Friar Arul gives his session on the Rukun Negara during the CAC’ Staff Lenten Recollection
KOTA KINABALU – Delivering his sessions in a fluent malay, Friar Arul Maridass OFM guided the staff of Catholic Archdiocesan Centre for a half day Lenten Recollection, taking the theme ‘Jesus’ Experience in Our Ministries’.
Friar Arul, who is currently serving as assistant priest at St Joseph, Papar, said that for a person who had received baptism, he or she must have an experience ‘being’ with Jesus. Just like someone walking under a light where there should be a shadow of that person, likewise, that should be our life by which Jesus is inseparable with our Christian daily living.
Being a staff at the administration centre of the diocese is a privilege and also a vocation, said Friar Arul. “Out of thousands of catholics in the archdiocese, here you are, working for the Archdiocese. In deed it is a privilege, but above that, look at it as a vocation that you’re serving the catholic community through the specific job that you are entrusted with,” explained Friar Arul.
Expounding of the meaning of Rukun Negara by extrapolating it with biblical verses, Friar Arul said that the national principles have an implication which is applicable and necessary for Christian life. Giving an example on the first principle, ‘Faith to God’ (Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan), he said that being citizen of the country and also as Christians, daily lives is being defined from the implications based on the first principle.
The sessions was then followed by ‘washing of feet’ among the staff symbolising service to each other as a community within the CAC. The half day recollection then ended with a Eucharistic celebration.
In the first official biography of St Francis of Assisi, the author Thomas of Celano, one of the Saint’s first companions, wrote:
“Once while he (Francis) was staying near the town of Greccio, a certain brother brought him a live rabbit caught in a trap. Seeing it, the most blessed man was moved with tenderness. ‘Brother rabbit,’ he said, ‘Come to me. Why did you let yourself get caught?’ As soon as the brother holding it let go, the rabbit, without any prompting, took shelter with the most holy man, as in a most secure place, resting in his bosom. After it had rested there for a little while, the holy father, caressing it with motherly affection, let it go, so that now free it would return to the woods. As often as it was put on the ground, it rushed back to the holy man’s lap, so he told the brothers to carry it away to the nearby forest. Something similar happened with another little rabbit, a wild one, when he was on the island in the Lake of Perugia.”
Life of St Francis, Chapter XXI
There are numerous stories of how Francis extended the same loving care towards birds, fish and even earthworms, and how he praised the Creator through all created things. It is no wonder that Pope John Paul II named Francis of Assisi the Patron Saint of Ecology on 29 November 1979.
The story of Francis and the rabbit gives us an example of how we can live the reality of fraternity with every person and all creatures:
1. Be moved with tenderness: The brother who brought the rabbit saw the creature as food. Francis saw it not as a thing, but as a brother.
2. Welcome others into your life: We live in a world of fear, and people try to protect themselves because they have been hurt and threatened in many ways. Francis was so secure in himself and so welcoming in his love for all, that the rabbit instinctively knew it could run to him and find refuge.
3. Do not cling to anything or anyone: The rabbit wanted to stay with Francis, and Francis might have been tempted to keep the rabbit as a pet. But he knew that wild rabbits are meant to be free, and he found his own freedom in letting go.
4. Don’t stop at one act of generosity: As Thomas of Celano wrote, “A similar thing happened with another little rabbit, a wild one, when he was on the island in the Lake of Perugia.”
We are blessed to have two new novices in 2023. On 14 January, Friar Peter Michael, Director of the Novitiate at St Anthony Friary, received Friars Jorgerson Japar and Nicholas Lee into the Novitiate programme.
From left : Novice Friar Jorgerson, Novice Master Friar Peter Michael, Novice Friar Nicholas
Novitiate is a sacred time during which the novices undergo an intense period of formation to know and experience the Franciscan way of life. It is a year for them to understand themselves, to form their minds and hearts more deeply in the spirit of St Francis, and to test their resolution and suitability for the life of a friar.
The novices begin their day with Morning Prayer and Mass at 7 am. They then attend classes on Franciscan Spirituality, Franciscan History, the Writings of St Francis and St Clare, and the Constitutions of the Order. At noon, they have Midday Prayer followed by lunch and then personal time. At 6 pm, they gather with the rest of the community for Evening Prayer followed by dinner and then Night Prayer at 8 pm.
Novices also have household chores. They cook for the community twice a week and do some cleaning and gardening. On Thursday mornings, they assist in teaching Catechism classes at St Anthony’s Primary School.
Please keep Jorgerson and Nicholas in your prayers as they continue on their Novitiate journey.
With the movement restrictions for Covid-19 lifted, the Franciscan Friars are delighted to be able to connect en masse and in person again.
On 28 February, the Devotion to St Anthony returned to the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Join us there at 7 pm on Tuesdays, after the evening Mass. The virtual shrine remains available for those of you who cannot get to church in time, or prefer to pray at your own time and in your own space.
Our Mother’s Day Concert returns too. Mothers hold a special place in the hearts of the Franciscan Friars. Through the motherhood of Mary, the Son of God became our brother. Through his mother Lady Pica, St Francis of Assisi learned how to love and be loved. St Francis asked his brother friars to care for one another as a mother cares for her son. Since then, mothers have been the major inspiration for most, if not all, friars in their journey and mission to love and serve God and one another.
Join us on 6 May at the Church of St Mary of the Angels as we friars give thanks for the gift of all mothers with a special tribute to Our Lady, the Mother of the Word Incarnate. The evening of prayer and celebration begins at 8 pm. Tickets will be available in April.
Before the concert, we have in April the Conference on Franciscan Spirituality where, as our Custos Friar Derrick Yap said, we hope to deepen our knowledge of Franciscan Spirituality, and so be recharged and renewed for mission and fraternal relations. The conference will be held over two days, and we will be taking it to three locations so that more people can attend. We hope to see you in Kota Kinabalu (12 and 13 April), Kuching (15 and 16 April) or Singapore (19 and 20 April). To find out more about the talks and how to register, visit franciscans.sg/ conference-on-franciscan-spirituality.
