For the Christian, what is the singular event that changed history or rather, reality itself?  The event that made us who we are – believers in the Lord? One can argue that it is the Resurrection of Jesus. In fact, had the resurrection not taken place, Jesus...

I am no scholar. I always feel embarrassed when I am called “an expert in Clare” by my brothers. Yet I also feel honoured. After all, I only have a diploma in Franciscan Studies and Spirituality from the Franciscan Study Centre in Kent, England. Ironically though that...

As we draw closer to the Feast of St Anthony of Padua on 13 June, we are invited to enter more deeply into his spirituality, and to journey with him in prayer and reflection. A famous line from his early preaching is “Give yourself wholly to God, who gave Himself...

The Stations of the Cross, or the Way of the Cross, is a familiar Lenten practice for many Catholics, with the stations prominently displayed in churches worldwide. At the Church of St Mary of the Angels in Bukit Batok, the stations are uniquely situated outdoors,...

As the new year begins, I’ve noticed that many people plan their holidays early. These breaks help them to rest, reconnect, and spend intentional time alone or with loved ones. Similarly, we need time apart for our spiritual lives. Retreats offer us the opportunity to...

This Advent, as we approach the Year of Jubilee as pilgrims of Hope, we might consider making the period a fast of joy.  We would do this not merely as a penitential act for the expiation of our past sins, but to express our hopeful hunger for a better reality,...

Did you know that St Francis of Assisi prescribed fasting from the Feast of All Saints until Christmas, which means about the time of Advent? This prescription was included in both the Earlier Rule of 1221 (a more scriptural and biblical version of Francis’ Rule of...

“No! It can’t be real!” This was the response of many in St Francis’ time when they discovered that he carried the five wounds of the Crucified Christ after his retreat on Mt Alvernia in the autumn of 1224. But it was real. In fact, nine papal bulls (official...

On 2 August of each year, the “Pardon of Assisi” is celebrated in Assisi in the Church of St Mary of the Angels. This church is also known as the Portiuncula, which means “little portion of land”. St Mary of the Angels is conceivably the most important Franciscan...