Greetings from Rome. For the last year or so, I have been in Italy, in school once again! Since October 2024, I have been studying Franciscan Spirituality at the Pontifical University of St Anthony (better known as the Antonianum). It has been an eye-opening journey and once again, I am astonished at God’s blessings for me in this new phase of my vocation.
In February 2024, after having served in the parish in Kuching for six years, I went to Florence for a six-month course in Italian. I stayed with the Italian friars (at the Provincial Curia of Tuscany), where I not only learnt their language, but also their culture and way of expressing Franciscan life. One of the most beautiful things I took away from that experience was their emphasis on fraternal togetherness, so much so that we sat down for recreation over coffee and snacks after every meal!
When the university term began in October, I became part of an international community of approximately 100 student friars from more than 30 countries. Including the professors and staff, there are about 120 of us living at Antonianum now. This diverse atmosphere provides me with the opportunity to discover another friar’s background and story. I am truly thankful to the Lord for the brothers who form part of my journey now. Whenever I need a break from pasta and cheese, I invite some friars to dine at a superb Chinese restaurant nearby.
Going back to school has made me much more appreciative of the richness of our Franciscan intellectual tradition.
One of the most enlightening courses I have taken so far is on the writings of St Francis of Assisi. In total, 30 works are attributed to him (some written in his own hand, others he dictated, and many more which were collaborations). He wrote praises, prayers, letters, rules, admonitions, peppering them with the Scripture passages he loved so dearly. In all of them, we hear the authentic voice of Francis: his utter love and reverence for God and all creatures, his deep humility and impulse for mission. He was a man aflame with God’s word and love, so much so that he inspired and continues to inspire generations of Franciscans – religious and lay – to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Despite the many difficulties and challenges that threatened the Order from within and without, Francis continued to entrust his life to the Trinity, aided by the intercession of Mother Mary. His courageous example gives me reassurance that all is in the hands of God as I walk along the path of my religious calling.
I conclude my short sharing by humbly requesting you to pray for all of us here. May we grow wise and humble in the knowledge of God, as we proclaim his salvation to all.
St Anthony Friary was established in 1991, alongside the founding of our Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei). It was to be the Mother House of our regional entity – a place of prayer, formation, governance, and mission. As Guardian of this house 30 years or so later, I am privileged to witness the constant, quiet unfolding of grace in our daily fraternal life. Our friary is not merely a place where brothers sleep and eat; it is a living organism, where prayer breathes life into ministry, where work finds rhythm in contemplation, and where individual vocations are nurtured in communion with others.
In 2025, our community comprises 14 friars – one from Sri Lanka, two from Malaysia, and 11 from Singapore. This cultural diversity enriches our community for each brother brings his story, his temperament, his faith journey into the fabric of the community, adding texture and depth to our common life.
Our friary is the Custody’s house for postulancy, and this year, we are blessed with four postulants: Mark Lee from Malaysia, and Samuel Tan, Daniel Xavier, and Jason Ng from Singapore. To accompany these young men in their year of discernment is a joy and a sacred responsibility. They remind us older brothers of the raw questions and youthful hopes that brought us to the friary gates. Their energy and curiosity infuse the house with fresh life, even as they learn the demands and disciplines of our vocation.
The life of the friary is structured yet deeply human. Our days begin with meditation at 6.45am, followed by Lauds and the Eucharist at 7am. These shared moments of stillness and praise set the tone for the rest of the day. Breakfast follows, before each brother departs for his respective ministry or study. At 12.30pm, we reconvene for lunch – another opportunity for fraternal sharing. In the evenings, after a full day of work or apostolate, we gather for meditation at 5.45pm, then Vespers at 6pm, before sharing our evening meal.
Our friary is a working house; nearly every friar is actively engaged in ministry. It is alive with movement, tasks, and pastoral outreach, but underlying this is our steady fraternal rhythm anchored in prayer, mutual support, and shared table.
Each brother contributes to the life of the Custody and the Church in different ways. Friar Justin Lim, with quiet dedication, manages our Columbarium, offering pastoral care to grieving families and tending to the memory of the departed. Friar John Paul Tan tirelessly promotes vocations, engaging the youth and animating them with the spirit of Francis. Friar Joseph Nasanathan is the Holy Land Commissary, fostering a deeper love for the land of Christ and building connections with the wider Church. He is also our Custody’s Secretary of Formation, helping to coordinate and support the journey of our younger brothers across various stages of initial formation.
Among us is Friar Rowland Yeo, whose hearing impairment has never been a limitation. His ministry to the deaf community, and his teaching of sign language to student friars and laity alike are a powerful witness to inclusion, resilience, and the creativity of love.
St Anthony Friary is also home to our Custos, Friar Derrick Yap. Despite the administrative load he carries, he remains actively involved in teaching and forming seminarians at the St Francis Xavier Major Seminary. His leadership is both fatherly and fraternal – always present, always encouraging.
Four friars minister in various capacities in our parish of St Mary of the Angels. Friar Michael D’Cruz serves as parish priest, supported by Friars Julian Mariaratnam, Robin Toha, and me. The parish brings us close to the people – into their joys, their struggles, their search for God. It is in these pastoral encounters that our fraternity is often tested and deepened, as we carry the burdens of others together, not alone.
I am reminded daily that to be a Guardian is about care. The Latin root of “guardian” (guardare) means to watch over, to tend. I see myself as a shepherd, a keeper of the communal flame, ensuring that no brother is left isolated, unheard, or unseen.
With so many of us engaged in external work, there is always the temptation to neglect community life. But we try to resist this. Our common prayers are non-negotiable. Our meals are not rushed. Our house gatherings are sacred times to listen, clarify, and support. Fraternity is not an automatic fruit of religious life – it is a discipline, a grace, and a daily decision.
Living together under one roof, with cultural differences, varied temperaments, and diverse workloads, we are bound to face tensions and misunderstandings. However, it is precisely in this crucible of shared life that the Gospel becomes real. We learn patience. We learn to forgive. We learn to laugh together – often at ourselves – and to carry one another in times of sorrow.
As I look at our community, I see a house alive with possibilities. St Anthony Friary is, in many ways, the beating heart of our Custody – not just because it is the administrative centre, but because it is a living witness to the kind of brotherhood St Francis dreamed of – simple, joyful, prayerful, and ever open to God’s surprises.
Friar Aiden Peter Jr OFM Guardian, St Anthony Friary
In 2013, the words “Don’t forget the poor” were whispered to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio in the Sistine Chapel. These words so deeply penetrated his heart that when asked what name he would take as Pope, he chose “Francis”, after St Francis of Assisi, becoming the first Pope to be named “Francis” or “Franciscus” in Latin, the name that is inscribed on his tomb.
As Franciscans, we could not have been happier for a Pope to take the name of our founder and father. Pope Francis truly lived out his name in the spirit of Francis – humble and simple to the end with the stark simplicity of his choice of coffin, funeral rite and place of burial within the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The global grief at his passing demonstrated clearly that his 12-year papacy had left a deep legacy that had impacted many lives.
Servant-leaders like Pope Francis are authentic in their words and works, and with this inner dynamic unity, they invite, encourage and exhort us to embody what Christ desires of us.
On 8 May, we welcomed Pope Leo XIV chosen by the Holy Spirit to lead the Church into the next frontier, but we do not forget the dream and vision of Pope Francis. Indeed, we are called to honour the legacy of Pope Francis, whilst embracing the vision of our new Pope Leo XIV, building hope upon hope, faith upon faith, to bring about peace with fraternal dialogue to impact the lives of the suffering.
This is a crucial year for Franciscan Friars in Malaysia and Singapore for we have our Custody Elective Chapter in September, during which we will elect our new leadership team.
Although we are voting friars to the various roles, the crux of it all is about listening to the Holy Spirit, to what God desires of us friars and our Custody at this season of our life and history, and which friar candidate’s vision can best fulfil the fruits of our collective discernment.
During my nearly six years as Custos, I have strongly advocated returning to our core identity as friars and minor: a more intimate prayer life and a closer relationship among us friars, so that we can truly be “contemplative fraternities in mission”, as the Order calls us to be.
I see this as a call to embrace a more intentional Fraternal Life Project (FLP) accompanied by a Personal Life Project of prayer, poverty and penance. Our Franciscan Life must flow from being grounded in God and then growing into more authentic Franciscans. Then and only then will our mission to the poor, especially the “new poor”, be firmly rooted in the Gospel life and freedom.
In this issue, Friar Cosmas Francis, our Custody’s Animator for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), shares what friars are doing to serve the poor and needy in Asia. At their meeting in April, our Asian Network for JPIC made a commitment to respond promptly and adequately to the urgent need for relief funds for the earthquake in Myanmar.
Our Custody has a special reserve fund called “St Anthony’s Touch – Poor & Mission Fund” for such purposes, and St Antony’s Touch is one of the options in the donation tear-out of this newsletter. I see this as a concrete way of continuing the vision of our late Holy Father Pope Francis to not forget the poor. By the way, it was a Franciscan Friar, Cardinal Claudio Hummes OFM from Brazil, who whispered these memorable words to Pope Francis.
Now, let us entrust our new Holy Father, the successor of St Peter, to our Lord and our Lady as he guides the Church towards greater discipleship and life-giving mission. Allow me to end with the first words of our new Pope to the world, quoting the first words of the Risen Christ “Peace be with you all!”. May this peace deeply penetrate our hearts and our lives.
“Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape.” – St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures
The Franciscan Friars of Malaysia and Singapore join the universal Church in mourning the passing of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis.
In his life and ministry, he reflected the simplicity, compassion, and deep joy of St Francis of Assisi. He was a shepherd who walked with the poor, a voice for the voiceless, and a bridge-builder in a broken world. His words, actions, and humble spirit rekindled hope and reminded us all of God’s boundless mercy.
We give thanks for his life, his witness, and his fearless love for the Gospel.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
