One of my cousins has made several trips and gotten very little cooperation from the Italians. I guess they are tired or being bothered by americans researching their families. I have been very spoiled researching my ancestry in Finland because there the church has kept meticulious records for almost 300 years. Once I figured out the organization of those records, it took a lot of time but was very easy. All the records were microfilmed by the Mormon church and available to anyone. I have not had time to find out what is microfilmed for Italy, although I have been told not very much. Have you tried using Mormon records? I know they are very easy to acquire in the US but I am sure there has to be an office in Sao Paolo. Is your family still in that area? I live in south Florida with a man from Nova Friburgo RJ. My entire town has turned Brazilian in the last 4 years. I have several good friends
from the Sao Paolo area.