DEACON SHERMAN'S COAT OF ARMS
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A coat of arms refers to the colourful decorations found on the shields held by knights during battles and tournaments in the medieval days so that they could be clearly identified. Later on, these decorative patterns were also found on the cloth tunic (called a "surcoat") worn over a knight's armour. Today, many individuals and institutions still use coats of arms as a method to communicate their history, identity, and values.
TOP PORTION OF THE SHIELD: The top portion of the shield is coloured blue to signify Deacon Sherman's place of birth and upbringing, that is, the historical town of Muar, which comes from the Malay word muara (meaning "the wide open estuary"). It was in this town that he discovered the Christian faith as a child and grew up under the strong influence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The three eagles represent the Gospel of Saint John (Deacon Sherman's favourite Gospel), the divinity of Jesus Christ our Saviour (which is the central message of the Gospel), and the Scripture passage Isaiah 40:31 (which reminds us that those who place their hope in God will "soar on wings like eagles") |
CENTRE PORTION OF THE SHIELD: The book in the centre of the shield represents the discipline of study in Deacon Sherman's life. From a young age, Deacon Sherman was an avid student of Scripture, and later on in his life a fervent student of Theology; this was what led him to eventually discover his vocation to be a teacher and preacher of the Christian faith. It was also his study of Scripture and Theology that eventually led him to "cross the Tiber", a popular expression used for non-Catholic Christians who find their way into the Catholic Church. His crossing the Tiber is reflected through the silver and blue wavy bars in the background of the book.
BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SHIELD: The bottom part of the shield represents the Catholic life lived by Deacon Sherman upon his reception into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. The red Jerusalem cross on the bottom left of the shield signifies his life as a pilgrim who travels all around the world to preach the Gospel. The tau cross on the bottom right of the shield represents the Franciscan spirituality of Deacon Sherman, who is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order (Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis). Wrapped around the middle of the tau cross is a white diaconal stole to reflect Deacon Sherman's vocation as a deacon in the Holy Catholic Church. The red and gold colours in the background of the bottom portion of the shield are the colours used in the logo of the Splendour Project, a mission community which is very integral to Deacon Sherman's evangelisation work.
COLOURS: The red, gold, and blue colours employed in Deacon Sherman's coat of arms are reminiscent of the colours belonging to the late Cornelius Cardinal Sim's ecclesiastical coat of arms. This almost coincidental reminiscence is an appropriate tribute to the life and ministry of His Eminence, who was a spiritual father to Deacon Sherman and his mission community until his demise on 29 May 2021. On 16 September 2021, Deacon Sherman was installed as the Cornelius Cardinal Sim Professor of Theology and Dialogue for the Christian Institute for Theological Engagement (CHRISTE), for which the late Cardinal Sim was inaugural Ecclesiastical Patron until his demise.
MOTTO: The motto found on the ribbon underneath the shield reads in Latin, EVANGELIUM GRATIAE DEI, which, in English, means "the Gospel of God's grace". This phrase comes from Acts 20:24, in which Saint Paul says "I do not place any value on my own life, provided that I complete the mission the Lord Jesus gave me - to bear witness to the Gospel of God's grace". This passage was what inspired Deacon Sherman as a young boy to consider devoting his life to the preaching of the Gospel, and he continues to hold this verse close to his heart as a constant reminder of his life's mission.
BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SHIELD: The bottom part of the shield represents the Catholic life lived by Deacon Sherman upon his reception into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. The red Jerusalem cross on the bottom left of the shield signifies his life as a pilgrim who travels all around the world to preach the Gospel. The tau cross on the bottom right of the shield represents the Franciscan spirituality of Deacon Sherman, who is a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order (Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis). Wrapped around the middle of the tau cross is a white diaconal stole to reflect Deacon Sherman's vocation as a deacon in the Holy Catholic Church. The red and gold colours in the background of the bottom portion of the shield are the colours used in the logo of the Splendour Project, a mission community which is very integral to Deacon Sherman's evangelisation work.
COLOURS: The red, gold, and blue colours employed in Deacon Sherman's coat of arms are reminiscent of the colours belonging to the late Cornelius Cardinal Sim's ecclesiastical coat of arms. This almost coincidental reminiscence is an appropriate tribute to the life and ministry of His Eminence, who was a spiritual father to Deacon Sherman and his mission community until his demise on 29 May 2021. On 16 September 2021, Deacon Sherman was installed as the Cornelius Cardinal Sim Professor of Theology and Dialogue for the Christian Institute for Theological Engagement (CHRISTE), for which the late Cardinal Sim was inaugural Ecclesiastical Patron until his demise.
MOTTO: The motto found on the ribbon underneath the shield reads in Latin, EVANGELIUM GRATIAE DEI, which, in English, means "the Gospel of God's grace". This phrase comes from Acts 20:24, in which Saint Paul says "I do not place any value on my own life, provided that I complete the mission the Lord Jesus gave me - to bear witness to the Gospel of God's grace". This passage was what inspired Deacon Sherman as a young boy to consider devoting his life to the preaching of the Gospel, and he continues to hold this verse close to his heart as a constant reminder of his life's mission.