(ANS – Rome) – Pier Giorgio Frassati lived his short life with one clear direction “Verso l’alto,” upwards. Those two words, scribbled once on a mountain photo, reveal more than his love for climbing. They express how he lived: always moving toward God, toward others, and toward something greater. 

For Frassati, faith was never something private or passive. It was alive. It took him into the streets of Turin, into the homes of struggling families, and into the hearts of his friends. His joy, courage, and deep compassion continue to inspire young people who long to serve and find purpose through generosity and action. 

Faith That Moves

Frassati believed that faith must move. “Charity is not enough; we need social reform,” he once said, a simple line that revealed a strong conviction. Love must act. 

He came from a wealthy and respected family. His father was a journalist and diplomat, his mother an artist. Pier Giorgio could have lived comfortably, but he didn’t. He chose simplicity. He gave his time, energy, and even his own possessions to help others. Through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, he visited poor families, carried groceries, paid rent for those without work, and comforted the sick.

He didn’t do this to feel virtuous or heroic. For him, serving the poor was a way to meet Christ face to face. He understood that real volunteering is not about giving from abundance, it’s about sharing life, dignity, and love.

The Joy of Friendship and Community

Frassati’s way of serving was marked by joy. His friends remember his laughter, his warmth, and his love for adventure. He prayed with them, climbed mountains with them, and invited them to see God in every person they met. 

This is the spirit of Christian volunteering: faith lived in community, friendship that leads to service, and service that deepens faith. Holiness is not lived alone. It grows in relationships, in shared mission, and in the everyday joy of giving together.

From Comfort to Commitment

Every generation of young people faces the temptation to stay comfortable. Frassati’s life is a quiet but powerful challenge to that. He shows that happiness doesn’t come from comfort, but from commitment. 

Volunteer programs inspired by the Salesian charism carry the same message. They help young people step outside themselves, discover the needs of others, and put their talents at the service of life and faith. Through volunteering, young people learn responsibility, empathy, and leadership. They realize that serving others transforms not only the world but their own hearts. 

A Call to Salesians and Lay Collaborators

Frassati’s witness is a reminder for the entire Salesian Family: the Church needs spaces where young people can serve, grow, and discover their mission. Volunteer programs inspired by the Salesian spirit, joyful, community-based, and mission-oriented, are not extras. They are essential paths of formation.

Salesians and lay collaborators are called to encourage this spirit of service, to walk beside young people, and to give them opportunities to live faith in action. In volunteering, they learn Don Bosco’s way, reason, religion, and loving-kindness,  not as theory but as life style. 

When a young person gives a summer, a year, or even a few hours to serve others, something deep changes. They see faith differently. They discover joy in giving. They understand that the Gospel moves, and that it calls them to move too, always upwards.

Let Us Climb Together

Pier Giorgio Frassati died at 24, but his light still rises. His “Verso l’alto” wasn’t just about mountains, it was about reaching higher in faith, love, and service.

He invites us all,  young people, Salesians, and lay collaborators, to follow that same path. To serve with joy. To believe boldly. To love without limits.

 As Frassati showed us, holiness is not an idea. It’s a climb. And the way up is through service and love, together, verso l’alto.

Juan Carlos Montenegro