Alessandro Viana
Vieira de
Paula:
“Spiritism is a
lighthouse
guiding our
lives”
The well-known
Spiritist
speaker from
Brazil’s São
Paulo state
talks about his
role in the
dissemination of
the work
of the
great medium,
José Raul Teixeira
|
Alessandro Viana
Vieira de Paula
(photo)
has been a
Spiritist for 30
years. He is a
judge by
profession and a
well-known
Spiritist
lecturer and
public speaker.
In the 150th
anniversary of
the publication
of The Gospel
According to
Spiritism, he
talks about the
work of the
Brazilian
medium, Raul
Teixeira, and
the challenges
faced by the Spiritist
|
Movement.
Raul Teixeira is
ill after
collapsing
during a flight
from Brazil to
the United
States. Since
that incident,
you have
dedicated your
efforts to
disseminating
his work. What
can you tell us
about that
experience? |
It has been a
very positive
experience, as
his works are so
relevant for
Spiritism. I
admire the
manner in which
his Spiritual
guide, Camilo,
goes about the
several issues,
with a high
level and at the
same time a very
unique pedagogy.
By selling the
books, I also
help raise funds
for Raul
Teixeira’s
charitable
organisation,
Remanso Fraterno,
which holds the
copyrights.
What have you
learned from
your friendship
with him?
I thank God for
the friendship
with Raul. His
joy to be alive,
the fidelity to
the Gospel and
the common sense
in matters of
Spiritism are
remarkable.
Also, being with
him in so many
occasions I had
the opportunity
to discuss
matters related
to the Spiritist
Movement and the
Teachings. After
he had his
stroke, he
continues to
teach me, as he
has remained
faithful to
everything he
taught in 42
years of
Spiritism.
You travel the
country
disseminating
the Teachings.
What is your
assessment of
the Spiritist
Movement?
I have met
amazing
Spiritist
friends,
completely
dedicated to the
activities in
their groups.
But the vast
majority of
Spiritists in
Brazil still
does not read or
study as they
should. That
opens the doors
for the
acceptance of
books and
articles in the
Spiritist
Movement that
clash with the
principles laid
out by Allan
Kardec. The
Spirit of Truth,
in The Gospel
According to
Spiritism,
alerted
Spiritists to
the need of
combining love
and education.
The lack of love
brings about
feuds and
disputes among
Spiritists. The
lack of
theoretical
knowledge leads
to unfounded
opinions and
clashes and
splits in the
Movement.
How will Brazil
manage to
overcome its
huge social
problems and
become a
successful
nation?
The social
challenges are
at a high peak
due to the
period we are
going through in
Spiritual terms
– the transition
to a world of
Regeneration. As
we know, those
who commit evil
acts just for
the sake of it
will be
transferred to
other worlds.
But the great
obstacle for the
Spiritual
progress of the
planet is the
lack of action
by those who are
neutral. They do
neither good nor
bad deeds. That
is why we have
now so much pain
and suffering
around. That
seems to be the
only effective
way of waking us
up to our
Christian
responsibilities,
to the fact that
we need to be
useful to and
help one another
and help our
society, playing
an active role
in the
construction of
the society of
the future.
What is your
view on the 150th
anniversary of
publication of
The Gospel
According to
Spiritism?
This is a theme
I will focus on
in my lectures
and talks this
year. This book
puts us a lot
closer to
Christ, it
teaches us how
to put into
practice what he
preached. As
Allan Kardec
explains in the
book’s
introduction the
moral of Jesus
is
unquestionable
and does not
generate
controversy.
What I can say
is that we need
to be reminded
of his Teachings
more often so we
can have more
good people in
our society.
Is there a
remarkable event
or experience
from your life
in Spiritism?
Having visited
the great
medium, Chico
Xavier, in the
city of Uberaba
when he was
nearly 90 and
very frail.
There was a huge
queue of people
waiting to see
him. The woman
ahead of me on
the queue had a
picture of her
son, who had
passed away.
When she showed
it to Chico, he
took it and
kissed it with
so much love
that that mother
knew for sure
that her son
would receive
the needed
Spiritual
assistance. This
mother went away
feeling
comforted and
cared for,
despite not
having heard a
single word from
Chico.
How would you
sum up your
enthusiasm for
the
dissemination of
Spiritism?
In such a
disturbed and
materialistic
world as planet
Earth, Spiritism
has been a
lighthouse
guiding my life,
allowing me to
stay afloat on
the corporeal
ship that is our
body.
Your final
thoughts,
please.
May we continue
to be encouraged
by the beauty of
Spiritism,
keeping the
enthusiasm of
our early days
in the Spiritist
Movement. The
joy of being
alive and
helping others
as well as the
fidelity to the
Gospel should be
paramount in our
lives, aiding
those who are
still in the
dark and need a
bit of light. As
the Spirit of
Truth teaches us
in the
introduction of
The Gospel
According to
Spiritism, may
we join the
Divine Concert,
with Jesus as
the director of
our lives.
|