Talks

DEACON SHERMAN'S TALKS

Deacon Sherman travels around the region and beyond to teach courses, speak in faith formation events, and to facilitate retreats. Because his itinerary each year is very full, requests for him to speak should be made at least ONE YEAR before the intended date of the event to make it possible for him to meet your requests. Requests may be sent directly through e-mail to Deacon Sherman.

Deacon Sherman teaches faith formation courses that are slightly longer in length/duration and more comprehensive in content besides the shorter talks that he often also delivers. Some of them are as follows:

SEMINARS

RETREATS

THE DIVINE CONSPIRACY
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN FOR HUMANITY

This module helps the participants to understand that we are all created for a purpose. It takes the participants through an entire narrative that helps them to understand God’s plan and destiny for all of humanity. This module is meant to awaken an awareness within the people that each individual has an obligation to seek his vocation in life that would lead him towards fullness in the life of the Kingdom of God.

PRAYING WITH COLOURS
EXPERIENCING THE PASCHAL MYSTERY THROUGH ICONS

Over the centuries, religious artists have transformed Scripture into images through their sacred paintings. These paintings are called “icons”. The word “icon” means “image”, and the story of icons in the Christian Church is a story of learning to gaze into the mystery of God. The realities portrayed by words in Scripture, icons portray through colours. The icon is the occasion of a sort of revelation - in line and colour - of the kingdom of God. Hence the very icon itself is a sacred reality. In this retreat, participants journey through some very sacred events of Scripture and are guided on how to pray with these biblical events which are portrayed in colour.

THE GOSPEL OF THE EARLY CHURCH
BASED ON ST PAUL’S TEACHING

Keeping in mind God’s plan for humanity, all Catholics are challenged time and again to return to the heart of the Gospel message. With this, we call to mind the apostolic ministry of one of the greatest evangelists of all time, St Paul, who revolutionised the ancient world through his evangelisation activity and teaching of the Word of God. Through his letters, we learn once again what was taught to the Early Christians about Jesus Christ, the Church, a life guided by the Holy Spirit, and humanity’s final destiny.

LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY
A RETREAT ON THE LORD’S PRAYER

The Lord’s Prayer is perhaps the one prayer prayed most often by Catholics, and yet, perhaps also the prayer most often taken for granted. This may be because it is prayed so often as part of our daily spiritual practice as well as our liturgical life together as the worshipping community. In this retreat, participants are invited to draw themselves deeper into the heart of this prayer. The retreat will help them to understand why it is the best prayer that a disciple of Jesus Christ can ever say. It will also bring to light deeper paradoxes from the statements of this prayer that are often missed by those who pray it.

HOUR OF LAITY
UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF LAITY IN THE CHURCH

Having understood the most basic Gospel message, the Holy Church continues to call for the formation of all the lay faithful who share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of Christ in the world. This seminar aims to help the lay faithful of the Church - families, married couples, parents, single people, young people, lay leaders - to understand the characteristics of their lay vocation and the roles and responsibilities proper to their vocation. It helps its participants to understand what this all means for their daily lives as the lay faithful of the Church.

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
OF THE ROSARY

There is no better way to be a disciple of Jesus Christ than by imitating His Holy Mother Whom our Lord has also given us to be our Mother. We journey with her in order to learn lessons on life and faith from her as we meditate at length of each sorrowful mystery of the Holy Rosary.

DIALOGUE OF SALVATION
CATHOLICS CALLED TO EVANGELISE

The mandate of the Holy Catholic Church is clear, that every Christian, by virtue of his baptismal promise, has an obligation to share his faith with the rest of the world through dialogue and proclamation. The Gospel is Good News that must be transmitted in its entirety and in all clarity. But do we understand the people that we need to evangelise? And how should we share our faith with them in a way that respects their dignity and conscience? How should we share our faith with people in a personal way? Also, how can evangelisation take place through our families?

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
OF THE ROSARY

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
CATHOLICS, ORTHODOX, PROTESTANTS

We are constantly surrounded by Christians who are outside of the Catholic Church, and these brothers and sisters are people with whom we need to constantly dialogue in order to gently invite them into the fullness of the Catholic faith. For those of us who are a part of the Catholic Church, what does it mean that we are Catholic? What is the nature of our relationship with Christians who are outside of the Catholic Church? How are the various streams of Christianity similar and/or different in their way of worship, their governance and in their teachings in faith and morals? In a Christian world that is sadly divided, it is important that we once again begin to attempt to understand the differences among the various expressions of Christianity, which then forms the basis for honest dialogue and a mutual search for truth.

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
OF THE ROSARY

SPLENDOUR OF TRUTH
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH

There are many myths surrounding the ancient Catholic faith and its beliefs. Many Christians outside of the Catholic Church have various questions, even suspicions, about the Catholic Church's historical past, its handling of Scripture, its beliefs about Mary, the priesthood, the papacy and the Sacraments, among others. This seminar aims to help Catholics to better understand their history, as well as the Scriptural and theological bases for their Catholic beliefs which are usually difficult to explain.

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
OF THE ROSARY

THE CHRISTIAN TRUTH
WHY WE BELIEVE IN THE SON OF GOD

There are also other religious people we constantly encounter but who do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of humanity. Particularly in Malaysia, Christians are often asked if our Christian Scriptures have been altered before, if God is truly a Trinity, if Jesus is truly the Son of God, and if Jesus was truly crucified for the sins of humanity. This seminar helps its participants to understand how the Christian faith can stand up to logical and historical scrutiny.

DISCIPLES TOGETHER
RENEWING OUR COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW CHRIST

Many of us are deeply aware that we are called to be Disciples of Christ, Followers of the Way. But what truly does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What does Christ truly require of each person who claims to follow Him? This weekend retreat invites its participants to embark on a journey towards a much deeper understanding of what Christ truly meant when He told His early Apostles, “Come, follow me...” or “Come and see...”