I became a
conscious and
practicing
Spiritist after
reading the five
core books of
the
Codification, by
Allan Kardec.
And to have a
better
understanding of
other issues,
such as the
reason why we
have so many
social
inequalities, I
did further
reading: What
Is Spiritism,
Posthumous Works
and some
articles from
the Spiritist
Review.
What aspect of
Spiritism means
the most to
you?
The most
striking aspect
of Spiritism is
the principle
that “there is
no salvation
outside
charity”. It
must be
highlighted that
charity means
“benevolence
with other
people,
indulgence
towards the
imperfections of
other people and
forgiveness of
other people’s
mistakes,” as it
is stated on
question 886 of
The Spirits’
Book.
What in your
opinion are the
main problems
faced by the
Spiritist
Movement in
Brazil?
The problems in
the Spiritist
Movement have
always hampered
its expansion,
and the main
reasons are a
lack of inner
conscience,
solidarity and
the lack of
knowledge of the
Teachings.
However, thanks
to the work of
Chico Xavier and
other high
profile
speakers, as
well as the work
of a huge group
of anonymous
volunteers,
Spiritism is now
available to
most men of good
will. That is a
sign of a New
Era with a
better quality
of life from a
spiritual
perspective.
What is your
assessment of
the efforts to
disseminate
Spiritism in
Brazil?
The
dissemination of
the Gospel of
Jesus outside
Spiritist
Centres demands
an increasing
effort by all
Spiritist
organisations.
We must
encourage the
idea of taking
relatives and
people who are
curious about
Spiritism to
study groups.
That is
important
especially when
you take into
account the
diversity of
Spirits
incarnated on
earth and their
different levels
of spiritual
development. We
need to
encourage people
to study and
read the
Spiritist books,
as there is
still a lot of
mysticism and
misconceived
ideas about the
communications
between the
physical and the
spiritual
worlds. And we
need to
understand the
Law of Cause and
Effect and its
effects in
reincarnations.
Is there any
particular
experience you
had in Spiritism
that you would
like to share
with us?
The memories I
cherish the most
are what I have
learned from
local people
throughout the
years. As we say
in Spiritism,
“we don’t get to
the wrong
address when we
reincarnate”.
The causes and
effects that I
couldn’t see in
the beginning
and became
evident later. I
cherish the
memories of the
neighbours who
gathered at home
to pray the Holy
Mary and Our
Father. A
childhood when
everything was
healthy and
simple. The
afternoons when
we drank tea,
coffee and
liquor. The
mutual Christian
feeling in a
world without
prejudices of
race, ethnic
background,
gender, religion
or moral or
economic
condition.
What strikes you
the most in
Spiritist
literature?
Spiritism
professes the
universal laws
of our Father,
the Creator of
Creation. “Ora
et Labora,”
states the Latin
saying. I
believe in the
commandments
taught and lived
by Jesus, the
Guide and Model.
And I am
grateful for
what Chico
Xavier taught us
when he said:
“Even tough we
can’t go back in
time, we can
start again now
searching for a
new ending”.
What do you say
about the
challenges faced
by humankind and
the
possibilities
Spiritism offers
for overcoming
those problems?
What humankind
is facing is the
final phase of
expiation of our
faults because
of the lack of
forgiveness
among us.
However, we are
already marching
towards the new
phase of
Regeneration
through the
practice of
love. The
Spiritists who
already
understand the
process are
trying to pay
off their final
debts while
those who are
reincarnating
already come
with the social
and spiritual
values that we
must respect our
brothers and
sisters in the
chain of moral
development. Our
freewill is
anchored on
understanding
the process and
on prayers. And
on Christian
acts, so that we
can all be one
day deserving of
Christ.
If you could say
something to the
Spiritist
Movement, what
would be your
words?
The Spiritist
Movement
flourishes as it
cultivates the
seeds of the New
Commandment
prescribed by
Jesus. We must
understand that
Christ is, in
fact, God’s
medium, as He
said: “I
am the way the
truth and the
life; no one comes unto
the Father
except by Me”.
Is there
anything else
you would like
to add?
To our
companions in
this journey, I
would like to
share a humble
reminder: “Teach
but put into
practice;
believe, but
study; advise,
but give a good
example; gather,
but feed”. After
all, our good
actions towards
other people end
up returning to
us. If not to
you now in this
world, to your
beloved ones.
Blessed may be
the God’s plans,
which are fair
and merciful to
us. And let us
honour the first
commandment of
Jesus, which is
to love God,
“the supreme
intelligence and
first cause of
all things”.
