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A Fraternitas of youth and young adults

It began with a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2019, the shared experiences and profound connections stirring in some of the young pilgrims a desire to be a community, a fraternity in the spirit of the Franciscan Friars. From that desire came forth a new fraternity called Franciscan Young Adults in early 2020.

Today, Franciscan Young Adults is one of four fraternities within Fraternitas, a ministry ministering to youths and young adults under the direction of Friar John-Paul Tan OFM, who led the Sequela Christi pilgrimage in 2019.

“The coincidences that brought about the formation of Fraternitas can only point to the hand of God in action,” said Friar John-Paul. “From the initial desire of some young pilgrims in 2019 committing to community together after their trip to the Holy Land, to the call from the General Chapter of the Order of Friars Minor in 2021 to journey with all young people, to the timely financial support of our many benefactors, here we are today.”

Guided by the Franciscan ethos, Fraternitas aims to nurture relationships akin to familial bonds, where individuals are embraced for who they are and journey together in authenticity, simplicity, and humility. It is one body comprising four fraternities – Franciscan Youth, Franciscan Young Adults, Canticle and Franciscan Families. Each has its own leadership team, and together these fraternities provide an avenue for spiritual formation and fellowship for youths and young adults as they journey through life. There are approximately 220 active members.

FRANCISCAN YOUTH

The Franciscan Youth fraternity, for post-confirmation youths aged 16 to 21, is committed to building long lasting bonds among members through activities such as beach outings, bouldering, art sessions, and shared meals. Recognising the need for social formation, Franciscan Youth offers platforms such as the “Let’s Talk” series to address contemporary challenges such as mental health and stress management. Through introspective exploration, youths can gain clarity on their life direction amidst the digital age’s myriad influences.

FRANCISCAN YOUNG ADULTS

The Franciscan Young Adults fraternity aims to foster collaborative partnership in church and society, guiding young adults, aged 21 to 35, to follow in the footsteps of St Francis and St Clare. As these young adults progress to tertiary education and the workforce, Fraternitas creates pensive experiences for them to journey in faith together, and find resilience in fraternity as they face the challenges of adulthood. The fraternity gathers weekly for formative sessions such as Lectio Divina, Franciscan Formation led by the Friars as well as for fellowship. The latest event, Laudate Night, was a night of music, contemplative prayer and eucharistic adoration. Members in Singapore convene within designated zones: West, East, and Downtown, and most sessions are also available on Zoom for those who are unable to attend in person, and those in Indonesia and Malaysia.

“What I especially love about FYA is the embrace of Christian freedom – it is a community that allows us to be our authentic selves without fear or shame, that embraces our individuality and gifts yet at the same time, we are striving to become more Christlike together and sanctifying each other as the mystical body of Christ,” said Benedict Wong, who joined after being received into the Catholic Church in 2023.

FRANCISCAN FAMILIES

The Franciscan Families fraternity offers a space for young married couples and singles. It hopes to help to co-create a fraternity of families seeking to discover and deepen the marriage covenant through Franciscan spirituality. From singlehood to married life to family life with children, Franciscan Families seeks to journey with young people through these key phases of their life.

In collaboration with the Couple Mentor Journey ministry team of the parish of St Mary of the Angels, Franciscan Families embarked on a nine-month long journey with our couples in September 2023.

CANTICLE

Canticle is the fraternity for young creatives, helping them journey together to discover and channel their God-given talents for self-knowledge, spiritual growth and ministry. It is inspired by St Francis’ Canticle of Creatures, a prayer expressing gratitude and reverence for all of creation as reflections of God’s beauty and love.

This Lent, Canticle collaborated with Joanna Tan, an art specialist, to organise SacroSpeco, Sacred Caves in Italian. St Francis spent much time in solitude and prayer in caves. For him, caves were sanctuaries that carried profound symbolism, representing the pierced side of Christ. Entering a cave gives the sense of stepping into the very heart of Jesus. This SacroSpeco programme is envisioned to be the sacred caves where participants can encounter the heart of God, and f ind solace through art.

Please pray for the Fraternitas team comprising Friar John-Paul, two staff and some interns, and the leadership teams of the four fraternities as they continue to discern the signs of the times, and where God is inviting Fraternitas to go.

Find out more about Fraternitas at fraternitas.sg.

Franciscan pilgrims at World Youth Day in Lisbon

Franciscan pilgrims at World Youth Day in Lisbon

In the heart of Lisbon, a city rich in history and spirituality, Friars Aiden Peter, Sixtus Pitah and Robin Toha, along with 59 young people from the Churches of St Mary of the Angels, Blessed Sacrament, and Immaculate Heart of Mary, shared in a global message of love, inclusivity and hope at World Youth Day 2023.

World Youth Day in Lisbon brought together more than 1.5 million young souls from around the world, offering them an array of spiritually enriching talks, solemn praying of the Stations of the Cross in the presence of Pope Francis, and a moving closing mass presided over by His Holiness himself.

Held from 1 to 6 August, World Youth Day 2023 transcended mere participation. It was a spiritual awakening that will echo in the hearts of the young pilgrims for years to come, a testament to the enduring power of faith and the joy of connecting with others through shared beliefs.

Pope Francis’ message of inclusivity and love resonated deeply with the youthful audience, who eagerly absorbed his words of wisdom.

Reflecting on the Holy Father’s message, Friar Aiden, who led the contingent, said,

“Pope Francis is the pope of relationships, the pope who welcomes all to the church. Everyone has a place in the church.”

Pope Francis, renowned for his warmth and approachability, appeared entirely at ease with the young pilgrims, and many pilgrims left the six-day event feeling cherished, enriched, and emboldened, holding on to the Pope’s profound message as a beacon of hope and unity.

As World Youth Day drew to a close, the Pope announced that the next World Youth Day would be held in South Korea in 2027. The excitement of the pilgrims was palpable; they were already looking forward to another spiritually transformative WYD experience.

Pope Francis also disclosed plans for a Youth Jubilee in Rome in 2025, underscoring the importance of youth engagement within the Church. These upcoming events continue the tradition of bringing together young people from every corner of the globe to celebrate their faith and deepen their connection with God.

Misa Kerahiman Ilahi dirayakan di seluruh Asia

Misa Kerahiman Ilahi dirayakan di seluruh Asia

“Jika Yesus tanya kita, adakah anda menyayangi saya?” merupakan soalan yang diajukan oleh Friar Don Don Ramerez, OFM dalam homili beliau semasa merayakan Misa Kerahiman Ilahi di Gereja St Ann, Kota Padawan yang disiarkan secara langsung melalui FacebookYouTube dan aplikasi Zoom bagi seluruh Asia.

Salib merupakan lambang bahawa Tuhan mencintai setiap kita. Persoalannya, adakah kita mencintai Dia?

Tanyalah dalam hati kita, dan jika tidak, semoga kita mendapatkan kesembuhan dan pengampunan daripada Tuhan.

Misa Kerahiman Ilahi bagi seluruh Asia telah diadakan pada 10 Ogos 2023.

Misa tersebut bermula pada jam 7 petang waktu Malaysia yang sama juga dengan waktu di Filipina dan Singapura, manakala bagi Indonesia pula, ia diadakan pada jam 6 petang. Ramai juga umat yang menghadirkan diri untuk mendapatkan kesembuhan dan sentuhan Tuhan melalui Ekaristi.

Sumber: Misa Kerahiman Ilahi dirayakan di seluruh Asia – Today’s Catholic Online (todayscatholic.com.my)

Religious Superiors discuss struggles and challenges at annual meet

Religious Superiors discuss struggles and challenges at annual meet

Seventeen Religious Major Superiors and delegates of the different congregations gathered at George Adventure Base, near Mt Kinabalu, August 10-17, for their second gathering for 2023.

The 17 Major Superiors at George Adventure Base, Sabah.

The Conference of Religious Major Superiors (CRMS) of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei is a canonically instituted association where Religious Superiors work towards greater collaboration with one another and also to “establish appropriate coordination and cooperation with the conference of bishops and also with individual bishops” (CIC 708).

For the past few meetings, CRMS president Friar Derrick Yap, OFM, focussed on the group’s attention and efforts regarding the Safeguarding and Protection of Minor and Vulnerable Persons. There is a two-prong approach to safeguarding: (1) the reactive approach is taken when there is a complaint of abuse, and (2) the proactive approach is adopted to promote mental and spiritual well-being and thus is a preventive strategy against any form of abuse happening in the first place.

This round of formation sessions were targeted on the proactive preventive approach. Dr Joachim Lee, a psychotherapist, was invited to inform and introduce the group to the latest research in Brain Science and Psychology. Under the guidance and sharing of Dr Joachim, the group experienced a powerful message to be open and recognise “The Wisdom of Trauma”, which is the title of a documentary the superiors watched before the input session.

The group learnt that dysfunctional behaviours and addictions are often trauma-based. It was with this awareness that Dr Joachim helped trace the journey in discovering a good enough authentic self, involving the brain, psychology and ourselves. Other topics covered included the mental health continuum, causes of anxiety disorder, stress, burnout and depression. These topics were contextualised within the life of a Religious and community living, and there was plenty of material to further our reflection on.

With such awareness of the struggles within religious living, this group of religious leaders found themselves confronted with this challenging reality and how to journey and accompany the Religious men and women under their care. The call to personal conversion and deep compassion rang in our hearts as we felt the continuous call to follow Christ more closely as servant-leaders and authentic Religious.

The second part of the gathering consisted of the official meeting. The Religious Superiors shared the latest updates in their respective congregations. They also had a brief Zoom session with Friar David Leary, OFM, reflecting on and studying issues and policies surrounding the protection of minors and vulnerable persons, which is focussed on the reactive approach.

This August meeting was also an opportune moment for feedback regarding the Malaysian Religious Assembly held in June; they have decided to carry on the good works and conversations that have taken place, and to keep it up-to-date for the Malaysian Pastoral Convention in 2026.

Finally, the superiors had open and free conversations in small groups about matters affecting our congregations in this part of our world. There was some alignment among the small groups revolving around issues of greater collaboration in the areas of ministries and formation; sharing and optimisation of human and land resources; care plans for aging and infirmed religious.

Being in Sabah and accompanied by the hospitality of the Sabahan Religious brothers and sisters, especially through Capuchin Friar Valentine Gompok’s arrangement, we spent our last day together visiting the interesting shrines and sites in Ranau, namely the Church of St Peter Claver (Ranau) and Puncak Kasih Bonda. They had us soaking our feet twice in a day, once in the river where beautiful fish swam close, and in the afternoon, at the Poring Hot Springs. It was truly a time of laughter, friendship and enjoyment of nature.

Taking time for relaxation and appreciating the gifts of God in these places provided us with a more holistic experience as men and women called by God to build God’s kingdom of love.

At the end of our time together, the 17 superiors returned to their communities refreshed and recharged with greater zeal for mission in the world, in and through advancing a more effective and authentic community living

Source: https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/religious-superiors-discuss-struggles-and-challenges-at-annual-meet/72589/5

2022 Holy Saturday Evening Reflection

2022 Holy Saturday Evening Reflection

In this most sacred of nights, the church and whole of creation welcomes the Light of Christ and proclaims Easter with the Exsultet. Through scripture we recall salvation history and journey toward the fullness of God’s revelation in Christ.

The celebration of the Easter Vigil is filled with so many gifts from nature, from beeswax, fire, incense to water, oil, bread and wine.

As we reflect on the salvation brought by Christ, we must ensure that we care and protect the fragile world that provides us all with these gifts. May the power and light of grace we have received, help to nurture the relationship we have with all creation.