Maria Ferreira
Xavier:
“Thousands of
elderly people
have already
been assisted
by
our
organisation”
Our fellow
Spiritist from
Brazil’s São
Paulo state
talks about the
charity carried
out since 1941
by the Spiritist
Association
Dr
Adolfo Bezerra
de Menezes
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Our interviewee
this week is the
president of the
Spiritist
Association Dr
Adolfo Bezerra
de Menezes, an
organisation
founded in the
city of São
Paulo in 1941.
It is a home for
more than 200
elderly people.
Throughout the
years, thousands
of people have
been assisted.
Maria Ferreira
Xavier (photo)
has been a Spiritist since
1970. She is a
retired
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accountant and
Human Resources
manager. In this
interview, she
talks about the
important
charity work
carried out at
the organisation
she leads.
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When was the
home founded and
by whom? Was it
created with the
specific aim of
helping the
elderly?
It was set up on
January 15th
1941 by José
Nascimento
Bacelar. José
Bacelar worked
as a builder,
but as a medium
he received
messages from
the great
Brazilian
Spiritist
benefactor, Dr
Bezerra de
Menezes. And
following a
request by Dr
Bezerra, Bacelar
and fellow
Spiritists
founded the
Bezerra de
Menezes Home.
What were the
main guidelines
of the
organisation?
To put into
practice the
principles of
charity and love
to other people
and to put into
practice and
help disseminate
the Spiritist
Teachings in all
their aspects.
How many elderly
people are
currently being
assisted? Do you
have a record of
how many people
have been helped
since the home
was founded?
We have about
200 elderly
people, both
male and female,
in our two
units. Thousands
of elderly
people have been
assisted by our
organisation in
its 72 years of
existence.
How big are the
facilities you
have? How many
people work in
the
organisation?
Where does the
money to keep it
going come
from?
We have an area
of 2,408.90 sq
metres and 238
employees. Our
sources of
income are
regular
contributions
from our
members,
donations that
we get through
telemarketing,
fund-raising
events and other
types of events
and donations.
Out of those,
the bulk of the
money raised
comes from the
regular
contributions
from our
members.
Who are the
people typically
assisted? Are
they people who
have lost their
families or are
there cases of
people brought
in by their
relatives?
They are
socially
vulnerable
people, with or
without
families?
What is the link
between the care
work the
organisation
does and the
practice of
Spiritism?
There is no
connection
between the care
we provide and
Spiritism.
However, those
willing to join
the talks we
have in the
Spiritist Centre
are more than
welcome, in the
same way that
they are welcome
to attend to any
other religious
temple.
What is the best
way of making a
donation to the
organisation?
You may phone us
on + 55 11
21641800 or
access our
website,
www.abrigobezerrademenezes.org.br.
You may also pay
in the money
into one of our
bank accounts,
which we will be
happy to
provide. For
those who want
to know more
about our
organisation,
you may pay us a
visit any day of
the week, from
13:00 until
17:00.
Is there any
other important
aspect you would
like to
highlight?
The fact that Dr
Bezerra de
Menezes and the
group of Spirits
who assist him
continue to have
a regular
presence in the
work we carry
out here.
Would you like
to say a final
word?
I thank God for
the opportunity
of doing good
deed, asking Him
for His
blessings to all
who helped and
continue to help
us in our
organisation.
May it continue
to be an oasis
of peace and
light for all of
those in need of
material and
spiritual
comforting.
