The Waters of Baptism

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

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

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

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

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

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

Celebrating the Feast Day of Blessed Pier Giorgio!

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

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

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

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

Watch Pier Giorgio on EWTN this weekend!

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

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

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

Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul!

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

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

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

Now you can download and print the Frassati Novena!

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

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

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

Frassati Novena Begins Friday June 25th!

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

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

Pope Benedict Promotes Blessed Pier Giorgio as Model for Youth

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

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

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

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

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

(Click here to read the whole article.)

Twenty Blessed Years

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

Canonization Novena Begins Today!

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

Nashville Needs Your Prayers

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

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

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

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

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

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

A "Miracle" Down Under

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

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

Shroud of Turin on Display

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

My Good Friend, Pier Giorgio

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

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

That's the short story.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verso l'alto!

Pray the Pier Giorgio Birthday Novena!

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?