Sandra Sabattini

Testimonies

I have very strong memories of Sandra. I think she met God through nature and creation. She used to be amazed by everything, the seasons, the sun and the rain. She was always in a contemplative frame of mind: in this way she praised God for the gift of creation, which He gave to everybody.

This was something which came out of her and she did not keep for herself. For example, when we moved to live here, in Trarivi, she used to walk down the slope, through the fields, and you could hear her singing. She had this joy inside and she was constantly astonished by flowers, animals, birds. I never talked about this with her, but I had the impression that she could see God in the works of His creation.
(Luca Scarponi)

Sandra met and knew Jesus in her family and in her parish community of San Girolamo in Rimini, but fell in love with Jesus when she entered the Community of Pope John XXIII. Then Jesus really entered her heart, together with his beloved ones: the poor, the marginalised, people with disabilities and victims of drug addiction.

From that time onwards Sandra's life was a gift to God through her service to the least. It has not been easy for us to understand how Sandra could give and sacrifice herself for others and, at the same time, carry out her studies and maintain an active presence in her family.
(Father Giuseppe Bonini)

It was the first time that we went out together as a couple and she took me to... a cemetery in the countryside! She used to go there from time to time to pray and remind herself of the meaning of life. The secret of her joy and life was in the fact that she accepted everything about life.

She had a particular sensitivity towards the suffering of other people, not only an ability to accept and understand them, but in particular willlingness and courage in facing the choices of sharing life. She was deeply attracted, both spiritually and on a human level, by the mysteries of joy and sorrow and life and death, which could only be resolved in the Lord.
(Guido Rossi)

Of Sandra I remember in particular her smile, her bright look, her simplicity and readiness to help but also her determination and faithfulness in carrying out what the Lord made her understand through the Community. I remember her always attending prayer meetings and community meetings. I re-see her in the summer camps in Canazei or by the sea, always available for and attentive to our brothers and sisters with disabilities. I have an image of her, sitting with her legs crossed in church during the Adoration of the Community desert retreats, or walking trough the forest. Sandra was a girl who was full of life, intelligent, transmitted joy but, at the same time, someone who was humble and loved silence, in which she internally talked with God.

She had a perception of the relativity of things; she was aware of death and of the vanity of every task, that when it is taken too seriously it can make you forget the only worthy reasons to commit oneself on earth: love and the kingdom of God. All this gave her a very particular sense of humour, which never turned into criticism of other people. Sandra was in this world, but she was already focused on the world of eternity, in the world of God for which she deeply longed.
(Mara Rossi)

Her presence, full of hope, joy and peace, was very important for me. She was simple and humble and had the great gift of loving everything and everybody. She faced every situation with a serene certainty that there was a solution to everything, and she gave her faith in life to everybody around her.

To her, every thing was a manifestation of the Lord and every moment was an opportunity to thank him for everything. She could take great peace from this and she had the strength to involve others in her overwhelming joy. In my opinion Sandra was truly in the Lord and felt He was a really good friend in every thing she did. She was involved with Him through continuous inner work, which led her to forget about herself and give space to the Lord, without resisting and offering herself as a humble instrument in His hands.
(Geppi Santamato)

Her most distinctive characteristics were joy, a welcoming attitude and a sense of humour. I remember vividly on our bike rides, when we used to meet to go to the Saturday afternoon Community Mass at the Resurrezione parish, the echo of our laughs, her beautiful wide-open eyes, her 'hello' full of life which welcomed me and sent away every negative feeling. She had a big heart and she managed to remember everybody, through a card, an affectionate gesture or a phone call. She had many friends and managed to make each one of them feel that they were important. I felt loved by her, she always remembered birthdays and other special days and, in her simplicity, she used to give me cards with relevant phrases and reflections.
(Daniela Santini)

Talking some more about my memories of her, her radiant face and graceful movement come to my mind, from which one could sense the constant spiritual orientation of someone gifted with particular spiritual sensitivity. This fascinated me because I was looking for something which resonated with my own inner spiritual movements.

Another wave of memories include her commitment and calm enthusiasm in making herself available, at the service of others, without it becoming a burden but, instead, something which brings a note of peace and serenity.
(Father Marco Guidi)

Her lifestyle was consistent with the vocation of the Community of Pope John. She lived out the virtues of poverty, simplicity, frugality and essentiality. She used to reprimand us in the nucleus through fraternal correction, but always respecting everyone's path. She was in love with the poor and remembered them in her prayers and thoughts.

I remember one day at a nucleus meeting, she was worried about the way the poor lived and the privileges of our way of living; she could not do much and tried to share with them by washing herself with cold water.
(Daniela Tonelli)