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Antônio da Cruz
Leal (photo)
was born in
Aveiro,
Portugal, and
has lived in
London since
1991. Since
joining the
Spiritist
Movement 18
years ago he
became an
enthusiastic,
hard-working
volunteer. He is
a founding
member of the
Solidarity
Spiritist
Society and has
fulfilled
different roles
at the British
Union of
Spiritist
Societies
(BUSS). He has
also
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engaged in a
beautiful
campaign called
Operation
Christmas Child,
of which Antonio
Leal talks about
in this
interview: |
Tell us about
your
participation in
the Spiritist
Movement in the
United Kingdom.
The invitations
began coming to
me as soon as I
joined the
Movement. The
Solidarity
Spiritist
Society has now
celebrated its
15th
anniversary.
I’ve been its
vice-president
and took part in
many projects. I
was also a
treasurer and
counsellor at
BUSS.
What is your
main activity in
the Movement
now?
I coordinate the
study group at
Solidarity and I
am also in
charge of a
charity project
and fraternal
assistance, or
counselling. At
our British
Federation,
BUSS, I am in
charge of the
audiovisual side
of big events
and coordinate
Operation
Christmas
Child.
When was your
first contact
with Spiritism?
About 18 years
ago. I must
emphasize,
however, that I
first got in
touch with other
forms of
Spirituality
much earlier in
my life, through
relatives in
Portugal. That
is what we then
believed was
Spiritism.
Later, I came to
realise what I
had come across
was not really
Spiritism.
Is there any
event or
circumstance
that led to that
first contact
with the
Teachings?
I had serious
doubts about the
version of
Spiritualism I
found in
Portugal. I was
fatalistic and
mystified many
of the
day-to-day facts
of life. I
needed a safe
link to be able
to move forward.
It wats pain and
the help of a
good friend that
brought me into
Spiritism. I
felt I was
prepared to
receive the
Teachings. That
is when my past
doubts were
cleared and
“truth liberated
me”.
What was your
family’s
reaction?
It was good and
positive, but no
one really
understood the
step forward I
was making.
Which one of the
three aspects of
Spiritism –
science,
philosophy and
religion – means
the most to you?
Certainly the
religious
aspect, but I
have spent most
of my time and
energy studying
the scientific
approach of the
Teachings.
What Spiritist
book would you
pick as a
special one to
you? Why?
“Fifty Years
After,” by the
spirit Emmanuel
and written in
trance by Chico
Xavier. It was
the first
Spiritist book I
ever read and it
made a big
impression on
me.
You are the
coordinator of
the Operation
Christmas Child
2012. Tell us a
bit more about
the campaign.
The idea is to
send presents to
poor children in
shoeboxes. Many
schools,
churches and
other
organisations in
Britain take
part in the
campaign. The
boxes I then
taken to or
picked up by the
Samaritans
Purse, a charity
that checks the
contents and
send the boxes
to the various
national
processing
centres. The UK
contributed with
1.1 million
boxes last year,
destined mainly
to Eastern
Europe, Central
Asia and Africa.
This is the
seventh year
British
Spiritist Groups
take part in the
campaign.
How did you get
in touch with
the Samaritans?
Two Spiritist
friends got
other Spiritists
engaged in the
campaign for the
first time in
2005. We
realised the
Spiritist
participation
would die out
unless we did
something about
it. We at the
Solidarity
Spiritist Group
then got engaged
and got another
Spiritist Group
involved. The
campaign has
grown steadily.
More than 2,500
children around
the world have
so far received
Christmas
presents sent by
Spiritists in
the UK. We are
encouraged to
continue
collaborating
with the
campaign for two
main reasons:
the Samaritans’
amazing
organisation
skills and the
strong
international
credibility of
the Samaritans
Purse
International
Relief.
What is your
expectation for
this year’s
campaign?
The campaign has
continued to
grow, year after
year, even
during the worst
period of the
economic crisis
in Europe. The
number of boxes
we despatch is
important
indeed, but the
number of
Spiritist
volunteers
working in the
campaign is
equally or more
relevant. This
is about
encouraging the
practice of
charity. If we
manage to
prepare more
boxes than last
year, in other
words, if we
have more than
700 boxes, that
will be new
evidence that as
we work together
our love is
strengthened and
manages to move
new barriers.
What is the main
lesson you have
taken from all
those years in
the Christmas
campaign?
This is
something very
important in my
life. I have
helped give this
job structure
and identity and
it now walks
with its own
legs. All
Spiritist
Centres have
welcomed, many
friendships have
been made in
this process.
The trust and
confidence of
everyone has
been immensely
gratifying. But
the most
important and
inspiring is
seeing every
year the smile
of the children
who get their
little present.
For many of
them, it is the
first present
they get in
their lives.
And finally,
what does
Spiritism mean
to you? How
important is it
in your life?
Spiritism is the
light on my
path. The
Teachings
renewed the
values and the
faith that keep
me standing.
There is no way
back, as
everything
became part of
my way forward
and new
conquests. I
thank God
specially for
allowing me to
build a family
within Spiritism
and for seeing
my children
growing with
Spiritism within
their hearts. I
thank Jesus for
calling me into
action. And
thanks for this
opportunity, for
the attention
and affection
from O
Consolador.
I wish that the
voice of
compassion that
speaks loudly
inside of all of
us leads us
towards the
practice of
charity and
love.