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Oswaldo Coutinho
(photo) is
engaged in the
Spiritist
Movement in his
hometown of
Serrinha. In
this interview
he talks about
his experience
there and the 15th
Spiritist
Conference of
the state of
Bahia, which
will discuss the
importance of
the spirit over
matter.
How did you
become a
Spiritist?
I was born in a
Spiritist family
and was taught
the principles
of Spiritism
from an early
age – first at
home, later in a
Spiritist
Centre.
When did
Spiritism first
come to
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this remote
inland part of Bahia? |
It all began
with Lourival da
Silva Lima, who
was born in a
farm in the
nearby town of
Biritinga, in
the beginning of
the 20th
century. When he
was 17, he began
showing signs of
his mediumship
and began to
receive the
assistance of a
Spiritual
Benefactor,
Brother Estrela,
who encouraged
him to study the
five core books
of Allan Kardec
with a small
group of
Spiritists. On
October 3rd
1946, they
opened here in
city of Serrinha
the Spiritist
Centre Deus,
Cristo e
Caridade (God,
Christ and
Charity), where
I work as a
volunteer.
And how is the
Spiritist
Movement in
Serrinha now?
Its foundations
are solid, as we
highlight the
importance of
studying and
putting into
practice the
core values laid
out by Jesus and
Allan Kardec.
And it enjoys
good reputation
in the local
community.
What are your
main activities
and services
provided?
We offer a
number of
activities and
services,
including
mediumship
groups, healing,
study groups and
open meetings,
fraternal
assistance, fund
raising
campaigns to
help the poor
and we have a
special group
dedicated to
help pregnant
women. It’s a
beautiful work,
carried out by
many volunteer
women who give
up much of their
time to sew and
prepare clothes
for the new
babies.
How about the
Spiritist
Movement in this
vast inland area
of Bahia? How is
the work of
dissemination of
the Doctrine in
the region?
It’s going very
well. I travel
the region – and
many others do –
to give speeches
and lectures,
reinforcing the
message of Jesus
on the planet.
We also publish
articles on the
main Spiritist
publications in
Brazil and on
the Internet.
You are the
author of a
book, Artigos
de Luz (Articles
of Light).
Tell us more
about it.
The book is the
result of an
idea of my
friend and
Spiritual
Mentor, Maria da
Glória, who
inspired me so
we could write
about the
noblest values
of life and also
passages of the
life of Jesus.
The aim is to
help the moral
transformation
of the planet.
And whenever I
feel her
presence near me
and catch her
thoughts, I
write it down
for later
publication.
We’ve had a
great number of
dodgy Spiritist
books, written
through
automatic
writing, in the
last few years
in Brazil. What
do you think
should be done
about it by
those ahead of
the Spiritist
Movement?
Those who are in
positions of
power within the
Spiritist
Movement should
be as rigorous
as possible in
their analysis.
We can’t afford
to ignore the
firm guidelines
of Jesus and
Kardec, which
are expanded and
explained
further in many
respectable
books, such as
those by the
spirits Emmanuel
and André Luiz
and the mediums
Yvonne do Amaral
Pereira e
Divaldo Franco.
Tell us about
the 15th
Spiritist
Conference of
Bahia, due to
take place next
month.
We have the
highest
expectations
towards that
event. The main
theme will be
the importance
of the Spirit,
its predominance
over matter.
It’s an
invitation to
reflect on our
true nature,
which is the
spiritual
nature. We must
bear in mind
that our
presence in the
flesh is
transitory, a
stage before our
return to our
spiritual home.
Among those
coming to the
conference are
the great
medium, Divaldo
Franco.
Anything else
you would like
to add?
I would like to
thank you for
the opportunity
to say once
again that Jesus
is our guide and
our aim, to
follow and to
reach, and that
the Spiritist
Doctrine is the
redeeming
lighthouse that
will lighten up
our path. Let’s
not forget that
we have made
commitments with
our Master. In
name of that
commitment, we
must work harder
and harder to
reach our
plenitude and to
search for the
great light.
