By Anthony Kelly
On the fourth of July, 1925, a young man died in Turin, Italy. While his death at the age of 24 was a shock to his family, a greater surprise came to them a few days after his death – as his relatives prepared to take his body from the family home to the church where his funeral Mass would be celebrated. Opening the door, they saw that the streets of Turin were crowded with thousands of people – so much so that the cortege had to travel all the way around the block, rather than go directly to the church. The Saint of Turin had died, and the news had spread.
This man’s name was Pier Giorgio Frassati. Fun-loving and energetic, he was known among his friends for his devotion to the Eucharist and to Mary, and for his tireless work for the poor of Turin. The Frassati name was well-known in the region; Pier Giorgio’s father owned a highly regarded newspaper, and became an Italian ambassador to Germany, whilst his mother was a noted painter.
It can be hard to appreciate the gap between the rich and the poor, while living in a country as wealthy as Australia. But just think, ‘more money than you would ever need’ versus ‘can’t afford a loaf of bread per week for my children’, and you’ll be heading in the right direction. Pier Giorgio desired nothing more than to bring the love of God to those who needed it most. He once wrote to a friend, “All around the sick and all around the poor, I see a special light which we do not have.”
As a child, Pier Giorgio received a special dispensation to receive Holy Communion daily, a practice that was uncommon at the time, and he never failed to receive that sacred gift. Pier Giorgio asked the family gardener to wake him early in the morning by pulling on a rope that ran out his window and was tied to his foot or hand. He would then wake, climb out his window, and run five kilometres up the mountain to attend Mass.
Afterwards, he would return the same way and climb back into his bed for another hour of rest. His mother would often find him dressed when she came to wake him, thinking he had been too lazy to change out of his clothes.
While they were aware of his unusual piety, much of Pier Giorgio’s charitable works went largely unnoticed by his family, who by and large did not share his faith. His parents saw him as somewhat scatter-brained, always arriving home late, or losing articles of clothing. In truth, he was often late because he would give away his bus ticket money, shoes and coats to the poor, and run home instead.
On the day of Pier Giorgio’s beatification in April 1994, Pope John Paul II called him “a man of the beatitudes” a great example of everyday holiness for young Catholics. Since then, numerous groups and movements have borne Frassati’s name. The Frassati Fraternity is an Australian lay initiative assisting young men to authentically live their faith in the world today. Inspired by Blessed Pier Giorgio, the movement operates through ‘Frassati Houses’, communities of young men who encourage and support each other in Christian fellowship, while striving to grow in virtue as they go about their daily lives.
The Melbourne Chapter of the Frassati Fraternity was formed by three young men in Mount Waverley at the end of 2015. Four years later, the Frassati houses have hosted more than 20 men committed to community life and offering their time and talents to the activities of Holy Family Parish.
Young people are invited to join the wider Frassati community through their attendance at activities hosted by the Frassati Fraternity throughout the year, including Holy Family’s young adults group. Check the bulletin for details of upcoming events!