For all the saints who from their labors rest,who Thee by faith before the world confessed; Thy name,Jesus,be forever blest.Alleluia, Alleluia!
For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye, saw the bright crown descending from the sky, and seeing, grasped it, thee we glorify. Alleluia, Alleluia!
For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. Hebrews 6:10
Pier Giorgio Frassati is a popular saint with young adults, especially with the ladies. Many Catholic boys are compared to this young, athletic saint who’s famous for mountain climbing and being especially handsome, as Italian men often are. Pier was devout, but he also had an extensive circle of friends. He challenged people to pool games and whenever he won, the losers of the game would go to Adoration with him. He won a lot of pool games, by the way.
On top of mountain climbing and going to Adoration, Pier also served his community. He often gave money or anything he owned to the poor, to the point that he eventually contracted polio from helping the sick. His parents had no idea what he was doing until he died and the poor he served came out to carry his casket at the funeral.
Dorothy Day doesn’t seem to have much in common with Blessed Frassati at first glance. She lived a long life, but a lot of it was spent in a bohemian, secular lifestyle. She was a convert to the church and advocated for the rights of workers and laborers, those who are considered “blue collar.” What people forget however, is that she still had a devout love for the Catholic faith. On top of establishing places for the poor, she participated in retreats, and had a devotion to the Rosary and the Eucharist. She loved that at every Mass, the rich and the poor would be praying together.
Let us always remember that “faith without works is dead.” The best way we can learn from Pier Giorgio Frassati and Dorothy Day is to look for opportunities in our lives to practice our faith in the world by helping those in need.
To Jesus through Mary-Monique Ocampo
