Maria Moraes da Silva:
 

“Spiritism was the best thing that could have happened
to me”

The president of the Dutch Spiritist Council talks about the Spiritist movement in Netherlands, which resurged
in the late 90s last century with the interest of
the fellow Brazilians living in that country
 

O Consolador: Where were you born?

I was born in Paudaico, Ceará.

O Consolador: Where do you live currently?

I live in Hoorn, Netherlands.

O Consolador: How did you end up in Netherlands?

I was born, as I said, in a town called Paudaico, located in the region of Missão Velha, in the state of Ceará. When I was two years old moved to the south of the country in Ubiratã, a little and cozy town in the state of Paraná. At age 24 I moved to São Paulo to keep studying. In 1987, I was on Holiday in Netherlands when I met my husband and I am still here.

O Consolador: Qual What is your educational background?

I have a degree in Liberal Arts from the School of Philosophy, Science and Liberal Arts of the Associated Schools of Ipiranga, São Paulo.

O Consolador: What functions have you already performed in the Spiritist movement?

We have the honor of having participated in the resurgence of the Spiritist Doctrine in Holland as a co-founder and president of the Spiritist Group “Vereniging Allan Kardec”, in Hoorn, and the Dutch Spiritist Council. 

O Consolador When did you have your first contact with Spiritism?

My first contact with Spiritism was in 1988 in Netherlands. 

O Consolador: Did anything special happen for you to have this contact?

I knew Spiritism in a very beautiful fashion. In 1988 I received in a letter from a friend of mine a message from the book Green Light, by André Luiz, psychography by Chico Xavier. I do not remember exactly the message, but it was one that touched me to the point of writing to the editor requesting other messages like that. Some time later I received from Mr. José Benevides, the president of the group “Way to Damasco”, from Garça (SP), a package that contained, among others, the books Green Light and The Spirits’ Book. I read The Spirits’ Book from cover to cover, at once and, as I was reading it, I was having the feeling that all the information was not new to me. Spiritism arrived like this and has definitely been installed in my life.

I owe my friends from Garça too much, especially Benevides and Cleide Toffoli. During years, Cleide sent me Spiritist books and answered my doubts. It was my first study of Spiritism.

O Consolador: Before your adherence to Spiritism, how did your family react to it?

At the beginning, my mother, Catholic, got a bit worried because her oldest daughter was getting involved with dangerous things. Coincidentally, my sister, at the same time, knew Spiritism in São Paulo. In the everyday living with my sister, my mother soon realized that it was something good for her kids. She is still Catholic but respects our religion.  

O Consolador: From the three aspects of Spiritism – scientific, philosophical and religious –, which one is more appealing to you?

I can’t feel Spiritism divided into three aspects. I consider the triple aspect of the Spiritist Doctrine equally important because they complete each other.  

O Consolador: What are your favourite Spiritist authors?

Coincidence or not, André Luiz was my entrance door to Spiritism. After reading The Spirits’ Book, I read all André Luiz’s. His books through the blessed mediumiship of Chico Xavier are like a light which lighted my way showing the completeness of life wherever we are.

O Consolador: What are the most important books for those who are starting off in Spiritism?

Definitely, all by Allan Kardec, starting by The Spirits’ Book. 

O Consolador: If you went to a distant place, away from Spiritist activities, which books would you take?  

Kardec’s, the André Luiz series and the books Our Bread, Living Fountain and Vinha de Luz, by Emmanuel.  

O Consolador: Do you consider Spiritism to be a religion?   

I see Spiritism as a religion because it provides the knowledge that leads the creature to the Creator. Walking towards the Creator, the human being discovers that any religion should be synonymous with love in a practical way in our life.  

O Consolador: What is your opinion about standardized passes, proposed by Edgar Armond?

In Netherlands, the groups affiliated to CEH apply passes through the laying of hands. I don’t want to disrespect in-depth studies of Spiritist confreres about how it should be applied, but I believe that the sincere desire of the pass-giver to help is more important than intricate forms of passes.

O Consolador: What can you make of the discussion about abortion?

We should, whenever we have the opportunity, clarify about the spiritual problems due to abortion. Clarifying in a loving and friendly way can avoid much suffering to those who consider aborting the child they carry.  

O Consolador: Euthanasia, as we know, has no support from Spiritism. Lately, we have heard about the orthothanasia, backed even by Spiritist doctors.    What do you think about it?

I have no medical knowledge to assess the difference between orthothanasia and euthanasia. Even though, I would like to say that euthanasia is legal in Netherlands, which worries me. I think that, if people, for whatever reason opt for euthanasia knew that life does not cease with the death of the body and it continues in another dimension, they would not practice it, mainly if they were aware of the early return to this dimension where they came from to worsen their sufferings, physically and morally.

Spiritists have a great responsibility of making the society aware as to the value of life since the moment of conception until the last breath of the human being on Earth. This is a work of awareness that must be done in a non-fanatical way but in a loving one.  

O Consolador: What is your opinion about the current state of the Spiritist movement in our country (Brazil)?

I am so thankful for the Brazilian Spiritist movement because thanks to the dedication of my Brazilian brothers I got to know Spiritism.

O Consolador: When and how did the Spiritist movement start in Netherlands?

The current Dutch Spiritist movement is very recent, since it resurged in the late 90s of last century with the interest of Brazilian Spiritist living in the country. After a period of work among some Spiritist and study groups of various regions, the Dutch Spiritist Council was formed in October 2002, with the objective of gathering efforts of the existing groups; support the formation of new groups to strengthen the Spiritist movement as well as the spread of the Spiritist Doctrine through lectures, seminars and on the Internet. The Council is a federative organization legalized under Dutch laws. This is a solid basis to plant the Spiritism seed in Netherlands. It is part of CEI – International Spiritist Council since its foundation in 2002. We perceive through visitors of our sites, public lectures and phone calls that we receive that Spiritism is slowly getting their space in the Dutch society.

O Consolador: How do you see criminality and violence in our world? How can Spiritist help in this situation?

To keep on spreading the knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine, stimulate the study of the Compilation among the attendants of Spiritist Centers and, above all, live the teachings of Jesus in and off the Spiritist Center.