Ana Silvia Pozzi:
“The good mood,
happiness
and the
dedication of
all in
our Spiritist
Centre are
really
contagious…”
The President of
the Comunhão
Espírita Bezerra
de Menezes, in
the town of
Campo Lindo
Paulista, talks
about her early
days in
Spiritism and
the activities
carried out at
the Spiritist
Centre
|
Ana Silvia Pozzi
(photo),
from the
Brazilian state
of São Paulo,
became a
Spiritist in
1996. She lives
in Campo Lindo
Paulista, where
she works as a
dentist. She is
a volunteer
member and
current
President of the
Comunhão
Espírita Bezerra
de Menezes. In
this interview,
she talks about
Spiritism in a
small town and
her involvement
in the study
|
and
dissemination of
the Teachings: |
How did you
become a
Spiritist?
I went to a
Spiritist Centre
for the first
time in 1991 to
seek treatment
for a very bad
back pain, which
failed to
respond to any
medical
treatment. I did
not accept
Spiritism at the
time, but I
agreed to go to
Fonte de Luz
(which is linked
to an
Afro-Brazilian
spiritual
religion but
also hosts talks
on Spiritism),
where they do
healing. I
carried on
attending
regular meetings
in the Catholic
Church, however.
When our son
Marcelo was born
in 1993, he
needed emergency
surgery. He was
only two months’
old and that led
us to question
many issues.
That is when
someone
recommended that
we read The
Gospel According
to Spiritism.
In 1996 se began
attending
regular
Spiritist
meetings in the
city of Jundiaí
and in 1999 we
finally joined
the Comunhão
Espírita Bezerra
de Menezes, in
Campo Lindo
Paulista, which
was founded 9n
1975 by a group
of friends.
The Spiritist
Group you attend
is known for the
harmony between
its members.
What is the
secret for
that?
The good mood,
happiness and
dedication of
all in our
Spiritist Centre
are really
contagious… That
is a
characteristic
of our group. We
also highlight
the importance
of transparency,
honesty and
respect in order
to overcome the
problems. We
also try to put
into practice
those values. We
have enormous
gratitude for
this Spiritist
Centre, where we
have received so
much.
In its 40 years,
the organisation
has already
expanded its
headquarters and
its range of
activities many
times. Tell us a
bit more about
that.
In 1975, they
built a 40
square
metre-room on
the ground
floor. Around
1995, they added
a first floor,
with 60 square
metres. In 2005,
we felt we
needed more
space and we
built two extra
rooms in each
floor, each one
with 60 square
metres. In 2015,
we expanded our
area by 30
square metres.
The top floor
has a conference
room for 150
people. We need
now to modernise
the stairs to
make access
easier for
everyone. All
that has been
possible thanks
to the
continuous
growth of
interest for
Spiritism in the
area.
Tell us a bit
more about the
town where you
live.
Campo Lindo
Paulista became
an independent
municipality in
1964. It used to
be part o
Jundiaí. The
area was named
by the first
inhabitants, who
found a vast
“beautiful
field” (campo
lindo in
Portuguese)
here. There are
79,892
inhabitants in
Campo Lindo. Of
these, 39,134
say they are
Catholics;
23,643 say they
are Protestant
Evangelicals;
and 1,209,
Spiritists.
What is the main
activity carried
out by the local
Spiritist
Groups?
It is fraternal
assistance, our
counselling:
helping those
who come to us
in need. And
also helping
disseminate the
Teachings
through talks,
seminars and
study groups.
Is there
anything else
you would like
to add?
The Comunhão
Espírita Bezerra
de Menezes is
ready to welcome
all your readers
with a warm
embrace. I would
like, finally,
to express my
gratitude to God
and to Dr
Bezerra de
Menezes, to my
dear family, to
my friends in
this blessed
organisation and
the friends I
have met through
Spiritism.