Johannes Paul Evangelista III-4 WYD Patron: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

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Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin, Italy on April 6, 1901, Son of Alfredo and Adelaide Ametis. At an early age, Pier Giorgio joined the Marian Sodality and the Apostleship of Prayer, and obtained permission to receive daily Communion. In 1918 he was 17 at that time; he joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society and dedicated much of his spare time to serving the sick and the needy, caring for orphans, and assisting the demobilized servicemen returning from World War I. To serve Christ better, he decided to enroll in the Royal Polytechnic University of Turin taking the course Mining Engineer. Even though he is studying he still remained and activist. In 1919, he joined the Catholic Student Foundation and the organization known as Catholic Action. He became a very active member of the Peoples Party. He never hid his political views just like his father. Everything that he has he had given to the poor and needy even though he has small amount of money. He was a true servant of the poor. In 1921, he joined Pax Romana, an organization of student geared towards the unification of all Catholic Students to provide universal peace. He was fond of climbing mountains which he organizes with his friends. He was also fond of art and music. He never lost the chance to lead his friends to Mass, to the reading of Scripture, and to pray the rosary. Before receiving his university degree, he was diagnosed to have poliomyelitis due to the sick which he tended. He neglected his health because of his dying grandmother. He died after 6 days of terrible suffering. He died at the age of 24 on July 4, 1925. One day prior to his death, he asked his friend through hand signals to donate his medications to a poor sick man he had been visiting.

Even in death, he still gave his everything to the poor and the needy. Insight: When choosing a patron to research about, something caught my attention in this particular patron, I havent heard of him, he has a unique name (at least for me), and hes young. While reading his biography in the internet, my interest in his life story increased as I read. I began to admire him; at his late teenage years (about the same as me) he began serving the poor, the sick and the needy. In our generation today, its hard to see people like him, self-less and cares a lot about the poor, the sick and the needy. Teens today care only for their own goals and aspirations not sensitive enough with the needs of others, I know this because I myself am like that before and I also saw it in other teens. However, I am not saying that teens should be like him. My point is we must be sensitive to the needs of others providing them the things due for them. I really admire this man; he enrolled in college with the mindset of helping more people and he never hid or rather he was never afraid to hide his political views, he was brave, self-less, bold, a very heroic kind of figure (at least to me he is). I want to pattern my life to him, although exactly like him but the principles in which he held till the end of his life. Its hard but with Gods grace I can do it. To Love as Christ Loves us, to provide to the needy, to help the sick and share the faith boldly as Christ did.

Bibliography
Frassati USA. (n.d.). Biography of Blessed Pier Giorgio. Retrieved September 9 , 2013, 5:00pm , from http://www.frassatiusa.org: http://www.frassatiusa.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=281