Prayer in the letter of St Francis of Assisi to the entire Order just before he died, 1225-1226
St Francis and the Holy Spirit
At Pentecost, we are invited to reflect on what Francis calls the “holy operation” of the Spirit within our lives (Later Rule X, 8). The Holy Spirit is the key that opens the meaning of every virtue, every passage of Scripture, and every human encounter.
Francis believed that because God is Spirit, He remains fundamentally invisible to the “eyes of the flesh”. To recognise the presence of Christ – particularly in the Eucharist – one must possess “spiritual eyes”. Without this internal illumination, we see only bread and wine, or merely the flaws of our neighbour.
For Francis, the “vivifying Spirit” is what enables us to know, believe, and truly “see” the Lord acting in our lives. It is an invitation to a faith grounded in a deep, interior awareness of God working beneath the surface of ordinary life.
Perhaps the most mature aspect of Franciscan spirituality is the distinction between the “Spirit of the Lord” and the “spirit of the flesh”. For Francis, “the flesh” refers not only to bodily desires but also to the ego – the “private will” that seeks to own its virtues and claim credit for goodness. True poverty of spirit, he taught, is found in those who do not “appropriate” their own will (Admonitions 2). In contrast, the Spirit of the Lord leads the believer toward a “pure and simple peace” and a humility that does not seek recognition. In this light, our mission is not something we accomplish for God, but something we allow God’s “holy operation” to accomplish through us.
Francis warned against a purely intellectual or “scientific” approach to faith, saying that “the letter kills, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6, Admonitions 7). True wisdom, for him, is the Son of God living within the believer, and the Spirit is the true interpreter of the Divine Word. It is only through “putting into practice” what we hear that we can move from “knowing words” to “becoming the Word”.
Finally, the Spirit unifies the diverse gifts within the body of Christ. While there are many graces and ministries, there is only “one and the same Spirit” who works everything in everyone (1 Cor 12:4-6). In his later years, during a time of great trial, Francis received a revelation that the Spirit was the true founder and “governor” of his Order. This was his ultimate act of surrender.
As we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, we are called to “desire above all things” to have this Spirit of the Lord working within us. Francis’ legacy invites us to set aside the desires of the flesh, open our “spiritual eyes” and let the breath of God renew us. Only then can we share the mission of repairing our broken world.
Friar David Au OFM
Franciscan communicators from Asia-Oceania meet in Singapore
Representatives from the communication offices within the Franciscan Conference of Asia and Oceania (FCAO) gathered in Singapore in April to discuss how they can become a network of communicators serving the Franciscan mission.
From 7 to 10 April, the 16 participants – attending in person and virtually – discussed topics including brand identity and messaging, the use of social media for entity and personal communication, collaborating on FCAO communications, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The meeting, held at St Anthony Friary, began with each friar sharing the communications work of his entity and the challenges faced. Several common challenges emerged, including limited resources, multilingual work, internal coordination and digital presence. The discussion that followed revealed potential synergies that could be achieved through cooperation and collaboration.
In the afternoon, consultant Karen Goh led a workshop on brand identity and messaging. She outlined criteria for defining and communicating an organisation’s identity effectively across different channels and contexts, stressing that clarity and consistency are essential for building trust and upholding the mission. In an exercise she facilitated, the group developed a set of draft key messages to describe FCAO and its common projects.
On 8 April, the assembly examined in depth the document “Incipe Iterum” through a dialogue aimed at discerning criteria for an authentically evangelising digital presence. During his presentation, Friar Byron Chamann emphasised that these guidelines approved at the Order level were a framework of reference and asked each entity to develop its own protocols, sensitive to local culture and regulations, including working in teams that include lay experts. He also asked that they consider integrating digital formation into their formation programmes.
The following day, the group discussed collaboration between the FCAO and the General Curia’s Communications Office, proposing concrete measures to strengthen the exchange of news, photographs and resources between entities and conferences. Led by Friar Byron, the discussion highlighted the importance of institutional communications, the need for verification of sources and coordination with superiors, as well as the importance of strengthening links and references to the Order’s official channels.
In the afternoon, Friar Angelito Cortez spoke of the need for collaboration among the communications offices within FCAO, pointing out that the Franciscan digital presence is weakened when voices are fragmented and capabilities are uneven across entities. He proposed moving from simple cooperation to deeper collaboration, with clear projects and shared criteria, and encouraged stronger networking, including the improvement of common platforms and channels of exchange.
On the final day, Friar John Sekar led a discussion on the use of AI in journalism and social media. He highlighted that alongside the opportunities AI offers for daily work are ethical risks such as disinformation, the erosion of critical thinking, the protection of privacy and image rights, and the ecological impact of technology. He urged the promotion of responsible and transparent use in the service of truth and the common good.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to continue strengthening the FCAO network of Franciscan communicators, to share resources in a coordinated manner, and to foster a form of communication that, with sobriety and hope, reflects the fraternity and mission of the Friars Minor within local Churches and in the care of our common home.
Chill out with the Friars
The name alone sets the tone for a relaxed, hassle and pressure-free evening. “Chill out with the Friars” is held at St Anthony Friary in Bukit Batok every two months. Young men aged 18 to 35 are invited to come, listen and learn from the friars of the Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei).
The format is simple, allowing the young men to meet and explore without pressure the faces that make up the Custody. The evening begins at 6pm with a simple one-dish meal I prepare with the help of other friars. Over dinner, the young men get to speak with the friars informally about their ministry or responsibilities.
They also get to meet other young men on the same journey of exploring their vocation. They may even recognise some of them from other vocation events of the Archdiocese or other religious Orders.
That is fine and it is great that these young men have the freedom to explore and discover their true calling and the particular charism that suits their own life experience and personality. My own take on discernment is to have the capacity to choose. This freedom to choose implies choices that the young men allow themselves to consider and not be closed off to any promptings. Freedom of choice must be paramount if we are to respect the young men and what God has put into their hearts; not what we would like to put into their hearts!
The casual setting over dinner gives way to a slightly more formal presentation by one of the friars sharing his ministry or vocation story. There is time for questions and other friars may also respond to the easy, free flow questioning.
The presentation topics vary and on other months, the focus could be, for example, on Franciscan Spirituality. For any young man who chooses to explore a Franciscan consecrated life vocation, it is essential that the person of St Francis and his vision of ecclesial life and spirituality inform his discernment. These evenings may be a primer to Franciscan Spirituality which they can read about on the Internet or in books.
The evening closes with Night Prayer at 9pm in the friary chapel. The Office of Compline from the Divine Office is celebrated and our friars in formation introduce our guests to the experience of Choral Prayer.
The programme ends here since these chill outs are typically held on Sunday evenings and some might have an early start the next day. However, those who wish to continue conversing are welcome to adjourn to our dining room for a cup of coffee or tea.
We invite any young men who would like to know more about the Order of Friars Minor to take note of these upcoming dates for the rest of this year: 31 May, 26 July, 27 September, 22 November. Look out for the notices in our Facebook page.
Friar John-Paul Tan OFM
Vocation Director
Relics, resurrection, and returning to God
Dear friends,
Happy Easter! The Lord is truly Risen! Alleluia Alleluia!
The new life in Christ that we experience and enjoy is truly timeless, because Christ holds all things in being (cf. Col 1:17). Even in physical death, life with God never ends but deepens. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). This scripture passage was used as the inspiration for the exposition and veneration of the sacred relics of St Francis from 22 February to 22 March 2026 in the Basilica of St Francis, Assisi. His life was a testimony to a radical following of Christ which required him to completely consecrate his entire person to the Lord. This authenticity continues to bear fruit today, evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of people who venerated his sacred remains. I was one of those who shuffled past Francis’ relics in an attempt to spiritually capture the spirit of “Il Poverello”, this poor man of Assisi.
We recall that 800 years ago, in 1226, in his most beloved chapel of St Mary of the Angels of the Porziuncola, St Francis serenely welcomed Death and addressed her as “Sister”. He saw death as a doorway to life with his Beloved God, a transit (“transitus” in Latin) from earthly life to heavenly life.
In this profound experience, St Francis invites us to confront our own transitus, to return to the embrace of our God and Father, origin and destination of our life. How do we consider our own transitus as God-led and as the moment of ultimate grace? In fact, I have just written a song that bubbled in my heart about this moment of our return to God, as our final “breathing back” to God.
On 22 February 2026, we held a one-day public veneration of the relics of St Francis in Singapore at San Damiano Franciscan Centre located behind the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Beside the relics of St Francis, we displayed the relics of the co-patrons of our Custody – St Anthony of Padua and Blessed Gabriel Allegra.
It was amazing and so edifying to see more than 1,300 people from all over Singapore come for holy veneration of these sacred relics. Some came alone, many came with family and friends, and I hope all experienced a sacred encounter with our God who continues to encounter us in a myriad of ways.
Just as God communicates his unending sacrificial love for us, we friars are called to be communicators and channels of God’s peace and love. From 7 to 10 April, the communication directors from Franciscan entities across Asia gathered in Singapore for a meeting of fraternal sharing and mutual learning. You can read about this meeting in the News section.
As I write this, we friars and our friars in formation have been practising hard for our annual Mother’s Day Concert on 1 May 2026. May I take this opportunity to thank all mothers and those who care for us in a maternal spirit for their love and care.
May you and your family continue to enjoy the new life of grace that our Risen Christ bestows upon us! And may we also labour together for the building of God’s Kingdom like St Francis did, so that all creation may experience the goodness and faithfulness of our loving God!
people came to venerate the relics of St Francis at the San Damiano Franciscan Centre.