Tributes
Remembering Cardinal Cornelius Sim
Herald – June 6th 2021
A Tribute from Thomas Madanan
Regional Commission for Social Communications
Cardinal Sim’s last word to his flocks
CBCP News
RCSC Pays Tribute To HE CORNELIUS CARDINAL SIM
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Brunei’s ‘exceptional’ baker-man Cornelius Cardinal Sim remembered in many ways
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The younger brother: cardinal-designate Cornelius Sim of Brunei – The Tablet
The Bishop’s Coat of Arms
The coat of arm is a unique heraldry or armorial insigna, usually on a shield, that presents identity of the holder of the coat of arms and what the holder hopes to achieve. It is a sign of the holder’s rank.
With his elevation to the College of Cardinals, Bishop Cornelius Sim has updated his bishop’s coat of arms slightly. The biggest change is an emphasis on the colour red (or scarlet) of a cardinal. The red color of the hat and the number and color of the tassels signify the rank of Cardinal.
Prior to Second Vatican Council, the Pope would present a red-tasseled galero to new cardinals. This custom was discontinued in 1969 and the investiture now takes place with the scarlet biretta. In ecclesiastical heraldry, however, the scarlet galero is still displayed on the cardinal’s coat of arms. Cardinals had the right to display the galero in their cathedral, and when a cardinal died, it would be suspended from the ceiling above his tomb. Some cardinals will still have a galero made, even though it is not officially part of their apparel.
Hanging from the cardinal’s hat are 30 red tassels, in five rows, 15 on each side. There is also a gold (yellow) processional cross above the shield. The cross on a bishop’s coat of arms has one bar; an archbishop’s cross has two bars. The left side of the shield bears the arms of his jurisdiction while the right side bears the things personal to him.
In the lower left section of the shield there is a golden embattled fess to represent the desert of Numidia with the dunes and an over standing sun with the monogram of Christ (IHS), rising in the red sky of the desert dawn. In heraldry, the sun symbolizes the Providence and the monogram means the Christocentric concept of the Providence.
But one may ask, what has the desert of Numidia got to do with Cardinal Sim’ coat of arms? The answer lies in the fact that Cardinal Sim is the Titular Bishop of Putia in Numidia. In ancient times, Putia in Numidia was in the region of Northern Africa (in present day Algeria and parts of Western Tunisia). St Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo, was primate. From his see in Hippo, which is now the modern city of Annaba in Algeria, St Augustine used to give advice to the bishops of Numidia.
In the lower right side of the shield several symbols are presented; the silver and blue wavy bars, a boat and a silver star.
The silver and blue wavy bars represent the sea. Cardinal Sim was born in Seria, a town fronting the sea, the South China Sea.
St Augustine and his mother St. Monica, which is also the name of Bishop’s Cornelius’s mother, left their country by boat to reach Italy where St Augustine journey to full conversion to Christianity. St Monica died in Ostia, close to Rome where she is buried. In a stained glass window of a Roman church, St Monica is painted with a boat close to her. The boat in the coat of arms symbolizes Christ’s apostolic vicar formally reaching the shores of Brunei Darussalam.
A silver star is one of the many ways to represent the Virgin Mary (Stella Matutina, Stella Maris, etc.) and reminds the Church of the Immaculate Conception where Cardinal Sim was ordained as priest.
Below the shield is the motto in Latin: “Duc In Altum” in English “Put Out into the Deep”, the first part of the verse from St Luke’s Gospel 5:4. The complete verse being: “When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” The motto serves as the essence of what Cardinal Sim wishes to achieve for the Church in Brunei Darussalam.
The sea, the boat, the star and the motto also appear in the crest of the Apostolic Vicariate in Brunei Darussalam.
Apostolic Vicariate in Brunei Darussalam 
Thank you for making this service online. We are pleased to join the Brunei Catholic community which we are part of in this important event
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May his soul rest in eternal peace. And the seeds of the Catholic faith will grow more fertile and bear good fruit.
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Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in peace. Amen
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Thank you very much you Eminence Cardinal Cornelius Sim for all your services to the Catholic Nurses of Malaysia. You shaped us spiritually
for eternal life. Remembering this statement that you made to us ,” the gate to heaven is narrow”.
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May his soul rest in peace,
And may he rise in glory.
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Condolences to Msgr. Robert, Fr. Paul, Fr. Arin, the rest of the Vicariate community, and to all of us sharing in the painful loss of our dear Cardinal.🙏 And indeed, thank you for the continued opportunity to be united in prayer by livestreaming the masses. We echo the gratitude of the multitude who really want to be there to pay our last respects to our beloved Cardinal but couldn’t due to the pandemic travel restrictions.😢💔
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Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts!
Rest in the peace of our Lord, dear Cardinal.
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Eternal Rest in peace of our Lord dear Cardinal Sim
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Cardinal Sim introduced me and my wife to the study of the Bible in Brunei in 2011. When we returned to the Philippines after 4 years, we started our own Bible Study group duplicating what he did. The seed that Cardinal Sim planted in us has grown and we hope that we can continue to grow it and give glory to God. It is amazing how this apparently simple act can have a profound impact on the lives of some people he does not even know. Thank you Cardinal Sim. Your memory will be in our hearts forever.
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Thank you Cardinal Sim for your tireless effort to shepherd the Catholic flock here in Brunei. I am going to miss you so much Bishop. It is so hard to believe that you are no longer with us. The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh. Through the mercy of God, may your soul rest in peace. Bye Bishop. Love you, Bishop.
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This 21.06.13, it is 7h58 am, Eastern Time.
To the People and the clergy of the Holy Church of God in Brunei, my deep condoleances and prayers.
In the koinonia of all Local Churches, +late fr. Jean-Marie Roger Tillard, o.p. had reason to remind us that
in the tiny Church in Brunei, you have everything to be a One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church …
Prayers from Gatineau, QUÉBEC, Canada. Thanks to permit all faithfull to prayer with you at his funeral service via You Tube. Big kisses of gratitude ! XOX
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Deepest condolence to his family and diocesean flock. He was a father to many, including me. He will be deeply missed. Psa.116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones” Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon him
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Cardinal Sim, a good friend, mentor, spiritual adviser, the most prayerful person I ever met. We had the privilege to be with him in our pilgrimage to Italy and France in 2018. He was down to earth a very simple, humble and caring to his flock. We miss him. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)” He did well and was faithful to his calling. Thank you Lord for giving us Cardinal Sim and we are sure he is now with you, reaping his rewards. We love you our beloved Cardinal Sim and please pray for us… Beato & Rose
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Watch over your Vicariate, Cardinal, as we all grieve for you. May they draw strength, comfort, wisdom knowing you passed your all to them. Take your rest now po. May the Lord Jesus Christ and his Mother meet you at the gates. And may God continue to bless the Vicariate. Amen. 😢
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Watch over your Vicariate, Cardinal, as we all grieve for you. May they draw strength, comfort, wisdom knowing you passed your all to them. Take your rest now po. May the Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother meet you at the gates. And may God continue to bless the Vicariate. Amen.
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Heavenly Father GOD,
Recalling the moment’s of prayer’s for good health of Cardinal Cornelius Sim, 3 years ago…!
In his own last words, when God open’s the door, we must enter in, is the sign that he left for us all.
“Father God” You have now appointed him, in Your paradise a greater mission indeed for the Nation of Brunei for Your glory. May Your Divine Mercy be upon him and on us all. Amen.
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“There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains”
Dear Cardinal, thank you for being the light in our lives in the Vicariate. Though I miss your loving presence, your light continues to shine and I do find comfort in the teachings, baking lessons, and wonderful memories you have left us. Rest in peace now po…
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We first met then Bishop Cornelius Sim in person in 2014. He was in the Philippines and though our daughter Kay was not in the country, he asked to meet her entire family. It was the start of our relationship with him as a friend and a family.
Every time he would come to the Philippines, whether Kay was here or not, he would pay us a visit at home or would request to meet in his hotel or wherever he’s staying. Sometimes, if his schedule cannot permit him an entire day, he’d still find a way to drop by with pasalubong or just to say hi. There were times when he would even visit unexpectedly.
It was always a pleasure to host Bishop. Everything you would serve him, even exotic food like burong talangka (salted raw crablets), he would very much enjoy. He’d even eat with his hands! He was a happy eater.
He was warm towards everyone we’d introduce him to and would call them “Ate” or “Kuya” and he would always have a lot of stories to tell.
One time, we brought him to Immaculate Conception Parish in Damar Village to hear mass where he met the Parish Priest, Fr. Anthony. Next thing we knew, he was already at the altar ready to celebrate the mass with him. One time he invited us at the Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Mandaluyong and introduced us to Fr. Jimmy.
To say that Cornelius Cardinal Sim was a kind and generous soul is an understatement. We will forever be grateful to him for being a second father to our daughter while she was in Brunei, a “Lolo”/grandfather to our grandchildren, and a family to all of us. We will always appreciate how he has kept all the people around him in his thoughts and his prayers.
Rest in Peace, Cornelius Cardinal Sim. Our time with you may have been shorter than we would have wanted, but we treasure all the moments we shared. No more pain and suffering.
We will miss you and we will see you on the other side and have buro and lechon there! ❤️
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