KUCHING— Three hundred and sixty Catholics from the Archdiocese of Kuching attended the two day seminar “The Splendour of Truth II” at Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang on 26-28 October. The seminar was organised by the Bread of Life Catholic Charismatic Community and conducted by Permanent Deacon Rev Dr Sherman Kuek. Sherman is a Secular Franciscan who serves in the Malacca-Johore Diocese as the Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Institute.
Some of the many disturbing topics confronting the Catholics such as Purgatory, Papacy, Church Tradition, Blessed Virgin Mary and Communion of Saints were dealt with in great details. Sherman began with the key milestones of the church history right from the early days of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. He went over all the major Church Synods and Councils and emphasised on the major decisions. The Protestant Reformations were dealt with at length. The participants were asked to look from the church’s perspective on how the crusaders saved the church in Europe from near extinction, how Galileo Galilei’s case was actually handled, and how “indulgences” issue came about.
Catholics were often questioned about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sherman spent one afternoon defending her special position in the church, ever-Virgin, the Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, her identity as the Mother of God, and the practice of praying to her. He also elaborated on the Communion of Saints. The doubts on Papacy, as true successors of the Apostle Peter, his primacy over the other apostles, his infallibility, as “Vicar of Christ” and the universal head of the visible church were well clarified.
The many questions on the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church were answered. He quoted different verses from the Scripture as evidence that Christ himself instituted all the Sacraments. The agreements with the Eastern Churches and the disagreements with most Protestant Churches on the Sacraments were also identified. “At the heart of Sacramental theology is the Incarnation when God became human, sanctified all of creation and making it a fitting vehicle for his work”, he said.
The highly respected position of the priesthood, the priestly celibacy and the present sex scandals trumped up by the media were well covered. Dr Sherman went on to explain why women could not be ordained and the equal position of women in God’s plan of salvation.
The Bread of Life Catholic Charismatic Community looks forward to inviting Sherman again by the end of May next year for more spiritual enlightening.
Paul Wong
