San Sperate loses one of its most beloved figures: Father Rafał Jaworski, known to all as Father Rafa, 54 years old, is no longer with us. His passing leaves a deep void, especially among the young people he passionately accompanied for years in their growth journey. More than a priest, he was a point of reference, an older brother, a guide capable of listening and being listened to.
Polish from Torun, he arrived in the peach country in 1997, as soon as he was ordained a priest, he immediately immersed himself in the community, becoming responsible for the Redemptorist Youth Ministry (Pgvr). After a period in Francavilla al Mare, where he served as parish priest at Sant'Alfonso, he returned to San Sperate in 2015, taking up the thread of a bond that had never been broken. He never backed down, not even when, in September 2022, he discovered the disease that took him away.
The Pgvr animators describe him as much more than a priest : "It is not just a priest who is leaving us, but a true friend, a brother. Father Rafa had infinite faith in young people and dedicated himself to us with indescribable love and passion. He left a deep mark on each of us, and we will carry on his dreams and his projects."
Even the former mayor of San Sperate, Enrico Collu, remembers the special bond that united them : "He was a gentle giant. He faced difficulties with serenity but also with determination. During the pandemic, when we found ourselves side by side managing difficult moments, a complicity was created between us that went beyond roles. His serene gaze and his smile will remain forever in the heart of our community."
In addition to his work with young people, Father Raffaele has always cared about the most fragile, supporting a group of volunteers active in the juvenile prison of Quartucciu. His idea of faith was concrete, made of closeness, listening and action . Now the country awaits the arrival of his family from Poland for the last farewell. The legacy he leaves in the hearts of those who knew him will make his passage to San Sperate eternal.
