The Feature Article is a message from Friar Phillip Miscamble, who served in Singapore for 19 years and was our Custody’s first Custos. He was in Singapore in October for our Custody Chapter.
It was a privilege to be a part of the Chapter of the Custody of St Anthony of Padua (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei), and gather together with 36 of my brothers. We discussed the future direction of the Custody and the outreach of our ministry in the different dioceses in Singapore and Malaysia where the Franciscans have established foundations. It was wonderful to see how this part of the Franciscan Order has developed since I first became involved back in 1986!
At that time, the Australian Franciscan Friars had been in Singapore at St Anthony Friary for 16 years. We were a community of the Province of the Holy Spirit, with houses in Australia, New Zealand and the one house in Singapore. We provided pastoral care for the ever-growing parish of St Mary of the Angels, as the new Bukit Batok town was taking shape, and our formation programme for local vocations was in its fledging stage.
In the following years, we began to see an increase in the number of vocations and in 1992, the General Administration of the Order declared Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei as a Custody dependant on the Province of the Holy Spirit.
The reason for this development is clearly set out in the statutes of the newly established dependant custody. “The Custody is established by the Order of Friars Minor in recognition of the political and cultural differences between the Province and the Custody and to inculturate the friars more firmly in the Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei regions. Thereby an opportunity for greater self-determination and responsibility is given to those friars who are committed to the implantation and development of the Order in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.”
Becoming a Custody gave the friars in this region a clear mandate to work hard to establish the Order of Friars Minor beyond our Singapore foundation, established in 1958, to neighbouring Malaysia. Foundations followed in Kuching, Sarawak (1999); Masai, Johor (2008); Tanjung Bungah, Penang (2018) and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (2022). In Singapore, our presence increased from the Bukit Batok property to Greccio Friary at Chestnut Drive. These communities were possible because of the young men from Singapore and Malaysia who embraced the Franciscan way of life by joining the Order during the intervening years.
It has been such a joy to see the Order become firmly established in this part of the world. When I arrived in Singapore in 1986, I could never have imagined this providential growth would become a reality. The privilege to journey with this young entity of the Order over the past 36 years has been such a blessing.
Being appointed to our Singapore communities from 1986 to 2005 allowed me to be intimately involved in the life and development of the Custody. I was engaged in different roles with our formation programme, took on leadership as Guardian and Custos, and had the extraordinary opportunity to lead the team for the redevelopment of the Bukit Batok property, while also serving as parish priest of the Church of St Mary of the Angels. Now, as Provincial Minister of the Province of the Holy Spirit, my involvement continues. I count my blessings every day for having such incredible opportunities to serve the brotherhood and the people of God over all these years.
There is now a desire for the Custody to become an autonomous entity within the Order of Friars Minor. At the Provincial Chapter held in Sydney, Australia from 25 to 30 September, the assembled brothers gave their blessing for this new independent entity to be established. This desire was confirmed at the Custody Chapter held in Singapore from 17 to 21 October.
We will now petition our General Administration who will make the final decision about the change of status. While this is an internal governance matter, I ask you our benefactors and supporters to keep us in your prayers during this time of discernment and change.
Regardless of how we identify ourselves within the structure of the Order, I pray we Franciscans will always see our life of prayer and fraternity reflected in the ministry we carry out for the good of God’s holy people, and the Church and society where we serve.
Much of what has been achieved over the years could never have happened without your prayerful support. We will always show our appreciation and gratefulness by remembering you in our daily masses and prayers. I leave you with a blessing so dear to our Holy Father St Francis:
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace,
The Lord bless you.
Amen.
Friar Phillip Miscamble OFM Provincial Minister Province of the Holy Spirit
Unanimous. This one word brought about a wave of emotion for me. At our Chapter, all the friars voted in favour of a Fraternal Life Project for every community in our Custody. It was a dream come true! What this means is that every single Franciscan friar in Singapore and Malaysia desires and commits to a more authentic fraternal life, returning to basics with a heart faithful to God and to the Franciscan brotherhood, taking personal responsibility for their own ongoing formation and committing to have an eye of care for every single brother.
This is certainly one of the highlights of my year, and I am truly grateful to God and to every friar for voting “yes”.
As we journey towards Christmas, it is a worthwhile exercise to look back at the moments that have been a gift to us during the year. These precious moments can feel like a new birth, a restoration.
The theme of our Chapter, held from 17 to 21 October, was “Restoring the Gospel within us”. We are called to restore the goodness of the Good News within us, and then go forth to renew others. Of course, for this restoration to even begin, we have to be intentional in deepening our connection with our God. That said, God can provide the grace of restoration without us being ready for it. That is why he is Emmanuel, God-with-us, born in the messiness of a manger.
In the messiness of our lives, I felt God’s powerful guiding presence during the Chapter. We shared deeply and vulnerably about our joys and struggles, about how in unwavering hope, we continue to believe in the goodness of every person, and about the “magic” that happens when we come together as brothers. This is the glimmering hopeful joy that lay deep in the heart of St Francis.
Speaking of hope, we have dreamed for several years of establishing a presence in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah since many of our friars hail from Sabah. On 21 September, Archbishop John Wong signed an agreement permitting us to establish a presence in his Archdiocese. A Spirituality and Retreat Centre is in the works and we pray that it will truly be a sanctuary, a place of pilgrimage, a sacred space where people can feel at peace and at home with our Franciscan spirit, and experience God holding them and healing them.
We have also voted to become an autonomous entity, independent of the Province of the Holy Spirit. This means that we will make our own decisions, be self-sufficient in our finances, and in the management of our ministries. Whilst it can seem daunting, being autonomous will spur the Custody towards greater responsibility and ownership.
We thank you, dear friends and benefactors, for your continued support these many years, and ask that you continue to pray with us as we embark on this exciting adventure that God has called us to. Please pray that we may keep our eyes focussed on the Lord as he brings us into deeper renewal as authentic friars minor, after the heart of St Francis of Assisi.
We’re happy to announce that the 2023 Franciscan calendar is on sale now!
Collaborating with The Way We Mend (TWWM), this unique calendar features the original artwork of Anna Dinh, a talented local artist from Sarawak, Malaysia.
Besides being able to keep track of liturgical events throughout the year, your days will also be brightened by his whimsical depictions of your favourite Franciscan saints.
To pre-order, please fill in the Google Form below.
‘Sequela Christi’ translates into: following Christ.
St. Francis was a great lover and imitator of Christ (Imitatio Christi), conforming to Him not only inwardly but also outwardly (by receiving the Stigmata). This is an annual pilgrimage where members of the Fraternitas – Franciscan Young Adults (FYA) embark on a spiritual journey to receive the Child Jesus in a special way over Christmas in Franciscan Italy.
There, they follow in the footsteps of St Francis and the other Franciscan saints who have gone before us, and find the same humility and joy of the Gospel that he was deeply conformed to.
This video is brought to you by Fraternitas – Franciscan Young Adults(FYA).
FYA is a fraternity of Catholic young adults based in Singapore and led by the Franciscan Friars. FYA meets every Monday 8pm for Lectio Divina, every first Monday of the month for Franciscan Book Club, and every few months they host speakers from around the world in conversation on topics related to Franciscan Spirituality – from social justice to social media, from aesthetics to contemplation.
Its the time of the year again to give thanks to God for our furry, feathered (and slimy) creature-friends that bring us so much joy and companionship!
Bring your dog, cat, bird, frog, lizard, rabbit, or other beloved and treasured animal-friends for a prayer and blessing session by our Franciscan Friars in Singapore, Kuching, Johor and Penang!
Please refer below for more details.
All are welcome!
Franciscan Animal Blessing at Church of St Mary’s of the Angels, Singapore
Date : Sunday, 2nd October 2022
Time : 3 PM
Venue : Piazza outside main church, Level 3.
Please register HERE to help us with our logistics planning and to keep you updated, if necessary.
For Singapore : 
