Valter Ribeiro de Lima (photo) is a retired metal worker in the Brazilian city of Caxias do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. He is a member of the ACELG Spiritist Centre, which stands for Associação Cultural Espírita Lajeado Grande, in the neighbouring city of São Francisco de Paula. A dedicated Spiritist speaker, he talked to us about his experience in the Spiritist Movement:

How did you become a Spiritist?

It was thanks to a charitable act of a work colleague. He was a Spiritist and his exemplary behaviour had caught my attention. I observed that he managed to remain calm when facing problems or challenges. The advice he gave to other people was remarkable. Once, during a break, I asked him what his religion was and he told me he was a Spiritist. He talked to me about the Teachings and one day he gave me a book as a present. It was The Gospel According to Spiritism. I began reading it and I simply loved it. I consulted it at every opportunity, at every doubt or problem I had. It brought peace to my soul. I found out that life continues and that we are immortal Spirits. Based on that experience, I recommend that whenever the opportunity arises, we give a Spiritist book to those who come across our lives. It will certainly bring them enlightenment and consolation. 

What are the most striking aspects of Spiritism?

It’s the love and compassion that it encompasses. It’s also the opportunity that it provides for us to practise charity. How many good examples did Chico Xavier give us? Jerônimo Mendonça was another great example of resignation and perseverance. Known as the Giant Lying Down, because he was confined to bed during the final 32 years of his life [he suffered with serious arthritis as a teenager was became tetraplegic at the age of 20], he eventually became bind but never stopped travelling to all parts of the country, carried by his friends, to help disseminate Spiritism. He never faltered. That’s something that touches my heart: the faith, the persistence and the courage of these amazing Spiritist workers. Divaldo Pereira Franco, the medium and benefactor, is another example of someone who has made tireless efforts to sow stars across the world. 

And what would you highlight from the core principles of Spiritism?

The proposal of moral transformation, which is at the core of Spiritism. When we start studying Spiritism, we realise that we must progress or grow from a spiritual or moral perspective. We understand that we won’t be able to develop all our virtues in a single existence. Allan Kardec opens the doors of the Spirit World to us, bringing us messages from the immortal Spirits who share their experiences and their wisdom with us. They prompt us to follow in the path of good and love. As Jesus said: “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

What would you like to highlight from the history of the Spiritist Movement in the state of Rio Grande do Sul?

We were very fortunate to enjoy the presence of missionaries who came here from other countries. That was the case of Angel Aguarod, Spanish; José Simões de Mattos, Portuguese; Francisco Valdomiro Lorenz, Czech; and Francisco Spinelli, who came from Italy at the age of 18. Aguarod was the president of the state’s Spiritist Federation in 1926, when Mattos was his vice-president. Spinelli, who was the federation’s president in 1952, used to travel across the state on donkey back to propagate Spiritism, overcoming the cold weather, exhaustion and health issues. Spinelli also travelled around the country to promote the unification of Spiritism. Lorenz was a teacher and walked 12 km a day to go to school, in order to support his large family. He worked all day and still found time, at night, to help others as a homoeopathic doctor. And after getting home, late at night, he sat down and wrote Spiritist books (73 published works in total).

And what is your assessment of the increasing role of the internet in the dissemination of Spiritism?

This is, undoubtedly, a great opportunity to disseminate and also to unify Spiritism. We need to make the most of it and get into people’s homes with the Spiritist message, with meetings, seminars, congress and live broadcasts, which also reach other countries. Many people I know have done an amazing job. But we must bear in mind that the online tools have come to add to what we had, not to eliminate the face-to-face work that we did before. People need to have this personal contact, to hug each other and shake hands. We should be able to keep offering both online and face-to-face meetings, study groups and talks. That would enable people who aren’t able to attend in person, because of health matters or other issues, to benefit from all Spiritist activities. 

And how do you see the Spiritist Movement in this particular period of our planet?