Vanderlei Antonio
Padoves (photo) is a doctor in the city of
Itápolis, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. He is a
member of the Nova Era (New Age) Spiritist Centre, where
he works as a volunteer healer and in a mediumship
group.
How and when did you become a Spiritist?
I was born in a Catholic family. When I was 11 or 12
years old I began to question things. Why so much pomp
if they said they spoke in the name of Jesus, who had
been poor and humble. Why was so much money being taken
away from the poor when the bishop lived in a palace?
Would a simple confession be able to redeem us from all
sins? Why God, being our Father, put in this world rich
people and poor people, healthy and sick people, with
some being born disabled? If we were all their children,
why did that happen? I kept asking my mother, who, poor
thing, was not able to answer. She got nervous and told
me to stop asking otherwise she would lose her faith.
Then I bought a Spiritist novel, I cannot remember
where. I had a look and found it interesting, and then
bought others. That made sense to me. Then, and again I
don’t remember how, I became a member of a Spiritist
book club. I read Nosso Lar – Our Home and
Ação e Reação (Action and Reaction) by André Luiz
and that is when I began to get the answers I was
looking for. Thank God I did not become a Spiritist
through pain.
How did Spiritism influence you in your life and your
profession?
I believe I became more understanding, perhaps more
human. I also realised that we don’t need much money to
live. Perhaps it has also helped me keep up to date with
information and changes in general.
What stroke you the most in Spiritism: its rationality,
its common sense or the information it contains?
Everything. The Gospel According to Spiritism is
really extraordinary. Everything is so logical. I wish I
could put into practice a little bit of what it is
taught in that book.
Do you have any memories of any particular event when
your knowledge of Spiritism played an important part in
your role as a doctor?
I was once alone in the surgery centre of a clinic when
an anxious nurse came looking for me, as there was a
pregnant woman in labour. It was a very difficult
delivery. The patient’s hips were too narrow and the
baby was suffering. It was too later for a Caesarean
section! I tried to get the child out manually but I was
too anxious and failed. Then I suddenly heard a voice:
“Stop and calm down, as the child will turn around”. I
moved away, the child turned around and was born. I
attribute what happened solely to the Spiritual World.
What is your assessment of the public’s reaction and
interests regarding the activities offered by the
Spiritist Centre where you work as a volunteer?
I am happy when many people attend our activities, but
what really excites me is when I see that people are
connected, paying attention. When that happens, I know
beforehand that a great number of people will ask
interesting questions, will come back other times, buy
books and perhaps even ask for the regular activities of
our Group and eventually become a volunteer worker
Not all health sector professional accept the fact that
the Spiritual Benefactors help in the healing process.
How can you combine Medicine and Spirituality and
prayers, teaching all the importance of prayer and faith
in God?
I often say that Medicine is great, but God is above
everything. I often ask relatives to pray. But I am more
careful when it comes to recommending that patients pray
too. Coming from a doctor, some see it as some sort of
last rites.
If you could tell something to the wider public,
especially patients seeking help, and also to
Spiritists, what would your heart say to them?
I don’t know if many people will agree with me, but the
closer I get to Spirituality more good things happen
around me, even with patients who are terminal.
Sometimes patients are suffering so much and I realise
Medicine can no longer do anything and I pray for got to
take them away. Other times there are true “miracles”
that Medicine cannot explain. You can never take hope
away from patients. Human touch and words of
encouragement have magical power. Patients need to feel
that people care about them.
Is there anything you would like to add?
As painful as life may be, we cannot forget two things
that are often said but also very often ignored: if I
suffer, that happens for a reason I need to understand.
And life is too short for moaning. Let us make the most
of the time we have. Let’s clean up our mental home. Let
us live with happiness.
|