Interview
por Guaraci de Lima Silveira

Year 11 - N° 518 - May 28, 2017

Author of the book Memória Espírita speaks to this magazine

 
Henderson Marques Lopes (photo) is an economist and lecturer retired from Juiz de Fora Federal University, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. He was born in a Spiritist family and is the current vice-president in Juiz de Fora of the Amor ao Próximo (Love Your Neighbour) Spiritist Centre and is a member of the editorial board of O Médium (The Medium) magazine. He is the author of the book, Memória Espírita (Spiritist Memory), which gathers historical dates and the lives of importante figures in Spiritism: 

Your life in the Spiritist Movement is rich? When did it start? 

At the end of the 1950s, when, still very Young, I joined the youth Spiritist Movement in my hometown, Além Paraíba. In January 1963, having already moved to Juiz de Fora, I was elected director of the Youth Department of the local Spiritist Federation. I joined the department in charge of child evangelisation in the 1970s and continued working for the Spiritist education of children and young people for nearly 40 years, until the end of 2007. 

What should be the main guidelines for the movement of unification of Spiritism? 

As well as organising well and planning, it is essential to observe and put into pratice in all our actions the words of Our Master Jesus when He tells us: “Love one another”.  

In your book, “Memória Espírita” (Spiritist Memory), published in August 2014, you make reference to the importance of preserving the memory of Spiritist facts and events. What else could you say about that? 

In a nutshell, repeating what I wrote there, I believe it is essential for the History of Spiritism to preserve its “memory” by gathering, preserving, organising and disseminating the data produced by the Spiritist Movement. To achieve that, it is necessary that Spiritist directors and volunteer workers become aware of what is produced in their own organisation. They need to organise the documents and the sources of their researches. Kardec himself, with his historic approach, made sure he registered the facts and impressions concerning the work he was carrying out as we can see in The Spiritist Review and Posthumous Works. We must also bear in mind that if it wasn’t for the notes of the Evangelists we would not know the acts and facts of the life of Our Master Jesus.  

How is your book structured? 

The book keeps a record of a number of events of the History of Spiritism, month by month, from January 1st to December 31st, from the phenomena of Hydesville to our days. It contains 240 mini-biographies, records of events (such as congresses, meetings etc.), dates when books were published, when magazines and other publications began, foundation dates of Spiritist organisation and other events in the history of the Brazilian and the world’s Spiritist Movement.  

Where can you buy it? 

I edited it privately. You can buy it or get other information through the following email address: hmarqueslopes@gmail.com.  

What would you like to say to the directors of the Spiritist organisations of today? 

That they seek, above all, direct their organisations putting into practice the law of justice, love and charity, as Jesus taught us; that they get trained on or improve their administration skills; that they strive to achieve, as Kardec taught (in Posthumous Works), the union (fraternity links) among Spiritist organisations, aiming to exchange experiences and achieving the Unification of the Spiritist Move-ment, which is so necessary.  

What is your assessment of the Spiritist Movement in Juiz de Fora and the rest of Brazil? 

I am optimistic and that must be the approach taken by all Spiritists. If each one of us works to strengthen and develop their Groups, in the light of the Gospel of Jesus and guided by the teachings of Kardec, we will be contributing towards the progress of the Brazilian Spiritist Movement.  

In your opinion, is Brazil really the Homeland of the Gospel and the Heart of the World? 

Without a shadow of a doubt. I firmly believe in that. Brazil is already playing a crucial role in the spiritual development of humankind through the continuous dissemi-nation of Spiritist ideas and principles in different sectors of the society. More and more people are seeking Spiritist Centres in recent year. People are eager to find out about the Teachings, which console us, clear our minds and free us from the fear and superstition we were used to in the past. 

We thank you and ask you to leave us with your final words. 

I am the one must thank you. I am grateful for your kindness, giving me the opportunity to speak to our dear friends and companions who read us. We will continue to be united, strengthened by the Love of Christ. We will play our part, which is small but important, I believe, helping to speed up the process of regeneration of this beautiful Plaent Earth, which houses us at the moment. May the Peace of Jesus be with everyone!


Translation:
Leonardo Rocha - l.rocha1989@gmail.com
 

 

     
     

O Consolador
 Revista Semanal de Divulgação Espírita