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Paulo Henrique
Corrêa Brum
(photo) has
a degree in
Marketing and
MBA. He is a
consultant to
several
companies and a
university
lecturer. He
became a
Spiritist 15
years ago and is
now in charge of
the Media
Department of
the local
directive organ
in the city of
Uruguaiana. This
stories he tells
in this
interview
illustrate the
diversity of a
country as vast
as Brazil.
O Consolador:
Tell us a bit
about the city
of Uruguaiana.
It is on the
edge of Brazil,
a border city,
situated in a
strategic point,
along the
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main trade
route of
Mercosul, the
South American
free-trade zone.
Uruguaiana is
the biggest dry
port in Brazil.
Our income comes
mainly from the
services sector
and agriculture.
We have the
biggest area
planted with
irrigated rice
in the Americas.
Uruguaiana, with
its 130,000
inhabitants, is
on the border
with the city of
Paso de Los
Libres, in
Argentina, and
70km from the
Uruguayan
border. |
O Consolador:
How developed is
the Spiritist
Movement in the
city?
We could say it
is very active.
Two other
neighbouring
border towns are
also part of our
local directive
organ, UME
Uruguaiana. We
have 11
Spiritist Groups
in Uruguaiana
and five more in
those two
neighbouring
towns – a total
of 16 in the
region. We
publish a
newsletter every
two months; we
also have a blog
and produce two
weekly radio
programmes – one
in Brazil,
another one in
Argentina. We
also produce
press releases
and news items,
which are often
broadcast in
local media,
including RBS
TV, which is
part of Brazil´s
main television
network, Globo.
O Consolador:
Do people from
Uruguay and
Argentina take
part in your
meetings and
other activities
in Uruguaiana?
We get visitors
– students and
workers – from
Paso de Los
Libres, in
Argentina. Some
of them are
well-established
members of our
community; they
even give
lectures on
Spiritism. In
the city of
Quaraí, on the
Brazilian side,
the Spiritist
Group Eduardo
Chapot Prevost
has a
partnership with
a Spiritist
Centre on the
Uruguayan side
of the border,
in Artigas.
Chapot Prevost
and the
Uruguayan group,
Nostro Hogar,
make up the
Spiritist
Movement Quaraí/Artigas.
O Consolador:
Are those the
closest cities
in Uruguay and
Argentina? Are
there other
Spiritist Groups
working over
there?
Paso de Los
Libres, in
Argentina, and
Artigas, in
Uruguay, are
indeed the
closest cities
from the two
neighbouring
countries. In
Paso de Los
Libres, there is
a study group,
Caminando con
Jesus, which
produces a
weekly radio
programme. It is
broadcast every
Wednesday, at
21h00, joining
Brazilians and
Argentines on
air. Our
brothers from
Uruguay and
Argentina also
attend all the
main events
organised in
Uruguaiana and
neighbouring
Brazilian
towns.
O Consolador:
How much does
the principles
and ideas of
Spiritism, which
is of course
stronger in
Brazil,
influence our
brothers and
sisters in those
cities?
There aren´t
many Spiritist
Groups in those
countries, but
due to the
proximity with
Brazil they join
us in all main
events –
lectures,
conferences etc.
And very often
they help us, as
volunteers,
organise those
events. Whenever
a Spiritist
speaker comes to
visit Uruguaiana
we make sure
that information
is made
available in the
cities on the
other side of
the border. That
is part of our
effort to
integrate others
and publicise
the message of
Spiritism.
O Consolador:
Are there any
misunderstandings
because of the
cultural
differences?
Both in
Argentina and in
Uruguay, there
is still very
little knowledge
about the
Spiritist
Doctrine, about
its threefold
aspect –
religion,
philosophy and
science --, its
basic teachings
and practices.
That is probably
why so many
people mix up
Spiritism with
other religions
that have
rituals and
other forms of
ostensive
worship.
O Consolador:
Have Spiritist
books been
translated into
Spanish? Are
those books
available in
those border
towns in Uruguay
and Argentina?
Our brothers
from Argentina
and Uruguay who
attend our
meetings read
both Spanish and
Portuguese. But,
yes, many books
have been
translated and
are available in
our bookshops
and during our
main events.
Spiritist books
in the Spanish
language are
available in
most bookshops
and libraries in
Uruguaiana. The
Brazilian
Spiritist
Federation (FEB)
has also
produced
leaflets in
Spanish, titled
Get to Know
Spiritism.
O Consolador:
What about
Spiritism in the
state of Rio
Grande do Sul?
What is your
assessment of
its development?
I believe that
being on the
border with
other countries,
we carry the
responsibility
of taking the
message of
Spiritism to our
brothers and
sisters abroad.
Our activities
couldn´t remain
restricted to
our own
boundaries, as
there are so
many people in
Argentina and
Uruguay waiting
for the message
of Spiritism.
Thankfully, the
Spiritist
Movement is very
active in this
part of Rio
Grande do Sul.
We follow the
principles
brought to us by
Allan Kardec and
we are part of
the main
decision process
in the
development of
the Doctrine in
our state, with
a very good
relationship
with the
Spiritist
Federation of
Rio Grande do
Sul.
O Consolador:
Your final
thoughts,
please…
“To make the
teachings of
Spiritism
available to
those who come
to the Spiritist
Group of their
own will is
certainly a
noble task, but
to go out and
meet those who
don´t yet know
the Doctrine,
that is a
fundamental
task.” Spiritism
is a Doctrine
that must be
made available
to everyone. The
Gospel According
to Spiritism
tells us to go
out and preach
it. We must be
thankful for
this glorious
task, for the
opportunity
given to us to
spread the
teachings of
Spiritism beyond
the Brazilian
borders,
bringing to our
brothers and
sisters abroad
the words of
comfort,
fraternity, hope
and peace.
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