A hidden life ... in His service

Twenty-five years ago, on August 24, 1996, the then Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, our late Anthony Soter Cardinal Fernandez, called me forever to be given up without reserve as an Auxiliary of the Apostolate to serve in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

Oct 08, 2021


By Franciska Savarimuthu

Twenty-five years ago, on August 24, 1996, the then Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, our late Anthony Soter Cardinal Fernandez, called me forever to be given up without reserve as an Auxiliary of the Apostolate to serve in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

It is fitting for me to mention this as it was our late Anthony Soter Fernandez who was instrumental in desiring to have such an Apostolic Life in his Diocese (Archdiocese).

A life hidden, there was no pomp or celebration during that call within the celebration of the Eucharist in the Archbishop’s chapel. I am reminded of the very hidden life that Mary of Nazareth lived in her total openness to the Holy Spirit.

An Auxiliary of the Apostolate: Lay, Apostolic and Diocesan
A bishop or Ordinary of a diocese can freely call a young woman to be given up without reserve to Divine Charity, totally at the service of the Bishop in all that she is and has, retaining her lay status in life yet demanding nothing for herself.

In a recent series The Chosen, I was amazed at how Jesus called his Apostles personally and individually, within their own cultural settings, at whatever stage in their life journey, with all their moods and idiosyncrasies. It seemed he cast his net over them and left it there, but the encounter was taking place within the net - then he called them to follow Him. It is in such an environment that I felt God called me to be an apostle in His kingdom, here in Kuala Lumpur.

My journey into this ‘hidden life’ began in 1982 and the people who guided me were a Jesuit priest and an Infant Jesus religious Sister. Fr Hugh Thwaites, SJ was a very holy man who grounded me in my prayer life and the teachings of the Popes. Sr Pius Singleton, IJ was a big-hearted religious who was inclusive towards everyone and a very close friend of Bishop Soter.

She introduced me to Bishop Soter, who was then Bishop of Penang. He had completed his Catechetical Studies at NBLC and was afire with the formation of catechists. In a simple manner he shared with me what a catechist is and how they are instrumental in planting and nurturing seeds of faith within the small communities or parishes where they live. He even extended an invitation to me should I want to be formed as a catechist. I was only taking in half of what he shared as I was mesmerised by this bishop who had no airs about him and was very relaxed in the small room where Sr Pius hosted him.

My first impression of Bishop Soter was ‘simple – without pleats’. A forthright person wanting to bring the Good News and love of Jesus Christ to everyone.

In November of that same year (1982), I met this giant of our Church again. He had stopped over in Lourdes after a meeting in Rome with the Office of Justice and Peace. Having heard about this particular Apostolic Life, he visited the Centre of Formation to enquire further. Lo and behold, I was also visiting this Centre of Formation (Auxilium) to find out more about this way of life, on the recommendation of my two spiritual mentors, Fr Thwaites and Sr Pius.

Was it a chance meeting? God, in His infinite love and plan, threw his net over me for a later encounter. When I began my initial formation in this Apostolic Life in 1983, providence had it that Bishop Soter was by appointment Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, my ‘kampung’.

I strongly feel that when God calls someone, He will arrange everything so that all things get synced, like Habakkuk being grabbed by his hair to be taken on a mission to feed Daniel.

God’s intervention did not end there. In 1995 I commenced my employment in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur as secretary to this great Apostle. Years later as I stood at the entrance of Rumah Uskup Agung on May 17, 2003 to bid farewell to our dear Archbishop, who was retiring as the second Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, his famous phrase came to mind, letting go and letting grow.

However, the wheel came full circle when he was elevated to the august office of Cardinal and I was designated his private Secretary.

Being an Auxiliary of the Apostolate is certainly a call of movement. When you are assigned to a new mission, you just pack your suitcase, clock and broom, in obedience, and go.

Suitcase: readiness to mission; clock: time is not your own; broom – to get rid of unnecessary baggage.

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