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What kind of person comes to mind when you think of the qualities that Jesus highlighted in the Beatitudes? "Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . they who mourn . . . the meek . . . the clean of heart . . ." (see Matthew 5:3-11).
Perhaps not many people would come up with a description that fits Pier Giorgio Frassati—wealthy, fun-loving, and handsome. But when Pope John Paul II beatified this young Italian in 1990, he did not hesitate to call him “a man of the Beatitudes.”
Beneath the engaging exterior, Pier Giorgio was indeed poor in spirit and pure of heart. But he manifested these qualities in a very balanced way. Those who knew him saw his goodness but never thought of him as otherworldly or “saintly.” He lived a vibrant Christian life in thoroughly secular surroundings. One biographer called Pier Giorgio an “ordinary” Christian, but if so, being an ordinary Christian means putting God first in everything and spending yourself entirely—and joyfully—for others.
An Unhappy Family. Pier Giorgio was born in Turin on April 6, 1901. His sister Luciana, who became…
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