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The Beginning

By Juliana Lazzari

In February 2006, just arrived from Italy to Belfast, in need of spiritual support, I went to search for the person, who name was given by the spiritist group in Italy: Elsa Rossi. I was instructed to write an email to our dear Elsa who has all the contacts in UK and Ireland. Elsa gave me Gustavo Volken email address; he was already living in Dublin and was trying to form a study group of the Spiritist Doctrine. The idea seemed perfect once both had little knowledge about the subject, motivating us to go forward with it. So I wrote to Gustavo asking for more details. He answered me saying that wants to start a study group, but until now no one was interested. As I was living in Belfast and Gustavo in Dublin we agreed to meet every fortnightly, one in Belfast and the next in Dublin. We had created an email, the spiritismireland@gmail.com, and we continued with our studies. With the time it was easier for Gustavo to come to Belfast. In 2007, Elsa saw that our group, still a little seed, was growing, she helped us to build and our website www.allankardec-ireland; and for our happiness we received as gift from Tales Augusto, good friend of Elsa, the domain ORGanisation. (it’s on: www.allankardec-ireland.org). Not only the website, Elsa also donated us quiet few books and magazines to start our group. In the same year we also received the signature of a Brazilian spiritist magazine, “O Reformador”, two copies, one stayed in Dublin with Gustavo and the other with me in Belfast. All the support helped to make our group stronger, in addition we received more books for our library which is available on our website for lending. Gustavo continued with the studies in Dublin and I was meeting with two other friends to do the Gospel at Home every Sunday. It was like this until, in 2010 I moved with my family to Dublin to join the SSGI.

The group’s home page, www.allankardec-ireland.org

A Germinated Seed… In this week where we celebrate the birth of our greatest brother, the Master Jesus, the Spiritism Study Group of Ireland – SSGI would like, through this newsletter, to thanks everyone whom in any ways had collaborated with our work of spreading the Spiritist Doctrine in Ireland. Brazilians, Irish and other nationality brothers, who have been involved directly or indirectly in this step that finishes at the end of this year, to re-start our activities in the first quarter on January 2011. This year has been a year of many happiness and achievements for the SSGI; we made a commitment not only with the people from this land (Irish or not), but also a commitment with the spiritual friends who have been supporting us on this journey towards to the knowledge and spreading of the Spiritist Doctrine in this part of Europe. What today, 2010, is structured as a formed group, with leaders and collaborators, started few years ago with a conversation between friends who were in search of something in common – the study of the Spiritist Doctrine in a land where little was known about it.

SSGI Informative December 2010

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Credits Stevan Bertozzo – Presidente do SSGI Andrea Lins - Comunicação Juliana Lazzari – Comunicação

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SSGI Informative December 2010

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Continuing… By Stevan Bertozzo

In October 2008 I searched on the Internet to know if there was a Spiritist group in Dublin and found the website: www.allankardec-ireland.org. I sent an email asking for more information but had no answer until in June 2009, when Maria Tostes contacted me saying that she was trying to re-start the group’s meetings, together with Michele McCarthy and Gustavo Volken. Maria and Michele were answering all the emails from spiritismireland@gmail.com and wanted to book for a meeting for the June 14th 2009. I went to the meeting in Michele’s house, there were Gustavo, Maria and other 6 people, since then was agreed that the group would get back to the meetings fortnightly, without a defined address and alternating the address every meeting accordingly to each one’s availability. In October 9th 2009, we made our first administrative meeting, where were present Michele McCarthy, Laura Reineri, Maria Toste, Gustavo, Roberto Lima and me - Stevan. On this meeting it was defined that a group would be formed and a leader should be elected in common accordance. Gustavo pointed my name and the other unanimously agreed to be me the group leader. After the end of the year break, we re-started the meetings from the second week in January 2010. In the beginning of 2010, Roberto Lima contacted Elsa Rossi and the Qakers in order a rent a business unit, however the cost for the rent was expensive and the group did not have the necessary funds. In February 2010, Elsa had contacted me to say that the medium Divaldo Pereira Franco was coming to Europe in May and if we would be interested to host him in Dublin. I agreed and the group booked a meeting in March 21st 2010 to give a name for the group. Via Internet, Elsa and some members of the group created the Spiritist Study group of Ireland – SSGI. We would maintain the logo idea: children with their hands tied in a circle, but it needed an improvement, so our friend Wagner was made responsible and he presented the actual logo, which is the three leaf clover (symbol of Ireland) inside a circle made for children in tied hands. Before long, after approving the logo idea we went in search for sponsors to help pay Divaldo’s trip expenses. Wagner and I created a letter in order to fundraising money that was given to many companies and we had positive return from LCC – International Money Transfer and from the English Language Academy – ELA. Also we fundraise money by selling food on the group’s meetings. We could pay the expenses after all. Tão logo aprovamos a idéia, fomos tratar de procurar

patrocinadores para pagarmos as despesas com o a vinda de

Nowadays

By Andrea Lins

Divaldo Pereira Franco, recognized as one of the most important Spiritist mediums and speakers in these days and the greatest campaigner of the Spiritist Doctrine all over the world, he’s considered a Spiritist Apostle. From your eight-three living years, sixty-three were dedicated to the Spiritism and the excluded children from Salvador city’s suburbs, Bahia, Brazil. His communication with the spiritual world comes since his childhood. He published 250 books, with more then 8 millions sold copies, more then 200 spiritual authors. 92 of his published books have been translated to 16 different languages. This year, 2010, precisely in June, Divaldo Pereira Franco visited many European countries promoting the Spiritism. In one of his visits, the SSGI had the honour to host, here in Dublin, Divaldo Franco with his speech “The Pursuit of Happiness” that took place in June 14th. Where on the audience, among many Brazilians, we also counted with the presence of Irish people who showed great interest and attention about the subject exposed on the Divaldo’s lecture, which was simultaneously translated to English by the interpreter Ana Sinclair.

Participants in one of the first meetings of SSGI

Alguns membros do SSGI com Divaldo Franco – 14/06/2010

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After the lecture, Divaldo met with some members of SSGI to give advice in how to develop better our work in promoting the Spiritism Doctrine here in Ireland. One of the advices was about the language to be used. He clarified the importance of our group in plant the Spiritism seed in a different land. He advised that it is necessary to use the country’s native language in our meetings since our compromise is not only with the people present on the meetings but also with the discarnate, therefore, contributing in any way, with our Irish brothers who already had returned to the spiritual world. The group’s meeting is now being conducted in bilingual, English and Portuguese. Like that we can include the native language brothers and Brazilians that are not so confident in English. In August SSGI had a visit of Franziska Krans, from Germany. She is the Road Map Program organizer, it is offered by BUSS (British Union of Spiritist Societies) in London and Spiritist Society of Baltimore. Franziska is BUSS’ collaborator and was here in Dublin for the Road Map’s first class opening in August 20th. The Road Map Program has as objective to promote the systematized study and practice of the Spiritism, contributing to build up a base doctrine for the Spiritist practitioners. The course was first created for the Spiritist Society of Baltimore, today also serving our group. The study is divided into 3 stages (more info visit: http://www.ssbaltimore.org/roadmap/index.html). The first stage initiated by our group on August 20th, had finished on November 12th with the certificate’s hand over.

In October 3rd (birthday of Doctrine Spiritist codifier, Allan Kardec), the SSGI had the honour to have Vanessa Anseloni with the lecture “Boosting Your Sacred Self with Spiritism.” We had the pleasure to count with her help in improving our group’s structure here in Ireland. After the speech, opened to the public, Vanessa stayed with some members of the SSGI, giving ideas, books suggestions, advice on how to build a spiritist centre and clarifying some doubts. Vanessa Anseloni in Brazil started as a juvenile evangelist when 14 years old. When 17, she was coordinator of the works on Evangelization at the Paulo de Tarso Institute, located in Riberão Preto, SP. When 25 she moved to US in order to complete her postdoctoral, she also, in 1999, had initiated her work as juvenile evangelist again together with the Allan Kardec Spiritist Society of MD. There she started giving lectures and deepen her mediumship. In between, she continued coordinating a spiritist centre, that became official the Spiritist Society of Baltimore. Since then has been sharing her studies trough courses, training and lectures with spiritist centre all over US. Specially, she has been traveling to share instructions in how to build or structure a spiritist centre in English language. Also in October, with objective to promote the group’s work and the Spiritism Doctrine, it was created our social networking. As our work communicates in bilingual we have created the Facebook, in English and the Orlut in Portuguese. Facebook was created on October 3rd; today has more then 400 members from many nationalities. Where all the warnings, notes and quotes from the Allan Kardec’s main books.

SSGI Informative December 2010

Vol. 1 Issue 1

Road Map Project’s first class - 20/08/2010

Speaker Vanessa Anseloni – 03/10/2010

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SSGI Informative December 2010

Vol. 1 Issue 1

References Divaldo Franco: HTTP://www.divaldofranco.com/biografia.php Vanessa Anseloni: http://ismaelgobbo.blogspot.com/2009/12/focalizando-o-trabalhador-espirita_26.html Dr. Carlos Roberto: http://www.geb-portugal.org/4jornadas/speakers.html

Orkut was created on October 6th; today has more then 100 members, where all the warnings, notes and quotes from the Allan Kardec’s main books are posted in Portuguese. In November, SSGI had the honor in bringing to Dublin, Dr Carlos Roberto with his lecture “Health and Spirituality”. The concept of Health, the concept of Spirituality, health and illness, Cause and Effect law was subjects discussed during his speech. It was a very important contribution to our group, gave us support to continue bringing lectures, also gave us valuable advise about health and spirituality. Dr. Carlos Roberto is licensed in Medicine by Federal University of Paraíba. Specialized in anesthesia; Post- Graduated in Health and Safety and Acupuncture; active member of Anesthesia Brazilian Society; Founder and president of Medical-Spirtist Association of Campina Grande (Paraíba); Coordinator of the specialty Medical and Spirituality at the Federal University of Campina Grande; Permanent counselor of CRM-PB (Regional Medicine Counsel – Paraíba).

Cartaz da palestra do Dr. Carlos Roberto de Souza

Facebook’s Home Page

Orkut ‘s Home Page