Friar Sixtus Peter OFM was one of 14 friars from seven countries in the 2025 run of the Asian Franciscan Formators Training (AFFT) programme. He shares a reflection on his experience.
“Six, see if you’re interested in joining next year’s AFFT. If you’re open, Crispus and you can enrol.” That was the simple invitation from our Custos, Derrick, to me in November 2024.
I immediately thought: “Am I going to be a formator?” I had never heard any suggestion that I might be heading in that direction. Still, trying to remain open to God’s prompting – and knowing that Crispus would be journeying alongside me – I agreed.
When I shared my intention with my Bishop and parish priest, they expressed some concern, given my responsibilities in the Diocese of Malacca-Johore. I explained to them that this was something I genuinely desired to undertake as part of my personal growth, particularly in my effort to journey more deeply with the people entrusted to my care. With that, they gave me the green light to proceed.
The training required a great deal of effort and commitment. It was not always easy to understand the lectures and participate meaningfully in the Friday Zoom sessions, and I stayed up past midnight on many nights to watch the video lessons. Often, after watching them once, I would read the transcripts to gain a clearer and deeper understanding. The presenters – friars and lay experts from across the globe – were truly the best of the best, and I did not want to take their sharing lightly.
Over the course of ten months, the lectures helped me become more aware of the different generations and how each views life and faith. I learned about formation realities in various Franciscan entities across different countries, as well as the Franciscan approach to formation and its strong biblical and ecclesial roots. Each lesson was so rich, I often found myself drawing from what I had learnt and weaving it into my Sunday homilies.
Beyond the learning and meaningful exchanges with fellow participants, I received something I did not expect: a renewed sense of fraternity. It is not that I had lost my love for community life. However, since moving out of our formation house at Chestnut Drive, I have been living in a smaller community of three – a life that brings its own joys and challenges.
For the first half of the programme, we met only through Zoom, before finally coming together for an in-person residency in Manila, and another at the end of the programme, this time in Singapore. Though we came from seven countries, we connected almost immediately. It felt as if we had grown together for years. For me, this was God’s quiet but powerful way of rekindling and strengthening my fraternal spirit.
The question still lingers: “Am I going to be a formator?” This time, however, I ask it with greater peace and confidence. If I am called to this path, I know I will not walk it alone. I have a community of brothers who will journey with me, as I journey with them, in forming persons to become who God calls them to be – following in the footsteps of our holy founder, Francis of Assisi.
Greccio Friary was filled with expectation on 10 January 2026 as the friars gathered for a double moment of grace: the reception of two new postulants, Timothy Colond and Matthew S Lim, and the sending forth of three young brothers, Samuel Tan, Daniel Xavier, and Jason Ng, who departed for Manila that afternoon for their immersion postulancy programme leading towards the Novitiate.
Presiding at the Eucharist in the friary chapel, Custos Friar Derrick Yap drew hearts back to what lies at the centre of the Franciscan journey. In his homily, he reminded all gathered that salvation is not only about redemption and the forgiveness of sins. At its heart, salvation is about communion with God.
Friar Derrick noted that the great intellectual gifts and powerful preaching of St Anthony of Padua were rooted in a deep desire to be with God. For St Anthony, holiness was not about achievement, but about presence – remaining close to the Lord in love and fidelity. This same longing animated the entire life of St Francis, whose radical following of Christ reached its mystical summit in the stigmata, the visible sign that Francis had so conformed himself to Christ that he bore in his own body the marks of the Crucified Christ.
In this light, the stages of Franciscan formation – postulancy, immersion, and novitiate – reveal their deeper meaning as pathways by which God draws a person into fuller communion with Himself and into the fraternity and mission of the Order.
For Timothy and Matthew, their reception into postulancy marks the beginning of this journey. Postulancy is the stage of preparing the ground, a period of cultivating the soil before the seeds are planted. It is a time of conversion from secular life to the Franciscan way of life, without yet taking on its full obligations. It is also meant to clarify a candidate’s motivation and enable him to make a genuine and mature decision.
Over the next 12 months, Timothy and Matthew will be formed in the human, Christian, and Franciscan dimensions of their vocation.
Through prayer, study, fraternal living, and guided reflection, they will be invited to grow in effective maturity: learning to choose freely, to let go of what no longer serves their vocation, and to tune their lives to the dynamism of following Christ after the example of St Francis.
Meanwhile, Samuel, Daniel, and Jason have embarked on the next stage of formation – a four-month immersion postulancy programme. Together with four postulants from the Philippines and four from Myanmar, they form an international fraternity that mirrors the global face of the Order.
Their formation will include sectoral exposure, where they will live among fishermen, villagers, farmers, and indigenous communities, learning to recognise Christ present in the lives of the people, especially the poor and those on the margins. They will be attached to Franciscan communities to experience the daily rhythm of prayer, fraternity, and apostolic service that shapes the life of a friar.
These months are meant not only to instruct but also to transform – allowing the Gospel and the fraternal, spiritual, and missionary dimensions of the Franciscan charism to take deeper root before they enter the Novitiate in May.
Vocation is a journey of continual conversion and trust, and the five are united by the same call: to seek God with their whole hearts and to follow Christ in the way of St Francis. Let us keep them in our prayers as they grow in communion with God and in joy within the Franciscan brotherhood.
“Welcome, Sister Death!” These words will ring in our ears repeatedly this year as we mark 800 years since the death of St Francis on 3 October 1226. On the night of his passing (Transitus), Francis had the brothers sing the canticle he composed the year before – the Canticle of Creatures – and then he added a final verse on Sister Death.
This verse on Sister Death may be little known as we seldom get to the final verse when we sing this song in church. Perhaps this year could be an occasion to carve out some time and space to reflect on the topic of death and think about what a good death would look like. When we have contemplated on death, then we may better know how to live. Hence, the many images, of saints with skulls in their hands or by their feet. Holiness is the outcome of knowing where we are going after this life is over.
This year, for the first time in history, the mortal remains of St Francis in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi will be displayed for public veneration. The month-long event, which begins on 22 February, is to recall this life that has touched many hearts with a depth of authenticity that is timeless. As of mid-December, there were more than 250,000 bookings. You can find out more from the website, www.saintfrancisliveson.org
This result testifies to the universality of the message of the Saint of Assisi and the timeless appeal of his figure. Francis’ life is like a seed which bears much fruit. The Franciscan Family has taken this seed image for the Year of Transitus, and I quote here from the website:
“Like a grain of wheat fallen to the ground, the body of Francis of Assisi has become a fertile seed and bearing fruit through time. His existence, given entirely to love, reconciliation, and fraternity, continues to speak to the heart of humanity even eight hundred years after his death. Today, his legacy manifests as a living presence of God’s Kingdom in our midst: every gesture of openness: every choice for peace, every embrace of brotherhood bears the mark of that seed which did not remain alone, but gave birth to a new story.
“The relics of Francis, kept in the basilica dedicated to him in Assisi, are a tangible sign of this mystery. Pilgrims from every part of the world gather before his tomb, finding inspiration, courage, and hope in the example of a life radically given. In that place, earth and heaven seem to touch; Francis’ message becomes a concrete invitation to welcome the Gospel into daily life, to build bridges of dialogue, to care for creation, to live relationships marked by peace and love. To discover Francis today means allowing ourselves to be drawn into a story that continues to flourish, silent and fruitful. His legacy accompanies and encourages us to make visible, through our choices and actions, the Kingdom of God that grows quietly but powerfully in our midst. Thus, like a seed that sprouts in the earth, Francis’ presence is light and promise for anyone who desires to walk in fraternity and hope.”
For those who are unable to make the pilgrimage to Assisi, do not fret! In Singapore, we will have public veneration of the relics of St Francis, and those of St Anthony and Blessed Allegra on 22 February 2026. This one-day public veneration will be held in the chapel of San Damiano Franciscan Centre, which is behind the main Church of St Mary of the Angels.
Speaking of welcoming Sister Death, I take this opportunity to mention our Franciscan Columbarium, located within the grounds of the Franciscan Complex in Bukit Batok. It was conceived as a sacred space to hold and honour the mortal remains of our beloved family and friends. Adjacent to the columbarium are two wake chapels – La Verna and Transitus – which offer a consoling space for those who are grieving. Our accompaniment and service of those who are mourning the loss of a loved one is modelled after St Francis’ desire to be close to the broken-hearted and the needs of the people. The real need of course is to offer the hope that only our Risen Lord Jesus Christ can offer. Jesus, who died and rose again, guarantees the life that never ends. That is why for St Francis Sister Death was a portal, a doorway, to enter into the life of God, a life with God our Beloved, the life of immense joy and deep peace that we all long for.
May this centenary of Francis’ Transitus truly be a time of grace for all of us to contemplate Sister Death in the spirit of hope and peace.
Friar Derrick Yap OFM
Storie di san Francesco; Navata, Chiesa superiore della Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi; Italia, Umbria, Perugia, AssisiStorie di san Francesco; Navata, Chiesa superiore della Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi; Italia, Umbria, Perugia, Assisi
“Change is the only constant in life,” said Heraclitus, and indeed the new year marked a change for many friars in our Custody. For example, there is a new parish team at St Mary of the Angels, and Friar Joseph Lee, the first in our Custody to reach 70 years of age, will be in Manila for a few months for a sabbatical programme.
I, however, continue as Custos, and I am hoping to deepen my intention for the Custody towards greater authenticity as Franciscans, as friars minor. Our Minister General, Friar Massimo Fusarelli, exhorted us during our Chapter last September to focus on strengthening fraternal life. As this is concretely expressed in having at least three friars in each community, we have had to suspend our presence in Penang because we do not have enough Malaysian friars for four communities in Malaysia.
This difficult decision has spurred my desire for our fraternal life to become more intentional. St Francis of Assisi espoused a fraternal life where brothers mutually care for one another and grow in their affective and spiritual maturity personally and communally. To encourage this in our communities, Friar Aiden Peter, as the new Moderator for Ongoing Formation, is considering fresh ideas to stimulate some change in the way we live out our community life.
This year, we are also grateful for our Custody’s spiritual heritage. On 26 January, we celebrated the 50th death anniversary of Blessed Gabriele Allegra, whom our Custody adopted as our co-patron together with St Anthony of Padua. Without Blessed Allegra, we Franciscan Friars might not be in this part of the world. It was his vision to set up the St Anthony Franciscan Sociological Centre in Singapore to offer a Catholic alternative to the Communist ideology that was gaining ground in the 1950s. Whilst tirelessly translating the Scriptures from the original Hebrew and Greek to Chinese and directing the Blessed Scotus Franciscan Biblical Institute in Hong Kong, Blessed Allegra still found time to come to Singapore in the early 1960s.
Turning back the clock several hundred years, we come to the time of St Francis of Assisi. This year we remember 800 years of his Transitus, his return to the Father by welcoming Sister Death. In Assisi, the Friars of the Basilica of St Francis will hold a month-long public display of the mortal remains of St Francis from 22 February 2026. I expound on this exciting event in the Feature article.
As I write this, I have just returned from a week-long meeting, from 5 to 8 January 2026, with the Religious Superiors from Malaysia and Singapore. We also had a joint meeting with the Bishops in our Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Speaking about change, I can see the deepening of friendship and trust among us Superiors in my six years as Custos. The level of cooperation and collaboration has been taken up a notch. This kind of change is not revolutionary; rather it is secure and organic, the kind that I know comes from an authentic space which can be sustained and is life-giving. I find this truly heart-warming.
I pray that all of us may experience this sort of change this year, especially in our spiritual life. May our Lenten experience be a graced opportunity to ground ourselves further in our Lord. Please pray for us friars as we continue to grow and strengthen our Franciscan presence and service of God’s people. May the Lord bless you and your loved ones!
The request Christ made from the crucifix to St Francis 800 years ago came up repeatedly at the 6th Asia-Oceania OFS-YouFra Congress in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The simple phrase – Go and repair my Church – resonated with the Secular Franciscans (OFS) brothers and sisters of Asia and Oceania as they sought greater clarity and depth in their identity and mission.
In the Holy Mass that opened the congress, Kota Kinabalu Archbishop John Wong told all gathered that it is important to invert “Go and repair my Church”, to begin with “church” as a community of believers that needs constant conversion, then “repairing” oneself through repentance, and finally “go” and share what you have received from the Lord.
Over the six days, 23-29 October 2025, the 72 Franciscans (61 Seculars and 11 Clergy/Religious) spoke the common language of love and fraternity, despite hailing from several countries, including Australia, Korea, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Timor Leste, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Fraternity is the fundamental call for all Franciscans – Secular and Religious. This is responding to Jesus’ call for all his disciples to be in communion, “that they may be one” (John 17:21) and this deep union is coming from Jesus’ acknowledgement that “the Father and I are one” (John 10:30).
Collective discernment saw the Congress members unanimously voting to conduct formation for leadership – local councils, ministers and formators – to help them understand what they have been called to do and to do it in a Christian and Franciscan way.
Whilst formation was a priority during the congress, other areas of importance discussed included Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and vocation promotion. Much was said about engaging youths and YouFra in particular. The many entities seriously considering establishing a YouFra fraternity had the chance to learn from the rich experience of entities like Philippines and Vietnam which have YouFra numbering in the thousands.
With the Asia-Oceania delegates were Tibor Kauser OFS General Minister and Francis Park OFS Asia-Oceania Councillor, who helped steer the direction of the conversations and provided clarity on many matters. Tibor Kauser spoke of what it means to repair the Church, “Repair a fraternal life within self and others – but avoid repairing what is not even broken”. He also spoke about the role of the OFS fraternal animator for YouFra and the sense of belonging and responsibility in OFS and YouFra.
If you feel an inner prompting to explore the Secular Franciscan Order, do reach out to Singapore National Minister Janet Lim OFS (janetsfo@gmail.com) or Malaysia National Minister Marina Anjuman OFS (marinaanjuman7284@gmail.com).
From left to right Back row: Friar Francisco Basnayake, Friar Gerard Victor, Friar Kenny Anthonysamy Front row: Friar Jorgerson Japar, Friar Marvin Voo, Friar Vernon Chua
Named after Greccio in Italy’s Rieti Valley, Greccio Friary is a formation community that lives the Gospel daily through fraternity, prayer, work and study in simplicity. The friary stands within the grounds of the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus school in Upper Bukit Timah.
Our Greccio community is made up of six friars – Francisco Jude, Gerard Victor, Kenny Anthonysamy, Vernon Chua, Jorgerson Japar and myself – living together as one fraternity.
As Guardian, Friar Francisco cares for both the physical and spiritual well-being of the community. He presides at daily Mass in the chapel and used to work with the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People (ACMI). He now works with the Prison Ministry.
Friar Gerard alternates with Friar Francisco in celebrating the daily Mass for the Franciscan brothers and IJ sisters. He also celebrates Mass in various parishes including St Joseph (Bukit Timah), St Anthony, and St Mary of the Angels, and gives spiritual direction.
Friar Kenny, a lay friar, is the heart of our community. Jovial and caring, he looks after the maintenance of the friary. He brings joy through his humour and is always ready to listen and support the fraternity in many ways.
Another lay friar, Friar Vernon, serves as the director for the post-novitiate. He is also known as the “Gardener Friar” because he cares deeply for creation and takes loving care of the friary’s beautiful gardens. Living St Francis’ exhortation to love “Sicut Mater” (like a mother), he also prepares meals especially lunch for the friars returning from studies or ministry.
Friar Jorgerson is in his second year of philosophy studies at St Francis Xavier Major Seminary. In addition to his classes, he participates in our in-house Franciscan formation programme, speech classes, and the weekly St Anthony Devotion at the Church of St Mary of the Angels. He also assists with the media ministry.
Friar Marvin made his solemn profession a year ago and is now completing his second year of theology at the seminary. On weekends, he travels to Malaysia for his ministry with the Bahasa Malaysia community at St Joseph Church, Plentong in Johor Bahru. There, he serves through the choir, gives formation sessions, participates in the Basic Ecclesial Community, conduct retreats, and accompanies the youth ministry.
Minister General Massimo Fusarelli, in his letter after the Lay Brothers’ Gathering, described fraternity as a “spiritual ecosystem” where lay and ordained friars live together in complementarity, each bringing their own gift to the community.
Life at Greccio reflects a “spiritual ecosystem” where each vocation has intrinsic value rooted in being rather than function, echoing today’s call to interconnectedness.
The Greccio Friary friars nurture their fraternity through monthly Chapters or Recollections, beginning with reflection on “We Are All Brothers”, deepening their communion and renewing their Franciscan commitment.
