Gladis Pedersen de Oliveira (photo), our guest this week, is from the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. She has a degree in Education and is the author of many Spiritist books. She currently works as a volunteer in several Spiritist institutions in Rio Grande do Sul. She is also a former president of the state’s Spiritist Federation.

In this this interview, she speaks about the books she has published and her tireless work focusing on religious education for children and young people, which she sees as something of vital importance in the world we live in.

When did Spiritism enter your life? 

When I was still a child. I began studying the Teachings more in depth as a young woman, in1964. That’s when I showed the first ostensive signs of mediumship. When I arrived at the Allan Kardec Spiritist Society, very disturbed by that mediumship, I was guided in the right direction by the president of the organisation at the time, Waldemar Bozetti. I owe him and the other volunteers there my development within Spiritism.    

What was the first book you wrote?

The first one was A Missão e os Missionários (The Mission and the Missionaries) in 2009. This book tells the story of how the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (FEB) organised and implemented its religious education programme for young people. It also tells the story of Cecilia Rocha, an educator and a pioneer in that area in Brazil. The religious education of the young generations has always been my main concern.

What other books have you written? 

I have written many books, as well as articles published in Spiritist magazines and newspapers along the years. In 2013, I published A Literatura e a Magia da Arte de Contar Histórias (Literature and the Magical Art of Storytelling), which discusses the importance of the symbolic language used in literature. As well as entertaining and informing, literature educates and can help extract the divine potentials from the minds of children and young people. The parables of Jesus are a good example of that and they have an eternal appeal. Hans Christian Andersen has also left a trail of light with his tales.

I have published other books focusing on education, Spiritism and suicide. I have also compiled and published volumes 1 to 4 of the Conte Mais (Tell Me More) collection and 16 illustrated books for children and young people from the same collection.

Where did you get the inspiration to write children’s books?

The inspiration naturally came from the Spiritual mentors who are dedicated to the religious education of children. It’s a very meticulous work, which follows the guidance of the Spiritual team led by Dinah Fagundes Rocha. She is responsible for the creation of the stories that are part of the Conte Mais project, which I coordinated from 2000 to 2009. I have also noticed that we have enjoyed all along the support of Hans Christian Andersen’s Spiritual team.

Is there any reference in the works of Allan Kardec about Spiritist education for children?

Yes, you can find in the core works of Spiritism, including The Spirits’ Book, The Gospel According to Spiritism and Genesis, clear guidance on the importance of educating the soul on the path of good during the childhood and youth. That is the best time to do that.  

What is the importance of religious education for children at Spiritist Centres?

It is of vital importance to teach the Gospel for children and young people at Spiritist Centres. In that early phase of life, the incarnated Spirit is at their best position to absorb and develop those Teachings. That is the time to encourage their divine potentials to flourish, pointing towards the pathway that will take us all back to God one day. It is the right time to explain to young people what the real meaning of life is.  

What is the best way of preparing people who want to work as teachers of the Gospel for children?

The preparation can be done during special meetings and courses organised with that purpose. Basic aspects of education need to be learned, as well as special teaching techniques. And it’s important, of course, that the person has a good knowledge of the Spiritist Teachings. The internet is these days also an important tool. It gives potential teachers access to a great deal of information, but it is still important to hold face-to-face meetings in order to exchange information and experiences.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I would like to thank you for this opportunity and highlight once again the importance of educating our children and young people. They deserve our foremost attention. We must understand that phase of life provides the ideal conditions for them to be encouraged to develop their divine potential to the full.