the Friends of Frassati Philippines.)

But back to Rome… after visiting St. Paul’s, we took a quick trip through Rome to our hotel near the Vatican, settled in and then met for lunch. The rest of the day was a marathon walk to many of the famous places in Rome that would not be a part of our guided tour but are often considered “must sees” when you visit. These included one of my favorite churches in Rome – the Holy Spirit Church along Borgo Santo Spirito. (By the way, the priest/postulator in charge of Pier Giorgio’s canonization cause resides across the street from this church.) The Holy Spirit Church is dedicated to the Divine Mercy and is maintained by nuns from the order of St. Faustina. We entered just as the daily recitation of the chaplet and rosary was coming to an end.

From there, we headed to Santa Lucia in Gonfalone and the Chiesa Nuova. Unfortunately, we timed it just wrong and both were closed. We spent a little bit of time at the Piazza Navona and made it to the Pantheon just minutes before it was closing. In Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, we were able to pray at the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena. (St. Catherine and one of our pilgrims -- Debbie -- share a birth date.) Most of her body is contained in a stone sarcophagus near the altar. We would not see the rest of her until reaching Siena. The tomb of Blessed Fra An gelico (with whom, by the way, I share a birth date) is also in this basilica. We would be able to admire his works later in Florence.

Despite the heat and fatigue, we walked on and reached the jam-packed Trevi Fountain and then the Spanish steps. Trivia: the first McDonald’s in Italy is located on the street just to the right of the bottom of the Spanish steps. Thankfully, we were able to use the bathrooms there! Our streak of hitting places that were closed continued when we finally made it to the Casa del Rosario – a place I recommend for souvenir shopping. Saturday is the only day it closes super early. Make a note of it! It is right across from Santa Maria Maggiore. By this point, everyone was ready to call it a day. We were not far from Rome’s major train/bus station Termini, so we took advantage of the public transportation and headed back to our hotel.

Rome is overwhelming. There are so many breathtaking sights and beautiful churches. There is also the historical aspect represented by ancient Rome. This would be the focus for our second and last day there on Sunday, July 28th. We started the day with Mass in St. Peter’s at the Clementine C ha pel. It was a privilege to have Mass in this place because it is the closest location to the remains of St. Peter (who, of course, is one of Pier Giorgio’s namesakes.) We also were able to visit the tomb of the great Pope John Paul II while we were down in the grotto area.

Our guide for the day met us after Mass and we set off for the Basilica o f St . John La teran with a quick stop afterward at the church of the Holy Stairs . We enjoyed the cool of the catacomb s of Domitilla and then returned to the Piazza of St. Peter’s to see our friend P ope Ben edict recite the Sunda y Ang elus. He was glad to see us, wished us a pleasant stay in Rome and a Blessed Sunday!

After lunch on the Borgo Pio, we headed off to Santa Maria Maggi ore to complete our visits to the four major basilicas. Finally, our guide brought us to the Flavian Amphitheatre, a.k.a.The Coliseum and we spent a good bit of time inside contemplating the complexity and greatness of ancient Rome. Well, okay, I guess we were mainly taking pictures and video -- but trust me, no matter what you do in there, you cannot help contemplating the complexity and greatness of ancient Rome!

With only one evening left in Rome, we were not about to call it quits. We had dinner scheduled that evening at a great little pizza place in Trastevere. Our special guest was Wanda Gawronska – a niece of Blessed Pier Giorgio. On the way there, we stopped in at the basilica of St. Cecilia. Time was on our side and, thanks to a wedding there, we were able to get inside and admire the beautiful (and one of my all-time favorites!) sculpture of St. Cecilia. We were just enough ahead of schedule to have time to visit yet another spectacular basilica– S anta Maria in Trastevere. This is the seat of the Community of Sant' Egidio. Every night, they have beautiful vesper services. On Sunday evenings, they celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. (I happen to be an eastern rite Byzantine Catholic, so this is always a special experience for me.) Just as we walked inside the basilica, the procession with the gospel book and the incense passed right by us to the sound of the beautiful chanting.

At the pizzeria, we found an air-conditioned room and were joined shortly afterward by Wanda. After dinner, she generously invited us to her home for ice cream and a brief visit on her terrace. What more can I say? The sky was awesome; the view was spectacular; we were having gelati in Rome at the home of a relative of Pier Giorgio. To make it even more special, we prayed day two of our group novena together up there on the terrace. All good things must come to an end and so we made our way back to the hotel via the tram and a city bus. While heading for the bus, we got an up-close look at the giant cats of Rome that live in the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. Creeeeeeepy!

I think we can all agree that we made the most of our time in Rome. It was a wonderful mix of fun, fellowship, faith, food and Frassati. I feel tired and excited just writing about it! The days to follow would be just as full and even more meaningful. Verso l'alto!

Almost Heaven

2009-07-17T14:53:00.006-05:00

It has been almost two weeks now since I have returned to the U.S. after spending some incredibly blessed time on the FrassatiUSA pilgrimage. And still it is difficult to capture that experience in words. The only two that seem adequate for now are the title for this post.

Having never led a pilgrimage group before, I really did not know what to expect from the experience. We were strangers coming from different places: Texas, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Tennessee, Kentucky, Canada, Philadelphia and New Jersey. We met for the first time in Rome's Fiumicino airport. The only thing we had in common was that Pier Giorgio had somehow called us to make this journey together. And what a journey! Every single day there was a sign that seemed to say Pier Giorgio was with us. He prepared wonderful surprises all along the way and I never ceased being amazed at God's goodness.

When I finally made it back to Nashville, after some long airport delays, I found myself physically and mentally exhausted and spiritually full. It has taken awhile to balance out a bit and begin to process the graces from the pilgrimage. I hope to share some of those with you in the coming days and hope you will check back for future posts and pictures. Verso l'alto!

Celebrating Pier Giorgio's Feast Day in Pollone!

2009-07-03T22:13:00.004-05:00

It is 5 a.m. here at the Frassati family villa in Pollone on the fourth of July. Our group of pilgrims will be waking up soon and we will start the day with an early morning Mass before heading up to Oropa. There, we will climb to the top of Mount Mucrone and celebrate in true Pier Giorgio style his fourth of July feast day!

We have had an amazing journey and have felt his presence with us the entire way. So many wonderful experiences! We have put the miles on our bus and our legs. On Sunday, we were in Rome; on Monday, we were in Siena; on Tuesday, we were in Florence; on Wednesday, we were in Bologna; on Thursday, we were in Torino; on Friday, we were in Pollone. Today, we are off to Oropa! Seven towns in seven days!

We have celebrated Mass at St. Paul Outside the Wall's, St. Peter's Basilica, San Domenico in Siena, Santa Croce in Florence, San Domenico in Bologna, at the tomb of Pier Giorgio in Turin, and in Pier Giorgio's bedroom in Pollone. We have had some wonderful guided tours and some delicious Italian food. We have gotten to know each other through our travels and our prayer. Each day, we have prayed the novena to Pier Giorgio in a special place as well.

Upon our arrival in Pollone yesterday, we were shown an article in a local Italian paper talking about our trip. The article also mentions the arrival of a group of young French people who will be here this evening for the special Mass in Pier Giorgio's parish church. How exciting to be at this international celebration of Pier Giorgio's feast day!

With no rain in the morning forecast, we should be able to climb Mount Mucrone today and cap off a stupendous journey in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio. All along the way, I have been carrying your prayers with me. God-willing, today I will be able to take them literally to the top!

Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us! Happy Feast Day!

Howdy Pilgrims!

2009-06-27T15:08:00.004-05:00

The Americans have landed in Rome and the first ever FrassatiUSA Pilgrimage in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio is underway! We began with a private Mass in the chapel of San Lorenzo at the beautiful Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. The Pope will be there tomorrow evening for special vespers to close the jubilee year of St. Paul.

A bunch of us went on a major walking tour this afternoon hitting spots like the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the Pantheon, etc. We also wandered into the first McDonald's in all of Italy. Tomorrow will we say hello to the Pope and all of ancient Rome and then have pizza with Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda Gawonska.

Praying for your intentions as we began the novena today together. Hope you will join us in spirit. Vers l'alto!

Pier Giorgio on EWTN and more

2009-06-26T00:52:00.004-05:00

A great opportunity to learn more about Pier Giorgio is coming next week on EWTN. The mini-series "Sanctity Within Reach: Pier Giorgio Frassati" will air on three consecutive days: Thursday, July 2nd, Friday, July 3rd, and Saturday, July 4th at 6 o'clock p.m. EST. Wanda Gawronska, a niece of Pier Giorgio, is the featured guest and provides firsthand information about her uncle. This is a wonderful prelude to Pier Giorgio's feast day which takes place on the Fourth of July. Spread the word and tune in!

Last night in Rome, Wanda and I had a nice time speaking to a small group of seminarians from the U.S. and Canada. Afterward, we attended vespers with them. It is always special to hear men's voices lifted up in prayer and song.

Tomorrow morning, the group of pilgrims will arrive in Rome and we will begin our trek through northern Italy in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio. A little rain may welcome them but a rainy day in Rome is better than a sunny day nearly any place else!

On a totally unrelated note, two entertainment icons passed away in the U.S. recently. Both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson achieved enormous celebrity status in their own way. Their early deaths are sad on many levels. Reading about them here in Italy, a beautiful reflection of Pier Giorgio comes to mind. In one of his letters that I have read over and over and over, he wrote the following about death when he was just 22 years old:

"I have sometimes been ambitious. And for what? Just for death, this great mystery, the only just one which spares no one, which will dissolve this body of mine and in a short time will turn it into dust. But beyond the material body there is the soul to which we must dedicate all our energy, so that it can present itself before the Supreme Tribunal without fault or at least with little faults, so that after having served some years in purgatory it will be able to go up to Eternal peace. But how does one prepare oneself for the great Transition and when? Since one does not know when Death will come to take him away, it is very prudent to prepare oneself every day as if one is going to die that same day; and so from now on I will try to make every day a little preparation for death, so that I shouldn’t find myself unprepared at the point of death and have to regret the beautiful years of youth, wasted from the spiritual side."

Pier Giorgio challenges us to live and not just exist. Read John 10:10 today and strive for life in abundance. Verso l'alto!

"To the Bottom"

2009-06-23T09:25:00.003-05:00

Since my arrival in Pollone, the days have been very full and quite memorable leaving me very little time to post updates. I will try to catch up a bit with this one.

On Sunday morning, we left in a caravan from the Frassati home to head to Val d’Aosta – an area of Italy along the Swiss and French borders. My priest friend from Nashville arrived in a terrible rainstorm the night before from Rome but was treated to wonderful weather for his first excursion to northern Italy. The group included two nieces and one nephew of Pier Giorgio, a great-nephew and his wife, a great-niece, a group of third order Dominicans from Slovakia, a couple of women from Poland, Father Baker and myself. The scenery became more and more breathtaking the closer we got to Val d’Aosta. Rushing waterfalls, beautiful snow-capped mountains, fresh air. Once we all parked, some of us set off on foot to take the shorter hike to the point up in the mountains where Mass would be offered at 11 a.m. What a hike! Major quadricep burn! Good thing I was only doing the short hike!

The Mass was simply stupendous (a word Pier Giorgio often used!) Two bishops and at least four or five other priests concelebrated at an altar set up in a little clearing. There were hundreds of people there, a few in mountain costume. I wish I had time to post pictures but those will have to come later. One of the high points of the Mass for me was listening to the “Gloria” being sung from atop a mountain, so close to heaven! The bishop who gave the homily spoke a lot about Pier Giorgio. It was so great to listen to them talking about his example for each of us on our path to holiness.

The reason for this event was to inaugurate a brand new “Sentiero Frassati” – a mountain trail named for Pier Giorgio. It is the 15th one in Italy. At a certain moment in the Mass, representatives from all 15 regions that have such trails poured water from their region into a common bowl. The water would later be used to bless the start of this trail. Two more trails will be inaugurated soon and so water from those regions also was included. Immediately after Mass, the clergy headed just a bit higher up into the mountain for the unveiling of the plaque dedicating the trail. It was all very exciting. Afterward, we headed back down to the nearest town to a huge tent where a terrific Italian feast had been prepared -- local meats and cheeses and the northern specialty, polenta concia. Wine, of course, wonderful people and conversation. We had a terrific time from start to finish.

Afterward, Father Baker, Wanda and I headed for Turin to visit all of the main Pier Giorgio places. We spent the rest of the afternoon going from his tomb to the church where he professed his third order vows to the house where he died, etc. We got back to Pollone exhausted but exhilarated!

The next morning, I took Father Baker for a walk around Pollone to all of the local Pier Giorgio places. Then, we drove to the Sanctuary of Oropa to pray near Pier Giorgio’s beloved Madonna of Oropa. It was another beautiful day at the base of the mountains. In the evening, Father Baker said Mass in English at the altar next to the bed where Pier Giorgio died. It was very special to have that opportunity, as you can imagine, surrounded by so many relatives of Pier Giorgio in the house where he once lived!

Tomorrow, I will head down to Rome and make final preparations for the group of pilgrims coming from the U.S. and Canada to travel with me in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio from Rome all the way back here to Pollone. I am very excited about their arrival!

A final note for my friends who know how much I love cappuccino in Italy -- I am savoring every drop of it. “To the top” is our motto on our path to holiness following Pier Giorgio’s example; but, when drinking cappuccino in Italy, my motto is definitely “to the bottom!”

Passing Time in Pollone

2009-06-20T10:13:00.001-05:00

My first day back in Pollone brought a flood of memories and emotions, as well as some new experiences. Driving up Via Pier Giorgio Frassati and arriving at the front gates of the villa just seems to trigger a sense of pure joy. It is hard to explain but my soul feels so much at home here and perfectly at peace.

This visit is a little bittersweet because it is my first time back here since attending the funeral of Pier Giorgio’s sister Luciana. Her spirit really filled this house during all of my previous visits. I loved hearing her voice as she came down the main staircase and sitting beside her outside on the veranda. A few days before her death, I prayed the “Our Father” with her in her room. I sorely miss her presence here. But time marches on and there is a new generation of Frassatis visiting here -- the newest great-grandchildren of Luciana – 10-month-old twin boys.

Another presence in the house, of course, is the spirit of Pier Giorgio. When I am here, I feel like he is walking with me always in a very real way. I never take for granted that this is where he spent so much time. I love to pray in his rooms but I also enjoy just walking around inside and outside knowing that everywhere I go he has been. The flower gardens are magnificent this time of year. He would write about them occasionally in his letters. The view of the mountains from his bedroom window is spectacular. No wonder he struggled so much to focus on his studies here while the mountains were beckoning.

Pollone is a very small place; I guess we would call it a village. It takes no time at all to walk to the parish church or down to the cemetery. The church bells mark the time throughout the day. It makes me think even more about heaven and what it must be like. This is surely a bit of bad theology but I hope purgatory is like being in Pollone and looking up at the mountains. That is, you feel so close to heaven that you can almost taste it but, at the same time, you ache to be on the higher ground. You know there is a greater joy beyond your reach and are unable to cross the void. I know there are more terrifying descriptions of purgatory by the saints but I hope it will be like this. One day, I will find out.

Yesterday afternoon, I also had the great pleasure of attending Mass in Oropa at the church Pier Giorgio loved so much and often left early in the morning to visit. There, I was able to pray at the feet of his beloved Brown Madonna. Afterward, I attended a special event commemorating the inauguration of a new trail named for Pier Giorgio. The dedication of the trail will take place tomorrow in Val d’Aosta and is one of the reasons I have come this week to Pollone. It was inspiring to listen to others speak about Pier Giorgio with such love and passion.

Tonight, we are expecting a very special guest here at the villa – Fr. John Sims Baker. Fr. Baker is the priest who first introduced me to Pier Giorgio in 1995 not long after I arrived in Nashville to attend law school at Vanderbilt. The expression that God writes straight with crooked lines could not be truer when it comes to Fr. Baker, me and Pier Giorgio. Over the years, we have both become more active in promoting the spirituality of Pier Giorgio. Ironically, Fr. Baker is now the university chaplain at Vanderbilt and has named the Catholic community there the “Community of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.” He serves on the board of FrassatiUSA and is our spiritual adviser. When Wanda Gawronska came to Nashville earlier this month, Fr. Baker was away in Rome. A party to welcome her was at his residence, the Frassati House, while he was in the city where she lives! Just recently, they were able to meet in Rome and Wanda invited him to come to Pollone when I am here. He arrives tonight and our Pier Giorgio journey that began in 1995 will have come full circle. What a blessing! Tomorrow, we will all go together to Val d’Aosta for the dedication of the new Sentiero Frassati. I am excited to have the opportunity to show Fr. Baker around Pollone, Oropa and Torino. The ways of God are so mysterious and so good.

Well, some of the gentle rain common in this region is now falling here and it is a very restful day – allowing me the time and energy for such a long blog entry. Off to church soon where I will continue to pray for all of your intentions. Verso l’alto!

On the Road Again

2009-06-17T20:05:00.005-05:00

Time again for another Italian adventure. Tomorrow, I leave for Pollone -- my first trip back to the Frassati home since the funeral of Pier Giorgio's sister Luciana in October 2007. So much has happened since then. Pier Giorgio's body has traveled to Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day. His niece Wanda Gawronska traveled to Canada and to the U.S. for special television appearances. Wanda and I recorded a three-part mini-series for EWTN that is tentatively scheduled to air on July 2, 3, and 4. The first ever FrassatiUSA pilgrimage in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio will take place June 27th to July 5th. And the book of Pier Giorgio's letters will be published for the first time ever in English later this month! It is amazing to look back on all that has happened since FrassatiUSA began just three years ago and wonder what the future will hold. At the same time, this is a critical financial moment for the organization. Like so many other charitable organizations, the funding has been hard to come by during these stressful economic times. If you are able to make a donation, there couldn't be a better time than now.

Every time I head to Italy, I take all of your intentions with me. It's a great privilege and blessing to pray at the foot of Pier Giorgio's bed, near his tomb in Turin, in Oropa at his favorite shrine, and so on. This trip will be extra special because I will be at the family home on Pier Giorgio's feast day -- July 4th. That day, our pilgrimage group plans to climb to the top of Mount Mucrone where Pier Giorgio often prayed. We will literally be going verso l'alto! I hope you will join us in spirit and pray the novena to Pier Giorgio on the days leading up to his feast day. All of the prayers are on the website.

I will do my best to write a little from the other side of the ocean. Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

More Favors Received

2009-06-13T21:32:00.003-05:00

These are recently received reports of favors granted -- both small and large. Of course, no favor is ever really small for the one who receives it!

"I borrowed a relic from Italy of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and I have brought the relic to General Hospital in Toronto, CANADA. Emily, a 20 year old, has had a double lung transplant, her second. Doctors are saying that it is Miraculous . Her recovery at this time is MIRACULOUS. The entire hospital is talking about her surgery. Her surgery has been the most difficult in the entire year. Some doctor's believed she would die. I am returning and praying for a speedy recovery. I will invoke Blessed Pier Giorgio. God bless, Josie "

"Hi, I would like to share a favor received from Pier Giorgio, it was very important to me. After failing my driving test many times, 6 to be exact (in two years), I prayed the Prayer for Courage to Pier Giorgio and to the Holy Spirit. Every time I went to the driving test the panic and fear invaded me, I failed since the start every time. I have hyperhydrosis, and every time my hands just stared to sweat without any control. I was very frustrated. I heard about Pier Giorgio on EWTN one morning, and I looked on the Internet about him and found the Prayer for Courage. I went to the test today with my mother-in-law--she prayed for me too, and I passed. My hands didn't sweat a drop, and I felt security, self-control and an unbelievable peace during the test. I know this is only a little favor, but for me it means a lot. As a way to thank Pier Giorgio and the Holy Spirit, I wanted to share it with you. I'm very, very, very grateful."

"BIG OR SMALL! I COMPLETED MY NOVENA TO 'BLESSED PIER GIORGIO' ASKING FOR HIS HELP.........ALONG WITH 'ST. JOSEPH........!' IN SELLING MY HOUSE! THE NOVENA ENDED ON MAY 17,2009 A SUNDAY WHEN THERE WAS AN 'OPEN HOUSE FOR MY place.' BY THE END OF THAT WEEK I HAD A SOLID OFFER AND NOW JUNE 4 ,2009 I AM IN 'CONTRACT TO SELL!' DENNIS DE MARCO"

2009-06-07T21:05:00.003-05:00

My blogging has come to a near screeching halt but not for lack of things to write about. On the contrary, so many amazing and wonderful things have been happening and I have just not had the time to put them into words.

The past week and a half was an absolute blessing with Pier Giorgio's niece, Wanda Gawronska, coming to the U.S. for a special visit. We enjoyed so many special moments together, including visits to the Dominican Motherhouse in Nashville, a meeting with Mother Angelica's Poor Clares in Hanceville, Alabama, and dinner with the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word in Birmingham.

On the night of our appearance on "EWTN Live," we were so happy to meet some of you who came from many places to be in the audience: Jerry from Toledo, Ohio, who recently started a Frassati Society that focuses on Eucharistic Adoration; Tiffiny and Bonnie from the New York Frassati Fellowship who were on fire for Pier Giorgio; Carlos, George and Arlene who came all the way from California; a foursome from Mobile, Alabama, whose names I can't remember at this second (sorry!); John from Boston, and so many others. It was such a joy to talk to everyone and see how Pier Giorgio is working all around the country. After the show, there were so many calls and emails from people who were introduced to Pier Giorgio for the very first time...from Alaska to Dubai!

On a personal level, a special gift for me throughout Wanda's visit was being able to pray the novena to Pier Giorgio together and to introduce her to many of my friends. I am so grateful that she made the trip and I am certain it will bear much spiritual fruit in the U.S. Verso l'alto!

Pier Giorgio featured on EWTN Live

2009-06-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

Be sure to tune in to "EWTN Live" on Wednesday, June 3rd! Pier Giorgio's niece, Wanda Gawronska, will be interviewed by Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Wanda has been in the U.S. since Wednesday, May 27th, and has been sharing about Pier Giorgio to various groups in Nashville, Hanceville, and Birmingham. She will return to Rome on Friday but not before telling Pier Giorgio's story to EWTN viewers around the world! Click here to watch the live show with video streaming.

Nineteen Years Ago...

2009-05-20T22:17:00.002-05:00

It was May 20, 1990, that Pope John Paul II beatified Pier Giorgio Frassati. If you haven't read it recently, this would be a good day to reflect on the homily from that special day. Click here.

And thanks to Kristen for sharing how Pier Giorgio has been working in her life:

"Hi! I have received some great favors through the intercession of Pier Giorgio! I first found out about Pier Giorgio while on a vocation retreat with the Sisters of Mary in Ann Arbor. I have prayed his Litany and some of the other prayers on this site almost every night for over three months, asking for God's will for my life. My own specific desire was to find a job in the greater Seattle area, so that I could be near family and friends, as well as near a specific, very special Dominican parish where there are many amazing opportunities to serve God's people. But ending up where God wanted me was the paramount request of my prayers. After months of job hunting, I accepted an offer last week for an excellent job there. I was hoping for any job in this tough job market, and I was blessed with a lucrative medical sales job. A wonderful place to live fell into my lap the same day as well! I am delighted that not only will I be able to serve God, but I can use my earnings to help others in this tough economy. Hands down, the most important blessings I gained from my prayers were a tremendous increase in faith, inner peace, and great trust in the Lord. There is absolutely nothing that can trump that! Thank you God, and thank you Pier Giorgio! In Christ's Love, Kristen"

More Favors Great and Small from Blessed Pier Giorgio

2009-05-05T23:59:00.006-05:00

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.

Pier Giorgio in Japan

2009-04-14T09:40:00.004-05:00

Another great story about Pier Giorgio's impact on today's youth came to me recently all the way from Okinawa, Japan!

From correspondence with Laura Wells, I learned that Okinawa is a small island south of the main island of Japan. There are 71 teens receiving Confirmation from five different military bases on the island. The bishop of the Archdiocese of the military will be present for the Confirmation (May 5th) and the teens are very excited. The retreat leader, Denise Loftesnes, used Pier Giorgio as the patron saint for the Confirmation Teen Retreat. All 71 teens received a pledge packet (The Pact) and Denise spoke about Pier Giorgio and showed the two posters of him. Laura writes that "The Confirmation retreat was very powerful and it was wonderful that so many teens were moved so much. I'm sure that Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati was praying for all of the teens."

Thanks Laura and Denise for bringing Pier Giorgio into the lives of these teens so far away from the U.S.! And may God bless all of our servicemen and women and their families for the sacrifices they make to defend the cause of freedom. Verso l'alto!

Easter Greetings

2009-04-13T13:20:00.003-05:00

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! This is the traditional greeting in the Byzantine Catholic Church throughout the Easter season. These few words provide an inexhaustible source of meditation on the great gift of Eternal Life with Christ that we have been given.

On Easter Sunday, I was sitting in church next to my little six-year-old friend who noticed a keychain tag of mine that says "God loves you." She whispered to me, "God really loves you because you work for one of his saints." I whispered back, "God really loves you, too. He really loves all of us. That is what we are celebrating today." The insights of this little girl never cease to amaze me. In fact, I felt Pier Giorgio's presence through her on Holy Thursday evening. We had processed together after Mass to the chapel where the Blessed Sacrament would be exposed for one hour. I explained to her how Jesus asked His friends to spend one hour with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. She knew the story well. She went and begged her mom for permission to stay and spend an hour with Jesus. When her mom said she could stay for a little bit, she ran over to me erupting with joy. Immediately, I thought of how elated Pier Giorgio was when he finally got permission from his mother to receive daily Communion. "I won, Father!" he exclaimed to the Jesuit priest at school.

That same, uncontainable, childlike joy at being able to spend time with Jesus is the joy we can experience today. For Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen!

Celebrating Pier Giorgio's Birthday

2009-04-06T11:46:00.003-05:00

It is a dreary, rainy, cold day here in Nashville and the start of Holy Week. It is a day for celebration, though, because we are marking what would be Pier Giorgio's 108th birthday! I'm sure many of you joined in the novena leading up to today. I admit that I keep hoping my phone will ring with news of a canonization miracle, but I know that it is all in God's perfect timing.

In the meantime, many wonderful things keep happening as knowledge of Pier Giorgio becomes more and more widespread. This past weekend, for example, I was in Boston for the Eucharistic Congress sponsored by the Archdiocese. What a beautiful event! (Thanks, by the way, to Fr. Dan Hennessey for the invitation to attend and to Maria Lucci for getting me to where I needed to go!) It is always inspiring to be around young adults who are joyfully living the Faith and it was an added bonus that Pier Giorgio was the focus of the Saturday morning event.

Often, I view my work at FrassatiUSA as merely planting "Pier Giorgio seeds." When even one seed bears fruit, it is a cause of great joy. Here are a just a few:

Last week, I spoke at a high school in San Antonio where only a handful of the 700+ crowd had ever heard of Pier Giorgio. I recently learned that the very next day one of the students presented a proposal to school administration to start a Frassati Society there.
A few hours after giving a talk in New Braunfels, Texas, I received a phone call from the mother of one of the youth in attendance. She called to say that her daughter never got excited about Catholic things but couldn't stop talking about Pier Giorgio. The mother could hardly believe that someone had gotten through to her daughter that quickly. (I didn't want to suggest it could have been Pier Giorgio's exceptional good looks but I am guessing that may have had something to do with it!)
After a presentation to K-4 children at a Nashville school, one little girl announced to her teacher that she no longer wanted to be a ballerina -- she wanted to be a saint!

These young people responded to the simple message of Pier Giorgio -- holiness is for everyone. Today, on his birthday, may his message also inspire you to reach for even greater heights in your spiritual journey. Verso l'alto!

Arrivederci, San Antonio!

2009-04-01T11:28:00.004-05:00

Thanks for the prayers for my recent trip to San Antonio. It was a wonderful opportunity to plant a lot of "Pier Giorgio seeds" in the hearts of many young people.

Thanks to Josh Torres, Mr. Vega's Campus Ministry Class and the administration at Holy Cross of San Antonio for planning their weekly prayer service around the spirituality of Pier Giorgio. It was great to visit the school and have time to reflect on the Man of the Beatitudes.

Also, thanks to Father John Mary, Mother Magdalene and Dr. Paul Foster for welcoming the message of Pier Giorgio to the Mission of Divine Mercy in New Braunfels, TX. While there, I was able to climb "to the top" of the trail to the simple cross situated high above the Mission. The wind was absolutely wicked but it was worth braving the elements to enjoy the incredible view of Canyon Lake and the surrounding area down below! I know Pier Giorgio would have done the same! If you are ever in the New Braunfels area and want to enjoy the beauty of creation, be sure to visit the Mission.

Finally, thanks to Father Mark Clarke, Maria Gutierrez and the administration of Antonian College Preparatory High School for allowing me to share Pier Giorgio's message that "Holiness is for Everyone" with the entire student body -- a great way to start the school week!

Next stop is Boston for the Eucharistic Congress hosted by the Archdiocese. Keep those prayers coming as Pier Giorgio's message continues to spread. Verso l'alto!

Pier Giorgio on EWTN

2009-03-26T11:56:00.003-05:00

This coming week (while we are praying the novena in honor of Pier Giorgio's birthday), you can watch a program about him on EWTN. Bob and Penny Lord have informed me that their upcoming episode of "Super Saints" featuring Pier Giorgio will air as follows:

Wednesday, April 1st, at 9 p.m.
Thursday, April 2nd, at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 4th, at 3:00 a.m.

If you don't get EWTN in your area, remember that you can watch it with live video streaming on your computer. Here's a link to get you there: http://ewtn.com/audiovideo/index.asp

A Time to Pray

2009-03-25T10:34:00.004-05:00

We are just a few days away from the start of the wonderful "Novena in the Year of St. Paul Remembering Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati on his 108th Birthday." Hopefully, by now, you have had a chance to read through the novena and invite some friends to pray it with you. (All of the prayers can be downloaded from the FrassatiUSA website. Click here.) The novena begins on Saturday, March 28th, so spread the word!

The novena was prepared by Fr. Tom Rosica, head of Canada's Salt and Light TV. I know from firsthand experience that Fr. Rosica is a big fan of Pier Giorgio's. He has spearheaded many World Youth Day activities in honor of Pier Giorgio and has contributed so much to the promotion of his spirituality in Canada and beyond.

Be forewarned that this novena is a challenging one. It is easy to lapse into an almost automatic or robotic prayer mode, rattling off prayers without even stopping to think of a single word. This novena calls for contemplation and action. The meditations on the writings of St. Paul are really a wonderful opportunity for us to take advantage of the special graces offered during this Jubilee Year in honor of St. Paul before it ends in June. The novena also provides concrete actions we can take to go from just praying to really living out our faith. In this way, we can truly follow the example set for us by Pier Giorgio.

People often ask me where things stand in the cause for Pier Giorgio's canonization. The answer is always the same: "We need a miracle!" This opportunity to pray a novena in honor of Pier Giorgio, united with so many around the world who are doing the same thing, is a tremendous opportunity to ask God for that miracle. So, please add this intention to those you will bring to Pier Giorgio during the novena.

And many thanks to Ada Rivera for pointing out the coverage of the novena by Zenit. Click here to read the story.

Blessed Pier Giorgio...pray for us!

Deep in the Heart of Texas!

2009-03-23T14:00:00.003-05:00

For those of you who so generously include the work of FrassatiUSA in your prayers, I have a special intention. In the next few days, I will be bringing Pier Giorgio's message ("Holiness is for everyone!") to three different groups in San Antonio, Texas. More than 1,200 young people will be introduced to Pier Giorgio this coming Friday, Saturday and Monday. Please pray that the seeds of Pier Giorgio's spirituality will be planted in their hearts and that they will aspire to strive with him verso l'alto!

FrassatiUSA on Facebook

2009-03-16T13:50:00.005-05:00

If you are a Facebook person, you may have discovered (like I did) that there are many clubs and pages dedicated to Pier Giorgio Frassati. About a year ago, we posted a page under the name "Pier Giorgio Frassati" just to have a place for accurate info on Facebook. But there is not really any reliable way for surfers to know the difference. So, we are trying to start a FrassatiUSA page on Facebook, just to make the distinction. If someone out there is a Facebook expert and can offer any help on navigating all of the applications, please send me an email: chris@frassatiusa.org.

By the way, one easy tip for when you are out there surfing and coming across Pier Giorgio info is to see if the page or website calls him Pier. If so, don't believe everything you read!

Pier Giorgio in Oregon and beyond

2009-03-09T09:31:00.004-05:00

We LOVE hearing about how you are making Pier Giorgio a part of your lives! According to Daniel Murphy in Oregon:

"A small group of men in Oregon has formed "men of the Beatitudes" in honor of Pier Giorgio Frassati--making an Entrustment to the Holy Trinity as Merciful Love and Life, which incorporates a five-part code of honor. Pier Giorgio is our (primary) model; John Paul II is our (primary) teacher. Among other things, we pray the "Living Rosary," after the example of John Paul II. Pier Giorgio's exemplary Christian humanism and personalism are the measure of our hope for holiness of life."

For those of you in the Toledo, Ohio area, a new Frassati Society has recently formed! This group has an emphasis on Eucharistic Adoration. Jerry Rusch is hoping to make more info about it available online soon.

Many of you have also written about how you are using Pier Giorgio as the patron or model for your group -- from cub scouts to homeschoolers to Knights of Columbus to youth groups to hiking clubs to you name it! Keep up the great work and thanks for keeping us posted on how Pier Giorgio is leading your group to the top! Verso l'alto!

Save the Date!

2009-02-19T14:47:00.002-06:00

It's official! Wanda Gawronska, niece of Blessed Pier Giorgio, will be in the U.S. in early June. She will be the guest on "EWTN Live" on Wednesday, June 3rd. The show airs at 8 p.m. EST. Plan to be in the audience or just to watch the show! You can call in or email questions during the live hour.

Note: Individuals wishing to attend a Live Show must make their reservations in advance by contacting the EWTN Pilgrimage Department. This may be done in writing, by phone [205-271-2966 (option 2)], by fax [205-271-2957], or by e-mail [pilgrimages@ewtn.com ].

The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

2009-02-09T14:03:00.003-06:00

I am more than happy to say that I visited the beautiful Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls today. This is a great jubilee year in honor of the 2000th birthday of St. Paul. Along with that celebration, comes the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. What a great gift from the Church!

It is always special for me to visit this particular Basilica, not only because of its incredible beauty or that it is one of the four major basilicas, but because it held a special place for Pier Giorgio who also visited it. St. Paul was his favorite saint and an inspiration for his life of charity.

The Basilica has undergone some changes since my last visit. Most likely because of the crowds expected during this jubilee year, they have constructed a great bathroom facility. If you have done any traveling in Italy, you will understand why I am mentioning that detail! They have moved the gift shop/bookstore from its previous location and have installed turnstiles that you must pass through to visit the courtyard area. Unfortunately, you have to pay a few euro to go through the turnstiles. Inside the Basilica, they have done some additional excavation and you can see a part of the tomb of St. Paul. They have a new little area that makes it extremely easy to offer Mass intentions, as well.

The Pier Giorgio Pilgrimage 2009 will begin with a visit to St. Paul Outside the Walls. What a great way to begin a journey in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio! The trip is now filled but we will do it again next year and you won't want to miss it.

Even though it takes a little extra effort to visit this Basilica when you are in Rome, I hope that you will make a point to do it if you find yourself here at any time. Just hop on Bus 23 and tell the driver you are going "verso l'alto!"

The Best of Times and Worst of Times in Rome

2009-02-08T10:05:00.003-06:00

Everyone has a favorite city and Rome is high on my list. The sights are spectacular and numerous; the churches are magnificent; the cappuccino is delicious; and the Pope is here! Today, the piazza was packed for his Sunday Angelus. I would have to give the French the prize for the biggest cheering.

After the Angelus, I headed down to the tomb of Pope John Paul II. It keeps changing down there, each time I come. At first, you could take pictures and give the guards things to touch to the tomb. They started getting less willing to touch items to the tomb and added an overhead speaker system in many languages reminding you to be quiet. Ironically, it's the noise from the speaker that is the most distracting! Now they are not even allowing pictures to be taken. They do allow you to touch something to the floor just inside the rope but that's it. And yet, the crowds keep coming and coming and coming. Santo Subito!

I went to Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Altar of St. Joseph. Headed out afterward to the shops along Borgo Pio. Not much tourist traffic at all. Just before 3 o'clock, I entered the Holy Spirit Church for the beautiful Divine Mercy chaplet conducted each day by the sisters who take care of this beautiful church. Many of the prayers are in Polish because of the connection to Saint Faustina Kowalska. But the majority of the prayers were in Italian. I have been to this service before but noticed a beautiful addition this year. At the end of the chaplet, one of the sisters came to the front of the church with a cross that contained a relic of St. Faustina. I happened to be kneeling on the floor just to the left of her and was moved to watch the crowd of hundreds come forward to venerate the relic.

As an American Catholic, it is so uplifting to participate in the traditions and devotions and services here in Rome. But, it is also a sad time in this country for those who respect the sanctity of human life at all stages.

Yesterday, death by starvation began for a beautiful woman named Eluana Englaro who fell into a coma in 1992 and is now considered to be in a "persistent vegetative state." Sadly, she is being denied basic nutrition at the request of her father. The debate taking place over here, amid various protests and stages of legal action, are hauntingly similar to those that occurred in the U.S. when we were forced to stand by and watch the euthanization of Terry Schiavo. The news last night was centered on every aspect of this story.

Just two weeks ago, I was in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life and spent some time talking with a group of Italians, "Voglio Vivere," who have been coming to the U.S. for several years now to stand up for life. The war being waged against the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn and the infirm, is a global war and we need to be united in prayer. Please pray for Eluana, for her father, for all those who are involved in this situation, and for a victory over the culture of death.

Rome Sweet Rome

2009-02-06T15:41:00.008-06:00

I have been meaning to post something since arriving in Rome but have had little free time. This is a good problem to have!

I am here to do some work with Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda who is expected to come to the U.S. in June. If you have not met Wanda, you would be fascinated by all that she does on behalf of Pier Giorgio. By the way, Wanda was recently interiewed by Canada's Salt and Light TV for a special episode of "Witness" that will air on February 15th. You can see the schedule on their website and it looks like you can view the network via live streaming but may have to subscribe. I was able to view the interview last night and you won't want to miss it!

The place where I am staying is right around the bend from a church called Santa Lucia del Gonfalone. This church has a huge painting of Pier Giorgio on the wall of the first side altar as you enter on the left. It has become my special place to pray to Pier Giorgio here in Rome. As soon as I can get to a scanner, I will post a picture of the painting. It is quite unique.

Because of my work, I have been able to spend many unforgettable weeks in Rome over the past few years. I must say, it is strange to come to a large city in a foreign country and feel very much at home. But, considering this is the heart of the Church, that makes some sort of sense. My favorite thing (outside of spending time with Wanda, of course!) is going to the Sunday Angelus on the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica. It is the most beautiful display of the universal church that I have ever seen. I never tire of it and wish every Catholic in the world could attend just once.

Pier Giorgio once wrote: "...every day I understand better what a Grace it is to be Catholic." That, I would say, most succinctly sums up my feelings after each day I spend here in Rome. Hopefully, I will be able to share a little more with you in the next few days. Verso l'alto!

The Letters of Pier Giorgio

2009-01-27T11:25:00.002-06:00

So many of you have contacted me to ask about the letters of Pier Giorgio. WHEN IS THE BOOK COMING OUT?! It seems like I have been promising it for nearly a year and I am just as anxious as all of you. Good news! We now have an American publisher on board and the project is moving full-speed ahead.

One of the greatest privileges I have had throughout my work on behalf of Pier Giorgio was to be able to edit his letters with his niece Wanda Gawronska. We did a good bit of it in Rome and then worked on it again in Pollone. As we read each letter, I had the opportunity to ask questions and listen to Wanda's many stories and really understand the context and mindset and culture at the time the letters were written. With each page, I grew to love Pier Giorgio more and more. It's not that his letters are some great theological or spiritual work. It's that his letters are a reflection of the normality of his life and how his faith was a part of everything he did. He was not a compartmentalized Catholic! He loved his faith, his family, his friends. He had a sense of humor, a sense of duty, a spirit of humility, a spirit of adventure. In short, he is who we think he is.

When we finished the editing last March, I was very excited that for the first time it would be printed in English and all of you would have the opportunity to read about Pier Giorgio in his own words. However, I soon discovered that it is not so easy to get something like this published. Last year, a Canadian company agreed to do it. Not long afterward, that company was bought out by a French company that decided not to do it! It has been such a rollercoaster.

Earlier this month, we received the good news that the book will be published here in the U.S. I will provide more details as they become available. In the meantime, please keep the success of this project in your prayers. Verso l'alto!

Pier Giorgio trivia

2009-01-20T21:32:00.002-06:00

Today is the feast of St. Fabian and St. Sebastian -- two great early martyrs for the Faith. These saints play a small role in Pier Giorgio's life story. One of the churches in the town of Pollone, Italy -- where the Frassati summer villa is located -- is named for these two saints. However, the locals refer to the church as the "Cangio church" because of its location. This church was the site of the completion of Pier Giorgio's baptism. Inside, a large reproduction of the baptismal certificate hangs on the wall. You can check out pictures of this church on the FrassatiUSA website by clicking here.

Pier Giorgio answers prayers

2009-01-08T15:37:00.003-06:00

Here is another great story of a situation where Pier Giorgio has answered prayers. Although it is not the type of cure that will satisfy the Vatican for a canonization miracle, it is uplifting to read. Keep praying!

"My husband had a brain aneurism that leaked then resealed on Sept. 6th, 2008. He needed a drain tube in the top of his of his head, a trac tube, a peg tube in his stomach for feeding. He also needed a procedure that filled his aneurism with platinum wire that coiled inside to prevent it from bursting again. My husband was in intensive care for almost the whole month of September, he then spent almost 3 weeks in a rehab hospital. I had purchased one of the small blue Pier Giorgio Frassati Prayer Books, that I kept in my purse. I started praying the novena to Pier Giorgio Frassati every day when I was visiting my husband in the hospital and in rehab, after I finished it I would start again and again. We had recently lost a close friend and another was in the process of dying and I would pray for them and then that my husband would make a complete recovery. He is back working full-time. He still suffers from some short term memory loss at times, but the doctor who fixed his aneurism said he should come back 95% after around 6 months. The doctor also gives lectures and uses my husband as an example of a good outcome. We both feel we have been given another chance at life and we have become closer than ever (we will celebrate our 43rd anniversary on March 5th). I will always continue to pray to Pier Giorgio Frassati because in my mind he did give me a miracle, he gave me my husband back."

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T16:08:00.002-06:00

"The year has begun well, after toasting it in with my family I went to Holy Martyrs Church; there in the Church, crowded with people, we prayed that there would be peace in Italy and Peace among us.
And this Peace, which is the burning Desire of us all, we hope will come in this year in which the Graces of the Lord are multiplied."

So wrote Pier Giorgio to his friend Franz Massetti on January 4, 1925. It would be the last new year he would mark on earth. It also happened to be the start of a Jubilee Year in the Church (which explains Pier Giorgio's reference to graces being multiplied.) Many of his letters express a desire for peace. Considering Pier Giorgio lived through World War I and the rise of fascism in Italy, it is no wonder that he was constantly wishing for peace in the world. This longing for peace is universal and no different for us in our current world situation. As we pray for peace today, it seems fitting to ask for Pier Giorgio's special intercession. May the Graces of the Lord abound in 2009!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

2008-12-24T18:01:00.004-06:00

In the Byzantine Catholic church, the birth of Our Savior is celebrated with a special greeting extended by the priest: "CHRIST IS BORN!" In response, the congregation replies, "GLORIFY HIM!" It is a wonderful way to remind ourselves that something is different today and throughout the Christmas season.

In Rome, the Holy Father marked the start of the Christmas season with the Latin wish for peace: "Pax vobis" ("Peace be with you") to which the faithful present at St. Peter's responded, "Et cum spiritu tuo." ("And also with you.")

Both greetings have a simple similarity: they announce good news and they call for our response. May the love of the Holy Family pour into your heart this Christmas and help you to respond with even greater charity to all those you meet in 2009. Buon Natale and Verso l'alto!

The Best Christmas Gifts

2008-12-19T18:55:00.003-06:00

Well, here we are, less than a week away from the celebration of the birth of Christ. How has your Advent been going? I'm happy to say that I've had a prayerful few weeks, thanks in large part to my wonderful morning prayer group, and have been cultivating the spirit of joyful expectation. I have actually enjoyed doing the Christmas shopping, a little baking and the other material preparations that are necessary at this time of year. And in the midst of it all, I have been able to witness many times what Pier Giorgio knew so well: i.e, the best Christmas gifts are acts of charity.

If you have joined THE PACT, you know that it involves a simple commitment to do one act of charity a day. At this time of year, there are endless opportunities that present themselves. You can let someone ahead of you in a long check-out line, share a coupon with someone who needs one, smile and speak kind words to the tired cashier, buy a little gift for someone you normally wouldn't, leave the parking space closest to the store for someone else -- and all of that is just some of what you can do when you are out shopping! There is so much more. Send Christmas cards to people you know are lonely, who live alone or have very little family. Make a call to someone who would so appreciate having a little conversation with you. Go caroling! Make time for people instead of excuses. Love. Forgive. Pray.

A wise woman I know has often reminded me, "Honey, all people have the same basic needs: to be loved and to be needed." She's right. And those are two things that you won't find on any shelf in any store. Give the best gifts this Christmas. You will be so glad you did.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

2008-12-12T13:04:00.007-06:00

Just taking a moment today to wish you a blessed feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn and patroness of the Americas. By the way, this is also the anniversary date for FrassatiUSA which relies on her patronage as well as that of Pier Giorgio.

This is such a great Marian week with two wonderful feasts serving as bookends -- Monday, the Immaculate Conception, and, today, Our Lady of Guadalupe! I have been reflecting on the great faith of both St. Bernadette and St. Juan Diego who were the messengers of Our Lady. Can you imagine going to a priest or bishop and saying that you have spoken with the Blessed Mother and she would like a church built? I like how the priest's response is portrayed in the film, "Bernadette." He practically throws her out of the rectory! What would you have done in his shoes?

In both cases, the visionaries were asked to go back to the Lady and ask for a sign, a miracle. Although this may at first seem like a lack of faith on the part of the priest or bishop, it really is a show of faith when you stop and think about it. In other words, they believed enough to believe a miracle would enable them to believe! Do you follow me?

In the movie, "Bernadette," after the priest's very harsh reception of her message, Bernadette says that she wasn't upset about it. She says, "I was asked to deliver the message and I have delivered it." Such humble obedience. Centuries later, we can still see the tremendous fruit that came from the humble obedience of St. Bernadette and St. Juan Diego. Simple messengers. What a great challenge for us during this second week of Advent -- to look for and find ways that we can be simple messengers of the Good News of Christ.

In the Good Old Days

2008-12-04T15:40:00.005-06:00

The other night, I was reading a bedtime story to a little six-year-old friend of mine. She looked at me, at one point, and said with a sigh, "I miss the good old days when..." and gave an example of something she missed doing. It was so odd to hear a six-year-old talking about the good old days! She was right to miss them, though.

I miss the good old days when Advent was a real season that we celebrated. My great Catholic parents made a point of it. Would you believe our Christmas tree did not go up until a day or two before Christmas? We never turned our Christmas lights on until Christmas Eve and we kept them on for the 12 days of Christmas...or longer.

Every night, we gathered around the Advent wreath and lit the candles, said the prayers and sang a hymn. We had a chart to keep track of our good deeds. On the feast of St. Lucy (December 13), we were given one seed of wheat for each good deed we had done. We planted our seeds in our own little pots of dirt and placed them on a window sill to grow as gifts for Baby Jesus. It was a great competition to see who had the most wheat and the tallest.

Very late on Christmas Eve, we would all gather by the tree where a nativity set was displayed below. The manger was always empty until that night. We would have a family procession and sing "Silent Night" and the youngest in the family would place the infant Jesus in the crib. We would sing other carols afterward. Sometimes I would play "The Little Drummer Boy" on the piano while my brother Greg accompanied me on his snare drum. (We are all so much older now but we still have that procession and the youngest still places Baby Jesus in the crib.)

On Christmas Day, we opened gifts with tags that said, "From Baby Jesus" or "From Saint Nick." We never got anything from Santa Claus. In fact, a funny story in our family is that, one year, a neighbor up the street asked two of my sisters what Santa brought them for Christmas. They said, "nothing." The neighbor thought maybe we were poor and couldn't afford presents and sent down bags of gifts! My mom had to explain to her that Santa didn't come to our house, but, not to worry, we got our share of presents from Baby Jesus and St. Nick.

Christmas-caroling was usually impromptu but you could always pull a little group together. We would go to the neighbors who didn't have much family or company and sing a few songs and visit awhile. This is a tradition that has passed down to some of the nieces and nephews. Last year, we piled into a few cars and went to a neighboring town to sing a few carols for a woman with a homebound, disabled son. Such a simple joy to give that costs only a little time.

I could go on and on about our family traditions and how Advent was a time of joyful expectation and Christmas was all about the birth of Christ. But you probably have your own memories of how it was -- in the good old days.

Counting the Blessings

2008-11-27T08:19:00.004-06:00

What a beautiful tradition we have in our country to take one day out of our busy lives to really focus on giving thanks to God for His many blessings. Having the "attitude of gratitude" is a good way to go through life on a daily basis, not just once a year. I have found that if I take a few minutes at night to reflect on the day and to thank God for the many blessings it held, I end up feeling very humbled at God's goodness. After all, as St. Paul said, it is in Him that we live and move and have our being.

In his letters, Pier Giorgio was constantly thanking his friends, family and anyone else for any little act of charity or kindness -- for sending him a postcard or letter, for letting him borrow an ice-axe to climb a mountain, for a birthday remembrance, for prayers on his behalf. It was never lost on him that we are all here for one another and that we bear the weight of each other's eternal glory.

In one letter, he reflected on the gift of friendship and wrote the following: "In this earthly life after the affection for parents and sisters, one of the most beautiful affections is that of friendship; and every day I ought to thank God because he has given me men and lady friends of such goodness who form for me a precious guide for my whole life."

Today would be a great day to reflect on all of the people in our lives who have helped us to find, keep and live the Faith. It would also be a good time to commit to being that kind of friend to the people around us.

Happy Thanksgiving! Verso l'alto!