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The Patron Saint of Youth - Blessed
Pier Giorgio Frassati
While awaiting World Youth Day on April5, 2001,
Pope John Paul II spoke of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati
to the youth of Rome. The pope said, "Do not be
afraid, young watchmen at this dawn of the new millennium,
to take up your missionary responsibilities which flow
from your Baptism and Confirmation. If the Lord then
calls you to serve him more closely in the priesthood
or in a state of special consecration, follow him generously.
Mary,
the young Virgin of Nazareth who said "yes"
to God and gave Christ to humanity, stands beside each
of you. May you be helped by your many peers, whose
total fidelity to the Gospel has been recognized by
the Church and who have been held up as examples to
follow and intercessors to call upon. Among these I
would like to mention Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, the
centenary of whose birth will occur tomorrow. Get to
know him! The life of this "normal" young
man shows that we can be holy by living our friendships,
studies, sports and service to the poor in a constant
relationship with God. I entrust your missionary efforts
to him. "
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on Charity
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati spoke to students and
young people about charitable works of mercy many times.
He dedicated his life to serving other, even risking
his life in the slums of Turin. His life was cut short
when he was afflicted with a deadly disease while attending
to the poor. He exemplifies living the life Christ
meant all Christians to live. Pier Giorgio Frassati
never thought of himself but ministered to the poor,
gave them food, the money they needed, and whatever
else he could to live a charitable life.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Speaks to the Youth
The following is a Pier
Giorgio Frassati quote to the students of the Federation
of Italian Catholic University Students:
"Every one of you knows that the foundation
of our religion is charity. Without it all our religion
would crumble, because we would not truly be Catholics
as long as we did not carry out or rather shape our
whole lives by the two commandments in which the essence
of the Catholic Faith lies: to love God with all our
strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. And
here is the explicit proof that the Catholic Faith is
based on real love and not, as so many would like, in
order to quiet their consciences, to base the religion
of Christ on violence.
With violence hatred is sown and then its evil fruits
are gathered. With charity Peace is sown among men,
but not the peace of the world, True Peace, which only
faith in Jesus Christ can give, binding us together
in brotherly love."
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