The journey towards Easter at St Ann’s Mission in Sarawak is part of the ongoing Franciscan celebration of simplicity, goodness and beauty. The liturgies enhance the experience of prayer, contemplation and community in this large parish where the Franciscan community, comprising two priests, serves the pastoral and sacramental needs of about 25,000 parishioners in 40 villages spread over a land area approximately the size of Singapore.
The faithful are mostly indigenous Dayan people of Bidayuh heritage. Masses are celebrated in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin in the main mission centre, and in Bidayuh in the village chapels that serve the sacramental needs of the rural communities.
Over the course of Lent, the mission centre and village chapels were active centres for communal gathering and prayer. Prayer leaders in the individual villages led the Stations of the Cross every Friday, and monthly Praise and Worship sessions were adapted for the Lenten season. The Sacrament of Reconciliation was celebrated over two consecutive weeks with the help of visiting priests.
For the Easter Triduum, the parish friars and a visiting friar-priest will celebrate masses and services from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday in five locations.
In Singapore, the Church of St Mary of the Angels celebrates Lent this year with the theme “From Cosmic Dust to an Easter Garden”. Parishioners have been invited to make amends for their sins against God’s creation and to take time to pray for our common home and for those who depend on it. As a community of faith, we treasure God’s creation and seek to protect those who share it, our vulnerable brothers and sisters above all.
We recognise that our misuse of creation has led to tragic and unjust suffering for people around the globe. Hence, this Lent, parishioners have been invited to turn away from harming the good gift of creation, and take actions that will bring us into a new relationship with God, our world and one another. The parish team has prepared a booklet of weekly reflections focusing on creation, and a Lenten Kit for use in Lenten preparations. Details can be found at stmary.sg/lent and the parish YouTube channel.
Our Seraphic Father Francis composed a psalm for his Office of the Passion which he recited every day during the Easter season: “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wondrous deeds. The Lord has made his salvation known. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Office of the Passion, Psalm 9). What strikes me about this prayer is that St Francis is calling himself and us to sing a “new song” because “this is the day the Lord has made”, to make His salvation known today in ever-new ways.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Franciscan Friars in Malaysia- Singapore-Brunei celebrated the gift of fraternity in several ways. In January, two of our student- brothers resumed their full-time studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Major Seminary in Upper Bukit Timah. They were joined by our novices. The studies at the seminary, supplemented by in- house formation programmes, will equip our brothers for their future ministries in sharing the message of life of the Gospel in this region and beyond.
On 11 February, we celebrated World Day of Consecrated Life together with other religious orders and congregations. Approximately 90 religiousbrothers and sisters participated in the online event organised by the Conference of Religious Major Superiors. Formandees (students) in the various religious orders also shared their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future in a video which you can watch in the Franciscan Friars YouTube channel.
The next day, 12 February, two postulants, Jorgerson Japar and Nicholas Ambrose Lee, entered the pre-novitiate programme that, due to Covid border restrictions, has to take place in two locations – Penang (Jorgerson) and Singapore (Nicholas). We are grateful for the continued gift of vocations. We are also grateful that our Vocation Evening on 27 February drew a sizeable group of young men who had the opportunity to meet friars who have served as pastors, missionaries, chaplains, administrators and other roles within our Custody.
In June and July, we have the Sacerdotal Ordinations of five friars – Friar Robin Toha on 21 June at the Church of St Mary of the Angels, and Friars Cosmas Francis, Crispus Mosinoh, Gerald Terence Saimel and Sixtus Pitah on 2 July at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Then on 9 July, Friar Nelson Evarinus will make his Solemn Profession at the Church of St Aloysius in Kota Kinabalu.
Also in July is our Custody Assembly. Preparations have already begun, and during the Assembly, to be held from 4 to 8 July, we will review the last three years and discuss possibilities for the way ahead. This lays the ground for the Custody Chapter in October when we will decide on the Custody leadership for the next three years, install the Custos and his Council, and set out our commitments to action for the next few years.
Brothers and sisters, please pray for us as we discern how we can sing a new song to the Lord and make known His salvation across Malaysia, Singapore and beyond.
As we journey towards Easter, may a new springtime of faith, hope and love take root in us all. On behalf of the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of St Anthony, may Peace and all Good be yours!
