Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

To celebrate the feast day of Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati, this Friday July 4 there will be a special Mass at 7pm at St Benedict’s Broadway. Cardinal Pell will be the principal celebrant while WYD08 coordinator, Bishop Anthony Fisher OP will preach the homily. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is among ten WYD patrons who have been chosen by the organisers and approved by the Vatican, to inspire young people.

"Not only do we look to saints, but those who are waiting to become saints - blesseds - and those who have had a particular influence on Australia's and Oceania's history,” says Bishop Anthony Fisher in a recent WYD08 press release.

Alongside Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati, the ten WYD08 patrons who have been chosen are:

-    Our Lady of the Southern Cross – Our Lady Help of Christians;
-    Blessed Mary MacKillop;
-    St. Peter Chanel;
-    Blessed Peter To Rot;
-    Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta;
-    St. Therese of Lisieux;
-    St Maria Goretti;
-    St Faustina Kowalski; and
-    Servant of God, JPII.

Bishop Fisher OP, urges young people to get to know and pray with our patrons.

“We ask everyone to learn their stories, and understand that ordinary people can do extraordinary things through the Spirit of Christ,” says Bishop Anthony Fisher OP.

Dominican tertiary Adrian Simmons, 22, has taken this on board and is particularly keen that the body of Bl. Pier Giorgio will be present throughout the week of WYD, and will be taking his 50-strong member youth group.

When leading his youth group (Christ the King at Yagoona, in suburban Sydney) to visit the body of this remarkable patron for WDY08, Simmons says he will be stressing the fact that Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati is an example that we all can give of ourselves for others.

“Giorgio Frassati emphasises the fact that we can get over ourselves and contribute whatever we have – companionship, material goods – and real rewards can be obtained through giving of ourselves,” says Simmons.

“He was a James Packer [kind of figure in Italy] who had over 100 families he was personally supporting in Turin, particularly widowed families,” he continues in awe.

Paul Elarde, the pastoral coordinator of Pier Giorgio Frassati’s relics,  can’t believe the blessed's body has come to Sydney before visiting the Eternal City, Rome itself. But he expects great graces to come from having Pier Giorgio Frassati in our midst throughout WYD08. 

“Relics have no power of themselves, but the Church teaches that relics can be the occasion of God’s miracles” he says.

“Pier Giorgio’s body is not about death  - it is about two things that we say in the Creed – the Communion of Saints and the Resurrection of the Body. Pier Giorgio exemplifies both of these things  - so it’s a celebration of our Faith,”  says Mr Elarde.

“Adoration is only given to God our creator, never creatures. Veneration however is given to honour saints because of their closeness to Almighty God, which is what pilgrims are invited to do during WYD,” he says.

The body of the youthful Blessed Frassati has not left Turin, Italy since his death in 1925 - not even to Rome.

From July 2 to July 9, everyone is welcome to venerate his relics at St Benedict's, Broadway from 8am to 6pm.  

During the week of WYD08, the body of the blessed will be at St Mary’s Cathedral, from Friday 11 – 22 July and will be available for veneration most days.

The journey of Other Relics & WYD08 Patron Saints visiting Sydney

In other news, a Mass in honour of Papua New Guinean Catechist and Martyr, Blessed Peter To Rot (WYD08 Patron Saint) will be celebrated on the eve of his feast day, this Sunday, July 6 at St Martha’s Church Strathfield [in Sydney] at 12.30pm.

As well, during the week of WYD, 15 – 20 July, the relics of three Italian Passionist saints will be available for veneration from 6am – 6pm veneration at the parish of St. Brigid’s Marrickville. These include Italian Ss. Maria Goretti (WYD08 Patron Saint), Gabriel Possenti & Gemma Galgani.

To learn more about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, click here

To learn more about the WYD08 Patron saints, click here . 

 Image courtesy of WYD08.