Ashes From Burnt Roses: Devotional: Novena to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Devotional: Novena to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Because of the death of Pope Francis in May, the canonizations of both Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati were postponed, and now are scheduled together for September 7^th. Of the two, the one closer to my heart is Bl. Pier Giorgio.

Born in 1901 to a wealthy family that was not particularly devout, Pier Giorgio defying expectations became devout as a child and continued into adulthood. He became a Lay Dominican, secretly helped the poor, and continuously evangelized both by example and by conversation. He started religious associations and politically supported the Catholic social doctrine. He went to school to become a mining engineer where his ambition was to help the poor, hardworking miners. He loved reading the Bible, Catholic theology, and literature. You can see how many commonalities I have with him to make him endearing to me.

He was an outdoorsman and a mountain climber, and one of his favorite expressions was "Verso l'alto.” which means to “toward the top.” There is a pun there with the literal meaning to climb to the top of the mountain while the analogous meaning being to climb to heaven. Pope St. John Paul II dubbed him the “Man of the Beatitudes” because he embodied them all. He was at the center of a wonderful group of friends who he loved, spiritually guided, and enjoyed coordinating activities and fun. To some he has been mentioned as the patron saint of friendship. I certainly treat him as such and entrust in him the spiritual wellbeing of all my friends.

Pier Giorgio died young at the age of 24. He contracted polio by being in the company of needy people and died after a very short period. His day of passing was on July 4^th, 1925, which means that this will be the 100^th anniversary of his passing.

You can read much more about him and his life at the website devoted to him, Frassati.

On the website you will find a novena prayer, and if you start the novena on Wednesday, June 25^th—tomorrow as per the posting of this piece—you will finish the ninth day on July 3^rd, and final tenth on his feast day, July 4^th. The novena fittingly centers on the beatitudes. Here is the novena.

Day 1

Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “The faith given to me in Baptism surely suggests to me that of yourself you will do nothing; but if you have God as the center of all your actions, then you will reach the goal.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, teach me true poverty of spirit. Help me understand that God cares for me; and that He asks me, in return, to care for others, especially those in need. Guide me to make choices in my life which will show a preference for service of God and neighbor, rather than accumulating financial wealth and social advantage for myself. Give me a special love for the poor and the sick. (Repeated each day)

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is the Lover of the poor, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.) (Repeated each day)

Day 2

Jesus says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “Our life, in order to be Christian, has to be a continual renunciation, a continual sacrifice. But this is not difficult, if one thinks what these few years passed in suffering are, compared with eternal happiness where joy will have no measure or end, and where we shall have unimaginable peace.”