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.

Josh Cummins

Vice President 

Margaret Kruseman

Cultural Chair
Ever since a young age, I have always admired beautiful things, so when Jen Messing approached me about an opening on the core team, I was willing to listen to her. When I found out that there was an opening for the cultural chair I was immediately open to the position, as I love to share my love of the arts with other people. Art makes me see the beauty of God more closely.

​When I learned that Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati appreciated the arts as well, and enjoyed attending events associated with the arts, I knew being the cultural chair would be the perfect fit for me. I can share my love of the arts and my faith with a strong Catholic community, which I am looking forward to.

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.

Melissa Phinney

Spiritual Chair
I learned about Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati a few years ago while living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  During those years I developed a devotion to him.  I enjoyed hearing how fervent he was in the faith and what he was willing to do for others.  My increased devotion to him has caused me to spend more time in Adoration and has heightened my love for the outdoors.  When my husband and I moved to Minnesota in the fall of 2015, I was searching for a Catholic young adult group to join.  I have heard of Frassati societies before, and I was excited to learn there was one in the cities.

Joey Herro

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.

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