NEWSLETTER: OCTOBER 2026

Growing on our Spiritual Journey

by Jennifer Duarte – PDCC Editorial Team

Our spiritual journey is a lifelong path without a retirement date. The different stages of our lives, from leaving school, to starting a career, to marriage and even the advent of AI, all bring unique gifts (aspirations, reflection, skills and experiences) to draw upon. Continued learning about our faith in our adult years—whether through scripture and pilgrimages, rites and rituals, sacred text and videos, or even conferences and theological discussions —makes our faith journey a season of active spiritual growth.

We are proud to acknowledge that another three of our Evangelizing Catechists (ECs) from the Penang Diocese have undergone the GROW (God Redeeming Our World) program, a comprehensive online Catholic catechetical series authored and presented by Rev. Deacon Prof. Dr. Sherman Kuek OFS.

Veronica Komathi

Veronica Komathi, an RCIA facilitator from the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Ipoh, took 3 years to complete this online course of study. This is her testimony.

From Encounter to Embrace

My faith journey is a testimony of God’s gentle leading. Born into a Hindu family, my first encounter with Christ happened during my school days at a convent school. It was there that I first encountered the way of Christ. My headmistress, an Irish nun, left a deep impression on me. She was a woman who was both strict and compassionate, living out the love of Christ in tangible ways. That seed of faith planted in my school years continued to grow. In the midst of my contemplation on embracing Christianity, the Lord placed my husband in my path; he was my school-mate back then. He became my guide and companion on this journey of faith. Later, during my university days, I took the decisive step to embrace the Catholic faith and received my baptism at the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya.

A Thirst to Know More

For me, getting baptised was not the end, but the beginning of a lifelong quest to know the Lord more deeply. I have always had the interest to deepen my knowledge of our faith and to explore what I am missing, or in other words, to learn about what I do not know about our faith. I believe that it is the Lord leading me.

Driven by this thirst, I completed a 3-year Diploma in Theology through the Distance Education Programme in Theology (DEPTh) from the prestigious Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi, in October 2023. Not wanting to stop there, I enrolled in the GROW program from July 2023 to September 2026, which has given me even more input and insights into the richness of our Catholic faith.

Balancing Faith, Work and Life

As a full-time teacher, the main challenge was finding the balance between work and the GROW program studies. However, the longing and love for learning has helped me to persevere.

What Next?

The more I sign up for faith-related courses, the more I encounter new insights. I will continue to seek the guidance of the Lord to lead me where He wants me to go. As an RCIA facilitator, I now channel my knowledge and experiences as I journey with others who, like me, are seeking to find Christ and embrace the Catholic faith. This is my faith journey – one that continues to blossom and bear fruit, as I remain open to God’s call to GROW.

Sandra Lim

Sandra Lim Teik Hong, an EC helping out with RCIA at the parish of the Holy Name of Jesus, Balik Pulau in Penang finished her GROW program in about 2 years. She undertook this course in Chinese, primarily because she was curious about the faith, especially about what she didn’t yet know.

The Journey

She confessed that it was not an easy task since it was a self-study course. One needed to be very disciplined. Many a time, she was too preoccupied with her other tasks and neglected the course. But miraculously, she heard the Holy Spirit reminding her, “Hey, you still have unfinished work to do for your study program!” “That is what kept me going to finish it,” she quipped.

The Experience

She did learn a lot and gain new experiences. Obstacles faced were mainly in the terminology used. “Most of the terms used were in English. I am used to Chinese terms but I managed to translate them with Google translate and confirmed the translation with Rev. Deacon Sherman Kuek,” Sandra said.

What next?

Like most graduates, completing the whole course doesn’t mean the end of learning for Sandra. She strives to review what she has learnt from time to time, so that she will not forget it. She said that academic goals were not important when she decided to take up this course. She also feels more confident in the knowledge of her faith now, and has willingly agreed to assist in establishing the English RCIA group for her parish. We wish her God’s blessings in all her endeavours.

Joseph Chan

Joseph Chan, the Lead Coordinator for RCIA at the Church of Divine Mercy (CDM), Sungai Ara, Penang, took 2 years to complete the GROW program. He shares his story.

The RCIA Journey

For the past 13 years, RCIA has been an important part of my journey at CDM, Sungai Ara. Over the years, I have had the privilege of accompanying many individuals as they searched for God, discovered the Catholic faith, and began their journey towards becoming disciples of Christ.

My decision to enrol in the God Redeeming Our World (GROW) program came from a simple desire: I wanted to deepen and strengthen my own Catholic faith. After many years of serving in RCIA, I realised that experience alone is not enough. I wanted a more systematic understanding of my faith so that I could serve others with greater confidence, clarity and depth.

Learning Amid a Busy Working Life

One of my biggest challenges is time. I am a freelance trainer specialising in legal compliance and credit analysis, and much of my work involves travelling to different locations to conduct training for bank staff. My training programs can take up most of the working day, and my schedule can be quite demanding.

Balancing work, family commitments, RCIA responsibilities and a two-year course is certainly not easy. There were times when I had to carefully plan my schedule just to make time for study, reflection and assignments.

Yet, this challenge has also reminded me that learning about our faith cannot always be separated from the realities of everyday life. In fact, my busy schedule has encouraged me to become more disciplined in making time for God.

Learning for the Ministry

My motivation for taking up GROW is not simply academic. I see the course as part of my preparation for serving the RCIA community. The RCIA syllabus has recently undergone significant changes, and this presented both a challenge, as well as an opportunity, for our parish. Since the new syllabus was launched this year, one of my aspirations after completing the GROW program is to bring together what I have learnt through GROW, my 13 years of RCIA experience, and the needs of our parish community to develop an RCIA journey that is more systematic, engaging and meaningful for our catechumens and candidates.

Still Learning, Still Searching

Although I am already serving in RCIA, I consider myself very much a learner. The more I discover about the Catholic faith, the more I realise how much more I have yet to learn.

My academic goal was therefore not simply to obtain a qualification at the end of the two years. I am still looking for programs and opportunities that can help me continue to deepen my understanding of Scripture, Church teaching, theology and discipleship.

For me, GROW was not just another course to complete. It is part of an ongoing journey of learning, growing and serving. Ultimately, I hope that what I gain from this program will not just remain with me. I want to share it with others, especially those who come to RCIA seeking answers, meaning and a deeper relationship with Christ.

After 13 years in RCIA, I have come to appreciate that accompanying others on their journey of faith also requires us, as ministers, to grow on our own faith journey. I seek to learn so that I can serve better. I myself grow, so that I can help others to grow too. And I continue searching because there is always more to discover about our God who continues to redeem and transform our world.

More info on the GROW Course

God Redeeming Our World (GROW) is a 100% Catholic program presented in a systematic and simple way which helps you make deep sense of your own existence and life from Catholic perspective. More information about this program is available at https://www.splendourproject.com/grow.html

You may use the language (English, BM, Tamil, 华文) you are comfortable with to fill in this registration form. This program is available in English and BM, with subtitles in Chinese (中文字幕) and Tamil.

Your registration with PDCC as a parish, ministry or church community entitles you to a 50% discount (i.e. RM60 per each period of 6 months after discount); this is an initiative by the Penang Diocesan Catechetical Commission (PDCC) with the Splendour Project.

If you register for it with Splendour Project directly, this offer of 50% discount isn’t applicable. So do contact Jeanne J. Saw (016-4554597) before you sign up to tell her of your intention to take up the course. Then click https://forms.gle/ofQacBrpx2zJsUmC7 to register.

Please share this great opportunity with your Catholic family members and friends, RCIA neophytes, post-Confirmation youths, community leaders, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ministry coordinators, or leaders in any capacity and even any lay faithful within the Penang Diocese.

𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 (𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐖) 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐄

The Splendour Project is delighted to announce that our GROW catechesis has recently received the 𝙉𝙞𝙝𝙞𝙡 𝙊𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩 (a formal declaration that “nothing stands in the way”) from the Most Rev. Dr James Thoppil, the Bishop of Kohima, an Asian theologian who holds a Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD) from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. This declaration formally attests to the doctrinal and moral integrity of the series for faith formation throughout the universal Church.

Congratulations to all our ECs who have undertaken GROW and received their certificate validated by the Centre for Christian Studies and Theological Education (CHRISTE).

For those still undergoing this GROW course, it is a profound commitment to your spiritual and intellectual formation. Don’t rush through! Trust the process and the hand of our Lord working in your lives! Move systematically through the eight periods patiently to build a rock-solid foundation of your Catholic faith!

Jennifer Duarte

PDCC Editorial Team

PDCC is the official body that oversees the development of Catechesis in the Diocese of Penang, Malaysia.