Mestre Braga: a life dedicated to UDV

*Luís Felipe Belmonte dos Santos

On today’s date, November 12th, 2015, we are celebrating the 86th birthday of Mestre Raimundo Carneiro Braga, and 32 years of the creation of Nucleo Estrela do Norte, in Porto Velho (RO).

With certainty, this is a memorable date for the ones celebrating birthdays, as well as for the History of the União do Vegetal, considering the importance and the work of Mestre Braga, the first Representative of Mestre Gabriel and one of the principal supporting pillars of this Work.

Today we have the União do Vegetal with increasing expansion, already with activities in over ten countries.  However, we always needed to remember the beginning of this Story, which was initiated with simplicity in the forest, with the Mestre coming later to Porto Velho and reuniting the first brothers and sisters.

Click here and access the interview of Mestre Braga on the UDV’s Youtube Channel.

I remember the first time that I encountered Mestre Braga, in the Session on July 22, 1975, in Porto Velho, where the General Headquarters was.  What called my attention about him was, among so many brilliant speakers, the certainty and the spiritual force that I could feel in his words.

From that moment on, I sought to get to know him better, and certainly those who know him well, know the goodness of his heart and the truth of his feelings.  His dedication to this Work and to Mestre Gabriel has been proven sine his arrival, through his tireless efforts, even now at his advanced age.

I have always recognized and spoken about the importance of the mestres that lived together with Mestre Gabriel while he was physically present, who have been and continue to be a bridge so that we may receive such precious Teachings; those who contribute so strongly to our improvement and to our knowledge of spirituality; the main objective of our Center and the natural vocation/calling of the Mestre’s disciples.  In the person of Mestre Braga, we renew our consideration and respect for these brothers.

Many are the qualities that we can describe of the person of Mestre Braga, but it is worth highlighting his certainty, firmness, leadership capacity, and sense of Justice.  Many times, in the Force and in the Light of the Vegetal, I had the opportunity to feel his harmony with the Mestre, which inspired in me and in many of us the search for this connection, for this security, and the principle of Justice with fraternal love in our heart.

There were many crossings and sometimes lack of recognition for those who do not yet know him.  But so it has been with innumerable examples contained in the Stories of the União do Vegetal and of humanity.  Being the bearer of messages of Light sometimes means having to cross barriers and overcome misunderstandings.

On the one hand no one is perfect, and equally true is that everyone deserves respect and consideration; even more when they have contributed so much with their responsibility and daily work towards the Work of the Mestre.

Estrela do Norte

Health and Happiness, Mestre Braga, in the fulfillment of this honorable Mission of Peace and Fraternity.  My compliments to the brotherhood of Nucleo Estrela do Norte, for one more date of achievement.

Grandiose is this work, and grandiose is the work dedicated by Mestre Braga, who deserves our recognition, respect, and admiration for being an example to be followed, as a loyal spokesperson of precious teachings from his experience and those transmitted by our Mestre Gabriel.

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*General Assistant Mestre of the Beneficent Spiritist Center União do Vegetal