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The SFA Parish Podcast

  • Jul 30
  • 5 min read

Ep. 4 (Part 2) | From Gethsemane to SFA: The Living Hill - Featuring Fr. John Anandan OFM Cap


SFA PODCAST EPISODE 4 (PART 2) IS NOW LIVE!


From Gethsemane to SFA: The Living Hill (Community & Future)


Join hosts Mary Beth and Shivonne as Father John Anandan OFM Cap continues our journey through SFA's rich history!


In this episode:

  • The story behind the name "Gethsemane"

  • Our unique outdoor Stations of the Cross

  • SFA's early outreach during the Vietnamese refugee crisis

  • The growth of our multi-lingual BECs & vision for the future


Watch Part 2 on YouTube (NOW PLAYING)


Please share this link with your family, friends, and BEC groups! God bless!


Featuring: Fr. John Anandan, OFM Cap

Hosts: Shivonne and Mary Beth

Watch Time: 15 minutes


Introduction

Before it was the bustling, vibrant parish we love today, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (SFA) was just 4.5 acres of raw rubber trees, a massive bank loan, and a handful of bold Capuchin Franciscan friars driven by radical faith.


In this episode, hosts Shivonne and Mary Beth sit down with a living pillar of SFA’s history: Fr. John Anandan, OFM Cap. Arriving on the hill in 1967 as a wide-eyed 14-year-old boy, Fr. John has witnessed every bit of this parish’s incredible evolution.


Get ready for an incredibly raw, moving, and often humorous conversation about what it takes to build a community from the ground up. Fr. John opens up about his own rollercoaster journey to the priesthood—from his days as a 10-year-old altar boy traveling through the Perak estates, to a major crisis of confidence in the seminary where he almost walked away entirely. Discover how a legendary piece of advice from the late Cardinal Anthony Soter Fernandez changed everything, and how Fr. John found himself thrust into the deep end in 1985 as SFA's very first local parish priest.


Key Takeaways from Part 1

  • The High-Stakes Gamble on the Hill: Discover how the early friars turned down conditional land deals to buy a Cheras rubber plantation, mortgaging the property to the bank to build a humble chapel and friary.

  • The Tapah Trajectory: Hear how a young boy from a poor background fell in love with the simple, community-driven lifestyle of the Capuchins.

  • "If God Can Use a Donkey, He Can Use You": Fr. John’s deeply personal account of battling intense self-doubt, feeling like he "sang like a frog," and the powerful three questions that saved his vocation.

  • Left Alone in ’85: The dramatic shift when foreign missionaries left Malaysia, leaving a young, self-proclaimed "immature" priest to lead SFA alongside two lay brothers—and how that forced humility birthed a beautifully collaborative, modern church community.


Words of Wisdom

"My inadequacy made me humble and open to work with people... The struggles were there, but then the people were there. God is there through the people." — Fr. John Anandan, OFM Cap

Reflection

Whether you are a lifelong parishioner or new to the SFA family, this episode is a beautiful reminder that God doesn't call the qualified—He qualifies the called.


Join the conversation! Leave your thoughts or your own early memories of SFA in the YouTube comments section. Stay tuned for Part 2!


"Have you ever gone for Mass... and just felt empty?"


It’s a tough question, but it’s one we need to ask. In Episode 3 of What Do We Feel When We Go To Mass?, our host Alicia sits down for a heartfelt, vulnerable conversation with Elliot Richard, Nataniel Dass, and Paula.


Together, they open up about the real, everyday struggles of modern Catholic life:

  • Handling spiritual dryness and feeling "left out" during liturgy.

  • Why God sometimes feels silent during the Eucharist—and how to reframe it.

  • Practical tips to stay connected (including active listening and fighting sleep!).

  • How to intentionally prepare your heart before Mass even begins.


If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions, this episode is the comfort you didn't know you needed.


Watch or listen to the full episode now!


Welcome back to our conversation with Bro Pius Kallang of the Capuchin Friars.


In Part 1, Bro Pius shared his vocation journey and the experiences that led him to answer God’s call to religious life. In this second part, we explore what drew him specifically to the Capuchin way of life and the values that continue to sustain him in his vocation.


Bro Pius speaks about the Franciscan spirit of simplicity, fraternity, and service that attracted him to the Capuchins. He also shares about the saints who inspire him, the importance of prayer in his daily life, and how a deep relationship with God helps him navigate the joys and challenges of religious life.


Join us for this insightful and faith-filled conversation as Bro Pius offers a glimpse into the spirituality, inspirations, and practices that shape his life as a Capuchin friar.


#capuchinfriars #vocationjourney #capuchinvocation #simplicityandservice #AnsweringTheCall #powerofprayer #discernment


No wife. No personal wealth. No ordinary lifestyle. In a world that tells us to chase wealth, status, and ultimate freedom, choosing to give it all up sounds radical—maybe even a little crazy.


But just a few days ago at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi (SFA) in Cheras, Bro. Pius Kallang, OFM Cap, made his lifelong commitment as a Capuchin Franciscan friar.


In this episode, we strip back the mystery behind the habit. Who was Pius before he answered the call? Does he still watch football or use social media? What really goes through a man's heart when he professes lifelong vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience?


Whether you are discerning your own path, questioning your purpose, or just curious about what modern religious life actually looks like, this conversation is a refreshing reminder that saying "yes" to God isn't about giving up your life—it’s about finally finding it.


ABOUT THE GUEST

Bro. Pius Kallang, OFM Cap is a newly solemnised Capuchin Franciscan friar. The Capuchins are a branch of the Franciscan spiritual family, inspired by the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi, dedicated to a life of prayer, fraternity, and serving the marginalized.


CONNECT WITH US

If this episode touched your heart, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who needs to hear this message today!

"Keep searching, keep hoping, and keep listening for God in the ordinary moments."

#SFAPodcast #CapuchinFranciscan #Vocation #CatholicPodcast #Discernment #religiouslife


Audio Credits


In our very first episode of the SFA Parish Podcast, we sit down with three voices across generations - Vivian, Isaac, and Adriana - to explore one of the biggest questions of our time:


In a world shaped by AI, social media, and endless scrolling... are we truly connected?


In this episode we talk about:


  • How communication has changed across generations

  • Why some people feel more comfortable opening up to AI than real people

  • What it means to feel truly seen, heard, and loved

  • How faith and prayer ground us in a distracted world

  • What younger and older generations can learn from each other


"I can always talk to my friend, or talk to God... no need to share with AI." - Vivian


This episode is part of our World Communication Day 2026 series, inspired by Pope Francis' message on preserving human voices and faces.


Come as you are - you don't need to have life figured out. What you need is real connection with people, community, and with God.


#SFAParish #CatholicPodcast #WorldCommunicationDay #Faith #Technology #HumanConnection #ComeAsYouAre #CatholicCommunity #PodcastEpisode1 #AIandFaith


 
 
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