By Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS)
KUCHING — The Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak (SSFS) gathered for their annual retreat this year in two separate sessions at different venues and dates. The first group gathered at the SSFS Greccio Retreat Centre, Beratok from 13–19 September 2025, while the second group met at the Convent of Mary Immaculate, Padungan from 22–28 September 2025. Both sessions were guided under the central theme: “You’re Joy and Beauty”by Friar Joseph Raj, OFM from India.
The community expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Friar Joseph Raj for his insightful sharing and the prayerful manner in which he guided the retreat. The chosen theme, “You are Joy and Beauty”, invited the Sisters to rediscover God’s presence at the very core of their being, a place of goodness that enables them to recognize the beauty in everything God has created.
The retreat served as a grace-filled moment for the Sisters to pause from their daily commitments and to deepen their spiritual life through prayer, silence, reflection, and fraternal sharing. Focused on the theme, the sisters were invited to rediscover God’s joy and beauty—in their vocation, reflected in their journey, expressed in their ministry, revealed in creation, and shared in the gift of community life with one another.
The retreat provided a meaningful focus on deepening their union with Christ, in harmony with the centennial theme, “Advancing our Union with Christ towards Centenary and Beyond.” The Sisters reflected that the more they are united with God, the more they can appreciate the beauty within themselves, live with inner peace, and remain steadfast amid the challenges of daily life. With the mind and heart of Christ, they are called to face each situation with clarity and compassion.
Inspired by Christ’s example of befriending those considered sinful or marginalised, the Sisters recognised the invitation to grow in His way of love—letting go of judgment toward themselves and others, and learning instead to honour the God-given dignity and beauty in each person.
The retreat also highlighted the importance of remaining rooted in God, the Source of life, rather than seeking approval from external sources. Differences and imperfections were acknowledged not as obstacles but as part of the greater whole that reflect God’s creation.
On the last night of both retreats, the Sisters gathered for Franciscan Joy—a cherished Franciscan tradition of celebrating life and one another fraternally. True to the Franciscan spirit, this moment was marked not only by gratitude for God’s abundant blessings but also by the joy of celebrating life, simplicity, and sisterhood. It was a time to affirm one another, to give thanks for the journey shared, and to rejoice in the spirit of St Francis, who teaches us to find God’s beauty in community, creation, and one another. The retreat was not only a time of renewal but also a rediscovery of the joy of consecrated life, rooted in God and lived in the Franciscan spirit of sisterhood.
During the closing Mass, after the homily, the Sisters renewed their commitments with heartfelt devotion. This act symbolised their desire to continue living faithfully their consecrated vocation, rooted in the spirit of St Francis and in the love of the Church.
The annual retreat remains an essential part of the Sisters’ journey of consecrated life, fostering unity and strengthening their commitment to live out the Franciscan charism in service and witness. At the conclusion of both sessions, the Sisters expressed gratitude to God for the blessings received during the retreat and renewed their resolve to embody the theme “You’re Joy and Beauty” in their daily mission. Carrying these insights forward, the Sisters resolved to embody joy, beauty, and love in their daily lives, strengthening their communion with God and with one another as they journey toward their centenary and beyond.
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