The thought above is by Bruno Freitas Godinho (photo) and was mentioned during the interview he gave us. Born into a Spiritist family in 1972, he is a Spiritist speaker and a volunteer worker at the Eterno Crescente Spiritist Society in Porto Alegre, the capital of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.

How did you begin your activities in the Spiritist Movement?

It was nearly 15 years ago. Even though I was born into a Spiritist family, I only became a Spiritist 16 years ago. Before that, I used to attend meetings with my mum and dad, who are also Spiritist. But, as we know, for one to become a Spiritist it is not enough simply to attend meetings at a Spiritist Group; we need to carry out our inner reform. So, this search for self-knowledge and this attempt to control my bad inclinations began about 16 years ago.

What subjects do you prefer to address at your talks and lectures?

I will talk about any issue I am invited to discuss. I will deal with its philosophical aspect, as well as the scientific and the religious ones. I have no preference. We know that these three aspects form the essence of Spiritism. There is really no preference and I see it as a challenge when I am given a subject to talk about. It makes me study that subject in depth and prepare for the occasion.

When we watch your talks and analyse them we understand that you have a great deal of knowledge, from those relating to ancient times to information about the stars in the universe, so to speak. Where does all that knowledge come from?

I really enjoy studying. And I learned the importance of studying since joining the Spiritist Movement. I’ve always kept strict discipline at home: after spending time with my family and looking after them in the evenings, I start studying from 10 or 11pm and go until 3 in the morning. I’ve been doing that for almost 16 years. We know that to acquire knowledge we need to keep a method and we need to add the efforts made in the current incarnation to those of previous existences.

You have focused your efforts in the Spiritist Movement on young people. Why?

The young people of today are, as we know, old Spirits who are capable of receiving and absorbing the information that Spiritism provides in its three aspects (religious, philosophical and scientific). Many young people like to read and have access to digital books and texts. We believe that they are Spirits who are ready to truly absorb the Spiritist Teachings. So, even though there is no preference on my part for this or that group, I must say that I am really fond of our youth.

Do you have any project or special plans for your future activities in the Spirtist Movement?

That is a very interesting question, which is asked to me for the first time. I never mentioned this before, with the exception of a few people. I want, indeed, to publish a study that we began some 10 years ago. But I wouldn’t like to take the credit. There are three books, which are ready, but I prefer not to mention it as yet as the right moment has not arrived.

How do you see the future of the Spiritist Movement in Brazil and the rest of the world?

If we bear in mind what Allan Kardec wrote, we will be able to build the Spiritist Movement as he advocated. He highlighted the importance of having several small or medium-sized Spiritist Centres in each town or city, instead of having a huge one. But the Spiritist Centres should all be united by fraternal bonds, helping each other and constantly exchanging information and experiences.

We would like you to close this interview with your thoughts on the current challenges faced by the Spiritist Movement.

Spiritism is always up to date, as Kardec said, because it puts together its philosophical approach, its scientific principles and the religious consequences in order to look in depth at the causes of the great challenges faced by humankind. Spiritism does not deal with external aspects. If we manage to understand that when we study Spiritism, we will then be able to keep the Teachings inside our hearts and take them with us wherever we go. Finally, I would like to say that Jesus is the model of perfection that God has given us so we can reach our spiritual rendition. And that Spiritism is the Gospel reborn under a new identity.