Darcy Neves Moreira (photo) is a teacher with university degrees in Social Work and Education in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. She defines herself as an educator in the Spiritist Movement. She is a member of the Jorge Niemeyer Spiritist Centre in Rio, where she coordinates mediumship groups and gives lectures and talks. She is also on the board of directors of CEERJ, the Spiritist Council of the State of Rio de Janeiro. In this interview, she speaks about the youth Spiritist movement in the state of Rio.

When and how did you become a Spiritist?

A neighbour of mine was a medium and a Spirit often spoke through her. That’s how I became familiar with spiritual matters. My mother and I began attending meetings at a local Spiritist Centre. One day, a woman called Flávia Ciciliano, came up before the open meeting and invited all the young people there to join their youth group the following Saturday, at 5 pm. I was only 17 then and that was a long time ago! The group began with 12 young people and a very enthusiastic instructor. I feel that was a present that was given to me then.

Which aspect of Spiritism mean the most to you?

They are all amazing, but I am particularly fond of its philosophical aspect. What really fascinates me is being able to identify the causes and aims of everything around us. Also, to find in the Spiritist Teachings the answer to all the questions we all ask about our lives!

How was COMEERJ first organised?

COMEERJ, which stands for Confraternity of Spiritist Groups of the State of Rio de Janeiro, started as a project for a working group. My mentor used to take me and other people outside the city during the carnival festivities for a retreat. We used to stay at a country house that belonged to one of the group members. We did that a few times until we thought we should organise an event to provide an alternative for young people during carnival. We did some research about similar meetings in other Brazilian states. We then designated four people to organise the first gathering of Spiritist volunteer workers, so they could meet and plan events for the following years. We then met, 40 of us, gathering people who came from Rio de Janeiro, the neighbouring city of Niterói and from the Paraíba Valley region, in the state of São Paulo. It was a beautiful event, with a seminar coordinated by Raul Teixeira, Mario da Costa Barbosa, Maria Èlide Capobianco and Wanderley Coutinho. That’s where we laid the foundations of COMEERJ.  

How many COMEERJ events have taken place?

COMEERJ will celebrate in 2021 its 42^nd anniversary of continuous activities. It began with an event for 90 people and eventually gathered a record number of 4,000 participants, including young people, facilitators, volunteer workers and children. They were organised in smaller groups of no more than 300 people. This year, the event will be held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

What have these events achieved after all these years?

They have formed a new generation of volunteer workers who are more aware of the true nature of the Spiritist proposals and who work now in many Spiritist Centres.

With all the changes the world has gone through, and especially in the field of technology, do you think the youth Spiritist Movement has also suffered major transformations?

Yes, many changes have taken place. With online meetings, which have become part of the norm, we have the possibility of doing a lot. It is much easier to meet people and to share experiences online. This period we are going through has been offering us very interesting possibilities!

What would you say to young Spiritists from this age?

Make the most of this incarnation! Don’t miss this opportunity. Expand your opportunities to study, to read, get to know other Spiritist Groups and update your knowledge of Spiritism with so many brothers and sisters who focus on in-depth studies of the Teachings. There is no limit on how much you can learn and how many meetings you can join. All you need to do is to select and be aware that many friends in the Spiritual World follow the lives of every one of you with a great deal of love and affection. So, have courage, enthusiasm and determination to separate the wheat from the chaff. Please bear in mind that there is a whole world of valuable information out there, that is being brought to us by the Spiritual Benefactors! And don’t forget that Jesus counts on each and every one of us!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to quote the words of Vianna de Carvalho, who wrote a message published in the book, À Luz do Espiritismo (In the Light of Spiritism): “No other Teachings provide a better source of inspiration and a better pathway for the development of our youth… Spiritism is the living message of enlightenment and happiness that young people need.”

Spiritual Benefactors have encouraged us to work on the religious education of children. By teaching the Gospel to the children we will be contributing to the process of human transformation on Earth. Let’s embrace that project now with a great deal of joy!