Our five deacons have immersed themselves in their new mission. Cosmas Francis is serving in Keningau Diocese (St Theresa Church, Tambunan), Crispus Mosinoh in Penang Diocese (Risen Christ Church, Air Itam), Gerald Saimel in Sandakan Diocese (St Dominic Church, Lahad Datu), Sixtus Pitah in Malacca-Johore Diocese (St Joseph Church, Plentong), and Robin Toha in Singapore Archdiocese (St Joseph Church, Bukit Timah).
The ministry of the deacon has three dimensions – liturgy, word and service.
During the liturgy, the deacon assists the bishop and priests. At the Mass, he proclaims the Gospel, and may be invited to preach the homily. He reads the petitions of the General Intercessions, receives the gifts, prepares the altar, assists with incensing, gives instructions regarding posture and movement, distributes Holy Communion, and dismisses the Assembly.
Friar Sixtus proclaims the Gospel at a priesthood ordination in Church of St Henri, Batu Pahat, JohorFriar Crispus serving at the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Penang. Friar Robin conducting RCIA session on Sacrament of Reconciliation in St Joseph’s Church Bukit Timah, Singapore.
Outside of the Mass, the deacon assists the priest when he administers the Sacrament of Baptism, brings Viaticum to the dying, presides over prayer services, officiates at wakes, funerals, and burial services, and acts as a witness for marriages and engagements. The deacon is also able to bless religious articles.
Friar Gerald presided at the baptism of over 40 children in St. Dominic’s Church, Lahad Datu, Sabah.Friar Cosmas blessing the engagement of a couple in Tambunan, Sabah.
However, deacons do not hear confession or preside at Mass.
As ministers of service, there are many options for deacons to perform charitable works. They do outreach to the poor, visit the sick at home, in nursing homes, or in hospitals, care for inmates in prisons and jails. They teach sacramental preparation and religious education classes, and have various administrative duties.
Our deacons are conducting Catechism classes, visiting the poor and the marginalised, making pastoral visits to Basic Ecclesial Communities, and organising recollections for various groups and ministries. They are also helping out at the diocesan level. Friar Gerald provides counselling services, and has been meeting clients for marriage and individual counselling in Sandakan Diocese. Friar Sixtus has been working with the Media Production Office of the Malacca- Johore Diocese. His first assignment is to produce posters and a video for the 50th anniversary celebration of the diocese. Up in the north of Malaya, Friar Crispus is providing spiritual direction to some of the seminarians of the College General (Inter-diocesan Seminary) in Penang Diocese.
All five deacons will be ordained priests soon – Friar Robin Toha on 21 June at the Church of St Mary of the Angels, and Friars Cosmas Francis, Crispus Mosinoh, Gerald Saimel and Sixtus Pitah on 2 July at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
On 9 April 2022, family and friends gathered with the friars at the Church of St Mary of the Angels to witness the First Profession of vows by our brothers Sylvester Singh, Julian Chua and Timothy Fong.
Breaking the Word of GodTaking the Vows TemporarilyNewly Simple Professed Friars with Custos and Provincial Minister
The Provincial Minister Phillip Miscamble came to Singapore to receive their vows. In his homily, he encouraged the three newly professed friars to continue to deepen their desire to serve the people of God as Friars Minor, and discover the joys of following in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi.
The ceremony was live-streamed so that family and friars, especially those in Malaysia who were unable to attend in person because of Covid travel restrictions, could witness this happy occasion.
Friar Phil receiving Nelson’s Vows. Friar Marvin renewing his Vows for another year.The Renewal of Vows with Custos and Provincial Minister
Friars Nelson Evarinus and Marvin Voo renewed their simple vows in the same ceremony. Following the liturgy, the Greccio community hosted family members to a celebratory lunch at the friary.
With joy and thanksgiving to God, the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei) are glad to announce and share another good news!
Friar Nelson Evarinus Sipalan will be making his Solemn Profession of Religious Vows at 10 am on the 9th of July at St Aloysius Church, Limbanak, Penampang ,Sabah.
He shared in a post recently that for the past 7 years of his Initial Formation, he “have had great insights, and experienced moments of frustration and fear…a sense of hope, and the certainty that Christ is with me, and inviting me to live and be a herald of the Gospel.”
Let us continue to support and pray for him as he prepares to make his lifelong commitment to God in the Religious Life as a Franciscan Friar.
To RSVP, kindly email nelsonevarinus@franciscans.sg or contact +65 8383 6681.
With praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of St Anthony in Malaysia and Singapore joyfully announce the Presbyteral Ordination of Friars Cosmas Francis, Crispus Mosinoh, Gerald Saimel, Robin Toha and Sixtus Pitah, OFM.
Friar Robin Toha will be called to the Order of the Presbyterate by Archbishop William Goh on the 21st June 2022, 4 pm at Church of St Mary of the Angels, Singapore. Booking of seats for the Ordination Mass are now open (30 May 2022). Note: The ordination Mass is a VDS Mass (attendees must be fully vaccinated). Walk-ins for the Mass will be subject to availability. Please book your seats in ?????? ??? at https://mycatholic.sg
Meanwhile, Friars Cosmas Francis, Crispus Mosinoh, Gerald Terence and Sixtus Pitah will be called by Archbishop John Wong of Kota Kinabalu on the 2nd July 2022, 10 AM at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sabah. Note: For estimation of guests, please click here to RSVP.
Today, let us remember the 2 greatest legacies that Jesus leaves with us: The Lord’s Supper and how it has shaped the way we gather as a Christian community to celebrate the life, sacrifice and victory Jesus leaves us with through transforming his gift of bread and wine, into His divine body and blood.
As he knelt down to wash the feet of his disciples, Jesus set the supreme example of humility as our servant leader and he urges us to model after him.
As we partake in the the memorial of the Lord’s Supper, do we focus on being the “leader” or the “servant” and how does this impact the way we serve and lead as Christians?
The resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday marks the ultimate triumph of life over death. For Catholics, it marks the end of our Lenten journey of repentance and conversion towards a new life of love by the dying of our old and sinful selves. Lent and Easter give us grace-filled opportunities to move on with God, despite our reticence.
“Do not be afraid” is the message of the Risen Christ to his apostles. Today, there is an urgent need for this message to be preached. As I write this, the world is experiencing senseless killing of men, women and children because of poverty, violence and disease. As I write this, some, or many of us, are experiencing difficulties in our own lives. I am writing this and wondering how we are to preach the message of the Resurrection without being pessimistic. How convinced are we about the victory of Jesus?
We read the scriptures and we see that the Resurrection stories do not give us answers in a scientific and systematic way. In fact, some of the stories leave us with more questions than answers. These stories close the chapter on sin and evil that marked the death of Jesus, but the same stories open for us endless possibilities of a life with God, in the here and now. They give us opportunities!
Perhaps, the closing of chapters – so much part of the stories of scriptures – are also part of our lives. Not only do we close the doors to sin, fear and anxiety, but we also close the doors that prevent us from experiencing newness and new possibilities. It is not easy to close doors in our lives. We are afraid to leave the comfort, the security and the known ways of doing things. But, without closing the doors, we will not be able to open new doors. And that would be a tragedy.
In the readings of the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Lord calls us through the Prophet Isaiah: “Remember not the events of the past, . . . for see, I am doing something new!” (Isaiah 43:18) And St Paul reminds us that there is one thing necessary for us: “Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13) Yes, the reign of God is “not yet”, but the Risen Jesus is breaking through the locked doors of our insecurities and fears, (Cf. John 20:19) inviting us to join Him on the road. We are being called by the Risen Lord to renew our lives, to go to Him who offers life, and to listen to His voice, to allow God to reconstruct within us His vision of what it means to be sons and daughters of God, committed to helping to renew the face of the earth, through a conversion of our personal lives.
As sons and daughters of God, we are called to spread the vibrant Gospel message in an age of division, violence, and the tendency to promote a politics and culture of exclusion. We are called to become living examples of the vision to which Pope Francis is calling us: “Disinterested concern for others, and the rejection of every form of self-centredness and self-absorption, are essential if we truly wish to care for our brothers and sisters and for the natural environment. These attitudes also attune us to the moral imperative of assessing the impact of our every action and personal decision on the world around us. If we can overcome individualism, we will truly be able to develop a different lifestyle and bring about significant changes in society.” (Laudato Si, # 208)
Isaiah’s assurance that “we will eat well and delight in rich fare” (Isaiah 55:2) can be an image of new and transformed relationships, just as the Resurrection is a promise of newness and transformation. While not forgetting the past, we rediscover the source of our true identity in Christ, and the need and responsibility to seek life and not death, to seek forgiveness and mercy, not retribution and revenge, to seek reconciliation with one another, with the wider Church community, with all of humanity, and with all of Creation. This is what it means to “come to the water, without money, without price”. (Isaiah 55:1)
Biblical scholar Gerhard Lohfink wrote: “Being a Resurrection community means anticipating that at every hour the Spirit of Christ will show the community new paths, expecting new doors to open at any moment, counting on it that at any hour the Spirit can transform evil into good, hoping that every hour the impossible will become possible, and never saying ‘later!’ but always ‘now!’” (Jesus of Nazareth, Collegeville, 2012, p 306).
Brothers and sisters, that “now” is upon us! Let us allow the word of God to take root within us and seek what is above. Let us also remember those who are suffering, those who are grieving, those who are distressed in mind and heart that they too may experience new life.
