Pray the Pier Giorgio Birthday Novena!

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

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?

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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!

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

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.