Gustavo Cesar Gandolfi (photo) was born into a Spiritist familiy in the Brazilian city of Araraquara, in the state of São Paulo, where he still lives and works as a lawyer. He is a founding member and current president of the Chico Xavier Fraternity Home and coordinator of the Francis of Assisi Gospel Research Centre. In this interview he speaks about his work in the Spiritist Movement in his city. 

When was the Chico Xavier Fraternity Home founded?

A Casa foi fundada em 16/12/2014. Surgiu pela comunhão de ideais e a busca de estabelecer uma Casa Espírita na região daperiferia de Araraquara, com objetivo 

It was founded on December 16th, 2014, with the ideal of setting up a Spiritist Centre in the poorer outskirts of Araraquara. It aims to take the consoling message of Christ, which we find in the Gospel According to Spiritism and to create an institution to help the development of children and teenagers through the arts. 
Why did you put the word fraternity in the name?

Allan Kardec, in The Genesis, chapter XVIII, item 17, says that fraternity will be at the core of the new social order. Emmanuel in O Consolador, question 350, tells us that fraternity can be translated as sincere and legitimate cooperation in all the tasks we carry out in life. He adds that personalism cannot survive in any true form of cooperation, brotherhood, union, harmony etc. So, when we decided to include the word fraternity in the name of the group, we meant to associate to these principles and we highlighted that only through fraternity we will achieve the goals we have set up for our group.  

What is your assessment of the progress you have achieved in these few years since the group's foundation?

We would always like to offer more, to help others more often and be better at what we do. However, taking into account the physical limitations we have at our premises, we must accept that we are doing very well under the circumstance. Our main goal is to take the message of the Christ reborn to the hearts of the people and we are doing that. 

How do you describe the work atmosphere? Is it one of harmony and union?

Gratitude, hard work and resignation. I could highlight many other points. But I think it is enough to recognise the great effort carried out by everyone. At the Fraternity Home we understand that we are committed to Spiritism and, for that very reason, we all carry out our work in silence and with love, giving our best. And we have been getting the results from that. 

How do you coordinate actions with other Spiritist centres in the city?

The Fraternity Home makes a concerted effort to take an active part in the Spiritist Movement of our region. As our commitment is with the gospel of Jesus and Spiritism, we understand that we must be integrated to the wider Spiritist Movement. We volunteer to take part in a number of actions and activities so that we help hold the flag of Spiritism always high up. 

How can people donate for the new facilities you are building to house the Fraternity Home?
The Fraternity Home needs all the help it can get. Those who want to make a donation should use the bank account we have opened specially for that: Banco Sicred – Agência: 3009 - Conta Corrente n.º 9935-0 - CNPJ/MF n.º21.597.113/0001-96. If anyone can also donate building materials, that would be very helpful.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We thank you for the opportunity of giving this interview. I would like to add that we know that we owe so much from things we have done in past lives and that the work we carry out amounts to only a small part of that debt. But I believe this is the beginning of a process, in which we will heal the pain of other people in ourselves. We thank you once again for your generosity and attention.