22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 29, 2004

5) 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 29, 2004

Monday, August 23, 2004. I woke up at 6.30 in the morning, prayed personally and went to Saint Bartholomew Church for Mass at 9 a.m. At 2 p.m. my friend, Yani and her daughter, Catherine came to visit me then she invited me to have supper at a Japanese Restaurant. I went to her apartment and said goodbye to her aunt, the roommate. At night I returned to the apartment where I stay in New York City, Andreas-Liza family.

Tuesday, August 24, 2004. At 10.30 a.m. Frans and his friend, Johan invited me to go to Brooklyn Botanical Garden, had lunch at Chinatown then strolling along the 5 Avenue in which Falun Gong, a belief system from China were showing pictures depicted the persecution of the Chinese government to this meditation way of life. At 5.30 p.m. Frans and I had a Mass at Saint Francis Church belongs to OFM. A lot of people attended this evening Mass that mostly employees who work at downtown NYC. As the simple farewell party, Frans and Gisela treated me to have supper at a Thai Restaurant named Sripapay whose delicious food. Frans took me to a family named Merry and John. Merry is the older sister of Father Andre Delimarta, SDB who teaches spirituality at philosophy and theology school in Jakarta. At 9 p.m. I returned to Andre-Liza apartment at Elmhurst.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004. At 5.30 a.m. I woke up and took a shower then went to Saint Bartholomew Church to attend a Mass at 7 a.m. At 10 a.m. Frans came to this apartment where I stay. At 10.30 a.m. Father Dario, SX came to pick me up to go to the Xaverian provincial house in Wayne-New Jersey, about 40 minutes traveling from NYC. I met Judy, the secretary of this provincial house and Father Frank, SX then we had lunch together cooked by Father Dario. I did wash, laundry and iron my clothes for 10 days I didn’t do it. I took a rest for a while then read some magazines at the TV room of this house. In the evening, Father Ivan, the provincial came from his visit to Holliston-Massachusetts community then together with him at 5.45 p.m. I prayed the evening prayer at the chapel. We had supper together then watched TV. At 8.30 p.m. I went to bed. I am grateful to have such an experience spending 10 days of my vacation of this summer 2004 in NYC. What I have planned in Chicago came true in the reality because of the grace of God and the goodness of my friends especially Frans who took care of me and also Andreas-Liza who accommodated my stay in NYC. I owe their merit and hopefully next time we still have chance to meet again.

Thursday, August 26, 2004. At 6.15 a.m. I woke up, took a shower then had a Mass and morning prayer at the chapel concelebrated by four Xaverian fathers: Frank, Ivan, Dario and Herondi; there was a guess as well, named Maria. After we had breakfast together, I wrote my journal at the computer of Father Dario, at the basement, the office of the provincial house. We had lunch together at the provincial house then I took a rest little bit. At 5 p.m. we had a holy hour at the chapel led by Father Frank and there was a guest who donated the monstrans that was used at this adoration. After having supper, I took a part to watch TV, the Olympic games with Father Dario and Frank.

Friday, August 27, 2004. In the morning we had a Mass at 7.15 then I spent the rest of my day at the provincial house reading a Horizon magazine. After took a picture together with Father Ivan, Father Frank, Father Herondi and Judy, I was taken by Father Herondi to Newark Airport to leave for Chicago. I took the flight 272 of ATA at 1.54 p.m. and arrived in Chicago at 3 p.m. I took a bus number X55 towards Hyde Park and at 4.35 p.m. finally I got home bringing three bags I carried on along the road between 55th to 51st street. Father Rocco welcomed me with opening the door entrance in which he just got home of shopping. As I entered my room, the Toshiba laptop sent by UPS was already on my table. After took a shower and evening prayer with Father Rocco, I was treated by Father Rocco to eat out at a Southern Louisiana restaurant at Hyde Park. We ate Gumbo. At night, I tried my laptop and took a rest quickly.

Saturday, August 28, 2004. In the morning we had a Mass at 7.15 presided by Father Rocco then Father Rocco and Father Pascal departed to Detroit for a mission appeal. I called Harno up, my Indonesian Xaverian confrere who will be coming soon in Chicago on Wednesday, September 1st. Adrian, my oldest Mexican confrere here helped me to check and install my used-laptop. In the evening I had a supper at a Vietnamese Restaurant on 53rd Street, a Chicken Fried Rice since nobody cooked today while the day was raining and cloudy. At my room, I was trying to watch a DVD entitled Diary of A City Priest, which has a setting of Philadelphia in which I just experienced recently for six weeks.

Sunday, August 29, 2004. After praying personally at my room, I took a CTA bus together with Alejandro toward Chinatown. We had a Mass at 9.30 a.m. presided by Father Michael and the homily given by Petrus in which he said goodbye to the congregation of Saint Therese Church after serving for one year. After the Mass, we had a hospitality and lunch at the basement. At noon, I was walking to 2834 South Normal Street, about 10 minutes away from Chinatown to attend a retreat day held by David Dardst Spirituality Center. There were about 60 refreshmen of Dominican University who took part of this retreat. I involved in a discussion group to reflect upon their experience visiting a nursing home today. It’s my ministry site for the whole year starting at this semester. It’s a wonderful one to interact with mostly Caucasian/White American so that I can experience to be with the others who are difference with me or to say cross-cultural boundaries besides to know their culture and practicing my English for sure. At 3 p.m. I went home and found an alternative way to get home, namely taking CTA Green line train and bus number 15. I took a rest little bit since I got Influenza symptoms. At 5.30 p.m. Petrus already arrived at Hyde Park and I wrote this journal. At 7.10 p.m. I had evening prayer at the chapel with Father Pascal. At night, from Milwaukee Father Victor Bongiovanni, Pascal and Ignatius came down to our community in Chicago and Dharmawan will be coming tomorrow morning.
I will share also my experience stay at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Philadelphia for six weeks:
SUMMER SERVICE EVALUATION
AT SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH
IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA
BY DENNY WAHYUDI

1. The situation and the tasks which were entrusted to me during this summer assignment:
Saint Thomas Aquinas Church is located in South Philadelphia, on 1719 Morris Street, phone: 215-334-2312. The pastor of the church has been serving this parish for 17 years. The pastor named Arthur Taraborelli is originally from this parish. There are two other priests for the Vietnamese community and Indonesian community, namely Father Joseph (Vietnamese) and Father Astanto Adi, CM (Indonesian). The building of the church was built in 1885. The parish consists of mostly Italian descents, was almost closed then the pastor welcomed many Catholics form various ethnicities such as Vietnamese, Cambodian, Indonesian, Latin American, Black American, so that the parish is still alive with the various ethnicities. There are three English Mass that I should attend: Saturday at 4 p.m., Sunday at 8 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. The Vietnamese Mass is held at 9.30 a.m., the Indonesian Mass at 3.30 p.m. and Spanish Mass at 5.30 p.m. The daily Mass is at the chapel of Saint Thomas Aquinas school at 8.30 a.m. At the same area there is Saint Thomas Aquinas School, which is mostly attended by Black American children, some Vietnamese, Latin American and Indonesian. The principal of the school is Armand Taraborelli, the twin brother of the pastor. Still at the same area, there is a day care building.
My tasks: attending the daily Mass and Sunday Mass in English in which I serve as an altar server and lector. The first and second week I was entrusted by the pastor to do the committal till 5 times that I never did in this country. With Mildred (a Black and Native-Cherokee American, ages 75 year-old), I visited some Catholic patients at Saint Agnes hospital and gave communion. Also, we visited some old and sick parishioners, gave communion at their houses. Once the pastor asked me to send a letter to a pastor of a parish in Pandaan-Malang, Indonesia regarding and Indonesian young couple who just married at this church. Beside this routine activity, with my own initiative, I joined Sister Donna in a 1-2-3 grades of summer school, giving some games and playing sport with them. I attended a new catechumenal way group, studying bible every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the school, mostly attended by Philipino ladies. Once I attended a Spanish rosary in a family since a Mexican young man, named Antonio invited me to go. With Father Juan, CP (Spaniard) I went to a young family and prayed rosary for the lost of their baby who just died at the hospital. With the Indonesian Catholics, I attended their rosary prayer every Saturday evening at one’s family and once I gave a reflection about the bible and my vocation to be a seminarian. Once I gave a reflection to Indonesian Charismatic Group on Sunday evening after the Indonesian Mass. A couple of times I helped the administration of the school such as folding letters, lifting boxes of books to the classes at the second and the third floor of the school. I had a good opportunity to attend a workshop, Asian Pacific Institute for Mission and Ministry in Los Angeles-California. It is a wonderful grant that I received both from an Indonesian lady, Densy and the pastor, Father Taraborelli, who allowed and guaranteed my traveling to this workshop. Other things are: visit some families, especially Indonesian family who shared their story and problem of their lives. I appreciate of their generosity and their friendship to me as though I lived in my own country, Indonesia. Of course, I liked to meet them and ate the Indonesian food they offered but I also tried to have multicultural experience as much as possible with the other ethnic groups. Practically, I ate supper everyday at the rectory together with the priests and cooked by Ruthy with the American-Italian food that I loved to eat as well. I have chance also to visit Vincentian seminary and nursing home, even met their new elected superior general, Gregory Gay because Father Astanto, CM invited me to go there. With Midlred, I went to Saint Joseph Sister at Germantown in which Father Bruno Orru, SX in Indonesia introduced me to a sister/nun, her friend named Sister Miriam Allorto. To meet people whose different background with me, draws me to see myself as a unique person doing mission journey and place myself to be humble and to do my vocation faithfully. Most of the people whom I met, prayed for my vocation journey toward priesthood. I’m glad that more and more people pray for my vocation so that I am strengthened by their prayer and encouragement because this kind of vocation I am enduring needs a lot of patience and support from people who pray and myself as a person could not make it only with my own strength. I believe that prayer and support of the others empower my vocation, so I am very grateful to all of people I have met during my immersion at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish.

2. Particular gifts, skills and talents I am aware of, used and confirmed in me through this ministry:
The important gift that I have is I can adjust quite easily the rhythm of the parish life and various people who involved in it. Despite my quite attitude, I could accept every persons I met at this parish as they are with their strength and weaknesses without complaining and speaking ill about them to others (it’s a reality wherever I am that I have to exercise). I did as much as cooperative and be a good listener and observer. I helped Father Juan, CP, who studies English to read and pronounce the Mass and reading of the Gospel in English. My talent and skill on reading and pronouncing of the Bible were very helpful to read the reading of the daily and Sunday Mass and also leading the funeral/committal. I could work together with a person who is considered as a difficult person by some people of this parish. I consider this person has a very good heart to share and help me with many kinds of her experience, wisdom, and gifts. I was enriched by her in my experience and didn’t see her weakness as a stumbling block to relate and communicate with her as well with others. The disponibility and humility to do little things even hard things given by the pastor and other employees both at the church and the school, become my custom. Singing ‘Alleluia’ in the weekday Mass is one of my talent that I could use according to Mildred despite I only memorized the tone of this song because I don’t have talent to read the tone of the songs.

3. In retrospect, the areas I need to still develop upon or learn more about which would help me in similar situations is the future:

v Intermingling with other ethnic groups such as Vietnamese, maybe accompanying Father Joseph to visit some parishioners.
v Practicing my confidentiality to give homily at the Mass both the English and Indonesian Mass.
v Giving and sharing to bible study group about lectio divina.
v More involved with other ethnic groups in their activities.
v Meeting with the pastor for evaluation.
v There are no fixed tasks I could do everyday, so I had to wait or with my own initiative I could to something helpfully.

4. Yes, I would recommend this summer ministry site to others in the years to come, because this parish has a marvelous diversity and plurality as well as social-economical problem especially the gap between the rich and the poor, between the ethnic groups, among the immigrants both legal and illegal ones in which we could learn how to live as a missionaries in the special situation in the USA. Since there is no deacon in this parish, so the presence of a seminarian here is very helpful especially if there is a funeral and committal. The pastor and the people of the parish were very delightful having a seminarian, especially a young one in this parish even though only for a while.

5. Any other comment.
I am grateful firstly to God who always gives me the best that I never imagined and thought before so that I could stay for six weeks at the rectory of Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish and to meet a lot of people whom I never met and some people whom I had never seen for years. Then I thank to my rector, Father Rocco, who has entrusted and arranged my stay in the parish and paid attention to my suggestion to do this ministry. All people whom I met during my stay at the parish, I really believe marked my formation toward missionary-religious-priesthood. In my prayer and faith, I believe that God has arranged everything so that I could experience this wonderful and worthy experience, which I never had before. Following my study and ministry in Chicago, I predict my reflection on my studies will be influenced by this immersion ministry and I hope for next time I will experience other ministries in my formation especially in my deaconate year in a parish setting. All in all, I present all of this experience before God who strengthens me to do so.


5) Hari Minggu Biasa ke-22, 29 Agustus 2004

Senin, 23 Agustus 2004. Saya bangun pagi pukul 6.30, berdoa pagi pribadi lalu ikut misa di Gereja Santo Bartolomeus pukul 9 pagi. Pukul 2 siang, teman saya SMA dulu bernama Yani dan anaknya, Catherine dating mengunjungi saya lalu ia mengundangku makan malam di sebuah restaurant Jepang. Saya pergi ke apartementnya sekalian mengucapkan ‘goodbye’ pada tantenya yang tinggal se-apartement dengannya. Malam hari saya kembali ke apartement tempat saya menginap selama di New York City ini yaitu di keluarga Andreas-Liza asal Surabaya.

Selasa, 24 Agustus 2004. Pukul 10.30 pagi, Frans dan temannya asal Semarang bernama Johan mengajak saya pergi ke Brooklyn Botanical Garden, makan siang di Chinatown lalu jalan-jalan sepanjang 5 Avenue downtown NYC di mana nampak kelompok bernama Falun Gong, sebuah system kepercayaan dari China menunjukkan gambar-gambar yang melukiskan penganiayaan pemerintah China terhadap kelompok yang menjalankan laku meditasi ini. Pukul 5.30 sore Frans dan saya mengikuti misa di gereja Santo Fransiskus milik OFM di downtown NYC. Banyak orang menghadiri misa sore ini yang kebanyakan adalah pekerja di sekitar downtown NYC ini. Sebagai acara perpisahan sederhana, Frans dan Gisela mengraktir saya untuk makan malam di sebuah restaurant Thailand bernama Sripapay yang memiliki masakan yang lezat. Frans mengantarku mengunjungi sebuah kelaurga bernama Merry dan John. Merry adalah kakak kandung dari Romo Andre Delimarta, SDB yang mengajar spiritualitas di STF Driayarkara-Jakarta. Pukul 9 malam saya kembali ke apartement Andre-Liza di Elmhurst.

Rabu, 25 Agustus 2004. Pukul 5.30 pagi saya bangun dan mandi lalu pergi ke Gereja Santo Bartolomeus untuk mengikuti misa pukul 7 pagi. Pukul 10 pagi Frans datang mengunjungi saya di apartemen tempat saya tinggal. Pukul 10.30 Pastor Dario, SX datang menjemputku di NYC lalu kami pergi ke rumah propinsialat SX di Wayne-New Jersey, kira-kira 40 menit perjalanan dari NYC. Saya bertemu Judy, sekretaris rumah propinsialat SX di sini dan Pastor Frank, SX, lalu kami makan siang bersama yang dimasak oleh Pastor Dario. Setelah 10 hari tidak mencuci baju, kini saatnya saya mencuci dan menyeterika baju-baju saya di rumah propinsialat ini. Saya beristirahat sejenak kemudian membaca majalah di ruang TV rumah ini. Sore hari, Pastor Ivan, propinsial SX untuk USA datang setelah mengunjungi komunitas SX di Holliston-Massachusetts lalu bersama dia saya berdoa sore pukul 5.45 sore di kapel. Kami makan bersama lalu menonton TV. Pukul 8.30 malam saya pergi tidur. Saya bersyukur atas segala pengalaman liburan saya selama 10 hari kota New York untuk musim panas 2004 ini. Apa yang sudah saya rencanakan sejak saya di Chicago menjadi kenyataan berkat rahmat Tuhan sendiri serta kebaikan teman-teman saya khususnya Frans yang mengatur dan memperhatikan jadwal saya di sini dan memperkenalkan saya pada sebuah keluarga yang sungguh baik dan rela memberi tumpangan saya selama 10 hari di NYC, yaitu Andreas-Liza. Saya berhutang atas kebaikan mereka semua dan semoga suatu saat kami masih memiliki kesempatan untuk bertemu lagi.

Kamis, 26 Agustus 2004. Pukul 6.15 pagi, saya bangun pagi, mandi lalu misa pagi dan doa pagi di kapel yang dirayakan oleh empat pastor SX yaitu Frank, Ivan, Dario dan Herondi; ada pula satu orang tamu bernama Maria asal Karibia yang mengenal dan pernah bertemu Romo Anton, SX di London. Setelah sarapan pagi bersama, saya mengetik jurnal ini di komputer Pastor Dario di basement, kantor propinsialat SX ini. Kami makan siang bersama di rumah propinsial SX ini lalu saya istirahat sejenak melepas lelah. Pukul 5 sore kami mengadakan adorasi/sembah sujud sebagai tradisi Xaverian setiap hari Kamis sore. Adorasi diadakan di kapel yang dipimpin oleh Pastor Frank Grappoli dan dihadiri pula oleh seorang tamu yang menyumbangkan sebuah monstrans yang dipakai dalam sembah sujud kali ini. Setelah makan malam, saya juga menonton TV, Olimpiade bersama Pastor Frank dan Pastor Dario.

Jumat, 27 Agustus 2004. Pagi hari kami mengadakan misa pukul 7.15 lalu saya gunakan sisa waktu saya hari ini di rumah propinsialat SX dengan membaca sebuah majalah, Horizon. Setelah berfoto bersama dengan ketiga pastor Xaverian yaitu Ivan, Frank dan Herondi serta Judy, sekretaris propinsialat, saya diantar oleh Pastor Herondi menuju bandara Newark di New Jersey untuk pulang kembali menuju Chicago. Saya naik pesawat ATA 272 pukul 1.54 siang hari dan tiba di Chicago pukul 3 sore (2 jam perjalanan) lalu saya naik bis CTA nomor X55 menuju Hyde Park dan pukul 4.35 sore saya sudah sampai di rumah akhirnya dengan membawa ketiga tas saya yang lumayan berat juga berjalan sepanjang 55th Street ke 51st Street. Pastor Rocco menyambut kedatangan saya dengan membukakan pintu depan di mana ia baru saja pulang dari berbelanja. Ketika saya masuk ke kamarku, di mejaku sudah terdapat kiriman UPS sebuah laptop Toshiba. Setelah mandi dan doa sore bersama Pastor Rocco di kapel, saya diajak makan malam oleh Pastor Rocco di sebuah restauran di Hyde Park bergaya Southern Louisiana di Hyde Park. Kami makan Gumbo. Malam hari saya mencoba laptop saya dan tidur dengan cepatnya.

Sabtu, 28 Agustus 2004. Pagi hari kami mengadakan misa pukul 7.15 dipimpin oleh Pastor Rocco lalu ia dan Pastor Pascal pergi ke Detroit untuk mission appeal. Saya menelpon Harno, frater SX di Jakarta yang akan datang di Chicago hari Rabu ini, 1 September. Adrian, frater asal Mexico, frater tertua di komunitas saya sini membantuku untuk mengecek dan menginstal laptop Toshiba saya. Sore hari saya makan malam di sebuah restauran Vietnam di 53rd Street karena memang tidak ada yang masak hari ini di komunitas; saya makan nasi goreng ayam sementara hari hujan dan agak lumayan dingin. Malam hari di kamar saya sendiri, saya mencoba menonton DVD yang berjudul Diary of A City Priest, yang memiliki setting kota Philadelphia di mana saya baru saja mengalami sendiri live-in di sebuah paroki di kota ini selama enam minggu.

Minggu, 29 Agustus 2004. Setelah doa pribadi di kamar, saya naik bis CTA bersama Alejandro menuju Chinatown. Kami ikut misa pukul 9.30 dipimpin oleh Pastor Michael dan homili dibawakan oleh Frater Petrus di mana ia menyampaikan kata perpisahan dengan umat di paroki Santa Theresia ini setelah menajalankan tahun orientasi pastoral selama setahun penuh. Setelah misa, kami mengadakan acara ramah tamah bersama di basement. Siang hari, saya berjalan menuju ke 2834 South Normal Street, kira-kira10 menit jauhnya dari Chinatown dengan jalan kaki untuk menghadiri sebuah acara retret sehari yang diadakan oleh David Dardst Spirituality Center. Ada sekitar 60-an anak muda yang baru masuk di Universitas Dominican yang mengikuti retret ini. Saya turut terlibat dalam sebuah diskusi dalam kelompok kecil merefleksikan pengalaman mereka pagi hari ini mengunjungi sebuah panti jompo. Ini adalah tempat kerasulan resmi saya nanti selam setahun dari CTU, sekolah teologi saya di Chicago mulai semester ini nanti. Ini adalah sebuah pengalaman yang bagus buat saya bisa berinteraksi dengan kebanyakan anak muda Kaukasian, kulit putih Amerika sehingga saya dapat mengalami kerjasama dan kebersamaan dengan orang yang berbeda dengan saya atau istilahnya melewati batas budaya disamping mengenal lebih dekat budaya mereka serta tentunya mempraktekkan bahasa Inggris saya yang masih harus terus diperbaiki. Pukul 3 sore, saya pulang ke rumah dan saya menemukan alat transportasi alternatif yaitu naik kereta Green line dan bis nomor 15. Saya istirahat sejenak karena saya memiliki gejala sakit flu. Pukul 5.30 sore saya melihat Petrus sudah tiba di Hyde Park dan saya menulis/mengetik jurnal ini. Pukul 7.10 malam saya dan Pastor Pascal berdoa sore di kapel. Malam hari, Pastor Victor Bongiovanni, Pascal dan Ignatius datang dari Milwaukee ke komunitas kami di Chicago dan Dharmawan akan menyusul besok pagi dari Milwaukee.