Meet the Tipi Loschi (Core Team)

From the beginning, the Frassati Society Core Team has been called the "Tipi Loschi" (tee-pee lo-ski) or "Shady Characters".  This was Pier Giorgio's light-hearted nickname for his own friends as they had a particular affinity for playing practical jokes on one another. You are always welcome to contact us with questions, comments, ideas, prayer requests, etc... we are at your service!

Lindsay Stone

President
​The first Frassati event I attended was the 2012 camping trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada over the 4th of July.  I have been camping since I could crawl (with a picture to prove it!) and loved the combination that this trip provided with faith, friends, great conversations, and of course the majesty of God's creation.  

​This is what the Frassati Society of MN is all about, including our faith in all aspects of life – in exploring the outdoors, serving the poor, spending time with friends, to name a few.  After spending 2 years on the core team as Outdoor Chair, I am looking forward to serving each of you this year in a different role.  I hope that together we can support each other in following the call of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati to holiness in our everyday lives.

Rebecca Wratkowski

Vice-President
I am a product of Catholic education and grateful. I like remote places and a bit of challenge when I am not grading assignments or sewing.

Vivian Chu

Membership & Tech Chair
I learned about the Frassati Society of MN at the Rediscover: Catholic Celebration Young Adult Night in 2014. The first Frassati event I attended was the Pilgrimage to The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in 2015.

What I love about the Frassati Society is that it's a non-parish based Young Adult group for Catholics and Non-Catholics ages 18-45 and we try to get everyone who is interested involved despite their circumstances.

Katelyn Filbrandt

Outdoor Chair
I was searching for young adult Catholic groups when I moved to the Twin Cities as a way to meet people. After attending my first Frassati Night, which included Adoration, socializing at a local brewery with some amazing young adult Catholics, and learning about Pier Giorgio Frassati for the first time, (and not knowing exactly what to expect before attending), I knew that God was listening to my prayers.

I enjoy volunteering, going on outdoor adventures, traveling, attending cultural events, and spending time with family and friends. It is important to appreciate the simple things in life while in nature, like smelling lilacs in the spring, listening to the sound of whitewater on the river, appreciating the fall colors, or watching snow fall in the winter. As the outdoor chair, I hope to share many of these wonderful creations with others, spread the stories of Pier Giorgio Frassati, and one day climb the mountains in Italy that he once explored.

Grace Schneider

Spiritual Chair
After an invitation from a friend to attend the Itasca trip in 2017, I was blessed beyond measure by the people whom I met and the conversations, hilarity and outdoor excursions that I experienced. The balance of a life lived in imitation of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati greatly attracted me. I kept coming back to more events, as each time fostered enrichment and grace in my young adult life.

I have always enjoyed experiencing the wonder and love of God manifested in the outdoors, whether I’m relishing the stillness of the Boundary Waters, climbing mountains in CO, or taking a walk in my neighborhood. God is the summit to which our hearts are inclined, and Frassati spent his life leading others to climb not only physical but also spiritual summits. My favorite event quickly became Frassati night, a perfect combination of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and fellowship with others. I am delighted to be able to join the Frassati core team as spiritual chair. It is the love of God and the desire to share that love that drives the actions of our Christian lives. Let’s follow Frassati to the heights of sanctity!

Joseph Herro

Co-Service Chair
After moving to the area a few years ago, and converting to the Catholic faith shortly thereafter, I found it difficult to find groups of Catholics for fellowship and to do activities with. Thankfully, a Core Team member invited me to the annual Frassati trip at Lake Itasca in 2015, and during that time I was hooked - or "was bitten by the Frassati bug," as another member put it.

I was drawn to the Service Chair after attending Frassati-led service events at the Dorothy Day Center and seeing the presence of Christ among the poor. Works of Mercy to the poor were a central part of Blessed Pier Giorgio's own life. After becoming the Service Chair I believe his own life of service began to be very real for me.

The great life of Pier Giorgio is personified in the members of the Frassati Society. It is a spiritual family, a real family.

Justine Buerkle

Co-Service Chair
I don't know how I first heard about Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, but I ended up buying a book, some prayer cards, and a medal. I was wearing that medal at a 5K when I saw an information table for the Frassati Society, so I just had to go sign up for the e-mail list! The first event I attended was a service night at Higher Ground. I enjoy being around other young adults who want to grow in faith and do the things Pier Giorgio liked to do. Verso l'alto!

Jen Messing

Member at Large
After a full 13 years  of involvement with the Frassati Society of MN I am proud to see it still thriving with the spirit of Frassati! I have stepped into a mentoring role as I need to spend more time nurturing my new nonprofit, Into the Deep (www.idretreats.org).  
 
We have always used the nickname “La Piccozza” – the pickaxe – for members of our Core Team; I am excited to pass on what Pier Giorgio has taught us throughout these years and to show how the gifts of each member can serve to help others climb the mountains that lie before us.  Verso l’alto – to the heights!
See our previous Core Teams