Ave Explores Series | Faith in Action | Week 3
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
by Meg Hunter-Kilmer
Pier Giorgio Frassati was the life of the party. Fond of mountain climbing, practical jokes, and raucous laughter, his friends called him “an explosion of joy.” But Frassati’s joy was rooted in Jesus and poured itself out not just in hiking trips with his friends, but also in a radical gift of himself to everyone in need.
Born to a wealthy Italian family in 1901, Frassati had a love for the poor from childhood. As a little boy he answered the door to find a woman begging, her barefoot son beside her. Without a moment’s hesitation, Frassati took off his shoes and handed them over.
This spirit of service became one of his defining features as he grew, leading him to join the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Action. He would visit the poor around the city, often giving away his bus fare and running home to make it to meals (and avoid the judgment of his parents, who were disturbed by his piety and certain he should spend his time doing more for his future and less for the poor). He was so involved in service that he avoided going on vacation, worrying, “If everybody leaves Turin, who will take care of the poor?”
But this son of a politician had his eye on systemic change as well, often saying, “Charity is not enough; we need social reform.” He was vocally antifascist, occasionally coming to blows with his opponents. On one memorable occasion, Frassati was at a Church-sponsored rally when police officers became violent with a peacefully protesting crowd. He fended them off using the pole of a discarded banner and earned a night in jail for his trouble. When the arresting officers realized that Frassati’s father was the ambassador to Germany, they tried to send him home, but he refused. He was never one to use his privilege for his own gain.
This was the work that drove him, fueled by daily Mass and holy friendships. But much of it remained hidden, both because of his humility and because he was sure his parents wouldn’t understand. When he contracted polio and died quite suddenly at 24, his well-connected parents expected the funeral to be attended by the social connection. They were shocked to see the streets lined with thousands of Turin’s most undesirable: the poor and sick and crippled who had been their son’s dearest friends.
Pope John Paul II beatified Frassati in 1990. His cause for sainthood is ongoing.
Image of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati provided by januaryjaneshop. Find it and all of the saint polaroids on Etsy and Instagram.
Meg Hunter-Kilmer travels throughout the world as a “hobo missionary.” You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @mhunterkilmer.
