Pernahkah kamu mendengar kisah pergelutan Yakub dengan Tuhan dari Alkitab? Pernah mengalami pergelutan dalam hidup kamu sendiri? Dengarkan perkongsian Friar Marvin Voo, OFM mengenai kisah hidupnya yang berkait rapat dengan kisah Nabi Yakub di Kejadian 32:22-30.
Together with a group of youth who staged the musical “Poverello” in 1986, we stood in the rain as we welcomed Pope John Paul II into the National Stadium for a first-ever Papal visit to Singapore.
Many of us still alive have been privileged to witness the election of Karol Wojtyla to the Papacy and onto his canonisation. Having seen how he burst upon the world stage in his very unconventional choice of doing away with many papal accessories to his Dr Martens footwear, his time as Pope was marked by a deliberate evangelical effort to bring the faith to the far-flung corners of the globe.
Many have wondered if by any chance I was named after St John Paul II. Well, if truth be told, I was a convert in 1979 and chose the name after John Paul I. I was caught up with the gentle disposition of the new Pope and the smile he wore meant more than any volume of words. Karol Wojtyla, whose pontificate succeeded the short reign of John Paul I, also saw in him a special charisma, and so adopted the name of John Paul II.
Names in the Papacy are highly significant – both the Popes chose this double-barrelled name to denote the direction of their Papacy i.e. to fully implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Both Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI straddled the Council and were instrumental in the beginning and conclusion of Vatican II respectively.
Monsignor John Paul Tan, OFM
On July 11, 2020, Friar Marvin Voo made his first profession into the Order of Friars Minor of the Custody of St Anthony Malaysia- Singapore-Brunei.
The First Profession is the official entry into the Order of Friars Minor and it comes after a year of Postulancy and one year of Novitiate. Postulancy can be likened to a year of probation. During this time, the gradual transition of culture and intensification of fraternal living help to make clear a candidate’s personal and individual inspiration for being called to the life, spirit and mission of the Friars Minor. Novitiate is a time to consolidate and further clarify his vocation intentions as he prepares for the First Profession. During Novitiate, the candidate receives the Friar Minor’s habit and the cord without
any knot because he has not taken the vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. This was the path Marvin Voo took over the last few years.
Friar Marvin made his First Profession at the Minor Basilica Santuario de San Pedro Bautista Parish, Quezon City, Philippines. The profession, made into the hands of the Provincial Minister, Friar Cielito R. Almazan OFM, was for 16 months. The next milestone in Friar Marvin’s journey would be the renewal of profession to be held on April 16 2021 (the traditional date of St Francis’ profession into the hands of the Pope), with the other friars in formation. At his profession, the newly-professed Marvin received his knotted cord.
The next day, he flew back to Malaysia and joined the community in Ayer Hitam, Penang.
Tuhan Beri Petunjuk?
Bukankah kita seringkali dipenuhi dengan keraguan? Namun, iman kita mengatakan bahawa Tuhan senantiasa menyampaikan kehendak-Nya kepada kita. Pesanan Tuhan itu adalah konsisten, dan utuh. Kita tidak pernah bersendirian dalam perjalanan ini. Yesus memberikan kita Roh Kudus untuk memimpin kita dalam mengenali “tanda ” yang menunjukkan kita ke hala tuju yang benar.
Saksikan renungan salah seorang friar yang terlibat dalam Promosi Panggilan. Friar David Au, OFM menggambarkan perjalanan beliau sebagai seorang Fransiskan.
Does God send signs?
Don’t we all long for that kind of clarity? Nonetheless, our faith assures us that God is always communicating his will to us. God’s message is consistent, sure, and irrefutable. We are not alone on this journey; Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us on the way to read the “signs” that point us in the right direction.
Check out this reflection by one of our friars involved in promoting vocations. Friar David Au, OFM describes his journey as a Franciscan friar.
The Solemn Profession of Four Franciscan Friars.
Over a thousand people from Singapore and beyond, attended the solemn profession of Friars Robin Toha, Crispus Mosinoh, Sixtus Pitah and Gerald Tan, at the Church of St Mary of the Angels, Bukit Batok, on the 8th February 2020.
The solemn profession mass, presided by the Minister Provincial of Holy Spirit Province, Friar Phillip Miscamble, began with a procession: firstly, of the four friars accompanied by their parents, then followed by the other Franciscan friars and celebrants. Gracing the event with their presence were families from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, diocesan seminarians, religious congregations including the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC), the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM), the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), the Redemptorists, Canossian Sisters, Infant Jesus Sisters, Gabrielite brothers, Good Shepherd sisters, Missionaries of Charity (MC) sisters, Carmelite friars, secular Franciscans and many others.
What was unique about this solemn profession was the blessing of the four friars by their parents, a ceremony similarly found in an Indonesian traditional wedding. The Custos of the Custody of St. Anthony, Friar Derrick Yap thanked the congregation who came from near and far, in spite of the on-going threat of the CoVid-19 virus in Singapore.
The four friars who just had taken their solemn profession will continue to stay at Greccio Friary, Chestnut Drive as they continue their studies at St Francis Xavier Major Seminary, Singapore. They are expected to conclude their seminary formation by 2021.
Finally, and most importantly, we thank the Lord for calling each one of us on the path of holiness and conversion. Whether as consecrated religious or not, may all of us be channels of peace and grace after the example of our beloved saint, St Francis of Assisi.
