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Simoni Privato
Goldanich (photo)
has defied the
prejudices of so
many people she
has met as a
Spiritist worker
– family and
friends. But she
has stayed true
to her
convictions.
Simoni Privato
Goldanich was
born in São
Paulo and has
lived abroad
since 1999 –
living currently
in the Uruguayan
capital,
Montevideo. She
is a lawyer,
with a Master
Degree in
International
Law. As she
tells us in this
interview,
wherever she
went, she
continued to
work hard in the
Spiritist
Movement.
Why did you move
to Uruguay?
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My husband and I
are career
diplomats, and
that is why
we’ve lived
abroad since
1999. We lived
in the United
States, Ecuador
and twice in
Uruguay, where
we returned to
in August 2010. |
What has been in
your involvement
in the Spiritist
Movement?
I was one of the
founders of the
Bezerra de
Menezes
Spiritist
Society, in
Maryland, US,
and of Spiritist
Groups in
Montevideo (Grupo
Espirita Caridad);
Quito, in
Ecuador; Lima,
in Peru; and of
the Grupo
Virtual de
Estudios
Espíritas en
Español.
And what is your
role at the
moment?
I’m glad to be a
Spiritst worker
– the position
I’ve always
aspired to in
the Spiritist
Movement,
wherever I’ve
moved to. I work
at the Grupo
Espírita Caridad
de Montevideo
and dedicate
some of my time
to researching
and studying the
Doctrine. I’ve
already
published five
books in
Spanish. I also
give public
speeches and
lectures, which
provide me with
the opportunity
to carry out
very valuable
exchange with
Spiritist
brothers and
sisters form
other countries.
That experience
has helped me a
great deal in my
research. In
January this
year, to mark
the 150th
anniversary of
The Mediums’
Book, I
began a project
with Spiritist
videos in
Spanish.
What was your
first contact
with Spiritism?
I’ve always had
a great interest
in getting to
know more about
Spiritism, since
I was a small
child. I had
visions of
spirits, I had
intuitions about
Allan Kardec,
but I was
brought up in a
Catholic family.
So in the
current
incarnation, my
first contact
with Spiritism
happened when I
was 17. That’s
when met two
Spiritist
colleagues at
work, at the São
Paulo State
Medical
Association. I
showed interest
and they took me
to a meeting at
the São Paulo
Spiritist
Federation. I
attended a
lecture and the
day after
enrolled on one
of their
courses. I
continued to
study when I
moved to
Brasília, where
I was studying
to become a
diplomat. In
sum, even though
I only got in
touch with
Spiritism when I
was a teenager,
I can honestly
say that I have
always been a
Spiritist. And I
will always be.
Do you think any
special
circumstance
played its part
in your initial
contact with
Spiritism?
As we know,
chance doesn’t
exist. There’s a
reason for
everything.
Since I met
those two
colleagues, I
felt really
close to them,
some spiritual
link. I was very
young and they
were both a lot
older. One of
them was
80-something at
the time. It’s
clear that our
meeting had been
planned before
our incarnation.
Naturally, I
would have liked
to have joined a
Spiritist Centre
earlier, and
studied the
Doctrine, but
there’s a time
for everything.
How did your
family react?
My mother was
brought up in
fear of
Spiritism. She
would even cross
the road,
scared, to avoid
walking past any
Spiritist
Centres. At the
time, the only
Spiritist in our
family was a
discarnate
brother of a
grandfather,
whom I never
met. Despite
being seen by
everyone as a
very good man
and a much-loved
member of the
family, he was a
victim of
prejudice. He
was even seen as
an odd man whose
sanity was put
in doubt. As for
me, my family
didn’t open
oppose to my
involvement with
Spiritism, as
they knew it
would only
reinforce my
determination.
They simply
refrained from
encouraging me.
Those who know
me well are
aware that my
conviction and
dedication to
Spiritism won’t
change. My
encouragement
comes from
having a clear
conscience and
knowing that I’m
doing my duty.
Even now, 25
years after my
initial contact
with Spiritism,
some people will
still see me as
a witch or a mad
woman. I’ve also
heard from more
educated people
ironic and
sarcastic
remarks. But
nothing of that
affects me. I
know that
Spiritism is a
universal
belief: it’s
just a matter of
time. Those who
aren’t still
able to
understand
Spiritism will
get it one day.
At a personal
level, I thank
God from the
bottom of my
heart, for
allowing me to
have knowledge
of Spiritism.
And I am
particularly
grateful to all
the pioneers who
faced so much
prejudice and
yet never gave
up, leaving us
this wonderful
and most
valuable legacy,
which shines our
path and
comforts us.
Which of the
three aspects of
Spiritism –
science,
philosophy and
religion – means
the most to you?
The three of
them. Spiritism
is a diamond
that must not be
fragmented. The
three aspects
complement each
other. I attempt
to study,
practice and
disseminate the
teachings of the
Doctrine. The
religious aspect
of Spiritism is
often the object
of
misunderstandings.
But Allan Kardec
was very clear
in his speech at
the Parisian
Society of
Spiritist
Studies, on
November 1st
1868, titled
Is Spiritism a
Religion?
What are your
favourite
Spiritist
authors?
First of all,
Allan Kardec.
After Kardec,
there’s a great
number of
remarkable
Spiritist
authors,
including Léon
Denis, Bezerra
de Menezes, José
Maria Fernández
Colavida, Amalia
Domingo Soler,
Emmanuel, André
Luiz, Manoel
Philomeno de
Miranda, Joanna
de Ângelis,
Francisco
Thiesen, Marco
Prisco, Vianna
de Carvalho.
Among incarnate
Spiritist
authors, I would
mention Suely
Caldas Schubert,
Adilton Pugliese,
Marlene Nobre,
Geraldo Campetti
Sobrinho and the
team of the
Project Manoel
Philomeno de
Miranda.
Thankfully
humankind can
enjoy a vast
number of good
Spiritist
authors. These
are just some of
the good ones,
not all of them.
It would be
impossible to
mention
everyone.
What books are
indispensable
for beginners in
Spiritism?
The works of
Allan Kardec are
indispensable
for anyone who
really wants to
get to know
Spiritism. There
are many good
books, but none
of them can
replace the
works of
Kardec.
Tell us a bit
about the
Spiritist
Movement in
Uruguay. How and
when did it
begin?
According to
Spiritist
publications
from the time,
it began in the
XIX Century,
coming from
Europe and
influenced
mainly by the
man who is
considered the
Spanish Kardec,
José María
Fernández
Colavida. The
Uruguayan
Spiritist
Movement is now
coordinated by
the Uruguayan
Spiritist
Federation,
which hosts ten
Spiritist Groups
and Centres
across the
country. The
Grupo Espírita
Caridad de
Montevideo was
founded on April
28th
2004. Its main
activities are
study of the
Doctrine,
mediumship,
healing and
charity work.
Our group also
carries out
specific
activities, like
the training of
new Spiritist
workers. We have
a strong
emphasis on
studying the
Doctrine,
particularly
Kardec’s works,
and charity
towards
incarnates and
discarnates.
How do
Uruguayans react
to Spiritism?
After living in
different
countries, with
different
cultures and
languages, I
have come to the
conclusion that
human beings
face the same
challenges. We
are all in need
of the
enlightenment
and comfort
provided by
rational faith,
by Spiritism.
However, the
time to leave
behind the “old
man” hasn’t come
to all. And
there are many
who are still
attached to
preconceived
ideas that come
in the way of
their
enlightenment.
But the seed
will always find
a spot on the
ground to
germinate; there
will always be
good hearts
willing to
understand and
to serve Jesus,
as in the
Parable of the
Sower. We must
continue to sow
our seeds,
making a
concerted effort
all the way to
be faithful
gardeners.
How did you come
up with the idea
of making a
series of videos
based on The
Mediums’ Book?
As I was writing
some of the
books I
published,
Spiritual
Benefactors
showed me a type
of book they
have in the
Spiritual World
that allow its
written content
to be broadcast
in 3D. Based on
those
experiences, and
guided by the
Spiritual World,
I began to work
also on sound
and video, and
the result of
that effort is
the series of
videos
Mediumship and
Spiritism.
The subject is
to mark the 150th
anniversary of
the publication
of Allan
Kardec’s The
Mediums’ Book.
It is aimed
at encouraging
the study of
that important
book and at
highlighting the
importance of
taking
mediumship
seriously. It
will help
disseminate
Spiritist to a
wider audience.
Tell us more
about the
project. How
many videos have
you produced,
how many more
are being
planned?
The series
Mediumship and
Spiritism is
made up of 12
videos, which
will be made
available on the
last week of
each month, from
January to
December 2011,
on the Youtube
channel
TheEstudiosEspiritas.
Here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TheEstudiosEspiritas&aq=f
.
What’s been the
impact of those
videos?
The reaction has
been very
positive. In
more than a
month on
Youtube, the
first video had
been played more
than 1,000 times
in several
continents. We
have received
messages from
people in many
countries. That
sort of impact
is a reminder of
the
responsibility
we all have when
we take on such
a task. I have
continued to
study, and have
also prayed and
meditated a lot.
It is very
important that
the Spiritist
message be
properly
explained and
represented
through those
videos.
Are crime and
violence really
on the increase
or is that a
perception
created by the
media? What is
the best way to
proceed anyway
in order to
achieve piece on
Earth?
We know there’s
a tendency to
highlight the
rise in acts of
violence. But
one must not
forget that
alongside all
that violence
that is real we
have good people
working for
Good, often in
silence and
anonymously. One
thing I have
observed across
the world is the
growing number
of people
involved in
voluntary and
missionary work,
in works really
of love and
peace. As for
the best
approach to deal
with violence,
let us be
instruments of
peace, as
Francis of
Assisi taught
us. But to
achieve that we
must first be in
peace with
ourselves, in
our hearts. Let
us be good men
and women, true
Spiritists, so
we can take
peace to our
homes, to our
workplaces, to
the social
groups we belong
to.
The planet has
already entered
its new phase,
that of a world
of Regeneration.
This new phase
is still in its
first steps.
When will the
transition be
over?
The time needed
to fully
implement
Regeneration on
Earth will
depend on what
each one of us
does. We have
the power to
speed up or
delay the whole
process. It’s
really up to our
personal effort
and our
contribution to
our own
development and
the general
spiritual
progress of the
planet.
What should be
the priority of
all Spiritist
workers in the
face of the
problems the
whole world is
facing?
In my opinion,
we should all –
be it directors
of Spiritist
groups or
federations or
simple Spiritist
workers – live
according to the
teachings of
Jesus Christ.
That is the way
for all of us.
Finally, tell
us: what does
Spiritism mean
to you? How
important is it
in your life?
Paul of Tarsus
said it was no
longer he who
lived, but
Christ lived in
him. That’s how
it should be
with all of us
Spiritists:
Spiritism can’t
be simply a
belief, but
instead
something we
truly live. It
should be fully
incorporated
into our lives,
so that we can
became a
constant
reminder of the
principles we
profess. I’m not
able yet to make
mine the words
of Paul, but I
can have that as
a goal, a
target. Despite
still dealing
with many
internal
challenges and
flaws, I can say
I have worked
hard in order to
be able to say
one day, in the
future, that
Christ lives in
me.