When Friar Derrick Yap asked me to create a series of artwork based on The Canticle of Creatures for the 2025 Franciscan Calendar, my first response was “No, I can’t”. I was busy with other commitments, and I said to myself that “my art days were over”. But either he pretended he did not hear my response, or he really believed I could do it, because Friar Derrick insisted that I try.
That was around September-October 2023. I gave myself a deadline to produce at least two artworks by March 2024, but by April, I still had zero inspiration. I asked Friar Derrick to ask someone else. I even recommended one or two artists. But again, he “pretended” he did not understand what I said.
By mid-May, I was worried. I prayed that the Lord would move Friar Derrick’s heart – but what happened was that the Lord moved me instead. While I was praying one day, I realised that I had not done any art lately because I was afraid that I was not good enough. I had painted a few good paintings in the past and a few not-so-good ones. And because I had done a few good ones, I self-sabotaged by pressurising myself to always produce something that would be admired. I was paralysed by the criticism I had received before, especially from people who mattered to me.
I have no formal training in art, but during my Novitiate (second year Franciscan formation) in 2015, I found painting materials in one of the drawers in the friary and decided to try painting something. It was then that I learnt that the process of painting helped me to focus and to pray.
When I am painting, my eyes, my hand, and my mind are focused; my whole body and mind are “present”. I converse with God as I choose the colours, shape, and other details in the painting.
This memory of my novitiate journey gave me the courage to try to do the artwork for the calendar, but this time, I did not paint with acrylics. Instead, I did digital painting on my iPad.
I asked the Lord to guide me, to help me express my prayer and reflection in colours and shapes. And so, my three-week journey with The Canticle of Creatures began. It took me five evenings (9.30pm to midnight) each week to complete the artwork for the calendar.
I knew that when St Francis composed the canticle, he was not well physically. Therefore, the first thing I did was to imagine how he would have felt to have many diseases in his body. After praying each paragraph of the canticle, I stopped and reflected on the words.
Slowly, the words and my imagination of St Francis’ feelings and pain formed colours in my mind, and I tried to shape them into specific pictures. This was when the darker and more intense colours were chosen for the artwork for Brothers Sun, Wind, and Fire, and the much gentler and warmer colours for Sisters Moon, Water, and Earth. Interestingly, I found that the intensity of the colours correlated with the time spent. I needed more time to paint the “Brothers”, to reflect on my own struggles. The reflection on these “Brothers” also challenged me and my faith. When it came to the “Sisters”, the process was more comforting and easier.
There are nine artworks based on The Canticle of Creatures, and we added three more to have one artwork for each month of the year. These were inspired by important events in the life of St Francis – the Stigmata, the encounter with the wolf, and Christmas. They took more time as each of them challenged me to ask myself, “Who am I, really?” and “Who is God?”.
I thank the Lord for my renewed connection with the canticle. Through the praises of the creatures, I learnt more about God and myself. I am grateful and proud of each piece. They are not masterpieces, but they are honest prayers expressed in colours.
As we want people to be able to reflect on the canticle and the images, we have compiled an e-journal containing guided reflections. This can be downloaded using the QR code in the calendar.
I hope the calendar and journal will help everyone who is yearning for God. When we stop and look around, we can appreciate the goodness of God in our life, and as our response, live our life to the fullest, filled with joy.
We had a double celebration on 17 September 2024 – the 800th anniversary of the Stigmata of St Francis of Assisi on Mt Alvernia and the Solemn Profession of Friar Marvin Voo OFM.
When Marvin applied for his Solemn Profession earlier this year, we looked at a few dates that would be meaningful for his total consecration to the Lord in the Franciscan way. The anniversary of the 8th Centenary of the Stigmata was an obvious choice. The double celebration would give all of us an opportunity to reflect on our own consecration to the Lord and the deep meaning behind Francis receiving the very wounds of the Crucified Christ.
During a period of retreat on Mt Alvernia in 1224, Francis entered repeatedly into the question – “Who are you, O God and who am I?”. He begged God for two graces – to experience the pain and suffering of Jesus on the cross and to experience the love that brought him up on the cross. What courage to open himself to the very experience that Christ went through. Are we daring enough to walk this path to our own Mt Alvernia?
Like consecrated Religious Life, which appears to be a life of deprivation and hence suffering, the journey is ultimately about freeing us from compulsions and freeing us to love God completely. As Franciscans, we have the added dimension of walking this journey of freedom with our fraternity. So, the freedom is multi-faceted: from, to, with. This is the true meaning of freedom that we in consecrated Religious Life witness to and radiate. This is how those who live an authentic religious life always radiate joy and peace, which is what Pope Francis says we Christians must be.
Pope Francis shows us the way, and we are so grateful to God for the Holy Father’s visit to Singapore (11 to 13 September 2024).
The Papal Visit was truly a call to discern where the Lord is leading our world today, particularly into greater care for Creation and stronger fraternal bonds with one another.
Friar Vernon Chua, our three Franciscan students – Friars Marvin, Jorgerson and Jonathan – and I participated in the post-mass praise and worship segment, and we felt such tremendous joy and graced energy singing and praising the Lord!
As co-chair of the pre- and post-mass segments with Fr Valerian Cheong, I met many good people wanting to serve the Lord and his Church. We were united in our desire to make the visit an evangelising event that would draw Catholics together and attract others to our life-giving faith.
This, I think, is the great gift of the Papal Visit and I pray that this goodness will grow deeper and deeper in our hearts.
Finally, I have to make an appeal to you, our friends and benefactors, for donations to our OFM maintenance fund for the painting of our friaries and columbarium.
We friars try to be good stewards of our Bukit Batok property by maintaining it properly for the good of all. Right now, this means repainting the entire property.
The Franciscan Friars and the parish of St Mary of the Angels are splitting the cost, and we (the friars) need to raise about S$250,000 to cover our share of the repainting cost.
Donations can be made via PayNow or cheque. (PayNow: UEN 201016236M1CU, kindly state “Maintenance” under Reference. Cheques should be made payable to “The Order of Friars Minor (S) Ltd”. Please indicate “Maintenance” on the back of the cheque)
On 11 August 2024, I had the profound honour of being ordained a priest. As I stood before the congregation, surrounded by family, friends and fellow clergy, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and humility. The journey to this day had been one of deep discernment, study, and prayer.
Friar Nelson Evarinus OFM was called to the Order of the Presbyterate by Bishop Cornelius Piong (Keningau Diocese) at St Patrick Church, Membakut, Sabah in August. He shares this reflection.
As I reflect on the significance of my ordination, I am reminded that this is not a destination but the beginning of a lifelong journey. There will be challenges, and I will undoubtedly face moments of doubt and uncertainty. However, I trust that God will continue to guide me in the days to come. It is my prayer that I may remain steadfast in my commitment to serve with love, compassion and humility, always seeking to do God’s will in all that I undertake.
Being entrusted with the care of a large parish (St Ann’s Church, Kota Padawan, Kuching, Sarawak) is both a blessing and a challenge. It is a responsibility that I do not take lightly, knowing that I am called to be a shepherd to a diverse and vibrant community.
In addition to my parish responsibilities, I have been appointed as the Spiritual Director for Creation Justice in the diocese. This is a role that aligns with my passion for the care of God’s creation. In a world increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, I feel a deep calling to advocate for the protection and stewardship of the earth. This task is immense, requiring not only prayer and reflection but also action and advocacy. I hope to inspire others within the diocese to recognise the sacredness of creation and to join in the work of safeguarding it for future generations.
I know I do not walk this new journey alone. I know I have the support of my fellow clergy, my parish community, and all those who have journeyed with me thus far, and I am grateful for this. Together, we will work to build a community of faith that is vibrant, inclusive, and committed to the Gospel message of love and justice.
So, I step into this new chapter of my life with a heart full of hope, trusting that God will lead me and all those I serve on a path that brings glory to His name.
May the Lord bless us all, and may we find the strength and courage to walk faithfully in His light.
The annual course on Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) in Rome resumed this year, after being suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Titled “Greccio and La Verna: Sources of Justice, Peace, and Reconciliation”, the course was organised by the General Curia of the Order of Friars Minor in collaboration with the Pontifical University Antonianum (PUA) in Rome.
Friar Cosmas Francis OFM, the JPIC Coordinator for our Custody of St Anthony Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei was one of about 50 people, including guest professors, who participated. Held from 20 to 26 May 2024 at the PUA, the course drew people from at least 24 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.
The course aimed to provide analytical perspectives on social and environmental justice and peace through three thematic axes:
Conflicts and Wars in the World: Examining cultural, economic, and religious causes.
Justice, Peace, and Reconciliation: Exploring these concepts from Biblical, Christian, and Franciscan viewpoints.
Franciscan Experiences: Discussing various Franciscan approaches to building justice, peace, and reconciliation.
In his inaugural greeting, Friar Agustín Hernández OFM, Rector of the PUA, used Laudato Si’ to illustrate how peace can be realised by returning to fundamental sources of reconciliation and peace as exemplified by St Francis, who is known as a man of peace.
The morning sessions covered the foundations of justice, peace, and reconciliation at the biblical level (Friar Darko Tepert, OFM General Secretary for Formation and Studies), the Magisterium of the Church (Professor Sergio Tanzarella) and Franciscan spirituality (Friar Giuseppe Buffon OFM).
The afternoon sessions focussed on peacebuilding projects — the Nagasaki Project in Japan (Friar Francis Furusato OFM), the Total Peace Initiative in Colombia (Professor Jairo Agudelo), the Franciscan Institute for the Culture of Peace in Split, Croatia (Friar Mijo Dzolan OFM), the reconciliation processes in Rwanda and Congo (Friar Jean-Claude Mulekya OFM), interreligious dialogue efforts in Istanbul, Turkey (Friar Antonio Duma), and philosopher Raúl Fornet-Betancourt’s proposal for intercultural philosophy aimed at dialogue and coexistence in conflictual settings.
On the fourth day, they went to La Verna, where Francis received the Stigmata 800 years ago. The physical wounds of the Stigmata of St Francis represent both the pain and joy he experienced. They also symbolise contemporary issues such as war, environmental crises, and personal wounds. By surrendering these wounds to a greater love, we can attain peace and new life.
On the final day, Friar Taucen Girsang and Friar Daniel Rodríguez Blanco from the OFM JPIC General Office spoke about spirituality, and the profile and mission of JPIC animators within the Franciscan Family.
“The course reinforced the importance of responding to God’s love by promoting peace and integrating with all of Creation,” said Friar Cosmas. “We left with a renewed commitment to preserving and working for peace, inspired by the Franciscan values of justice, peace, and reconciliation.”
“No! It can’t be real!” This was the response of many in St Francis’ time when they discovered that he carried the five wounds of the Crucified Christ after his retreat on Mt Alvernia in the autumn of 1224. But it was real. In fact, nine papal bulls (official communications by the Pope) were written to defend and support this miracle.
How did the Stigmata of St Francis come to pass?
Pope Honorius III formally approved the Rule of the Franciscan Order on 29 November 1223. However, the papal approval did not quash the protests from the brothers against the strictness of Francis’ Form of Life (forma vitae).
Pained by this, Francis felt a compelling need to go to a space of healing so he went up on Mt Alvernia from the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August) until the Feast of St Michael (29 September). Francis had a special devotion to these saints, and wanted their intercession for this difficult struggle.
Between these feasts was the Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross (14 September), and Francis was already deeply touched by the Cross in San Damiano when Jesus on this cross called out to him: “Francis, go rebuild my Church, which you see is falling into ruins”.
When Francis was meditating on the Holy Cross during his retreat, he received a glorious vision of the Crucified One in the form of a burning Seraph. This is an angel from the highest choir of angels whose only role is to love and adore God, hence it is burning with love (seraph in Hebrew means “the burning one”).
Mysteriously, in this further wounding, Francis was greatly consoled and found inner peace. It was as if God had given him a bodily answer to the deep question of his heart – “Who are you, O God and who am I?”. The wounds of Christ crucified were now real on his flesh, and this was his desire fulfilled … to become one with his beloved. We become what we love. And as his beloved Christ was brought to new life in the Resurrection, so Francis experienced new life by the grace of consolation and deep peace.
The Franciscan Family entitled the Centenary celebrations “From Wounds to New Life” with the invitation for all of us to follow in Francis’ footsteps, to make real Francis’ experience in our own flesh.
We each have our own journeys with our personal gifts and wounds. The beauty of our journey into God is to keep inflaming our gifts to rebuild God’s Church and, by conforming ourselves to the Crucified Christ, allow God to transform our wounds and pains into new life.
As Francis said before returning home to the Lord, “The Lord has shown me what is mine to do, may He show you yours.”
