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With the canonization approaching for Pier Giorgio Frassati, I've been thinking about just how incredible this man was, and how influential he has been in my own faith life. This man made holiness look effortless while climbing mountains, serving the poor, and living with a joy that was contagious. The more I reminisce on his story, the more I emotional I get about his upcoming canonization. So without further ado, here are some of his most powerful quotes that we can actually apply to our messy, beautiful, complicated lives. The Guy Who Made Holiness Look Cool Picture this: It's the 1920s in Italy. Pier Giorgio is 24, comes from a wealthy family (his dad owned a major newspaper), loves mountain climbing, opera, and hanging out with friends. He's basically what we'd call the main character - except instead of using his privilege for Instagram-worthy content, he's out here quietly revolutionizing what it means to live for something bigger than yourself. His personal motto? "Verso l'Alto!" - which means "To the heights!" And no, he wasn't just talking about his love of mountain climbing (though he was seriously passionate about that). He was talking about constantly reaching higher spiritually, always pushing toward holiness & never settling for mediocrity. When Faith Meets Real Life Here's what I love most about Pier Giorgio - his faith wasn't some Sunday-only thing. This man understood that following Christ means your whole life gets turned upside down, in the best possible way. He joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society at a young age and became one of their most active members, spending his own money and time serving the poor. His friends used to joke that he gave away so much money he'd show up to hang out with holes in his shoes. But here's the thing - he wasn't doing to gain followers on Instagram or TikTok, or for any recognition. When he died of polio at 24, his wealthy family was shocked to see thousands of Turin's poor show up to his funeral. They had no idea how many lives their son had touched. Choosing Joy "A Catholic cannot help but be happy; sadness should be banished from their souls. Suffering is not sadness, which is the worst disease. This disease is almost always caused by atheism, but the end for which we are created guides us along life's pathway, which may be strewn with thorns, but is not sad. It is happy even through suffering." His joy was far from naïveté. He saw the brokenness of the world clearly; he experienced it thoroughly in his own suffering, as well as through witnessing the suffering of others close to him. He wrote about how ugly the world could be, how much suffering there was. But he chose joy anyway, because he knew where his story was heading. He said: "True happiness does not consist in the pleasures of this world, or in earthly things, but in peace of conscience, which we only have if we are pure of heart and mind." This man understood something we're all desperately searching for - that real fulfillment doesn't come from external validation, perfect circumstances, or even achieving all of our goals. It comes from living with integrity; from aligning our lives with God's love for us. Living Small, Thinking Big What tugs on my heart the most about Pier Giorgio is how he found God in the ordinary - in friendship, in nature, in simple acts of service. He wasn't trying to change the entire world overnight. He was just trying to love the people right in front of him really well. "Every day, my love for the mountains grows more and more. If my studies permitted, I'd spend whole days in the mountains contemplating the Creator's greatness in that pure air." (A man after my own heart!) It's so inspiring to hear about someone who found God in creation - who saw mountain climbing as a form of prayer. In our screen-heavy world, don't we all crave that kind of authenticity? The Saint We're About to Celebrate On September 7th, Pope Leo XIV will declare him a saint alongside Blessed Carlo Acutis (the first millennial Saint to be canonized! 🙌).  Pope John Paul II called Pier Giorgio "The Man of the Eight Beatitudes" and said he "testifies that holiness is possible for everyone." Not just for people in monasteries or with theology degrees - holiness is for each and every one of us trying to figure out how to live meaningfully in this challenging world. What This Means for Us So what does a 1920s Italian mountain-climber have to teach those of us trying to live authentically in 2025? Joy is a choice. Even when life is hard, even when the world feels broken, we can choose to live from a place of hope rather than despair. Small acts matter. You don't have to start a nonprofit or go viral to make a difference. Love the person in front of you. Give what you can. Show up consistently. Holiness isn't boring. Pier Giorgio lived more fully in his 24 years than most people do in 80. Adventure, friendship, purpose, service - faith enhances life, it doesn't diminish it. We're made for the heights of holiness. "Verso l'Alto!" isn't just a motto - it's an invitation. We don't have to settle for shallow living or getting by. We're called to something bigger, something beautiful, something that lasts. As Pier Giorgio himself said: "To live without faith, without a heritage to defend, without battling constantly for truth, is not to live but to 'get along'; we must never just 'get along'." Let's not just get by in this life; let's reach for the heights! Soon-to-be SAINT Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us! What's on your heart after reading about Pier Giorgio? Drop a 🏔️ in the comments if his story resonates with you, and tell me - what's one small way you want to live "verso l'alto" this week?Be sure to check out our updated best-selling Frassati tee to honor Frassati's promotion to Sainthood! (See our Frassati Collection here.)We use organic cotton for our apparel. See our FAQs here to see how we aim to implement Catholic Social Teaching (something Frassati lived out) and sustainability practices.Buy any of our organic cotton shirts & get a free Frassati organic cotton tote! (No code needed, just be sure to add tote to your cart.)