Don Bosco Continues to Help Raise Saints: Carlo and Pier Giorgio

By Fr. Steve Shafran, SDB

Don Bosco is certainly not just for the Salesian Family, but our founder’s charism and legacy continue to inspire and influence people worldwide. We know well the effect of the Salesian oratorian approach on our recently departed Holy Father, Pope Francis, and there are straightforward signs in the lives of our new saints for the young to be canonized during this Holy Year 2025 and Jubilee of Hope: Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Our strenna for this year, “Anchored in Hope, Pilgrims with Young People,” aligns perfectly with the theme for this Holy Year, as well as our own Salesian charism and focus.

The National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians was blessed with the visit of Antonia Salzano Acutis, Carlo’s mother, on September 28, 2023. When we invited her to come, we knew Carlo’s example and Antonia’s recently published book brought much interest in her son. It is an honor to know that Antonia and her husband used Don Bosco’s educational approach in raising their children Carlo, Francesca and Michele. In addition, one of Carlo’s models for his own life was St. Dominic Savio. During that memorable evening less than two years ago, we were able to welcome 1,000 people for Eucharistic adoration and Antonia’s testimony. The whole visit is available on YouTube.

Antonia reflected on St. John Bosco, known for reforming many young people who were on the wrong path in the late 1800s. She stated, “His method, referred to as the Salesian Preventive System, is based on the three pillars of reason, religion, and loving-kindness, as opposed to constant correction and punishment. He believed it was important to treat young people as persons, always focused on their formation as human beings and Christians.“

So many “parents always say yes, okay my dear, yes, yes!” Antonia said. “Instead, to say no is very important. We have to understand that if we love our children, we also have to educate them. We have to say no sometimes.” The Salesian system posits that it is easier to prevent poor behavior than to correct it. “We do prevention for breast cancer,” Antonia pointed out. “We do the scan; we do the tests. St. John Bosco was an enlightened educator. He says we have to teach our children to do everything for the love of God. And so all our life becomes a continuous prayer.”

Carlo Acutis considered St. Dominic Savio and Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, along with other young saints like Francis of Assisi, as significant influences on his life and faith. Acutis drew inspiration from their example of joyfully embracing holiness in everyday life, and especially their deep devotion to the Eucharist. He also admired their dedication to prayer, their care for the poor, and their willingness to be instruments of God's love in the world.

Here is a more detailed look at their influence:

St. Dominic Savio

Acutis looked up to Savio, who, despite being young, lived a life of great holiness, particularly in his love for the Eucharist and his devotion to Mary. Savio's example inspired Acutis to pursue a life of holiness in his own time.

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Frassati's life was characterized by a vibrant faith, a love for prayer, and a deep sense of compassion for the poor. Acutis, who lived 90 years apart from Frassati, also shared Frassati's devotion to the Eucharist and his commitment to serving others.

St. Francis of Assisi

Acutis was also influenced by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, recognizing his example of embracing poverty and serving the poor. This aspect of Francis’ life likely resonated with Acutis’ own desire to use his computer skills to help others and promote faith.

Eucharistic Devotion

Acutis, Frassati, and Savio all had a strong devotion to the Eucharist, and this was a prominent feature of their lives and a source of inspiration for Acutis.

Holiness in Everyday Life

Acutis, Frassati, and Savio showed that holiness is not just for religious orders or hermits but can be lived in everyone’s everyday life, even by young people. Acutis, despite his love for technology and video games, embraced holiness in his everyday life, much like his role models.

The Frassati website makes this observation: “Who could live in Turin and not be influenced by the Salesians?” Even though Don Bosco died in 1888, our Salesian Congregation was alive and well and continued the work of serving the poor and the troubled youth of Turin throughout Pier Giorgio Frassati’s lifetime—and the Salesian Family still continues, and is honored, to do so.

As a boy, Pier Giorgio took preparatory exams at the Salesian Collegio Don Bosco in Alassio. As a young man, he visited the poor regularly in the area of Turin near the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, built by Don Bosco, and probably prayed there often. In a letter to one of his friends, he wrote, "I recommend that you prepare a wonderful evening like the one we had with the Germans and Poles who came to Turin for the convention of the former students of Don Bosco.”

Pier Giorgio was privately tutored in Latin by Father Cojazzi, a Salesian priest. This came about after Mr. Frassati, Pier Giorgio’s father, defended the Salesians in his newspaper La Stampa at a time when Salesians were being greatly criticized. The Rector Major of the Salesians, Bl. Michael Rua, personally visited Mr. Frassati to thank him and asked if he could do anything in return. That is when Mr. Frassati asked about the possibility of one of the Salesians helping his son with his Latin studies. Father Cojazzi, SDB, later became the first biographer of Pier Giorgio after his death. He worked closely with Mrs. Frassati for many years.

As the Jesuits influenced his Eucharistic life, the Salesians influenced his spiritual progress through the sacrament of Reconciliation. One of the Salesians, Fr. Felice Cane, SDB, was Pier Giorgio's confessor from the time he was 14 until his death. (He also went to confession to other priests, as circumstances would necessitate.) “Pier Giorgio left me with a profound impression of his sanctity and purity. I was the one who brought the news of his death to Cardinal Gamba in July of 1925. Here is what the Cardinal said when he heard the sad news: ‘A saint has died.’”

A beautiful mosaic on the wall of the Frassati family's parish church features Don Bosco with Pier Giorgio at his side—a wonderful reminder of the Salesian influence in Pier Giorgio's life and a fitting tribute to two of the holiest men who ever walked the streets of Turin.

Pier Giorgio’s influence among youths and especially with young adults continues to grow. A large number of Catholic college campus ministry centers in the U.S. and Canada have him as their patron. The first church in the United States that is named after him is Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Catholic Church in Myrtle Beach, SC. So far in the United States, there are the following institutions: Frassati Catholic Academy (elementary and middle school) in Wauconda, IL; Frassati Catholic Academy (pre-K through 8th grade) in Thornton, CO; Frassati Catholic Academy (pre-K through 8th grade) in White Bear Lake, MN; Frassati Catholic High School in Spring, TX; and Frassati Hall at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.

In the U.S. and Canada, multiple churches and schools have been named after Carlo Acutis. In the U.S., Bl. Carlo Acutis Parish in Chicago is a parish dedicated to him, and the Academy of Carlo Acutis is a newly consolidated school in Illinois. In Canada, Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School in Edmonton and Blessed Carlo Virtual School in Ottawa are also named after him. Additionally, the Chesterton Academy of Blessed Carlo Acutis in Wisconsin and the Blessed Carlo Acutis Home School Co-op are also dedicated to his legacy.

We throughout the Salesian Family have an incredible opportunity to use our two new saints, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, as models for youth throughout our provinces and beyond; we can also reintroduce the young saints within our Salesian Family—Dominic Savio, Laura Vicuña, Ceferino Namuncura and Akash Bashir. This is a great time to promote youth holiness. Let us all heed Carlo’s recommendation to the young and to all of us: “Be the originals God created you to be and not photocopies.”