In this issue, we conclude our series on the communities in our Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei) with our two communities on the island of Borneo– St Francis of Assisi Friary in Kuching and Il Cantico Friary in Kota Kinabalu.
Kuching: St Francis of Assisi Friary
Our Kuching community comprises Friars Don Don Ramerez, Joseph Lee and Nelson Evarinus. Their main ministry is the pastoral care of the Parish of St Ann, Kota Padawan, which covers a large area from Kota Padawan (10th Mile Kuching-Serian Road) along Jalan Borneo Heights up to the border with Kalimantan, Indonesia. It has more than 26,000 parishioners spread out in 52 kampungs and 9 tamans (housing estates).
Sunday Masses are celebrated in five locations – the Church of St Ann; Sub-Parish of St Michael, Teng Bukap; Sub-Parish of St Mary Magdalene, Kampung Jambu; Sub-Parish of St Peter, Kampung Simpok; and Sub-Parish of St Maximillian Kolbe, Kampung Bayur.
On weekdays, Mass, along with Lauds/Morning Office, is celebrated at the Church of St Ann Chapel at 6.55am. In the kampungs, weekday Mass is celebrated at 7pm, depending on the monthly Priests Travel Roster. Sunday Masses in Mandarin are celebrated at 4pm at St Ann Chapel, and at 7pm at Tapah Catholic Community Centre, Tapah Village.
Friar Nelson also serves in the Archdiocesan Creation and Justice ministry while Friar Don Don is part of the Vocation Team. He also gives seminars and is in the ministry of Deliverance and Exorcism.
As a community, we celebrate Mass in the Friary Chapel on Mondays, followed by breakfast. On Tuesdays to Saturdays, one friar presides at the morning Mass at St Ann Chapel, while the other two friars meet for Lauds in the Friary Chapel. Vespers, when possible, is at 5pm after which each friar prepares for the evening Mass in the kampungs, as rostered.
Due to the numerous kampungs, we do not have a weekly Day of Recreation, but we take every opportunity to have a community meal together. For example, after the monthly Archdiocesan Day of Recollection and Meeting at Stutong Centre, we have dinner together before returning to the friary.
Overall, it is a meaningful ministry, ministering to the numerous parishioners of simple faith, full of enthusiasm and collaboration.
Friar Joseph Lee, Guardian
Kota Kinabalu: Il Cantico Friary
The Franciscan presence in the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, was formally established in September 2022, and like a small seed newly planted in soil, it is slowly taking root to grow and bear fruit for the people of God.
The three friars in the young community of Il Cantico Friary are Friars Gerald Terence, Moses Yap and Cruzender Alex.
Friar Cruzender has been in Kota Kinabalu the longest, arriving in 2021 to do his master’s degree at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Alongside his studies, he had pastoral responsibilities at St Michael Parish, Penampang.
One of the early challenges he encountered was celebrating Mass in Kadazan, which he says is a pastoral necessity as it allows the friars to serve the local faithful more deeply in their own language and cultural context. He is also the National Spiritual Assistant for the Order of Franciscan Secular (OFS) for East Malaysia and, since 2024, Spiritual Advisor to several parish committees.
Friar Gerald arrived in 2024 and is Assistant Parish Priest in both St Michael Parish and St Augustine Parish, Kinarut. He also accompanies several ministries – Youth Ministry, Women’s League Apostolate, Creation and Justice Ministry, and Bible Apostolate – and gives talks, seminars, recollections and retreats.
Friar Moses is the newest member of the community. He arrived in Kota Kinabalu from Johor Bahru in February and began assisting with Masses at Sacred Heart Cathedral in March. He celebrates Masses in English and Mandarin since his Bahasa Malaysia is weak. On weekends, he also celebrates Mass at the Church of Mary Immaculate at Bukit Padang and at the Carmelite Chapel.
In the seven months he has been here, Friar Moses says he has discovered that there is a great pastoral need – faith formation to deepen knowledge of the faith and guidance to deepen prayer life and build a stronger relationship with God.
The three friars are learning to live together as a community. Friar Gerald said, “My prayer is that our Il Cantico Community will continue to grow in fraternity, rooted in simplicity and joy, so that together we can truly be a Franciscan presence in the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu.”
I write this fresh from our Custody Chapter, held from 1-5 September 2025. Over the five days, we turned the fruit of the fraternal conversation at our Custody Assembly in July into concrete resolutions and action plans to refresh our Franciscan way of life and renew our commitment to mission.
You have probably heard that I have been re-elected as Custos for the new term 2026-2028. However, there are still two exciting projects before my current term ends – our Franciscan Calendar 2026 and the Celebration of the 8th Centenary of the Canticle of Creatures.
In Franciscan Calendar 2026, we feature the artwork of a young parishioner of the Church of St Mary of the Angels, Ashley Jane Leow. She trained in Film Art in Paris, but I think her creative vision has permeated her digital artwork. I first caught sight of her creativity at Fraternitas Jamboree 2023. When I saw the cover she designed for the Jamboree Journal, I knew she embodied the ability to express spiritual wisdom through creative beauty. I immediately thought to ask her to create the artwork for our Franciscan Calendar, and I am so pleased that she readily agreed.
I have asked her to share her artistic and spiritual perspective in this issue. I hope the images draw you deeper into your own spiritual journey, with St Francis walking alongside you. Fun fact, our Franciscan Calendar 2013 featured the artwork of Ashley’s mother, Lee Kowling. So this mother-daughter pair has helped us friars a great deal in bringing Francis’ story to life with modern imagination!
My prayer is that our Franciscan Calendar can be an evangelising tool that inspires Catholics and those who do not yet know Christ or St Francis to engage in life-giving conversations. Which is one of the reasons the Franciscan Friars have a tradition of promoting the Franciscan Calendar in other parishes.
Our God is a God of surprises and beauty. St Francis wrote on a parchment “You are beauty”, relating the experience of his vision of the Seraphic Crucified Christ on Mt Alvernia in 1223. From St Francis, we have learnt to contemplate God as beauty and indeed in all of God’s Creation.
This year, the Franciscan Family celebrates 800 years of Francis’ Canticle of Creatures, or Canticle of Brother Sun. This canticle sings of Francis’ joy in seeing all of Creation as mystically interconnected because God as Creator is Our Father. Francis sees this brotherhood and sisterhood of all created beings even though he was nearly blind and in pain, both physically and psychologically. This song from the depths of his wounded heart was composed from the soil of rich hope in God and his Goodness. This is the cause of our celebration: From Wounds to New Life.
The Franciscan Family in Singapore – FMM, FMDM, OFS and OFM – will celebrate with a mini-concert on 3 October 2025, the day when Franciscans traditionally commemorate the Transitus of St Francis, his passing from earthly life to heavenly life. The final verse of the Canticle of Creatures sings of praising God through Sister Bodily Death, and Francis composed this verse just before his Transitus into heaven. We invite you to join us at 8pm at the Church of St Mary of the Angels in this celebration where we, as a Franciscan fraternity, will share Francis’ vision of the fraternity of creation.
I hope you enjoy this issue of St Anthony’s Bread. On behalf of the friars of our Custody, my sincere thanks to you all for taking time to read our newsletter and for contributing to our cause. Please pray for our Custody as we prepare to embark on a new term of more authentic living and more impactful missioning. May the Lord journey closely with us all!
The Faith Formation was hosted by the National Councillors of Malaysia and conducted by Friar Cosmas Francis, OFM, Director of JPIC, Custody of Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. It was attended by a total of 134 OFS members, including the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who served as their spiritual director. The participants represented 13 OFS fraternities from across the state of Sabah. The theme of this Faith Formation was “Living the Franciscan Spirituality and Charism in the New Millennium.”
The objective of this Faith Formation was to deepen our understanding of Franciscan values and to strengthen the Franciscan spirit within us, so that we, as members of the OFS, may continue to embody and share that spirit, living out the charism of St. Francis and St. Clare through our good works. We also extended the invitation to both the local fraternity and the emerging fraternity to come together in fellowship.
The Faith Formation began with an opening Mass by Friar Cosmas Francis,OFM followed by daily prayers and concluded with a closing Mass on the final day. Among the topics covered were Canticle of the Sun, Franciscans in the Digital World, The Cry of the Earth and the Poor, Spiritual Discernment, and The Call to Follow in the Footsteps of Saint Francis.
We were also given insight into the 800 years of the Canticle of the Creatures. Through this topic, we were able to see God in all creation and reflect deeply on Brother Sun, Brother Moon and Stars, Brother Wind and Fire. Its opening the eyes of our hearts to the life we are living. As the OFS in Malaysia especially in Sabah we really need such as this formation to build and strengthen the Franciscans spirituality among us. We learned the Franciscan Life, care for the creation and also to serve others as one universal brotherhood.
Over the weekend of July 12 and 13, parishioners of the Church of the Risen Christ were led through a spiritual and ecological reflection on the Canticle of the Creatures by Friar Marvin Voo, OFM. The talks, delivered in both Bahasa Malaysia and English, were warmly received and served as an invitation to rediscover a cornerstone of Franciscan spirituality that remains deeply relevant in today’s world.
Friar Marvin was invited by parish priest, Friar Esmond Chua, OFM, following his recent participation in an international gathering held in May at the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome. The event, hosted by the General Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Order of Friars Minor in collaboration with the university, brought renewed global attention to the timeless message of the Canticle of the Creatures.
The parishioners of the Church of the Risen Christ with the Franciscan friars
Composed between 1224 and 1226, the Canticle of the Creatures is one of the earliest known works of Italian literature and a profound expression of St Francis of Assisi’s spiritual legacy. Written in the final years of his life — marked by illness, near-blindness, and physical suffering — the Canticle reveals Francis’ deep sense of unity with creation. In it, he praises God through the elements of nature, addressing the sun, moon, wind, water, fire, and earth as “Brother” and “Sister.” Rooted in Psalm 148, which calls all creation to praise God, the Canticle goes a step further by affirming the divine presence not just in the heavens, but in dust, flame, suffering, and even death.
Born in 1181, St Francis’ life offers vital context for understanding the Canticle’s origins. During a retreat at La Verna in 1224, he received the Stigmata — a mystical sign of his deep union with Christ. Over the next year, his health declined, particularly his eyesight. Nearly blind and in constant pain, he composed the Canticle of the Creatures at San Damiano. This poetic prayer stands as a testament to Francis’ enduring joy and spiritual clarity amid physical darkness. As his condition worsened, he dictated his final will and passed away at the Portiuncula on October 3, 1226.
Though composed eight centuries ago, the Canticle continues to speak to our times. It reflects a range of scriptural themes: celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars), the natural elements (wind, water, fire, earth), creation as a whole, peacemakers and the suffering, and finally, “Sister Death” — welcomed without fear by those who live in God’s will. The Canticle is not just a song of praise but a radical call to live with gratitude, simplicity, and reverence for all life.
During his sessions, Friar Marvin highlighted the Canticle’s enduring relevance in light of today’s ecological and social crises. Its themes are echoed powerfully in Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on integral ecology, which draws deeply from Franciscan spirituality.
He invited participants to reflect on three key messages from the Canticle:
Universal Fraternity: By addressing elements of nature as family, St Francis reminds us of our interconnectedness with all creation. This reflects the call in Laudato Si’ to hear both “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.”
Seeing God Amid Suffering: Composed during a time of illness and decline, the Canticle shows that gratitude can flourish even in pain. It invites us to find beauty and hope in times of hardship and to stand in solidarity with those who suffer.
Contemplation Leading to Action:Later additions to the Canticle, especially the verses on peace, affirm that spiritual insight must lead to action — through justice, reconciliation, and care for creation.
As we reflect on the Canticle of the Creatures, especially when singing the beloved hymn Canticle of the Sun, we are reminded that it is more than a song — it is a way of life. A way that calls us to see the divine in every part of creation and to respond with compassion, humility, and joy.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Friar Marvin Voo, OFM, for guiding the parish community through this reflection. His insights brought new light to St Francis’ vision — one that continues to call us to holiness through harmony with creation and trust in God’s loving design.
The International Meeting of Lay Brothers took place from 28 April to 2 May 2025, after two years of preparation at the conference level. Fifty elected representatives gathered in Assisi to discuss Fraternity and Minority, Mission and Evangelisation, and Formation and Studies. Friar Vernon Chua represented the lay brothers of the Custody of St Anthony (Singapore-Brunei-Malaysia).
It was an honour for me to represent the SAAOC (South Asia, Australia and Oceania Conference) at the International Meeting of Lay Brothers. Over five deeply enriching days, we explored much ground, and I found the renewed and prophetic vision of the Franciscan lay brother’s vocation insightful and energising.
A central insight was the call to move away from a functional definition of what a lay brother does towards a deeper understanding of who a lay brother is – a shift from function to vocation.
Through historical and theological reflections, we explored the varied expressions of fraternity lived across different cultures and contexts. Six themes for renewal emerged: (1) the transformative narrative from function to vocation, (2) the inculturation of the vocation across cultures, (3) the theological witness of lay fraternity, (4) the creative tension between the desire for recognition and the call to minority, (5) the need for integrated yet differentiated formation, and (6) the prophetic contribution of lay brothers to today’s Church.
This vision was framed around three powerful metaphors. Fraternity is described as (1) a spiritual ecosystem where different vocations coexist in mutual respect and complementarity; (2) evangelical polyphony where distinct voices harmonise in the Gospel; and (3) a frontier space where diverse expressions of discipleship meet, dialogue and generate new paths.
The metaphors reframe the identity of the lay brother as a full and essential participant in the life and renewal of the Order. This vision challenges the entire Franciscan family to rediscover its original evangelical vitality where fraternity is shaped by shared discipleship and a radical following of Christ in joy, poverty and mutual love.
Having served for many years in the formation of friars, I was especially drawn to the practical proposals that arose around formation. There is now a clear call for new models of formation that honour both shared and personal journeys, fraternal life marked by co-responsibility and non-hierarchical structures, and mission that visibly reflects unity in diversity.
I was heartened to have my approach to formation affirmed. Formation is a science, but it is more profoundly an art. Formation is not just taught; it must be caught through lived witness. Living my vocation as a lay brother has allowed me to experience the deep freedom that comes from being aligned with God’s plan.
There is much to act upon from the meeting. Yet what I treasure most is the camaraderie of the brothers assembled – the sharing of stories, struggles and challenges which give me renewed hope in our vocation.
Since my Solemn Profession on 17 September 2024, I have been going to Johor Bahru on weekends. While I continue my studies at St Francis Xavier Seminary and remain a member of the Greccio Friary community, as part of my ministry, I serve the Bahasa Malaysia community of St Joseph Church in Johor Bahru.
It has been a life-giving experience to serve this community, most of whom are from Sabah and Sarawak, and I am grateful to Fr Matthew Bun, parish priest of St Joseph Church, Plentong, for welcoming me into his parish. I have been involved with the choir, participated in the Basic Ecclesial Community, held retreats for communion ministers, accompanied the young adult community, and joined in the Parish and Melaka-Johor Diocese Harvest Festival celebration, which is a celebration of culture, nature, humanity and faith as part of integral ecology.
If there is one thing God has invited me to respond to in my ministry this year, it is the ministry of presence. In giving formation, sharing sessions and retreats, I find myself focusing on the importance of being present and deepening our relationship with God. In this digital and demanding age, we need to hear the true voice of God so that we can stay grounded in Him.
This call is not only for the people to whom I minister. It is also an invitation for me. I find myself often sitting with God in the adoration room, saying “Dear Lord, what do You want me to share?”.
What gives me hope in my ministry is seeing that conversations about faith, vocation, family and ministry are still relevant. These deeper conversations are when the promise of Jesus in Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” – comes alive.
In response to the Malaysian Brothers Gathering in January 2025, I try to be with the St James of the Marches community in Johor Bahru on weekends. I am blessed to spend time with Friar Sixtus Peter, who serves at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Johor, and Friar Claurence Motoyou, who serves at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Whether it is joining them for prayers and meals, or accompanying Friar Sixtus for Mass or ministries, these are for me ways of supporting the community and living out the ministry of presence. In all of this, I can hear God’s voice clearly saying, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
As I go about my studies and ministry, I am thankful to my mentor, Friar Gerard Victor, for helping me to stay grounded, and reminding me to maintain balance as a friar, between studies, ministry and prayer life.
