Luiz Cláudio da
Silva:
“Children should
be taking part
in the Gospel in
the Home even
before they are
born”
Our fellow
Spiritist from
São Paulo state
shares his
experience and
thoughts on the
campaign he
coordinates at
state level to
encourage
Spiritists to do
the Gospel in
the Home
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Luiz Cláudio da
Silva (photo)
was born in a
Spiritist family
in the city of
Santo André, in
São Paulo state,
where he still
lives. He has a
degree in
Business
Administration
and has his own
business. In
Santo André, he
works as a
volunteer at the
Spiritist Centre
Bezerra de
Menezes. He
coordinates a
national
campaign to
disseminate the
practice of
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the Gospel in
the Home and in
the Heart among Spiritists. |
How did your
involvement with
the campaign
begin?
In the early
1990s I began to
realise that
there was very
little
information
about on the
Gospel in the
Home. I decided
to do some
research and I
soon enough
found the answer
for the lack of
information. As
the Gospel in
the Home (-- a
gathering that
usually takes
place once a
week at home,
with family
members, to read
and comment The
Gospel According
to Spiritism and
other Spiritist
books) is such a
basic staple of
Spiritism in
Brazil, many
people simply in
the Movement did
not feel the
need to
disseminate its
practice. Many
believed that a
simple nod or
hint would get
people hooked.
They also
assumed that all
Spiritists would
know what to do,
but many simply
don’t. The first
campaign to
disseminate the
Gospel in the
Home was carried
out in 2005 at
state level
only. In 2007 I
was invited to
take over the
campaign. It was
only in 2008
that it was
implemented at a
national level
in Brazil.
What has been
the impact and
feedback?
Always very
positive. People
come to me to
ask for
recommended
books to be read
during the
Gospel in the
Home. They also
ask questions
such as the
ideal time and
day to do it,
whether pets can
take part too
and whether
their home will
be protected
from burglars
and robbers once
they start the
weekly meetings…
What do you need
now to push the
campaign
forward?
We need more
volunteers,
people who
embrace the
cause and are
willing to work
in the
dissemination
campaigns.
What about the
participation of
children in the
Gospel in the
Home? Is that
something you
are working on
in the
campaign?
We have been
insisting with
Spiritist
Centres and all
the key people
in the Spiritist
Movement to
encourage the
participation of
children in the
campaign and in
the Gospel in
the Home, which
is a moment of
communion with
God. Children
should be taking
part in the
Gospel in the
Home even before
they are born.
We have been
recommending
appropriate
books for
children during
the meetings. We
also suggest
ways of getting
children
involved, such
as asking them
to make the
opening prayer
or to prepare
the books ahead
of the meeting.
What needs to be
done to get
Spiritist
Centres and
Federations
across the
country to put
the programme
into practice?
This is a long
journey, but not
an impossible
one. We are the
difficult stage
now of raising
awareness among
those in charge
of Spiritist
Centres and
Federations. In
our efforts we
are constantly
encouraged by
the Spiritual
Benefactors, who
are doing the
real work here.
Joanna de
Ângelis, mentor
of the great
Brazilian medium
Divaldo Franco,
talks
extensively in
one of her books
(Liberta-te
do Mal)
about common
problems faced
by children
these days, such
as Attention
Deficit Disorder
(ADD) and
hyperactivity.
This is a book
that should be
studied by many
families in the
Gospel in the
Home. That would
help the
complimentary
work with those
children at the
Spiritist
Centres they
attend
regularly.
Your final
thoughts,
please.
It is important
to understand
that the Gospel
in the Home and
in the Heart
must take a
position of
prominence,
always, among
Spiritists.
Workers and
volunteers in
the Spiritist
Movement should
be aware of its
importance. In
each and every
meeting, event,
activity in
Spiritist
Centres, we must
be able to find
easily folders,
posters and
other
information
material on the
Gospel in the
Home. I invite
all of you to
join the
campaign. You
will see that
the joy of
helping others
achieve a degree
of happiness is
the best reward
that there could
possibly be. Let
us do our part.
I appreciate the
help from the
Spiritual
Benefactors and
the Spiritist
Movement in
Brazil for
allowing me the
opportunity of
being part of
this effort. We
will have a
seminar between
April 18th
and 25th
in the city of
Santos that will
discuss several
issues,
including the
Gospel in the
Home and in the
Heart campaign.
If you want to
get involved and
help the
campaign, please
get in touch
through
use@usesp.org.br
or telephone
number +55 11
29506554.
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