October is Respect Life Month

Once again, the Church has designated October as Respect Life Month. As Catholics, we can be proud to be a part of a Church that works to protect and defend the sanctity of human life. Here is a short video that deals with this issue: http://www.americaschoicenow.com/.

According to 2005 census estimates, the 50 million babies killed by abortion would exceed the COMBINED population of the fifty largest cities in the United States by 4 million. That's New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Columbus, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Ft. Worth, Charlotte, El Paso, Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Louisville, Washington DC, Nashville, Las Vegas, Portland OR, Oklahoma City, Tucson, Albequerque, Long Beach, Atlanta, Fresno, Sacramento, New Orleans, Cleveland, Kansas City, Mesa, Virginia Beach, Omaha, Oakland, Miami, Tulsa, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Colorado Springs, and Arlington TX, PLUS 4 million (another Los Angeles.)

Can you imagine all those cities empty?

Pope John Paul II, in his letter Ecclesia in America, put it best: "Nowadays, in America as elsewhere in the world, a model of society appears to be emerging in which the powerful predominate, setting aside and even eliminating the powerless: I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subjected at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism. Nor can I fail to mention the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty when other “bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons. Today, given the means at the State's disposal to deal with crime and control those who commit it, without abandoning all hope of their redemption, the cases where it is absolutely necessary to do away with an offender 'are now very rare, even non-existent practically'”. This model of society bears the stamp of the culture of death, and is therefore in opposition to the Gospel message. Faced with this distressing reality, the Church community intends to commit itself all the more to the defense of the culture of life."

Happy Birthday, Wanda!

Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda celebrates her birthday today! At 81 years young, she is still a world traveler. Her efforts to spread the spirituality of Pier Giorgio have taken her to many countries. She even made the long trip to Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day 2008. One of my favorite memories with Wanda was actually a much shorter road trip -- from Torino to Pollone. We ran out of gas just after exiting the Autostrade and it ended up being a good laugh for everyone involved. After a talk I gave recently to the students in a religious education program, one of them asked how I knew so much about Pier Giorgio. The answer is Wanda! Through her, I have gotten to know Pier Giorgio much more intimately, and that is how FrassatiUSA came into being. One thing I know about Wanda is that it is not an easy task to get a picture of her. But here is one of my favorites that I snapped one night in Trastevere as she was arriving on her motorino. I have to believe that Pier Giorgio would love to see his spirit of adventure embodied in his niece as she zips through the streets of Rome! Tanti auguri, Wanda! Keep riding....to the top!

Pier Giorgio and the K of C

More good news of how the devotion to Pier Giorgio is spreading came to me recently from Fr. William Kuchinsky in West Virginia. The newly formed Knights of Columbus Council 10011 will be named "Pier Giorgio Frassati Council" and Fr. Bill will serve as chaplain. It is always uplifting to receive news of how Pier Giorgio is being incorporated into parish and community life.

The Knights of Columbus has more than 1.7 million members worldwide and is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. The current Supreme Knight is Carl Anderson. Coincidentally, he was in Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day festivities this past summer and visited with Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda Gawronska. They are pictured here, along with Fr. Tom Rosica, the head of Canada's Salt and Light TV.

Feast of St. Teresa of Avila

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Avila -- one of the great doctors of the Church. I don't know of any Pier Giorgio connection with her, however, she is the source of one of my all-time favorite quotes. It is a great meditation for any day, but especially during turbulent economic times.

"If you have everything but Christ, you have nothing.
If you have nothing but Christ, you have everything."

St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!!!

Remembering Luciana Frassati

Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we also mark the first anniversary of the death of Pier Giorgio's sister, Luciana Frassati. She died peacefully in Pollone, in the family home, at the age of 105. I had the privilege of being there the last few weeks of her earthly life. On the morning of her passing, I was out of town to visit some Italian relatives. Luciana's daughter Wanda called to tell me the news and I quickly made plans to return for the funeral. That day, I remember thinking of the great joy in heaven with which Luciana would be welcomed. Also, I knew that she would continue her work of spreading the spirituality of Pier Giorgio from above as she had done for so many years during her lifetime.

It is one of life's mysteries to ponder: the length of our days. Pier Giorgio had 24 years, his sister had 105. And yet, we can reflect on both lives and see the fullness -- the richness in living out the Catholic faith -- that both shared. Together they remind us that how much time we have on earth is not up to us but what we do with it is.

It would be a fitting spiritual gift today to offer a rosary in thanksgiving for the life of Luciana Frassati and for the consolation of all those whom she has left behind. May God grant her eternal memory and blessed repose. Grazie, Signora, per tutto.

New Pier Giorgio Website!

Pier Giorgio's impact continues to spread worldwide! I am happy to announce the launching of the Pier Giorgio Frassati website in Brazil. Eduardo Henrique recently emailed me the news and asked that we be united in prayer in our work to promote the spirituality of Pier Giorgio. Congratulations to our Brazilian friends for bringing their website live!

For those of you who may not realize it, info about Pier Giorgio is available in several other languages. You can find the links to websites from Argentina, Poland, Slovakia, Italy, Canada and now Brazil both here on the blog and in the "Find a Frassati Society" section of the FrassatiUSA website. Happy surfing!

Pier Giorgio and the Boy Scouts

I am always glad to get your ideas and hear how Pier Giorgio is working in your lives. Here is a great email with an idea for everyone involved in Boy Scouts: "I recently found out about Pier Giorgio Frassati and have been praying the PACT often...I'm trying for daily. As I have been learning more and more about him, it occurs to me that he would be a great patron saint for scouts and scout leaders. His love of the outdoors and his desire to help people make him sound like the perfect example of what a cub/boy scout should strive for in his life. As a scout leader myself, I am praying daily for God to help make me a better dad, leader, and servant to all. I intend on telling the boys about this blessed example to us and sharing more about him with them. We are a small pack of about 25-30 boys chartered through our Church/Catholic School. Pier Giorgio, please pray for us all...Verso l'alto!"

Pier Giorgio Pilgrimage is forming NOW!

Make plans NOW to head to the top on the 2009 Pier Giorgio Pilgrimage! The trip will depart the U.S. on June 26th and arrive in Rome just in time to obtain the plenary indulgence for the Jubilee Year of St. Paul! We will make our way through Italy until we arrive at Pier Giorgio's family home in time for his Fourth of July Feast Day! What better place could there be to celebrate?! This is a spiritual journey that will take us through Rome, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Turin, Pollone and Oropa -- all places with a special meaning in the life of Pier Giorgio. Daily Mass, opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration, great Italian food and wonderful fellowship are all included in this custom trip of a lifetime. A $250 deposit will hold your reservation. Deposits must be received by November 8th. Check the website for more details.

Pier Giorgio in Action

Many favors are reported though the intercession of Pier Giorgio, although, as of yet, none are sufficient for the canonization miracle. But it is inspiring to see Pier Giorgio in action in people's lives. Here's a recent example:

"On 8/14/08 in Saco, ME, Ryan, 24 years old was taken to the hospital for open heart surgery. Before this he was very a healthy and active college graduate. After surgery in Boston, MA, he was in very serious condition. His grandmother asked me to pray for Ryan and I immediately invoked Bl. Pier Giorgio to hear our prayers and to pray with us for Ryan. I continued to pray for Bl. Pier Giorgio's assistance. A week later Ryan was recovering quickly and has now returned home and is doing very well. Ryan and his family are very grateful to God and for all the many prayers. I know in my heart that through Bl. Pier Giorgio our prayers were heard. I will continue to spread news and info about our Blessed friend and pray for his assistance in my own needs. Pier Giorgio gives me hope that I can strive to be holy as a layman."

"I was an instrument of Divine Providence."

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Augustine, the son of Saint Monica, who converted from a decadent lifestyle to become one of the greatest saints and doctors of the Church. His conversion is often attributed to the many years of prayers his mother offered on his behalf. Saint Monica's faith was rewarded by living to see her son's conversion.

Pier Giorgio likewise experienced the joy of seeing a loved one return to Christ and the Sacraments. In 1923, his uncle Pietro, had a deathbed conversion because of the encouraging words and prayers of Pier Giorgio. Pietro Frassati was the brother of Pier Giorgio's father Alfredo. The brothers, although cradle Catholics who respected religion, did not practice the faith. It was a cause of great joy for Pier Giorgio to know that his uncle, in his final moments, received the Sacraments. He wrote about it in a letter to his friend Antonio Severi on August 20, 1923. An excerpt follows:

"Dearest Tonino,

I should have climbed Mont Blanc with Delpiano last Saturday, but we didn’t understand each other very well on the telephone and so Delpiano left on his own. At first I was very displeased, but today I saw that this misunderstanding was a plan of Divine Providence, because the other day my uncle, already sick for a long time, got worse and so I would have been infinitely more upset to have been away.

...

My uncle, who loves me so much was so moved to see me, that today I couldn’t approach his bed for fear of upsetting him too much, but now my task has been accomplished. Although unworthy I was an instrument of Divine Providence, along with my good mother and the nun who lovingly cared for him, because I was able to get him to perform all his religious practices. Believe me that when he received the Sacred Host tears of joy mixed with those of sorrow streamed down my face. As soon as he received the Host, our merciful God soothed his pain and afterward my uncle made us call the parish priest of the village to tell him about his satisfaction in having received the Blessed Sacrament.

In His Infinite Mercy, God has surely not kept my innumerable sins in mind, but He has heard my prayers and the prayers of my family, and has given my uncle the great grace of receiving the last Sacraments while fully conscious.

I believe that life should be a continual preparation for the next life, because one doesn’t know the day nor the hour of our passing.

...

Affectionate greetings in J.C.
Pier Giorgio

Pax Domini sit tecum."

God in the whisper

This blog is devoted to Pier Giorgio and I usually don't get personal, but I had a bit of an Elijah moment today that I hope is worth sharing. One of my favorite scenes in the Bible takes place in 1 Kings 19 when Elijah is on the mountain waiting for the Lord to pass by. He doesn't come in the wind or the earthquake or the fire but in the tiny whisper. This is often how I encounter God; although, I admit that, because of my spiritual deafness, I can have difficulty hearing that whisper from time to time.

Working toward the canonization of Pier Giorgio has sometimes called for more energy and resources than I have felt I could provide. Like Elijah, I have known my times of discouragement. And there are those moments when I stop and wonder if all of the sacrifices are worthwhile and ask how long can I continue? But tonight, I heard that tiny whisper.

It came in the voice of my niece Stephanie who is a senior in high school in Pennsylvania. She is also my godchild. Recently, she was asked to sing at the 100th anniversary of a local church and she covered the Joy Williams song, "Do They See Jesus in Me?" As I watched the YouTube clip, I was again able to put a face to one of the reasons why I work for this cause. It is because Pier Giorgio has so much to offer, especially to the young people among whom I count my 28 nieces and nephews, that I do this work. Stephie was one of the first people to join The Pact and is a great example of the revolution of charity FrassatiUSA is working toward creating. Not only that, but the lyrics of the song she sang pretty much sum up everything I am about.

Yesterday I saw a rainbow. Today I heard a whisper. I can hardly wait for tomorrow. Verso l'alto!

Pier Giorgio Frassati: "Super Saint"

Although we are still a miracle away from Pier Giorgio being canonized, this week he is getting "super saint" treatment! Bob and Penny Lord, who have filmed many shows on the lives of the saints for EWTN, have arrived in Turin today and will begin filming in many of the places that are central to Pier Giorgio's life. They aren't sure how many shows will result from the material but they are certain that at least one episode of their "Super Saints" series will be devoted to Pier Giorgio. Please keep their work in your prayers this week as it is just one more great opportunity to bring Pier Giorgio to the attention of millions of people all around the world. And keep praying for that canonization miracle!

A Birthday Prayer for Luciana Frassati

Do they celebrate birthdays in heaven? If so, there will be a big celebration today. It is the first birthday Luciana Frassati will spend with her big brother Pier Giorgio since his death in 1925. She turns 106!

Two years ago, when I headed over to Pollone, Italy, to begin the work of FrassatiUSA, I arrived at the family villa just in time to celebrate Luciana's 104th birthday. We sang Happy Birthday in Italian ("Tanti Auguri!") and had an ice cream cake in the sun room. (I call it the sun room; it was a great place to sit and enjoy the sun or, more often, the rain!) How surreal it was for me to be spending time with Pier Giorgio's sister. And what a privilege. Over the past two years, I had many such opportunities. I was even at the family villa the last month of Luciana's life and was able to attend her funeral in Turin and Pollone last October. These were special gifts from the Lord that helped me to understand and appreciate the life and spirituality of Pier Giorgio even more. It was his sister, after all, who brought him to us through her many books and labors. Now she enjoys her heavenly reward and, undoubtedly, a birthday hug from Pier Giorgio! But I miss her.

May God grant her eternal memory and blessed repose.

Michael Phelps and Damien Molokai

I've had a little Olympic fever this year and have really enjoyed watching a lot of the different competitions. The big story, of course, has been the amazing athletic performance of swimmer Michael Phelps who has become the greatest athlete in Olympic history by virtue of his gold medal count. Each time I see him being interviewed, I think about how close he is in age to Pier Giorgio at the time of his death. And I wonder how close he is to Pier Giorgio in his love for God. Not to judge him or lessen his physical accomplishments in any way. I just keep thinking how awesome it would be if, in one of his many post-victory interviews, he would give credit to God who created him and endowed him with his physical gifts. What a platform for reaching young people around the world.

The way I see it, there's gold and then there's gold. In the past few weeks, someone else has reached the heights but won't be getting Olympic gold or even a fraction of the media attention. You may have read recently that Pope Benedict has approved the second miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Damien Molokai. He was a young priest who volunteered to work in a leper colony and then later died from leprosy himself at the age of 49. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 and now the path is cleared for his canonization. This is the sort of gold that will not rust or corrode. This is the gold worth striving for.

HELP SAVE PIER GIORGIO!

Help! A real problem is taking place that threatens the cause of Pier Giorgio. People are deciding to change his name to Pier. I don't know how to stop this from getting worse. Pier is not his name. It is not even a nickname. He would cringe at this. He would not answer to this. He would never call himself this. His friends would not call him this. His family would not call him this. Nobody who loves him would call him this. Now, because so many people are using the wrong name, it is starting to show up in print, online and other places. It causes confusion and is not helping the effort to make Pier Giorgio known. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to stop this? Help!

The Rest of the Story

Someone recently asked a question about events that stopped the canonization process for Pier Giorgio back in 1941. The answer can be found in the "Frequently Asked Frassati Questions" section of the FrassatiUSA website. In short, anonymous accusations were leveled against Pier Giorgio which questioned his moral integrity. Many years later, his sister got involved and the cause was reopened -- eventually leading to his beatification. But, this is definitely a story that would have interested Paul Harvey (for those of you old enough to know who he is!) It is another great example of the mysterious hand of God at work and the action of the Holy Spirit.

I am sure I will not be able to tell it as well as Pier Giorgio's niece Wanda told it to me. We had this discussion in March in Rome as we were putting the finishing touches on Pier Giorgio's book of letters which will be published in English for the first time this winter. In the Italian version of the book, there are two pages in the front containing a copy of the official letter issued on Vatican letterhead to Luciana Frassati from Cardinal Montini. Among other things, the letter expresses gratitude and appreciation for Luciana's efforts in compiling the letters of Pier Giorgio and having them published. It was dated July 28, 1950. What does this have to do with the canonization process, you may be wondering!

Well, Pier Giorgio's mother passed away in June of 1949. Her daughter Luciana then became the main advocate for Pier Giorgio. She was upset about the historical inaccuracy surrounding her brother and began the process of editing and publishing his letters. Not everyone was happy about this and some of Pier Giorgio's former friends (who had been recipients of some of his letters which were to appear in the book) even threatened to sue! One went so far as to write to the prospective publisher and threaten the lawsuit. The basis for their position was that the cause for Pier Giorgio's canonization had been stopped (back in 1941) and it would not be right to promote him in any way.

God bless Luciana Frassati! She was undaunted and even more determined. She wrote a letter to Pope Pius XII and requested that someone be appointed to review the record and correct the errors brought about by the anonymous allegations so that her brother's name would be cleared. Her intention was not to reopen the cause for canonization, only to set the record straight. The Secretary of State for the Vatican was Cardinal Montini.

This is the beautiful part of the story. When Cardinal Montini was a young priest, he was appointed to serve as the chaplain for the FUCI in Italy after Pier Giorgio's death in 1925. (The FUCI was the organization of Italian Catholic University Students.) It was a difficult political time in Italy. The Fascist government was in power and the FUCI was the only non-fascist group in the Italian universities. Father Montini was deeply impressed by the religious fervor he witnessed in the students and the tremendous impact that Pier Giorgio's example was still having on them. As Pier Giorgio had done, the FUCI courageously stood against fascism. Who would have known at the time that he would rise through the church ranks and become Cardinal Montini, the Secretary of State, and then the recipient of Luciana's letter to have Pier Giorgio's name cleared?

Cardinal Montini's letter to Luciana giving his blessing to the publication of Pier Giorgio's letters put an end to the threats of a lawsuit and was somewhat of a triumph for Luciana who had endured such opposition from so many. But Cardinal Montini authored a much more important letter in his official capacity -- instructions in the name of Pope Pius XII to have the status of the beatification process reexamined.

In 1963, Cardinal Montini would be chosen to replace Pope John XXIII. He assumed the name of Pope Paul VI. You may have known of Pope Paul VI for his tremendous courage in issuing the pro-life encyclical Humanae Vitae. What you may not have known was that, in 1978, he was very pleased to issue the introduction to the cause for beatification of Pier Giorgio. But now you know the rest of the story!

Upcoming Pier Giorgio Events in Oropa

August will be an exciting month for friends of Pier Giorgio as he takes a place of honor in the beautiful sanctuary of Oropa. On Friday, August 1st, there will be a special Mass of welcoming at 8:30 in the evening, followed by a candlelight procession. The following evening, one of Pier Giorgio's nephews (Jas Gawronski) will take part in a special reflection on Pier Giorgio's bond with Oropa. Throughout the month, there will be many opportunities for prayer and reflection on Pier Giorgio's life. The complete schedule is available from the Sanctuary of Oropa website but is, unfortunately, only in Italian.

Pier Giorgio had a special love for Oropa and, after visiting there myself on many occasions, I can understand why. The sanctuary is surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery and is a place where you can really feel the presence of God. Pier Giorgio had an affinity for The Madonna of Oropa whom he referred to as "the Brown Madonna." Her large statue stands enclosed in glass behind the main altar of the "old church." Pilgrims regularly make the journey to this somewhat remote sanctuary. It is also a launching point for climbing the surrounding mountains and so there are often alpinists present on any given day. This amateur video of a Eucharistic procession was taken on an average day but note how many people participated.

On July 16, 1989, Pope John Paul II visited Oropa and gave the following Angelus message:

"To those who are devoted to her, especially young people -- like Pier Giorgio Frassati, who used to come up here to give himself to prayer -- the Blessed Virgin proposed to be a shelter and a refuge, the heavenly Mother who opens her house to give everyone the invigorating experience of a more profound contact with God.

Dear young people who are listening to me! Like Pier Giorgio, may you also discover the way of the Shrine, in order to undertake a spiritual journey which, under Mary's guidance, brings you closer to Christ. You can then become His witnesses with the conviction and keenness which characterized Pier Giorgio's apostolic activity. You will bear witness to Christ, as he did, especially in the university world, in which there are boys and girls who perhaps have not yet resolved the question of the meaning of their life. By word and example you can show that Christ has the really satisfactory solution for the crucial problems of life.

Dear friends, do not hesitate to come up here in search of light and strength for your journey of faith, and a more firm hope for a courageous and consistent Christian commitment in the world of today. Pier Giorgio Frassati stands before you as an outstanding layman of Catholic Action fully aware of his baptismal commitment to contribute to the Christian animation of his social environment, in complete harmony with the bishops of the Church."

Pier Giorgio Heads Home

Pier Giorgio was one of the first to arrive in Australia -- reaching Sydney in late June -- and is one of the last to leave as he heads back to Italy this weekend. His body is expected to arrive in Milan on Sunday, July 27th. Where he goes next is the exciting news! Instead of returning to Turin, his coffin will be taken to his beloved Sanctuary of Oropa which is situated at the base of the mountains he loved to climb. It will remain there for the entire month of August. Pier Giorgio often made the long hike from the family villa in Pollone all the way to Oropa to pray at the feet of the Brown Madonna. How wonderful that he will be near her once again!

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives

The amount of incorrect information about Pier Giorgio that ends up online or in print is a bit perplexing to me. The most recent example of this comes from a company that publishes a series of Saint Cards called "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives." Pier Giorgio is featured on Card 64 from Group 7.

I was recently shown this card and contacted the company to see if they would make the necessary corrections but have met up with a bit of red tape. So I thought I would at least share with you some of the inaccuracies:

First, the card states "Pier was not interested in learning..." This could not be further from the truth. Pier Giorgio considered his studies to be his primary duty and even wrote to fellow students about the serious duty of self-formation -- not to mention that he is considered the patron of university students! This statement on the card completely betrays his dedication to learning.

Second, in more than one place, such as in the sentence above, the card calls him only "Pier." As I have tried to explain many times in many ways, "Pier" is not a standalone name in Italian. It is a type of prefix. He was never called "Pier." The two names are always used together. It should always be "Pier Giorgio."

Third, the card states "Later Pier went to a Jesuit high school." This seems to imply that he attended a four-year Catholic high school which wasn't the case. Actually, he attended the state-run school in Italy for his education except for two years which were both on separate occasions: once when he was 12 and once when he was 16.

Fourth, the card says Pier Giorgio did not marry because "his parents deemed her too religious and forbade the marriage. To please his parents and calm the crisis, Pier Giorgio gave in." Wow, this is so far from the truth that I can't even think of where anyone would come up with this interpretation of the events. It is well-documented in the biographies and all other literature that his parents never knew of his love for Laura. He never even expressed it to Laura! The real story is that he sacrificed his love for Laura because his parents' marriage was on the verge of collapse and he did not want to "start a new family on the ruins of another." Laura was from the working class and he knew his family would not approve of her so he did not pursue the relationship. The nobility of his sacrifice is completely erased by the way the card is written.

Fifth, the card says he didn't tell his family of his illness. In fact, his family knew he wasn't feeling well. But they did not pay attention to the severity of it because of the death of his grandmother in the house at the same time. He never complained about how poorly he was feeling during this time and was overlooked.

Sixth, the sidebar on the card says the family "had no religious traditions." That is a bit extreme, I think. His family was Catholic and, except for his father, attended church. The children were baptized, confirmed, etc., and even tutored by priests. But it is true that there was no deep spirituality in the home.

Overall, the card presents a very inaccurate picture of Pier Giorgio which is quite a disservice to his memory. In addition to the factual errors, there are numerous spelling and grammar errors. Even his sister's name is spelled wrong.

Many years ago, I used to subscribe to this series of cards. Now, seeing how wrong this one card is, I have to wonder about all of the rest. In any case, I hope the above clarification will reduce any confusion this card may cause.

And You Shall Be My Witnesses

The theme for this year's World Youth Day came from the Acts of the Apostles (1:8): "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses."

I was thinking this morning about the many witnesses the Lord has put in my life who don't even realize how they are witnessing to me. For example, there is a little Vietnamese lady who attends daily Mass at my church and has a simple devotional practice that I have observed for years: she stops at every statue and stained-glass window and says a little prayer. During these summer months, I have enjoyed seeing her out among the flower beds almost kneeling in front of the statues which are not much smaller than she is! She appears to be having an intimate conversation with each statue she pauses at to pray. But her witness doesn't end with what she does outside of the church. Inside of the church she is a friend to all. She doesn't speak such good English but she has a hug and smile for every person. I know that when I say "good morning" to her in Vietnamese, my pronunciation is so poor that I may be saying something altogether different! But she appreciates the effort and I get an extra smile. I realize that, after all of these years, I don't even know her name. And with the language barrier, there is no way to tell her how witnessing the simplicity of her love for God has helped me on many days to be more determined to grow in mine. Watching her makes me wonder what others see when they watch me.

My favorite book about Pier Giorgio has not yet been translated into English. It is a compilation of observations, testimonies, stories submitted during the early stages of the beatification process by people who had some encounter with Pier Giorgio. I especially love the examples given by people who never knew him personally but just saw him in action and were moved deeply by the experience of seeing this young, handsome man imitating Christ. After all, that is often the most powerful witness we give -- what people see when we don't realize they are looking. It is something to be mindful of as we go through each day.

Saint Francis of Assisi is noted for saying, "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." In this sense, Pier Giorgio was one of the greatest preachers of his time and is still preaching today. Verso l'alto!