By Samuel Aubrey
BAU (Jan 5) — Kuching Roman Catholic Archbishop Simon Poh had on New Year’s Day (Jan 1) presided over the blessing of the Christ the King statue at Catholic Memorial Pilgrimage Centre (CMPC) Singai.
This took place during the New Year Thanksgiving Mass held within the entrance compound of CMPC which was also attended by Deputy Minister of Transport (Riverine and Marine) Dato Henry Harry Jinep and Association of Research and Development Movement of Singai Sarawak (Redeems) president Datuk Peter Nansian.
Archbishop Poh in his remarks at the end of the ceremony said the statue is a modern sculpture which everyone can see when they come to Mount Singai.
“Anytime you come to Mount Singai, look for the Christ the King statue. And as you walk up the Station of the Cross, you see a modern sculpture – Christ the King, and then go to the chapel (which is also named) Christ the King Chapel,” he said.
Meanwhile, CMPC chairman Vincent Eddy Sireng said over the last few days since the Statue of Christ the King was erected at Kampung Tanjong Singai, there have been numerous comments by many people on social media and also expressed verbally.
He pointed out such comments were rightly so, as the work was done not to their expectation.
As such, he said the Greater Tanjong Committee, as the initiator of the project, has given him the privilege to respond to the criticism during the blessing of the statue ceremony.
He also dwelled on the term ‘Inculturation’ which is the incarnation of the Gospel in native cultures and also the introduction of these cultures into the lives of the people and the Church.
“Jesus’ reign in Singai started in 1885 with the arrival of the first missionaries (priests and sisters). The church has developed and grown, spreading over different parts of Bau and Sarawak at large.
“That is why we can say Jesus is inculturated in Singai among the people living there now. The face of the statue is symbolic and not a passport picture. It can be Asian, Bidayuh or white. The meaning is the same.
“Therefore, this statue at the entrance of CMPC may also show a Bidayuh complexion or whatever the artist imagined,” he said in his speech at the same event.
Vincent also said he was of the clear view that the local community’s artistic impression of Christ, both in paintings and in statues, are best done in conscious avoidance of the European image of a man with blond hair and blue eyes.
“The Christians in mainland China, Africa and Latin-America have long attended to inculturation in their language as well as in their art. We should consciously do the same here at Singai.
“In this regard, I am of the humble opinion that this huge statue standing before us is as good as any statue available. I am grateful for it,” he said.
He also said he was personally very proud and grateful that Henry, as a member of the community there and a very faithful son of the Church, has in his customary generous manner, given the community the financial support towards this project.
It had been posted on Henry’s N2 Tasik Biru Facebook page that he had also personally supervised works to improve the statue a few days before the blessing ceremony.
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