One of the pioneers of the UDV, Conselheira Dionéa turns 70

 Diana Braga*

| October 22, 2017

Firmness and Comprehension, the name of the chamada she authored. Words which bring, in essence, fundamental virtues to all who want to walk the path of good, the path that leads to the light, the União do Vegetal. Teachings that reflect feelings kept in her heart and which describe, exactly, the exemplary conduct of this young woman, Conselheira Dionéa Gomes Braga who today, October 22, 2017, turns 70.

Born in Rio Branco, in the state of Acre, the only daughter of the couple, Francisco Nunes and Joana Barbosa, Dionéa needed to assume responsibilities at an early age and didn’t get to enjoy her childhood much. At two years old, she moved to Manaus with her mother, and at 11 arrived in Rondônia. In her new home, Porto Velho, she met Raimundo Carneiro Braga (Mestre Braga, in memoriam) and in a matter of days they were married.

Throughout the 56 years of time spent at the side of her eternal companion, her serenity and wisdom comforted his heart many times, transmitting to him words of light, peace and love.

Drank Vegetal in the UDV before Mestre Braga

During this period, her mother told her stories with respect to a man named Gabriel, who distributed a tea near the house where they lived, which awoke in her curiosity and led her to participate in a session of the Vegetal, before even Mestre Braga, who had until that time only frequented sessions of Santo Daime. There began, around the age of 18, together with Mestre Braga, her admirable path in the União do Vegetal. She became a faithful disciple of Mestre Gabriel, giving her portion of contribution to the aggrandizement of the Sacred Work, recently initiated.

Many times, she noticed in Mestre Gabriel similarities with the way Jesus transmitted his teachings to the apostles, by way of parables. This captivated her profoundly and gave her conviction that the União do Vegetal is the path of God.

Educated her children with love and responsibility

Giving continuity to her spiritual and material life, sometime later, she had three more children, Rossana, Diana, and Raimundo, whom she raised and educated with responsibility and lots of love, teaching them from their first steps, concepts of union, respect for others, always guiding them on the path to turn themselves true citizens of good.

A dedicated and hardworking homemaker, Dionéa has built a beautiful family. Today, almost all her children are married, and have presented her with eight grandchildren (Isabel, Pedro, Luana, Felipe, Marcel, Liriel, Helena and Davi) and seven great-grandchildren (Miguel, Ana Maria, Pedro Henrique, Maria Flor, João Gabriel and Julia). Her kind way of educating and welcoming are qualities and examples in the lives of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

52-year journey in the UDV

She drank vegetal for the first time in 1965, in a session directed by Mestre Gabriel, whom she lived close to and spent time with for six years. Therefore, she has been walking in the UDV for 52 years. In 1972, she was convoked to the instructive body by Raimundo Monteiro de Souza (Mestre Monteiro), who was in the place of the General Representative Mestre. In 1983, she received the shirt of Conselheira from the hands of João Ferreira de Souza (Mestre Janico).

She is a founding associate of Núcleo Estrela do Norte (Porto Velho – RO), accompanying Mestre Braga since the beginning of the works, having carried out the position of organ for three consecutive years in that Núcleo.

She was the first person, together with Mestre Braga, to get married in a ceremony realized in the União do Vegetal, being also the mother of the first child baptized in this religion, myself, Diana Braga.

In the name of our family, we wish Conselheira Dionéa a happy birthday and may she be with us for many years with health!

*Diana Braga is the daughter of Conselheira Dionéa and of Mestre Braga.

Click here to read the text “Dionéa, connected to Mestre Gabriel through the heart,” written by Conselheira Ivone Menão – an homage to Conselheira Dionéa.

Translated by: Ryan Glassmoyer, member of the Instructive Body of Núcleo San Francisco (CA, USA); Revised by: Jonathan Spoliansky, member of the Body of Counsel of Núcleo Jardim Florescendo (FL – USA)