The canonization of a new saint
The canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati as a saint was announced by the Roman Catholic Church this summer, on Aug. 3, 2025. Many students and staff on campus at the University of Dallas are working together to fund and attend a pilgrimage to the canonization.
Despite his young death at 24 years old, Pier Giorgio Frassati was involved with many activities and spoke for his community, known for being charismatic and humorous. He was a man who in his younger days was known as “the terror” due to his love for practical jokes, but at the same time, he was a pious man and dedicated to social justice.
Deacon Ryan Sales, director of campus ministry, said, “It’s a beautiful story in that he lived this life of service to individuals. He died when he was 24, so he didn’t have much time in which to make an impact, but he was involved in so many different activities, [such as] St. Vincent De Paul and Catholic Action. He co-founded a newspaper that was involved in social justice issues, and he was a vocal opponent to Mussolini’s regime in Italy.”
Frassati came from money but humbly gave it all up in order to help the poor and less fortunate.
Sales said, “At one point in time, his father offered him money, and he took the money and gave it all away to serve the poor. He advocated as a very young boy for his parents to care for those in need.”
Overall, Frassati was a man whose love for people and the things around him stemmed from his love for God.
Sales has been working to help fundraise a pilgrimage to Rome for the canonization this summer. The pilgrimage is open to any UD students, with a few spots still available.
For the pilgrimage, students planning on going will need to fundraise for themselves, with Sales and Campus Ministry doing their best to fundraise for other costs associated with the pilgrimage.
Sales said, “We’ve been doing some fundraising to pay for all of the other expenses associated with [the pilgrimage] because pilgrimages are expensive, and it’s been challenging. One of the things that surprised me the most with this pilgrimage is that I thought that we would have tons of people wanting to go to this, but there hasn’t been a lot of people that have been able to go. It’s expensive to go. But one thing that we didn’t realize is that there’s a lot of people here that didn’t know who Pier Giorgio Frassati was, and that surprised me.”
Although there have been a few struggles and setbacks in the overall process, Sales is still very excited for the upcoming pilgrimage.
“I’m extremely excited,” said Sales. “I’ve never been to Rome before, and yet I’ve been hearing all about it because of the Rome semester. It’s one of the most amazing places to go to be part of a canonization mass because we all participate. We’re all active participants in the Mass. And to be a part of the Mass in which Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is raised to sainthood is a once in a lifetime experience.”
This August will mark a significant moment, not just for those who have already heard about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, but as a gateway for a new generation to come together and learn about his joy, sacrifice and steadfast faith.
As students, faculty and families prepare for the pilgrimage to Rome, they are not just honoring a new saint, but also tapping into his legacy as a young man who inspired others to stand up for social justice and never forget to give charity or company to their fellow men.