The 15th Seicho-No-Ie Portuguese-Language Spiritual Training Seminar
Participants of All 15 Past Seminars Recognized with Praise
Commemorative Tree Planting also held
The 15th Seicho-No-Ie Portuguese-Language Spiritual Training Seminar was held at the Headquarters (Tobitakyu) Spiritual Training Center in Chofu City, Tokyo under the sponsorship of the Seicho-No-Ie Headquarters. The number of attendees was 222, which was an increase of 51 people over the previous time. The attendees were mainly those residing in the prefectures in and around the Kanto District. They were originally from Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Japan. There were 35 first-timers (15.8%).
The Seminar was guided by five Ordained Ministers/Assistant Ministers, including Rev. Tatsufumi Yukishima (Ordained Minister, Chief of International Department), and Rev. Harumi Kinoshita (Assistant Minister, Chief of Central and South American Section). There were lectures, such as “What Are the Seicho-No-Ie Teachings?” and “A Bright Future Begins with the Practice of the Sundial Way of Life.” The texts used included Hibi no Inori (Daily Prayers) and Ashimoto kara Heiwa o (Realizing Peace by Faith) by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, and Anata wa Mugen Noryokusha (You Have an Infinite Ability) by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi.
On the morning of the second day, video messages, “Words of Encouragement,” by Rev. Yoshio Mukai, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latin America, and Rev. Marie Murakami, Chairperson of the Brazil Missionary Headquarters, were shown on the screen.
On the afternoon of the second day, to commemorate the milestone 15th Seminar, two people who had attended all 15 times and eleven people who had attended more than 13 times were recognized with praise and received Eco-bags made by the Brazil Youth and Young Adult Association (introduced in the August issue of the Newsletter). Subsequently, a commemorative tree planting was held. While the attendees looked on, Rev. Tatsufumi Yukishima, Chief of International Department, and Rev. Ichiro Sano, Managing Director of the Headquarters Spiritual Training Center, planted Brazil’s national flower, ippeh, in the garden in the southwestern part of the premise.
Comments received from the attendees included: “I was impressed with the fact that the lecturers talked about the deep modern theme of ecology in an easy-to-understand manner”; and “I will propagate to Japanese Brazilians in my area.”
Rev. Yukishima remarked, “In commemoration of the 15th Portuguese Spiritual Training Seminar, we held a tree-planting. This had a great significance in raising the attendees’ awareness about environmental protection. We would like to continue holding this Seminar and give a chance to those who will be a bridge between Brazil and Japan to study the teachings together.”