St Clare’s prayer of perseverance (2 Letter to Agnes of Prague)
My journey into St Clare of Assisi
I am no scholar. I always feel embarrassed when I am called “an expert in Clare” by my brothers. Yet I also feel honoured. After all, I only have a diploma in Franciscan Studies and Spirituality from the Franciscan Study Centre in Kent, England. Ironically though that is what set me on my journey to Clare of Assisi – to understand, discover, and weave her feminine side into my Franciscan inspiration and life.
Clare’s tapestry of Franciscan Spirituality is manifested in her Letters to Agnes of Prague, and I have woven her Mirror Spirituality and Meditation on the San Damiano Crucifix into my Franciscan Spiritual Living Approach. I endeavour to be as Clare encouraged – “Be filled with a remarkable happiness and a spiritual joy!” (1 Letter to Agnes of Prague).
In her Mirror Spirituality, Clare points to the Cross as the Mirror. Gazing at it, considering it, contemplating it, and listening to it let her not only see herself and Christ, but also become the imitation of that relationship reflected in and through the Mirror. Clare evokes this in her Testament to her sisters “to be models and mirrors for others may behold themselves in us”, and this has become a constant reminder of my intimacy with Christ in the Mirror. I am to be a Mirror inspiring those who gaze, consider, and contemplate it become mirrors themselves.
Clare’s intuitive Meditation (4 Letter to Agnes of Prague) on the San Damiano Crucifix combines elements of Lectio Divina and Visio Divina. Just as Francis heard the San Damiano Crucifix speak to him, in her Meditation, Clare is led (leading me) on a journey into the labyrinth of the Crucifix. She begins by reflecting on God’s vulnerability and poverty (my own vulnerability), moves to God’s charity and embrace (God accepts me), then into the depth of God’s love and Self-Giving (God graces me), until finally she is given a contemplative assurance that God is always embracing her (and with me), and calling her “to rebuild”, just as He called Francis.
Friar Michael Goh OFM
Towards a renewed vision of the Franciscan lay brother’s vocation
The International Meeting of Lay Brothers took place from 28 April to 2 May 2025, after two years of preparation at the conference level. Fifty elected representatives gathered in Assisi to discuss Fraternity and Minority, Mission and Evangelisation, and Formation and Studies. Friar Vernon Chua represented the lay brothers of the Custody of St Anthony (Singapore-Brunei-Malaysia).
It was an honour for me to represent the SAAOC (South Asia, Australia and Oceania Conference) at the International Meeting of Lay Brothers. Over five deeply enriching days, we explored much ground, and I found the renewed and prophetic vision of the Franciscan lay brother’s vocation insightful and energising.
A central insight was the call to move away from a functional definition of what a lay brother does towards a deeper understanding of who a lay brother is – a shift from function to vocation.
Through historical and theological reflections, we explored the varied expressions of fraternity lived across different cultures and contexts. Six themes for renewal emerged: (1) the transformative narrative from function to vocation, (2) the inculturation of the vocation across cultures, (3) the theological witness of lay fraternity, (4) the creative tension between the desire for recognition and the call to minority, (5) the need for integrated yet differentiated formation, and (6) the prophetic contribution of lay brothers to today’s Church.
This vision was framed around three powerful metaphors. Fraternity is described as (1) a spiritual ecosystem where different vocations coexist in mutual respect and complementarity; (2) evangelical polyphony where distinct voices harmonise in the Gospel; and (3) a frontier space where diverse expressions of discipleship meet, dialogue and generate new paths.
The metaphors reframe the identity of the lay brother as a full and essential participant in the life and renewal of the Order. This vision challenges the entire Franciscan family to rediscover its original evangelical vitality where fraternity is shaped by shared discipleship and a radical following of Christ in joy, poverty and mutual love.
Having served for many years in the formation of friars, I was especially drawn to the practical proposals that arose around formation. There is now a clear call for new models of formation that honour both shared and personal journeys, fraternal life marked by co-responsibility and non-hierarchical structures, and mission that visibly reflects unity in diversity.
I was heartened to have my approach to formation affirmed. Formation is a science, but it is more profoundly an art. Formation is not just taught; it must be caught through lived witness. Living my vocation as a lay brother has allowed me to experience the deep freedom that comes from being aligned with God’s plan.
There is much to act upon from the meeting. Yet what I treasure most is the camaraderie of the brothers assembled – the sharing of stories, struggles and challenges which give me renewed hope in our vocation.
… there am I with them
Since my Solemn Profession on 17 September 2024, I have been going to Johor Bahru on weekends. While I continue my studies at St Francis Xavier Seminary and remain a member of the Greccio Friary community, as part of my ministry, I serve the Bahasa Malaysia community of St Joseph Church in Johor Bahru.
It has been a life-giving experience to serve this community, most of whom are from Sabah and Sarawak, and I am grateful to Fr Matthew Bun, parish priest of St Joseph Church, Plentong, for welcoming me into his parish. I have been involved with the choir, participated in the Basic Ecclesial Community, held retreats for communion ministers, accompanied the young adult community, and joined in the Parish and Melaka-Johor Diocese Harvest Festival celebration, which is a celebration of culture, nature, humanity and faith as part of integral ecology.
If there is one thing God has invited me to respond to in my ministry this year, it is the ministry of presence. In giving formation, sharing sessions and retreats, I find myself focusing on the importance of being present and deepening our relationship with God. In this digital and demanding age, we need to hear the true voice of God so that we can stay grounded in Him.
This call is not only for the people to whom I minister. It is also an invitation for me. I find myself often sitting with God in the adoration room, saying “Dear Lord, what do You want me to share?”.
What gives me hope in my ministry is seeing that conversations about faith, vocation, family and ministry are still relevant. These deeper conversations are when the promise of Jesus in Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” – comes alive.
In response to the Malaysian Brothers Gathering in January 2025, I try to be with the St James of the Marches community in Johor Bahru on weekends. I am blessed to spend time with Friar Sixtus Peter, who serves at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Johor, and Friar Claurence Motoyou, who serves at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Whether it is joining them for prayers and meals, or accompanying Friar Sixtus for Mass or ministries, these are for me ways of supporting the community and living out the ministry of presence. In all of this, I can hear God’s voice clearly saying, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
As I go about my studies and ministry, I am thankful to my mentor, Friar Gerard Victor, for helping me to stay grounded, and reminding me to maintain balance as a friar, between studies, ministry and prayer life.
Friar Marvin Voo OFM
Franciscans, assemble!
Over five days in July, the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei) gathered for their 2025 Assembly. It was a time of prayer, reflection, and collective discernment under the theme “A World in Suffering, A Hope that Restores, A Fraternity that Strengthens”.
The days began with Lauds and Mass and ended with Vespers. Bookended by prayer, the friars engaged in structured sessions ranging from the Custos’ report to discussions on finance, parish ministry, columbarium management, youth outreach, communications, mission and evangelisation, as well as supporting ministry in the Holy Land. Time and again we returned to the question of how the Custody’s Franciscan charism could both enrich and be enriched by such ministries. Evenings were reserved for deepening fraternity over recreation and informal dialogue.
As a Muslim lay facilitator who works with religious communities from different faith traditions, I was humbled to witness the community’s spiritual vitality, courage and joy. I was particularly inspired by how the discussions balanced thought and action.
The friars reflected on how fraternal life could nourish and renew their projects, while also being nourished and renewed by them. Time and again, we returned to the idea, “We can only give what we have received, how do we prioritise? What is the balance between limitless grace and limited time, energy, resources?”. Visitator-General Friar Ferdinand Van Der Reijken shared fresh perspectives on the Custody, and valuable ideas on the questions and conversations that have helped religious communities thrive. Overall, a palpable sense of linking inner life to outward service shaped every discussion.
A grace was the space for vulnerability and trust. In all sessions and in quiet moments in between, the friars shared their deepest hopes, challenges, strengths and struggles. They offered not just ideas but themselves to one another. These conversations were not always easy – but they were always honest. They returned often to fundamental Franciscan values – St Francis’ lessons to embrace humility and simplicity; St Clare’s demonstration of the power of silence and contemplative strength; St Anthony’s healing preaching and presence; Blessed Gabriele Allegra’s vision for a Franciscan sociological centre in Singapore, which continues to inspire the friars.
As the days unfolded, we began to glimpse more clearly what mediaeval Franciscan theologian Blessed John Duns Scotus would have called the Custody’s “haecceity” – the unique, formative and formational identity shaped by its members, missions and context. Through prayer, conversations and communal discernment, we began to see how the many strands of the Custody’s life form a dynamic whole far greater than the sum of its dynamically interacting parts. We explored how these strands needed to coexist and mutually resonate in order to enrich the friars’ witness to a world in need of justice and joy, truth and tenderness.
For me, as a facilitator and practitioner of interfaith dialogue and organisational development, the Assembly affirmed my belief that good conversational process – grounded in listening, openness, and mutual respect – is sacred in its own right.
The friars mapped developments at different levels – their individual selves, the Custody, the Franciscan Order, the Church, the world – which helped them to see how their own lives and the Custody’s life are nested in multiple larger systems. They examined simple but fundamental questions: Which practices did the Custody want to keep and improve? What needed to start and stop? What was surprising about the past three years and the Assembly discussions?
Even more powerful was the strong contemplative undercurrent. We talked a lot, but also made time for silence to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We did not just “trust the process” as facilitators say in secular settings. Rather, we trusted a deeper wisdom: He who is simultaneously Source, Process, Principle and Outcome.
The five days of Assembly were both an end and a beginning. The fruits of the discussions will be given more concrete form at the Custody Chapter in September, during which the friars will elect their leadership for the next three years, and develop plans to implement their collective vision.
For now, they have returned to their homes and ministries, hopefully renewed and recommitted. As they pray for us, let us continue supporting them in whatever way we can. May our prayers, time, energy and donations accompany these Franciscan brothers as they strive to be a fraternity that strengthens and brings hope to a riven world, even as they trust in the God who restores all things.
Aaron Maniam, Facilitator, 2025 Custody Assembly
