“That they may be one…” John 17: 21
From 1st to 5th of June 2026, the Vice Province of Malaysia & Singapore marked a historic and momentous occasion as it gathered for the XVIII Vice Provincial Chapter in Singapore – a Chapter that would also become its final one as a Vice Province. This gathering represented an important milestone in our life-mission as a Vice Province as we began the official process towards our proposed Fusion with the Province of Oceania.
The Chapter centered on discussions regarding the initial formal steps leading towards this new phase of integration and mission. The official Fusion with the Province of Oceania is set to take place on 9th of November 2026, marking the new beginning in the history of the Redemptorist mission in the region. This transition also signifies the closing of an era for the Vice Province, which was established on 30 May 1967 and has faithfully carried out its Redemptorist mission for fifty-nine years.
The Chapter was officially convoked by Fr. Victorino A. Cueto (Ino), Vice Provincial Superior. In his opening address, Fr. Ino invited the confreres to enter into the Chapter with openness and faith, saying: “In the Assembly and XVIII Vice Provincial Chapter of Malaysia and Singapore, we gather in the spirit of prayer, discernment, and fraternal communion to listen attentively to what the Lord is asking of us at this significant time in our history.” His words set the tone for what many experienced as a bittersweet yet grace-filled Chapter.
As we gathered in prayer, dialogue, and discernment, the Chapter became a meaningful moment of reflection. It revealed the unwavering fidelity of the confreres in living out the Redemptorist charism as sons of St. Alphonsus – courageously moving beyond familiar boundaries in response to new realities in order to continue the mission in service of the poor and the abandoned.
One of the most meaningful moments of the Chapter was the opportunity for confreres to share their sacred stories. These moments became spaces of encounter where memories and deep connections with the Vice Province were revisited – moments of grief acknowledged, gratitude expressed and hopes for the future shared. Through these conversations, we came to recognize that the proposed Fusion is neither the closing of a ‘chapter’ in our history nor simply an administrative integration. Indeed, it is a collective “yes” which embraces our “incompletion” and the Redeemer’s calling to fashion a mission-shaped future for us together with the Province of Oceania.
Amid this period of discernment and transition, the confreres also gathered in gratitude and celebration for the Jubilee of several confreres whose lives and ministry have profoundly shaped the journey of the Vice Province. Among the jubilarians was Fr. Paul Pang, C.Ss.R., the first local Redemptorist of the Vice Province, who celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of his priestly ordination, marking sixty years of faithful and generous service to God and His people. Joining him were Frs. Patrick Massang, Clement Lee, Peter Wee, Vincent Low, and Joseph Apisit (Chapter resource person from the Province of Thailand), each celebrating forty years of priestly ordination. Their witness of perseverance, missionary dedication, and fidelity to the Redemptorist vocation continues to inspire and strengthen the confreres and communities they have served.
In a spirit of thanksgiving and fraternity, we honoured the jubilarians and gave thanks for the countless ways their lives have contributed to the growth and flourishing of the Vice Province. The Jubilee Mass was celebrated by Fr. Clement Lee, and a congratulatory message from Fr. Rogerio Gomes, Superior General, was read and presented to Fr. Paul Pang in recognition of this significant milestone.
The celebration concluded joyfully with a festive dinner and the singing of the Vivat, a cherished Redemptorist tradition of blessing and prayer for the confreres.
As we prepare for the official Fusion on 9th of November 2026, we do so carrying forward the rich legacy of those who have gone before us – trusting that the same Spirit who guided us in the past will continue to lead us into the future with renewed hope, interdependent collaboration, and missionary availability. This is our fervent prayer, “That we may be one…”
Nicholas Mikael Narin Martin
A Redemptorist student in Kew, Australia.
