WEB

BUSCA NO SITE

Edição Atual Edições Anteriores Adicione aos Favoritos Defina como página inicial

Indique para um amigo


O Evangelho com
busca aleatória

Capa desta edição
Biblioteca Virtual
 
Biografias
 
Filmes
Livros Espíritas em Português Libros Espíritas en Español  Spiritist Books in English    
Mensagens na voz
de Chico Xavier
Programação da
TV Espírita on-line
Rádio Espírita
On-line
Jornal
O Imortal
Estudos
Espíritas
Vocabulário
Espírita
Efemérides
do Espiritismo
Esperanto
sem mestre
Divaldo Franco
Site oficial
Raul Teixeira
Site oficial
Conselho
Espírita
Internacional
Federação
Espírita
Brasileira
Federação
Espírita
do Paraná
Associação de
Magistrados
Espíritas
Associação
Médico-Espírita
do Brasil
Associação de
Psicólogos
Espíritas
Cruzada dos
Militares
Espíritas
Outros
Links de sites
Espíritas
Esclareça
suas dúvidas
Quem somos
Fale Conosco

Interview Portuguese Spanish    
Year 5 - N° 205 - April 17, 2011
KATIA FABIANA FERNANDES
kffernandes@hotmail.com
Londres, Inglaterra (Reino Unido)
Translation
Leonardo Rocha - l.rocha1989@gmail.com

 
Simoni Privato Goldanich:

 

“Spiritism is a diamond that must not be fragmented”

The author of the series Mediumship and Spiritism, which has been broadcast on the Youtube channel TheEstudiosEspiritas, talks about the Spiritist Movement in Uruguay, where she lives
 

 

Simoni Privato Goldanich (photo) has defied the prejudices of so many people she has met as a Spiritist worker – family and friends. But she has stayed true to her convictions. Simoni Privato Goldanich was born in São Paulo and has lived abroad since 1999 – living currently in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. She is a lawyer, with a Master Degree in International Law. As she tells us in this interview, wherever she went, she continued to work hard in the Spiritist Movement. 

Why did you move to Uruguay?


My husband and I are career diplomats, and that is why we’ve lived abroad since 1999. We lived in the United States, Ecuador and twice in Uruguay, where we returned to in August 2010. 

What has been in your involvement in the Spiritist Movement?

I was one of the founders of the Bezerra de Menezes Spiritist Society, in Maryland, US, and of Spiritist Groups in Montevideo (Grupo Espirita Caridad); Quito, in Ecuador; Lima, in Peru; and of the Grupo Virtual de Estudios Espíritas en Español. 

And what is your role at the moment?

I’m glad to be a Spiritst worker – the position I’ve always aspired to in the Spiritist Movement, wherever I’ve moved to. I work at the Grupo Espírita Caridad de Montevideo and dedicate some of my time to researching and studying the Doctrine. I’ve already published five books in Spanish. I also give public speeches and lectures, which provide me with the opportunity to carry out very valuable exchange with Spiritist brothers and sisters form other countries. That experience has helped me a great deal in my research. In January this year, to mark the 150th anniversary of The Mediums’ Book, I began a project with Spiritist videos in Spanish. 

What was your first contact with Spiritism?

I’ve always had a great interest in getting to know more about Spiritism, since I was a small child. I had visions of spirits, I had intuitions about Allan Kardec, but I was brought up in a Catholic family. So in the current incarnation, my first contact with Spiritism happened when I was 17. That’s when met two Spiritist colleagues at work, at the São Paulo State Medical Association. I showed interest and they took me to a meeting at the São Paulo Spiritist Federation. I attended a lecture and the day after enrolled on one of their courses. I continued to study when I moved to Brasília, where I was studying to become a diplomat. In sum, even though I only got in touch with Spiritism when I was a teenager, I can honestly say that I have always been a Spiritist. And I will always be. 

Do you think any special circumstance played its part in your initial contact with Spiritism?

As we know, chance doesn’t exist. There’s a reason for everything. Since I met those two colleagues, I felt really close to them, some spiritual link. I was very young and they were both a lot older. One of them was 80-something at the time. It’s clear that our meeting had been planned before our incarnation. Naturally, I would have liked to have joined a Spiritist Centre earlier, and studied the Doctrine, but there’s a time for everything. 

How did your family react?

My mother was brought up in fear of Spiritism. She would even cross the road, scared, to avoid walking past any Spiritist Centres. At the time, the only Spiritist in our family was a discarnate brother of a grandfather, whom I never met. Despite being seen by everyone as a very good man and a much-loved member of the family, he was a victim of prejudice. He was even seen as an odd man whose sanity was put in doubt. As for me, my family didn’t open oppose to my involvement with Spiritism, as they knew it would only reinforce my determination. They simply refrained from encouraging me. Those who know me well are aware that my conviction and dedication to Spiritism won’t change. My encouragement comes from having a clear conscience and knowing that I’m doing my duty. Even now, 25 years after my initial contact with Spiritism, some people will still see me as a witch or a mad woman. I’ve also heard from more educated people ironic and sarcastic remarks. But nothing of that affects me. I know that Spiritism is a universal belief: it’s just a matter of time. Those who aren’t still able to understand Spiritism will get it one day. At a personal level, I thank God from the bottom of my heart, for allowing me to have knowledge of Spiritism. And I am particularly grateful to all the pioneers who faced so much prejudice and yet never gave up, leaving us this wonderful and most valuable legacy, which shines our path and comforts us.  

Which of the three aspects of Spiritism – science, philosophy and religion – means the most to you?

The three of them. Spiritism is a diamond that must not be fragmented. The three aspects complement each other. I attempt to study, practice and disseminate the teachings of the Doctrine. The religious aspect of Spiritism is often the object of misunderstandings. But Allan Kardec was very clear in his speech at the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies, on November 1st 1868, titled Is Spiritism a Religion? 

What are your favourite Spiritist authors?

First of all, Allan Kardec. After Kardec, there’s a great number of remarkable Spiritist authors, including Léon Denis, Bezerra de Menezes, José Maria Fernández Colavida, Amalia Domingo Soler, Emmanuel, André Luiz, Manoel Philomeno de Miranda, Joanna de Ângelis, Francisco Thiesen, Marco Prisco, Vianna de Carvalho. Among incarnate Spiritist authors, I would mention Suely Caldas Schubert, Adilton Pugliese, Marlene Nobre, Geraldo Campetti Sobrinho and the team of the Project Manoel Philomeno de Miranda. Thankfully humankind can enjoy a vast number of good Spiritist authors. These are just some of the good ones, not all of them. It would be impossible to mention everyone. 

What books are indispensable for beginners in Spiritism?

The works of Allan Kardec are indispensable for anyone who really wants to get to know Spiritism. There are many good books, but none of them can replace the works of Kardec. 

Tell us a bit about the Spiritist Movement in Uruguay. How and when did it begin?

According to Spiritist publications from the time, it began in the XIX Century, coming from Europe and influenced mainly by the man who is considered the Spanish Kardec, José María Fernández Colavida. The Uruguayan Spiritist Movement is now coordinated by the Uruguayan Spiritist Federation, which hosts ten Spiritist Groups and Centres across the country. The Grupo Espírita Caridad de Montevideo was founded on April 28th 2004. Its main activities are study of the Doctrine, mediumship, healing and charity work. Our group also carries out specific activities, like the training of new Spiritist workers. We have a strong emphasis on studying the Doctrine, particularly Kardec’s works, and charity towards incarnates and discarnates.  

How do Uruguayans react to Spiritism?

After living in different countries, with different cultures and languages, I have come to the conclusion that human beings face the same challenges. We are all in need of the enlightenment and comfort provided by rational faith, by Spiritism. However, the time to leave behind the “old man” hasn’t come to all. And there are many who are still attached to preconceived ideas that come in the way of their enlightenment. But the seed will always find a spot on the ground to germinate; there will always be good hearts willing to understand and to serve Jesus, as in the Parable of the Sower. We must continue to sow our seeds, making a concerted effort all the way to be faithful gardeners. 

How did you come up with the idea of making a series of videos based on The Mediums’ Book?

As I was writing some of the books I published, Spiritual Benefactors showed me a type of book they have in the Spiritual World that allow its written content to be broadcast in 3D. Based on those experiences, and guided by the Spiritual World, I began to work also on sound and video, and the result of that effort is the series of videos Mediumship and Spiritism. The subject is to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of Allan Kardec’s The Mediums’ Book. It is aimed at encouraging the study of that important book and at highlighting the importance of taking mediumship seriously. It will help disseminate Spiritist to a wider audience. 

Tell us more about the project. How many videos have you produced, how many more are being planned?

The series Mediumship and Spiritism is made up of 12 videos, which will be made available on the last week of each month, from January to December 2011, on the Youtube channel TheEstudiosEspiritas. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TheEstudiosEspiritas&aq=f

What’s been the impact of those videos?

The reaction has been very positive. In more than a month on Youtube, the first video had been played more than 1,000 times in several continents. We have received messages from people in many countries. That sort of impact is a reminder of the responsibility we all have when we take on such a task. I have continued to study, and have also prayed and meditated a lot. It is very important that the Spiritist message be properly explained and represented through those videos. 

Are crime and violence really on the increase or is that a perception created by the media? What is the best way to proceed anyway in order to achieve piece on Earth?

We know there’s a tendency to highlight the rise in acts of violence. But one must not forget that alongside all that violence that is real we have good people working for Good, often in silence and anonymously. One thing I have observed across the world is the growing number of people involved in voluntary and missionary work, in works really of love and peace. As for the best approach to deal with violence, let us be instruments of peace, as Francis of Assisi taught us. But to achieve that we must first be in peace with ourselves, in our hearts. Let us be good men and women, true Spiritists, so we can take peace to our homes, to our workplaces, to the social groups we belong to. 

The planet has already entered its new phase, that of a world of Regeneration. This new phase is still in its first steps. When will the transition be over?

The time needed to fully implement Regeneration on Earth will depend on what each one of us does. We have the power to speed up or delay the whole process. It’s really up to our personal effort and our contribution to our own development and the general spiritual progress of the planet. 

What should be the priority of all Spiritist workers in the face of the problems the whole world is facing?

In my opinion, we should all – be it directors of Spiritist groups or federations or simple Spiritist workers – live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. That is the way for all of us.  

Finally, tell us: what does Spiritism mean to you? How important is it in your life?

Paul of Tarsus said it was no longer he who lived, but Christ lived in him. That’s how it should be with all of us Spiritists: Spiritism can’t be simply a belief, but instead something we truly live. It should be fully incorporated into our lives, so that we can became a constant reminder of the principles we profess. I’m not able yet to make mine the words of Paul, but I can have that as a goal, a target. Despite still dealing with many internal challenges and flaws, I can say I have worked hard in order to be able to say one day, in the future, that Christ lives in me.


 

 


Back to previous page


O Consolador
 
Weekly Magazine of Spiritism