Sebastião Paiva:

“I dream about contributing to the end of hunger and unemployment”

This Missionary of Charity asks us to remember that physical existence is ephemeral. Therefore, we need to aim for a
moderate lifestyle, working for the well-being of
our fellow creatures.
 

As it can be seen, the list of benefits this society provides is very extensive. To be able to describe it, a book would need to be written. Nowadays the society which was first founded by Sebastião Paiva and Roberto Previdello has 89 employees and volunteers who work hard to attend all children and elderly people who live in the institution. “Seo Paiva” kindly gave us this commemorative interview to talk about this work.  

O Consolador: How many people are currently being helped by the Fundação Espírita Sebastião Paiva? 

At the moment, we have 30 children and 160 elderly people.  

O Consolador: Are there many collaborators within the Fundação Espírita Sebastião Paiva? 

We have 89 employees and several volunteers. 

O Consolador: Can we please have an idea of the investment made by you for the well being of all these children and elderly people?

Yes, on average we invest R$ 600 monthly for each child and R$ 800 for each adult. When we talk about investment made, we mean all the needs children and elderly people have for food, clothes, medicines, etc. 

O Consolador: When did you start this charity work? 

We started our activities in the 1st January 1946, and never stopped since. 

O Consolador: What memories do you have from that time, when the society started? 

I remember I used to go to the bakery and always saw someone outside in the streets in need. I would then take this person to our institution. I also remember a lot of people coming from the countryside and the north of the country asking for jobs. We would then help them to find it. There were so many of them; children, young and adults… 

O Consolador: You have also founded in the city Dois Córregos the Lar Tito e Paiva. Is that correct? 

Yes, we did. Together with my friend Ângelo Rico – his nickname is Tito – we founded in  1936 the Spiritist Society Sociedade Espírita de Assistência Social. The aim of this institution was to help distribute food to families in need. Nowadays this place still works and is called Lar Tito e Paiva.  

O Consolador: During this prosperous 100 years of existence you must have seen so much. Is there anything that you have seen that makes you angry? 

Yes, social injustice. 

O Consolador: Are you spiritist? 

Yes, I am.  

O Consolador: How did you get to know the Doctrine codified by Allan Kardec? 

When I was younger, I read a book called From the Calvary to the Infinite Do Calvário ao Infinito (this book was psychographed by the medium Zilda Gama, whose rights are from the Spirit Victor Hugo).  

I found the Spiritist Doctrine very logic. Since then, this changed my mentality since I found, within Spiritism, a practical way to be charitable to people.  

O Consolador: At the time you started to work Spiritist was not well accepted socially as it is today. Have you ever felt any type of prejudice against you for being spiritist? 

No, never. 

O Consolador: What about the society in Bauru? Have they responded well to the Beneficent Society Sociedade Beneficente Cristã, now called Fundação Espírita Sebastião Paiva? 

Yes, the society in Bauru responded positively to our work. My friend Roberto Previdello helped me a lot over here (he passed away in 2003). We achieved lots of things together.  

O Consolador: You two were good friends... 

Yes, it’s true. We worked together for a long time.  

O Consolador: Any interesting facts involving both of you? 

Yes, there were many. Therefore, there is one I can’t forget. One time I felt chest pains and to a healing session. One spiritual entity said, through a medium: “You will stay in Earth, but your friend will go to the spiritual world”. Soon later, Roberto Previdello got sick and passed away, just like I was told. 

O Consolador: We are aware that many young ladies who grew up here got married. 

Yes, 25 ladies. 

O Consolador: Have they been back here to visit the institution? 

Yes, they always come and visit us.  

O Consolador: I believe this must be a happy moment for you.  

Yes, there are many happy moments. But was really makes me happy is being useful and able to contribute to my fellow creature. 

O Consolador: What kind of dreams do you have? 

I dream about contributing to the end of hunger and unemployment. This is what our institution has been doing for so many years. I also dream about politics improving the people’s lives.  There is so much waste of energy and time, and that’s why people suffer so much.  

O Consolador: Can you please give us your final words to our readers? 

I wish we can all remember physical existence is ephemeral. We need to aim for a moderate lifestyle, working for the well-being of our fellow creatures and thinking about the future.