César Moron:
“The Chico
Xavier
Association is
dedicated
primarily to the
dissemination of
Spiritism”
The fellow
Spiritist from
Brazil’s São
Paulo state
discusses the
goals and
principles of
the Chico Xavier
Association,
which
he directs
in
the city of
Bauru
 |
César Moron
(photo), a
retired banker
in the city of
Bauru, in São
Paulo state, is
a volunteer
worker at the
Spiritist Centre
Vicente de Paulo
and president of
the Chico Xavier
Association,
founded nine
years ago. In
this interview,
he talks about
the idea behind
the Association
and its main
aims:
|
|
Why was the
Association
named after
Chico Xavier? |
We wanted to
recognise the
crucial role the
late Brazilian
medium, Chico
Xavier
(Francisco
Cândido Xavier),
played in the
dissemination of
Spiritism. He
was a great
Spiritist
communicator and
that is one of
the main reasons
a group of
Spiritists from
the city of
Bauru decided to
pay homage to
him when it
founded an
organisation
aimed at the
dissemination of
the Teachings
codified by
Allan Kardec.
When was the
Association
founded? What
was its main
goal?
It was founded
on June 8th
2005 as
Associação Chico
Xavier para
Divulgação
Espírita (Chico
Xavier
Association for
the
Dissemination of
Spiritism). It
was aimed at
using the media
(radio,
television and
Internet) to
spread out the
core principles
of Spiritism and
other moral
values. That is
part of an
effort to
contribute to
the ethical,
cultural and
religious
development of
society. Now
that we have
gone over this
initial phase of
setting up the
Association from
a legal point of
view and
establishing its
infrastructure,
we are focusing
on producing
programmes for
television and
the Internet.
You have also
set up a
partnership with
the Cairbar
Schutel
Institute. How
did that come
about?
The Chico Xavier
Association and
the Cairbar
Schutel
Institute have
signed a
partnership to
edit, a part of
a join project,
the Tribuna
do Espiritismo
newspaper.
We have the same
aims and thought
the partnership
would strengthen
both
organisations.
What has been
the impact of
that
partnership?
We are very
happy to join
our efforts in
the
dissemination of
Spiritism. We
have been
getting positive
feedback about
the publication
of the
Tribuna do
Espiritismo
newspaer and I
am sure our
joint efforts
will bear many
more fruits in
the future.
What is the
Chico Stand?
It is a stand
that sells
Spiritist books
at the Bauru
street market.
It sells about
80 books every
Sunday to a non-Spiritist
public. It is a
very successful
enterprise in
the
dissemination of
Spiritism
amongst the
wider public.
Does the
Association have
its own
offices?
Yes, but we are
still doing work
to finish off
our premises. We
are building an
extra area where
we will be able
to record
Spiritist
programmes.
What has been
the main lesson
learned along
all these years
at the
Association?
We have gone
through several
phases in the
past nine years
and we have
noticed big
changes in the
media. I could
say we are going
through a true
media
revolution. The
Internet has
forced us to
review many
concepts and
possibilities in
the
dissemination of
Spiritism. We
have learned
from our
experiences, our
errors and
successes and
have decided to
set up a hub to
produce
Spiritist
programmes in
several cities.
People from
other Brazilian
cities are being
encouraged to
join us in this
effort, to share
experiences and
help us develop,
together, new
projects for TV,
Internet and
print media.
A final
question: what
are the
Association’s
main priorities
at this stage
and how can
people help
contribute to
your efforts?
We have the
following
projects
underway: we are
building the
studio (for the
production of
programmes), we
have the Chico
Stand
(second-hand
Spiritist
books), the
Online Spiritism
Course (to be
launched
shortly), the
“And Life Goes
On” project (All
Saints Day at
the cemetery),
the Spiritist
Book Fair and
the Tribuna
do Espiritismo
newspaper.
What we need?
Donations to buy
more books, to
produce printed
messages and
textbooks for
our courses and
to produce and
record
programmes. We
would also
gladly accept
donations of
filming and
studio
equipment.
Can you give us
the details for
those who wish
to make a
donation?
Yes. The
Association has
its own bank
account.
Bank: 104 –
Caixa Econômica
Federal. Branch:
4210.
Bank account:
003359-7. For
those who wish
to make contact
and need extra
information, our
phone number is
+ 55 14
32411857. Our
email is:
contato@associacaochicoxavier.com.br.
