He was a worker priest who approached his pastoral mission with pride, consistency, and a fighting spirit. Andrea Portas, with roots in Cagliari, died at the age of 84. He had been the longtime parish priest of Armungia, which he said goodbye to after 15 years with these words: "I'm leaving with a clenched fist."
A poet and philosopher, committed to the values of Third Worldism and Liberation Theology. He embraced communist ideals, like Don Andrea Gallo . There was no contradiction with his profound Christianism, on the side of the poor, workers, and men and women without rights, in accordance with the spirit of the Gospel. His home in Armungia, next to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Immaculate, was open to all. Don Andrea welcomed his guests with a smile before offering them a glass of wine, which came from the vineyards of Lundara. Discussions immediately erupted on philosophy, poetry, literature, politics, and faith. His poetry collections will remain for future reference: Notturni, Dalla parte dei vinti, Canto a due voci, Poesie per due amori (The latter two collections also include the verses of his friend Giacomo Botteri, from Trentino, Trieste, and Mestre).
Together with his teacher and friend, Monsignor Leone Porru, he founded several popular schools (he also contributed to the establishment of Is Mirrionis in Cagliari). In recent years, he taught at the popular school in Silius. People of all ages attended his classes, some of whom went on to graduate . In the early 1970s, he was one of the leaders of the Community of Sant'Elia, founded by the parish priest, Don Vasco Paradisi. This community, with a strong civic focus, was committed, in a challenging social context, to combating the problems of drugs, alcoholism, and prostitution, including among young people.
In 2009, he participated in the "Cabudanne de sos poetas" festival in Seneghe, in conversation with journalist Gabriella Caramore. Mario Cubeddu, the soul of the festival, recalls that moment: "Andrea's words were a miracle, as was the fact that every year for the past five years, Seneghe's 'Cabudanne' has been revived. . What he said in Seneghe is clearly what he wanted to say. He didn't speak of God, he didn't speak of his poetry. He spoke of what he loves and what he hates. To speak of 'hate' in his words does him an injustice. What he loves are human beings. In the concreteness of what they are, what they experience, what they think. In particular, the worker, the defeated hero, the victim of the twentieth century, a fleeting figure disappearing into the twilight."
