A Man of the Beatitudes: Pier Giorgio Frassati

by Luciana Frassati

A beguiling and moving biography of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a handsome, athletic and fun-loving young man from a rich, aristocratic Italian family in the 1920's who was recently beatified by Pope John Paul II. Pier Giorgio turned from a life of privilege to one devoted to working with the poor, and was a courageous witness of Christian faith and charity to many others.

Discouraged by his affluent parents from his religious involvement and deep spiritual life, Pier Giorgio secretly ministered to the poor and marginalized, and was a leader of youth whose love of God transformed the lives of all those around him. He died of the polio virus at the age of 24, and the story of his life and death spread throughout Europe, influencing the young Karol Wojtyla, who as Pope John Paul II described Frassati as "a man of the eight beatitudes, a modern youth and great mountaineer who was keenly interested in the problems of culture, sports and social questions, as well as the true values of life."

Pier Giorgio is a patron saint of World Youth Days.

Genres: Catholic, Biography, Religion, Faith, Nonfiction, History, Spirituality

170 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Luciana Frassati Gawronska (18 August 1902 – 7 October 2007) was an Italian writer and author. Gawronska was a prominent anti-Nazi and anti-Fascist activist in both Poland and Italy and was considered a champion of Roman Catholic causes.

Luciana Frassati was born on 18 August 1902 in Pollone, Italy, near the municipality of Biella. Her father, Alfredo Frassati, was the founder of the Torino based newspaper, La Stampa, a well-known, daily newspaper. Her mother, Adelaide Ametis, was a well known painter.

Frassati's brother was Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died of polio in 1925. Her brother was formally beatified as "Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati" by Pope John Paul II on 20 May 1990. Luciana Frassati Gawronska later wrote a first hand account of her brother's life, A Man of the Beatitudes . She campaigned throughout her life in the effort to elevate her brother to sainthood, though this has not yet occurred.

Frassati obtained a law degree from the University of Turin.

Frassati married Jan Gawronski in the spring of 1925. Gawronski was a diplomat and secretary to the Polish ambassador to Italy and the Vatican at the time. Gawronski would later become the last Polish ambassador to Austria before the country's annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938.

Gawronska received the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland from the Polish government in 1993 for her service to the country. She was also named an admired woman of Poland in the 1 March 2003 issue of Wysokie Obcasy, joining other Polish and international figures such as Hillary Clinton.


Luciana Frassati Gawronska died on 7 October 2007, at the age of 105 at her home in Pollone, Italy. Her funeral was held on 9 October 2007 at the Turin Cathedral. She was buried in her family's tomb in the space once occupied by the coffin of her brother, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose remains have since been moved to the Turin Cathedral.

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this on my daughter’s bookshelf this past weekend on a visit. I had not brought a book with me on the visit as I was in a hurry getting ready and quite frankly did not expect to have time to do any reading as it was a family visit. However, she was proud of her bookshelves and invited me to ‘pick something’.

I choose this as I remembered seeing and wanting to read it before. To my great delight, Pier Giorgio Frassati was a member of St. Vincent de Paul and though born into a wealthy Italian family always gravitated to the poor and disadvantaged. As spiritual advisor for our metro group of Vincentians (which coincidentally meets this coming Sunday) I had prayed for something to spiritually nourish these frontline warrior-leaders in their various parishes. This young man’s life seems to be the answer to that prayer. Anyway, I am blown away by his life-story and hope/pray others will be as well.

Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in 1901 and only lived to be 24. He died of polio after suffering excruciating pain for 3 days unbeknownst to his family who were all focused on his dying grandmother and had no idea how sick he was, much less the extent of his charitable works. Yet when the word got out that he had died his parents were shocked when crowds from all over the city of Turin, Italy began showing up with stories of their son’s other life spent helping the poor, sick, and disadvantaged.

This biography was written by his sister, Luciana, who seems to be the only member of his family to have had some inkling of his hidden life in Christ and yet even she admits she was ignorant of the extent of her own brother's sanctity. Eighty years after his death when his body was exhumed it was found to be completely incorrupt. He was an extraordinarily handsome young man in addition to all his other supernatural virtues.

Pope John Paul II spoke at length about this young man at his beatification and how much his life had inspired the pontiff when he was a young man in Poland. It is hard to believe Pier Giorgio was able to do all he did in just 24 short years. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati pray for us!

Excellent and inspiring story. The writing could be a little smoother in places, and yet, I loved it even so just as it is. Having lost my own brother at 29, I have the greatest respect for the author to have written a book about a deceased beloved brother. It cannot have been easy.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book on many levels, but primarily because it is an honest and full depiction of Pier Giorgio Frassati. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati has been a person whom I have admired for awhile now. This book, written by his sister, explains the historical context in which he lives, and gives a detailed account of his family and his life. It seems to be a very honest account, with little if any whitewashing.

I find the peace and silence in which Pier Giorgio lived his life as a Christian to be very inspiring. As evidenced by his funeral, his actions touched the lives of many, his demeanor brought joy to many, and yet, he was never inflated by this. Many of the people close to Pier Giorgio knew how warm and loving he was, but even these people were surprised when they discovered just how radically and fully he spread this love.

This book is a nourishing read, because it reminds us not only that a life as full as this is within our grasp, but even more that we are all called to pursue such a life in the light of the great commandment.

[Anna Elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this biography of Pier Giorgio, never has a saint felt so tangible to me. Written by his own sister Luciana, this book is an honest and humane look at the life of one of our modern saints: a young, handsome engineering student with a passion for mountaineering. I think we young people can always find something in Pier Giorgio's life to relate to—whether it be the fiery zeal typical of youth, or the dating issues (yep), or the family problem, or the school exams, etc. From this book, readers will get to know the "Man of the Beatitudes" more, learn from him so many precious Christian values and be encouraged to practice them.

[Emma Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long review

Catholic Stuff You Should Know did an ep on PGF and I immediately ordered this on eBay and found my new saint best friend

My favorite thing about this book is that it was written by Pier Giorgio’s sister, Luciana. They were a year and a half apart and had such a special bond ugh it’s so good. we don’t talk about saints’ siblings enough

Saying goodbye to Luciana when she got married and moved away, Pier Giorgio “trembled all over and his tears fell almost dry from eyes burning with pain.” (Idk why this feels like a research essay I’m just tryna set the scene)
Anyways their bond reminds me of myself and a certain brother I have.

This book radically changed my perception of PG. I always heard of him as the young, happy mountaineering and skiing saint who was handsome and popular and served the poor. I had no idea how much he suffered: rejection, isolation, heartbreak, literally being misunderstood even when he was dying.

In the last year of his life, PG stopped pursuing a sweet young woman completely because of his mom, who was super sensitive and high-strung. Here’s a heartbroken letter he wrote to a friend:

“And how is your life going? Mine, as you can guess from the beginning of this letter, is perhaps going through the most acute period of a severe crisis, and just at this moment my sister is going far away, and so it will be my duty to be cheerful at home and suppress the gray mood caused by all the opposition I encounter. I shall be cheerful on the outside to show my companions not sharing our ideas that you can be a Catholic and still be young and happy, but internally when I am alone I give way to my sadness.”

Yeah, I sobbed. Only the third book I’ve cried over too.

A couple more goodies but so hard to capture the sentiment in a few lines:

“His whole life was characterized by numerous intense human relationships, and they consumed so much of his energy that he said: “I feel like someone who is drowning and has to find the strength for one more stroke.””

“I beg you to pray for me a little, so that God may give me an iron will that does not bend and does not fail in his projects.”

Basically Pier Giorgio is my new Roman Empire

P.S. there was a lot more politics than I expected🤓

[Jackson Coulter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very inspiring, especially now that he is St. Pier Giorgio! His life was simple and holy, and a great witness to especially young people. Some of the political stuff went over my head, but nonetheless the book was edifying.

[Adalyne Lorek · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There are moments in which the human soul, free of all fetters, laid bare, reveals more to others than itself”
this one got me…. such a beautiful testament to the life of someone who emptied himself for the love of Christ and was misunderstood by those closest to him. Luciana gives a raw and sometimes melancholy recollection of the Frassati home and the intricacies of Pier Giorgio’s life and sacrifices.

[liz murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

frassati is COOL and i wanna learn more about him, especially w him being canonized this year. this bio written by his sister was a cool perspective but focused more on extra stuff than i cared for

[Dave Mantese · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is certainly a biography of St. Pier Giorgio but not the biography, despite the author's intimacy with her subject.

In fact, Luciana's closeness seems to be rather a detriment to her as a biographer: she spends far more time reiterating the verbal abuse her brother faced from their parents than inspiring the reader with specific examples of Pier Giorgio's incredibly selfless acts of charity, his famous hikes, etc. Disorganization in the narrative structure, stiff translation from the Italian, and unelaborated references to Italian personalities and political events not familiar to an English-speaking audience all further serve to distract from the extraordinary life of a saint for our time.

Nonetheless, the book is worth reading if only for the last chapter describing his final suffering and funeral and the addenda from speeches by St. John Paul II. But it is a taster, a rough survey more than anything else. Hopefully, post-canonization, more comprehensive biographies will emerge which paint a richer icon of this saint so that the faithful may learn to pattern their lives after his.

[Marc Berube · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pier Giorgio Frassati sticks out to me as a man who shared many of the common concerns that many people in our time feel. A few major differences though are his realization that at the center of the world's problems stands a need for God, and the saintly amount of love and self-sacrifice he was willing to pour into his concerns.

His self-sacrifice seems reckless until you realize that his faith and love of God gave him a courage and peace in knowing that as long as he strove to follow the will of God, he would be doing what made him joyful.

This biography followed through his life from the viewpoint of his sister (the author of this book). That to me is a fascinating insiders perspective on not just the facts of Bl. Frassati's life, but also on his thoughts and dreams, joys and sorrows (as much as he was willing to share them). I thank Luciana for being willing to write this biography, and for writing it well.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already knew quite a bit about Pier Giorgio's life from reading a chapter of "Saints & Social Justice" by Vogt. But this biography revealed many more details of his life, as told by his sister who was very close to him during their childhood. I think what surprised me the most about this biography was his sister admitting that she (and her parents) were essentially blind to who Pier really was until he had died. His family did not understand him and were basically unaware of what he was doing and who he was helping. At the end of his life, he suffered a painful death at only 24, dying from polio, and his family barely noticed he was even sick until the day he actually died. He was completely obedient to his parents no matter the personal sacrifice, constantly letting go of his dreams and ambitions to heed the wishes of his parents, who never really saw him as anything but strange, lazy, and a little stupid. In truth, he was the embodiment of authentic Catholic charity fueled by a close relationship with Christ. He thought unceasingly of the poor, and went every week from house to house helping families in whatever way he could, both materially & spiritually. His life revolved around the Church - seeing it not as a duty, but a vital necessity. His faith fueled everything he did, and he spread that faith to everyone he met. His life summed up was entirely adhered to the precepts of the Gospel: charity, sacrifice, forgiveness. Despite experiencing so much sorrow and suffering, he remained full of joy. He said, "In prayer, the soul rises above life's sadnesses." And: "Faith enables us to bear the thorns with which our life is woven."

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If I have all faith... but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:2)" He carried St Paul's Hymn of Charity everywhere and would read it to anyone and everyone who would listen.

"Truly a saint for our time" - Pope John Paul II

There is not greater example of the love Christ has for us than the love Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati had for the sick, for the poor, and for his friends. He comforted the sorrowful, tended the sick, gave all he had to the poor. Wherever they are, Christ is. A life marked with sorrow, joy, hope, boundless faith, patience in suffering and most of all unending love for Christ. We can all learn from his example. He is truly a Man of the Beatitudes.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pier Giorgio Frassati is the saint that "picked me" in our saint draw on All Saints Day 2021 on my way out of mass. I read this book in an effort to get to know him better, and that I did. He is absolutely fascinating, and I am so glad I read this. The last few pages describing his sickness and death were beautiful and moving and kinda took my breath away.

However, the literary quality of the book made reading it a bit difficult. It is disjointed, with every few paragraphs seeming to be of a different subject matter, and lots of people and situations that needed more explanation to understand. Maybe Luciana never imagined that her book would be translated into English and 50 years later an American with little understanding of early 20th century Italian politics would be reading it. But yes. Even in spite of this, I would recommend.

[Dani Fregoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a man… a man of heroic virtue and true joy. highly recommend this book, it is a simple read and full of so much goodness. he was such a good friend and by reading this i feel like he’s become my friend too

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

imagine your sibling writing your life story… St. Pier Giorgio, pray for us!

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[Isabella Grado · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography was a beautiful account of the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio through the eyes of his sister, Luciana. She displayed his natural virtue both through his experiences in the home and how he loved his family, despite ridicule, as well as through his attentiveness to the needs of society. They had a devoted friendship that I deeply admire, especially as someone who also loves my sibling dearly. Reading this book made me wonder what it would be like to write a biography about a family member or if they were to write one about me— what would it say?
I’ve known the person of Pier Giorgio for four years now, but not invested time into learning his character and why he’s become such a prolific saint for our generation. I now understand and deeply appreciate the example he sets for young adults, especially men, to be saints after God’s own heart. I pray that he becomes a saint during my lifetime! Blessed Piers Giorgio Frassati, pray for us!

[Miłosz Kozikowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pier Giorgio Frassati.
Moja 24-letnia inspiracja w działalności społecznej.

Fascynuje mnie jego wrażliwość na problemy społeczne, poczucie odpowiedzialności za cudzą biedę, zaangażowanie w tworzenie i poszerzanie grup i organizacji, radość i autentyczność „rozrabiaki” w działaniu - w walce przeciwko nierównościom, antyklerykalnym sekciarstwem czy rodzącemu się faszyzmowi, z orężem ironii, a nie przemocy; dyplomatyczne podejście do trudności, miłosierna miłość do pokrzywdzonych, koncentracja na tym, co najistotniejsze, oddanie modlitwie, zapał niesienia konkretnej pomocy bliźniemu - i wreszcie gorliwość „przebijania się” przez sztywne i rutynowe praktyki wiary w poszukiwaniu czegoś „więcej” - czegoś żywego i radosnego…

Człowieka, który nie pozował, ale po prostu żył cnotą i dzięki temu zyskiwał w naturalny sposób uznanie dla jego osobowości człowieka z zasadami, w pełnym poczuciu misji miłosierdzia i apostolatu.

„Prawdziwe dobro – mówił – można czynić jedynie niepostrzeżenie, stopniowo, każdego dnia, w pełnej zażyłości (…) By móc przezwyciężać codzienne troski, potrzebna jest trwała i serdeczna przyjaźń (…)”

Człowieka, który był w swoim działaniu autentyczny i odważny, odpowiedzialnie dostrzegający źródła problemów:
„Jego przyjaciele prosili go, żeby był ostrożny i nie narażał się zbytnio faszystom. Na próżno; dobrze wiedząc, że tchórzostwo otwiera drogę gwałtom i niesprawiedliwości, odpowiadał: „Trzeba iść, to się idzie, nie ten powinien się bać, kto pada ofiarą przemocy, ale ten, kto tę przemoc stosuje”.”

„Nierzadko zdarzało mu się trafić do aresztu w wyniku starć w obronie wiary z policją czy gwardzistami. Spędzał tam zazwyczaj nie więcej niż parę godzin, które poświęcał głośnemu odmawianiu różańca, dopóki nie zaprowadzono go uprzejmie – odkrywszy jego nazwisko – przed oblicze komisarza. Wtedy dopiero rozpoczynała się prawdziwa walka. Pier Giorgio protestował energicznie przeciwko nieludzkim metodom policyjnym. Nazwisko Frassati [był synem senatora, a później ambasadora] służyło mu wyłącznie do tego, żeby móc wyłożyć bez przeszkód argumenty swoje i towarzyszy.”

Człowieka, który swoje społeczne zaangażowanie w pełni skupił na potrzebujących i najsłabszych, we wszystkich widząc postać Chrystusa:
„On sam robił zastrzyki swym wycieńczonym podopiecznym, by jak najprędzej mogli powrócić do zdrowia. W jego przypadku działały nie tyle lekarstwa, co uzdrawiająca siła jego miłości i jego poświęcenia.”

Każdego miesiąca miał rachunek do zapłacenia za wydatki na osierocone i ubogie dziewczynki które, przygarnięte przez siostry zakonne, były przez nie utrzymywane na jego koszt.
"Ale na to, by pomagać, konieczne były pieniądze, dużo pieniędzy. A któż mu je dawał? Ojciec nie, matka niewiele. Często musiał pożyczać po parę soldów od tego czy owego i był jedynym członkiem rodziny zmuszonym do prowadzenia szczegółowych rachunków: jego notatnik zawiera wiele stroniczek stanowiących wzruszające świadectwo."

Ale Pier Giorgio nie poprzestawiał jedynie na materialnym wspieraniu ubogich i wykluczanych.
„Wiedział bowiem dobrze, że często wystarczy pozostać przy nich i ich wysłuchać, że wystarczy dać im odczuć, że ktoś jest blisko nich z moralnym wsparciem, by wydostać ich z największej nędzy, na jaką są skazani; z nędzy wywołanej pogardą i opuszczeniem. (…) Miał dla biednych pełne miłości spojrzenie Chrystusa i starał się wszelkimi sposobami pociągnąć za sobą innych młodych ludzi.”

Jak pisze jego siostra:
„Ku memu zdziwieniu Pier Giorgio zawsze z uporem wybierał z całej kompanii najbrzydszego, najbiedniejszego albo najbardziej nieporadnego i wciąż się z nim trzymał. Cóż to za dziwna mania? - zadawałam sobie pytanie. (…) był prawdziwą podporą dla wielu zniechęconych, którym zabrakło odwagi, podporą słabych sumień tak samo jak wątłych pnących roślinek.”

Był młodym człowiekiem, który politykę postrzegał jako akt wiary w coś, mając nadzieję "iść z pomocą Łaski Bożej drogą ideałów katolickich i pewnego dnia móc - w stanie, jaki Bóg zechce - bronić i głosić te jedyne i prawdziwe sprawy.”  Demokracja, słowo tak często używane i nadużywane, oznaczało zaś dla Pier Giorgia jedynie miłość do ludu, miłość do opuszczonych.

Jego motywacją, siłą i celem była niesamowita dojrzałość duszy, która przebijała się przez kolejne jego listy:
„Nasze życie, jeśli prawdziwie chrześcijańskie, jest nieustającym wyrzeczeniem, nieustającą ofiarą, która jednak nie ciąży nam, jeśli zdajemy sobie sprawę, czym jest tych niewiele lat przeżytych w cierpieniu w porównaniu ze szczęśliwą wiecznością, gdzie radość nie będzie miała miary ani końca i gdzie znajdziemy spokój, jakiego nawet niepodobna sobie wyobrazić. Wiary trzeba się trzymać z całych sił; bez niej czymże byłoby całe nasze życie? Niczym, byłoby spędzone bez żadnego pożytku. (…) Wiara dana mi przez chrzest przemawia do mnie mocnym głosem: sam jeden nie dokonasz niczego, ale jeśli Bóg będzie ośrodkiem każdego twojego działania, dojdziesz do mety.”

Uważał siebie za administratora dziedzictwa nie swojego, z którego kiedyś będzie musiał zdać rachunek.

Jak stwierdza jego siostra: „Kiedy zrozumiał i posiadł tę prawdę, Pier Giorgio poczuł się naprawdę spokojny. Nic nie mógł, jeśli nie działał w Panu; z tej pewności czerpał siłę prowadzenia życia tak innego niż obyczaje domu.”

Komunia święta pomagała mu stawić czoło każdemu nowemu dniowi, panować nad namiętnościami, pokonywać każde potknięcie się.
„Spożywajcie ten Chleb anielski, a znajdziecie w nim siłę do staczania walk wewnętrznych, walki z namiętnościami i wszelkiego rodzaju przeciwnościami, gdyż Jezus Chrystus przyrzekł tym, którzy karmią się Najświętszą Eucharystią, Żywot Wieczny i Łaskę niezbędną do jego dostąpienia. A kiedy ów płomień eucharystyczny zupełnie was pochłonie, będziecie mogli z całą świadomością podziękować Bogu, który powołał was, abyście Mu służyli, i radować się będziecie spokojem, jakiego nigdy nie zaznali ci, którzy są szczęśliwi w oczach świata, gdyż prawdziwej szczęśliwości nie stanowią rozrywki światowe ani rzeczy ziemskie, ale spokój sumienia, dany nam tylko wtedy, jeśli czyste są nasze serca i umysły.”

Był obecny, wspierający, czuły. Budował ludzi.
„O, To cudowne dziecięctwo, która rodziło się z niego i otaczało go, i dawało nam taką lekkość, taką gotowość do trudnych podejść, taką wolność od wszelkiego lęku, takie poczucie bliskości Boga, którego on nosił w sobie! Któż da nam jeszcze kiedyś taką oczyszczającą radość?”

„Nikt (…) nie mógłby powiedzieć, że spotkał się u Pier Giorgia ze złym spojrzeniem czy słowem, niesłusznym potępieniem czy choćby lekceważeniem, gestem znudzenia. Nie sposób było wydobyć z niego jakikolwiek sąd, jeżeli nie był uzasadniony koniecznością zajęcia w jakiejś sprawie stanowiska.”

Jak napisze o nim siostra: „Swoje fizyczne czy duchowe walory wykorzystywał w jednym jedynym celu: przekonywania ludzi, nakłaniania ich do dobrego.”

Kiedy Pier Giorgio Frassati po raz ostatni opuszczał dom między dwoma szpalerami ludzi, klęczących na ulicy i chodnikach, „jakby w odwecie za swoją wieczną pokorę zmarły przemówił, jak może przemawiać święty obraz niesiony w procesji. (…) Ze swojej trumny głosił wszystkim, że jego przyjaciółmi są właśnie ci biedni ludzie, wierni i zrozpaczeni, którzy ostatni raz mu towarzyszą.”

Wszystkie siły jego duszy skierowane były ku wyższemu dobru.

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Really inspiring story of a young man who lived fully for Christ, as an ordinary college student. An engineering major, an athlete, a mountaineer, highly aware and involved in the social and political events of his time, a contemplative who spent nights in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament before setting off for all-day skiing expeditions with his friends. He was the son of a wealthy and prominent business man in Turin, Italy, who rode third class on the train to use the extra money to buy food and medicine for those living in the alleys of Turin.

If you're looking for a heroic example of how to love God and neighbor with all your heart amidst life's every day adventures, then Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a "Man of the Beatitudes", is for you!

[Veronica Lavenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5.

I loved the stories told in this book. Having it be written from his sister’s perspective was a beautiful and unique thing. The little moments of his life that were so normal to him really are what demonstrate most his saintly holiness and his own “little way”.

I especially loved his emphasis on needing to receive the sacraments and how he desired to remain a lay person so as to work more effectively in the world. He had many excellent quotes that really struck me.

My criticisms come from two places:

1) I believe much was lost in translation. Sometimes the writing felt off or odd, and I think it’s because the original version is in Italian. The translators did a poor job sometimes with making sentences clear or translating phrases properly. I know not everything can be exact, but I think it’s okay to “mistranslate” sometimes - meaning, it’s okay to use other words or phrases that make sense in the language you’re translating the original into.

2) I think too much time was spent describing the political climate. To me it detracted from Pier Giorgio’s story. While I understand that Pier Giorgio was involved in politics and context is necessary, I kept getting lost and confused. I think part of this comes from my first critique about the translation; the language used to describe the politics to me was confusing.


Overall, a beautiful story of one of my favorite saints. I’m honored to have read it and to have visited his Pollone residence, meeting his niece Wanda and touching his rosary!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so scattered and I was very disappointed by it. I started skimming after the first 90 pages of trying to read it.

The words of JP2 about Pier Giorgio Frassati at the end of the book from various speeches were the best part. I also wrote down these quotes of Frassati's:

"In the world there are so many evil people and even many calling themselves Christian in name only, not in spirit. I think peace will be a long time coming. But our faith teaches us that we must always keep on hoping we shall enjoy it one day. Modern society is wracked with the sorrows of human passions and is moving away from any ideal of love and peace." (p48).

"You asked me if I am happy. How can I not be? As long as Faith gives me strength I am happy. Any Catholic can't help but be happy. Sadness should be banned from Catholic souls. Pain is not sadness, which is a disease worse than any other. This disease is nearly always caused by atheism, but the end we are created for shows us the way, which may be full of thorns but is not sad. It is happy even through pain." (p120).

There were other good quotes from his letters and speeches sprinkled throughout "A Man of The Beatitudes" that make me want to read more about him, but from a book that is more readable.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring yet challenging book. Inspiring in that Frassati serves as a model for modern men on how to triumph over a world hostile to Christ and how to counter that hostility towards The Word within one's own family. Challenging in that a man who died younger than I am now attained the virtues I lack and was free from the vices I have acquired. For example, Frassati's profound love for the poor contrasts with my thinly veiled annoyance at a bum asking me for a buck. May we all be as devoted to serving our brothers and sisters within our families and in the mystical body of Christ as Frassati was.

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, ora pro nobis.

"Modern society is sinking into the sorrow of human passions and is withdrawing from any ideal of love and peace. Catholics, you and we must bear the breath of goodness, which can only arise from faith in Christ."
-Bl. Frassati

[Alexa Marie Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a great dive into (now Saint!) Pier Giorgio Frassati. It is very interesting to learn about a young man who lived his Catholic faith out in the world, who loved others charitably with joy, and who was active politically in fascist Italy in ways that are reflective of how Catholics should navigate our own current political climate in the States. He really believed that not one political party is the church, and that being Christian in name but not practice is rather reprehensible, and we should all learn and be reminded of these lessons!
The format of this book gets a bit confusing, though, as it jumps around in time and moment and does not aid you much in those transitions. That’s my main qualm with the writing style.
Now, if more people, and especially men, could just learn from Frassati’s example…*big sigh* (<- A hot take? I think not).

[Jon Wisnieski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great little book on the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati. The Italian translation was a little jumbled at times and so parts of it were difficult to read, along with the early 20th century Italian politics that I didn’t understand. However, this book provides a great look into the life of a man who’s whole purpose was the faithful witness of Christianity through a life of charity. He is an amazing and contemporary example for us all. With God’s grace, I might become a little more like Pier Giorgio. Verso l’alto!

[Rachel Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 ⭐️) — I liked that it was an account written by his sister, Luciana Frassati, as she has a particular point of view and some fraternal insight into the life of her brother. But as she makes known throughout the book, it seems like she had little idea about who Pier Giorgio really was, much less their parents. I was hoping for a more comprehensive biography; this presented vignettes of his life in short chapters, loosely sorted by theme and mostly in chronological order for his short life of 24 years.

[Quanah Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

The particular strength of this biography is it having been written by Pier Giorgio's sister. The insights she gives regarding his relationship with his family and the inner dynamics of the family bring about a more vivid picture. Luciana obviously researched and spoke with other witnesses, but there is a depth of understanding (both then and in hindsight) because of the unique relationship she had with him. It is a true work of love.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful biography of Frassati written by his sister in great humility. She does not shy away from the fact that she and her family did not realize they had a saint in their midst but tells the story of her brother's life with simplicity and truthfulness. It is also touching to read at the end of the book the speeches Pope John Paul II made about Frassati and how clearly he identified with this man. A great book for men to read. We need strong male role models and Frassati is a great example.

[Josh Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty awesome dive into the life of a new saint within the Church, St Pier Giorgio Frassati. The bio is written from the POV of his sister and a collection of letters Frassati wrote over his short life, dying from polio at age 24. It must have been fascinating to witness a young person with this level of charity, humility and love for the poor and marginalized in his local Italian community. Definitely makes me think more about how I can be more intentional about helping those in need.

[Rebecca Tabish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read! I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Blessed Pier Giorgio was a man of great faith and very active in his spiritual life. As a young man that he was, he had a zeal like no other! No wonder he's the patron of youth, students and young adults, as he encouraged peers around him to live in their faith.

[Justin.Brouillette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an absolute "must read" but I was glad to learn more about the life of this Blessed who I heard about for so many years. Sometimes the narrative seemed sporadic, jumping around from place to place but I guess that's life sometimes. On the other hand, reading what JPII said about him and reading excerpts of his own writings was incredibly edifying.

[Jack Geise · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite (soon-to-be) saint

"Faith enables us to bear the thorns with which our life is woven"

"Then we resolve in our conscience to follow the way of the cross from then onward, the only way that leads us to eternal salvation"