The name alone sets the tone for a relaxed, hassle and pressure-free evening. “Chill out with the Friars” is held at St Anthony Friary in Bukit Batok every two months. Young men aged 18 to 35 are invited to come, listen and learn from the friars of the Custody of St Anthony (Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei).
The format is simple, allowing the young men to meet and explore without pressure the faces that make up the Custody. The evening begins at 6pm with a simple one-dish meal I prepare with the help of other friars. Over dinner, the young men get to speak with the friars informally about their ministry or responsibilities.
They also get to meet other young men on the same journey of exploring their vocation. They may even recognise some of them from other vocation events of the Archdiocese or other religious Orders.
That is fine and it is great that these young men have the freedom to explore and discover their true calling and the particular charism that suits their own life experience and personality. My own take on discernment is to have the capacity to choose. This freedom to choose implies choices that the young men allow themselves to consider and not be closed off to any promptings. Freedom of choice must be paramount if we are to respect the young men and what God has put into their hearts; not what we would like to put into their hearts!
The casual setting over dinner gives way to a slightly more formal presentation by one of the friars sharing his ministry or vocation story. There is time for questions and other friars may also respond to the easy, free flow questioning.
The presentation topics vary and on other months, the focus could be, for example, on Franciscan Spirituality. For any young man who chooses to explore a Franciscan consecrated life vocation, it is essential that the person of St Francis and his vision of ecclesial life and spirituality inform his discernment. These evenings may be a primer to Franciscan Spirituality which they can read about on the Internet or in books.
The evening closes with Night Prayer at 9pm in the friary chapel. The Office of Compline from the Divine Office is celebrated and our friars in formation introduce our guests to the experience of Choral Prayer.
The programme ends here since these chill outs are typically held on Sunday evenings and some might have an early start the next day. However, those who wish to continue conversing are welcome to adjourn to our dining room for a cup of coffee or tea.
We invite any young men who would like to know more about the Order of Friars Minor to take note of these upcoming dates for the rest of this year: 24 May, 26 July, 27 September, 22 November. Look out for the notices in our Facebook page.
Friar John-Paul Tan OFM
Vocation Director
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