Passing Time in Pollone

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

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

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"

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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!