Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
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| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Location | Conway, Arkansas, United States |
| Introduction | Frassati was born in Turin into a prominent family in 1901. He was an average student known among his peers for his devotion and piety. He was dedicated to works of social action, charity, prayer and community. He was involved with several Catholic youth and student groups. He would often say, "Charity is not enough; we need social reform." He joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society spending much of his time helping the poor. Despite his family's privileged status, Frassati's father was frugal and never gave his children too much spending money. Pier Giorgio, however, gave much of his money to people he saw as more "needy" than he was, often giving his train fare to the poor and walking back home or riding in third class. He would also literally give the poor the clothes off his back, returning home without his sweater or jacket. Frassati died in 1925 of polio. His family expected Turin's elite and political figures to offer their condolences. They were surprised, however, to find the streets of the city lined with thousands of mourners out of the reverence felt for him among the many people he had directly helped during his brief life. Beatified: May 20, 1990 Feast day: July 4 |