110th Anniversary

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Saint Patron of the parochial church in Kiabakari, Saint Patron of Kiabakari Parish and Saint Patron of our health center, was born on April 6, 1901. Today is the 110th Anniversary of his birth. And the twentieth anniversary of my intimate relationship with him as a leading force and guardian of what I've trying to accomplish here in Kiabakari since 1991 when I met him under extraordinary circumstances in my life and on the way to find support for the construction of Kiabakari mission...

When I was looking for help in Europe to begin this task, I went to see Mons. Stanisław Dziwisz in the Vatican and explained my problem to him. He told me that the family of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati wants to show gratitude to the Holy Father and do something concrete for the Church as a token of their thanksgiving. So, Mons. Stanislao (as they called him in Italy) suggested that I should see them and talk about their desire and my needs.

And this is what happened. The family helped partially to build the mission headquarters and the parochial church. But what is more important, I came to know and love and make lifelong friends with Pier Giorgio who has been with me since then and never let me down...

Today is his 110th Birthday. I celebrated this morning a special Mass in his honor commemorating his birthday and commending myself, the parish and its institutions to his protection and intercession...

What is important and interesting also is that St. Gemma's stigmata stopped appearing on her body on the very day Pier Giorgio was born. April 6, 1901. Check for yourself in her biography. It never ceased to amaze me - this mysterious connection between these two Italian young, beautiful, energetic and merciful lay persons.

And they met here in Kiabakari many years later, on top of this hill where I live and serve people. They met in the parochial church - they both are Saint Patron of the church. They met in the lives of my people in many various ways, through the names of Small Christian Communities, baptismal names, apostolic lay movements, choirs - as people came to love them dearly and admire - the genuine examples how to read and understand the message of Divine Mercy and how to translate it in their daily lives living mercifully...

Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kiabakari (our parochial church): 

St. Gemma seen to the left, Blessed Pier Giorgio to the right, 

both in the rays of Divine Mercy

I am not sure if there is another church, a parish, where these two wonderful Saints met together like here in Kiabakari. It does not matter much anyway. What is most important to me, to us, that we are truly blessed and guided firmly by them, by their intercessions and fantastic examples of their outstanding lives.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us and protect us always!
Saint Gemma, pray for us and protect us always!