Benjamín Rodríguez Barrera

Benjamín Rodríguez Barrera, founder of Bezerra de Menezes Kardecian Spiritist Center, disincarnated in the city of Miami, United States, on August 1, 2001. He was born on December 15, 1923 in Bogota, Colombia, where he enjoyed his childhood and first youth, being his parents Roberto Rodriguez and Carmen Barrera. He married Haydee Rodriguez, a wonderful companion, who helped and supported him at all times, both at home and at work.
In January 1958, he moved with his family to Miami, starting a new cycle of life in his earthly journey, and it is in that city, that according to his own words in an interview that we did, "he had the happiness of entering in the spiritualist knowledge", because his brother sent him from Colombia a copy of The Spirits Book, with its questions and logical answers, clarified his doubts. Also, from Colombia they sent him the address of Lic. Luis Guerrero Ovalle, who, for some time, had been giving spiritual conferences here in Miami. He made contact with Lic. Guerrero Ovalle and joined the group attending his monthly conferences, and joined them in the active work of the divulgation of the Spiritist Book, collaborating intensely in that task. This happened in the decade of 1960.
As he had met Divaldo Pereira Franco in Colombia, he suggested to Lic. Guerrero Ovalle, that he invites him to come to this city and sometime later Divaldo came for the first time to Miami, starting his so instructive conferences and seminars, not only in this city but in several places of this country. Thanks to his efforts, Brother Divaldo still visits us every year, contributing greatly to the development of Spiritism in this great nation.
Benjamín Rodríguez Barrera, was a tireless worker of the Spiritist Doctrine and a member of its ranks for more than 35 years. He was co-founder of the first spiritist center in Miami, today Kardeciana Spiritist Science, he collaborated in the Foundation of Allan Kardec Educational Society of Philadelphia, founder of the Bezerra de Menezes Kardecian Spiritist Center, in Miami. Co-founder of the Kardeciana Spiritist Federation of Florida, being its president for several cycles, co-founder of the International Spiritist Council - CEI and its treasurer for many years and vice president of the United States Spiritist Council that has its headquarters in Washington.
He visited many countries and different places in the United States, representing with dignity the organizations to which he belonged and the National Spiritism Movement, Spain, Belgium, France, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, enjoying his presence and collaboration in important spiritist events.
Brother Benjamin, has left a trail of love in his dear blood family, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers, as well as in his spiritual family, composed by all the spiritist that we knew and worked with him in the diverse spiritist tasks that he developed.
We ask Jesus' blessings for this great Spirit, in his return to the Spiritual World.

By Maria Anicia Perez
Published in the Spiritualist Yearbook 2002. P.245
Publisher: Mensaje Fraternal