32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 07, 2004

1) 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 07, 2004

Monday, November 01, 2004. Almost the whole day, it was raining. Since morning at 10 a.m. to evening I kept stay at CTU to have classes and attended the Feast of All Saint Mass at CTU that was held with African liturgy. It lasted for one hour and a half with music and dance celebration in the Mass. Exactly two years ago, at the same date like today, November 1st (2002), I left Indonesia to other country for the first time in my life. I am grateful for this special grace that I ever had in my life enduring my vocation life in the Xaverian Missionaries Society. It’s really a memorial day for me that I had a privilege to visit Italy, Vatican and Parma then eventually I came in Chicago on November 12th after an unexpected event happened in Rome-Italy (the lost of my I-20).

Tuesday, November 02, 2004. I had a theological reflection class at the Maryknoll House then I went to Mary Frohlich’s office to consult my paper outline for methods and foundations of study spirituality class. She gave me one more reference article for my paper that I could copy it from journal at CTU library. I was glad that she accepted my revised outline and the bibliography that I need to write it for my final paper. I still struggle to write down this kind of research paper for my MA study at CTU. As I entered the CTU building, I saw some people participated on the election of the USA government using the founder’s room. In the afternoon, I cooked for my community (Rawon, rice, salad and shrimp crackers). At night I was planning and mapping out my papers and assignments for the rest of this Fall Semester at CTU that seems many things to do at the end of this semester that will last on December 16.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004. This morning I called the CPE supervisor at Elk Grove Village, James Gullickson and he answered that he has received my application for the summer CPE next year, 2005. He will screen it and reply the result to me in December; hopefully, I will be accepted at this Alexian Brother Health System for my CPE program.

Thursday, November 04, 2004. Today I just remained stay at home because there was no class but I had to do my spirituality paper. In the afternoon at 5 p.m. in our chapel, we had renewal of our vows Mass for nine Xaverian students, namely, Victor, Alejandro, Chuy, Petrus, Denny, Ignatius, Dharmawan, Jacques and Pascal. The Mass was concelebrated by Fathers Alfredo, Pascal, Aniello, Dominic, Rocco, and Victor Bongiovanni. We had Chinese food for our supper and Father Michael joined us at this event, so we’re altogether 19 Xaverians. Thanks be to God for this opportunity for me and the others could renew our vows for one year. We are looking forward for next year that hopefully some of us will make our perpetual vows. The five confreres from Milwaukee and three from Saint Therese-Chinatown left for their homes after finished our supper. Thanks to all of our Xaverian confreres and other friends and family who support and pray for us in this consecrated life.

Friday, November 05, 2004. I attended a workshop, Pearls and Treasures at CTU from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. At 5 p.m. We (Xaverians) were invited to have supper at Syafa’s house, to celebrate her graduation of comprehensive exam at LSTC. Until midnight I was doing my paper of spirituality about Conversion of Saint Augustine.

Saturday, November 06, 2004. In the morning till noon, I did wash and iron my clothes then cleaned the TV room at the basement. After having supper, Petrus invited me to go to The Assembly Hall at International House at the University of Chicago to watch Chinese Musical Festival. Arriving at home at 9.45 p.m., we had conversation at the kitchen with some others till midnight.

Sunday, November 07, 2004. Since morning I just remained at my room doing my paper of spirituality and in the evening I went to Saint Thomas the Apostle Church to attend a Mass at 5.30 p.m. This time I did my field assignment to observe the Communion Rite at this Mass with my classmate, a Norbertin deacon, Bill Kelly. Next week I will do the same thing for the second time at the same parish.
I want to share my reflection on the visit a Buddhist temple in Chinatown Chicago. It is my reflection for the presentation of Interreligious Dialogue in Asia course at CTU:
MY VISIT TO A BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN CHINATOWN-CHICAGO
Denny Wahyudi

For the second time I visited a Buddhist temple located in the Chinatown of Chicago named, International Buddhism Friendship Association, 2249 S. Wentworth Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60616, phone/fax: 312-881-0177. The first time I visited this temple to ask the schedule time of the prayer service/chanting and the second time that is today, Saturday, October 30, 2004, 10 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. This temple close by Saint Therese Catholic Church where my order, Xaverian Missionaries work and from the pastor, Father Michael Davitti, SX, I knew this temple. As I entered this temple, some lay people mostly old Chinese women and two nuns (bhikksunis) were chanting Buddhist prayer in Mandarin language supposedly because I did not know anything what they were praying. Silently, I sit at the behind them and observed their prayer solemnly. I saw there were three altars: on the main altar there were three big golden Buddhist statues with all gifts such as fruits (apple, orange, flower, candles, stick incense) and at the left and right side there were small altar. Right in front of me, on the wall of small altar, there was a painting of Kwan Im and on the altar there was a small Buddhist statue and two other statues. There were about 20 lay people participating at this chanting that lasted in two hours. The nuns wore dark brown Buddhist gown and they presided the chanting without reading a book of prayer but they memorized by heart all of the prayer. Some of the lay people wore black and brown gown at this ceremonial rite stood behind the two nuns and the rest stood behind them. I noticed their gestures, genuflection as they prayed. The lay people read a book prayer for this chanting and I saw it was Chinese character. One nun led prayer with a microphone and once in a while rang a bell made of metal and the other nun with her wooden bell, also the other lay people with a small drum. It sounded various rhythm depended on the prayer they chanted. I saw they knelt down on the ground with a special position of body and open hand on the ground. The last part of the prayer was worshipping two other small altars and the nun read intercession prayers for some intentions. After two hours the chanting service ended and some lay people gave small red envelopes as their stipend to the nun who led the prayer. It was interesting to see that most of them kneeling down before the nun to offer these gifts and they called her, “Sien Fu”. The nun received them gratefully and put them in the box for donation. After the prayer finished, one lady opened a box of birthday cake to celebrate the birthday of the nun. I was wondering that they were singing a happy birthday song in English, not in Mandarin. In the middle of the chanting I saw some ladies brought some gifts to the altar such as flower, fruits (peer) and stick incense. So often they knelt down to the ground worshiped altar. Before leaving the temple, I saw some pictures on the wall depicting some activities of the Buddhist congregation such as their gathering prayer, listening to the Dharma in English. Some pictures were about renovation of this temple some times ago which is located in the middle of many Chinese stores in Chinatown.

The reflection that I could draw of this fast visit is:

A Buddhist temple in the middle of Chinatown and Chinese stores is a unique phenomenon for me especially in the USA. I never knew that this building is a Buddhist temple but now I know. Not like churches in the USA, which have big buildings, the Buddhist temple here looks like a new and hidden building in the secular and Christian and Catholic environment of the USA. They exist to serve the Chinese Buddhist people in the USA. Like the attendance of churches in the USA, also the chanting I attended at this temple was presented by mostly senior people and women. It is my first time to see Bhikkunis led Buddhist chanting. Even though I did not have a dialogue with one of the people at this temple, but I could see the good will of the people at this temple. They have a will to worship their Ultimate Reality ‘God’ (they never say God) and it was evidenced with their gesture and genuflection that if I compare to my own Catholic believe, I should learn of them. The respect to their Ultimate Reality and their patience and faithfulness to do their prayer made me reflecting my own prayer. Do I have a same spirit and patience of theirs in my daily prayer? I was so impressed that the bhikkunis have a good memory of the 2-hour prayer and fervently, humbly led the people in this chanting. The lay people who came to this temple were very respectful to the bhikkunis. Their gesture (kneeling down before the bhikkunis) when they gave their gifts to the bhikkunis made me think that it never happens in my Catholic Church. I can understand their belief that the bikkhu and bhikkhunis are respected people. The lay people believe also that their gift to them will be a blessing to them. I was wondering also that all gifts that the bhikkunis received, she put into the donation box which is in front of the altar. I was thinking: Does she keep her own money? Could she have her own money? I know that Theravada Buddhist monks are not allowed holding money but I do not know about the Mahayana monks.

In this temple I saw one old lady who volunteers herself as a busy person, such as public relation person, who took care of guests and at the same time took care of people who prayed (opening the book they prayed, showing the place for the guest for praying, receiving gifts, took care of the stick incense and many little things). Even she talked to me with Mandarin language, but I told her that I do not speak Mandarin, but English. She keeps the polite way how lay people sit (I know they have rule to sit properly in the temple, there is a rule not putting one leg on the other leg).

Almost everything in the temple written in the Mandarin character and I saw some photos on the wall close to the entrance door, some written in English, so I could understand what kind of activities they have on the photos. It made me be alienated in a different culture that actually my old ancestors from China in the past had spoken this language but not inherited on me any longer. I am thinking about my future: if I have mission placement in China or Taiwan, I would know what they were praying today.

I know that this temple has its simplicity because I believe that this building is donated and maintained by the Buddhist lay people in the USA. My experiences visiting some other Buddhist temple in Indonesia have different unique perspective. The Buddhist temple I have visited in Indonesia, normally having a huge area and building. Even a Mahayana temple in Jakarta-Indonesia has eight floors and a center of Buddhist culture that performed magnificent Chinese Buddhist dances and a center of the youth Buddhist.

Above all, I am very impressed once again with the spiritual life and witness of the bikkhu and bikkhunis who endure their life for service to their people. Their simple and ascetic live challenge me to see myself as a religious in the Catholic Church in serving God’s people in the mission. What and how can I learn of them? A lot of wisdom I can draw from their witnesses and their teachings, especially in meditation and practical way of life such as the Noble Eight Way of Truth that I am convinced helps me to focus on my daily activities properly in my Catholic faith.

1) Hari Minggu Biasa ke-32, 07 November 2004

Senin, 01 November 2004. Hampir sepanjang hari ini hujan terus-menerus. Sejak pagi jam 10 di CTU saya mengikuti kuliah dan tetap tinggal di sana sekaligus mengikuti misa untuk pesta para kudus yang diadakan di ruang serba guna CTU dengan liturgi Afrika, penuh nyanyian dan tarian dalam bahasa-bahasa Afrika. Misa ini berlangsung selama satu setengah jam. Tepatnya dua tahun lalu, pada tanggal yang sama seperti hari ini, yaitu 1 November (2002), saya pergi meninggalkan Indonesia untuk kali pertamanya dalam hidup saya. Saya sungguh beryukur atas rahmat khusus yang boleh saya alami dalam hidup saya ini dalam menjalani hidup panggilan di Serikat Misionaris Xaverian. Ini sungguh suatu hari penuh kenangan bagi saya pribadi di mana saya dapat mengunjungi Italia, Vatikan, Parma dan akhirnya mendarat di Chicago pada tanggal 12 November 2002 setelah suatu kejadian tak diharapkan menimpa diriku (hilangnya dokumen I-20 saya) di rumah generalat SX di Roma-Italia.

Selasa, 02 November 2004. Saya mengikuti kuliah refleksi teologi di rumah Maryknoll lalu pergi ke CTU untuk menemui dosen spiritualitas saya, Mary Frohlich dan berkonsultasi tentang outline paper matakuliah foundations and methods to study spirituality. Ia memberikan satu referensi yaitu sebuah artikel yang bisa saya photo copy di perpustakaan CTU. Saya senang karena kali ini dia menerima outline yang sudah saya perbaiki beberapa hari ini beserta sumber beberapa buku tentang pertobatan Santo Agustinus dari Hippo. Saya masih terus berjuang dalam membuat paper yang untuk kali pertamanya buat saya dalam rangka memenuhi paper studi MA saya di CTU. Pagi ini ketika masuk ke gedung CTU, saya melihat di ruang pendiri, diadakan pemilihan umum untuk pemilihan pemerintah USA. Sore hari saya memasak untuk komunitas saya, yaitu: rawon, nasi, salad dan kerupuk udang. Malam hari saya menulis dan memetakan semua tugas kuliah berupa paper dan sebagainya untuk kuliah musim gugur 2004 ini yang nampaknya banyak hal yang harus saya kejar dan selesaikan dalam hari-hari terakhir mendatang. Semester ini akan berakhir pada tanggal 16 Desember.

Rabu, 03 November 2004. Pagi ini saya menelpon supervisor CPE di Elk Grove Village, bernama James Gullickson dan syukurlah dia sudah menerima lamaran CPE saya untuk musim panas 2005 tahun depan. Ia akan memproses lamaran saya dan akan memberitahukan hasilnya di bulan Desember; semoga saja saya dapat diterima untuk program CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) di Alexian Brother Health System untuk memenuhi program kuliah di CTU, yaitu Ministry Practicum II.

Kamis, 04 November 2004. Hari ini saya tetap tinggal di rumah karena memang tidak ada kuliah namun saya harus mengerjakan paper untuk matakuliah spiritualitas saya. Di sore hari pukul 5, di kapel kami mengadakan misa pembaharuan kaul untuk sembilan frater Xaverian, yaitu: Victor, Alejandro, Chuy, Petrus, Denny, Ignatius, Dharmawan, Jacques dan Pascal. Misa dipimpin oleh Pastor Alfredo (wakil propinsial) bersama dengan Pastors: Pascal, Aniello, Dominic, Rocco, dan Victor Bongiovanni. Kami makan bersama untuk makan malam dengan menu Chinese food dan Pastor Michael bergabung bersama kami dalam acara ini, jadi kami semua sebanyak 19 orang dalam acara kekeluargaan dalam Xaverian ini. Syukur kepada Allah atas rahmat bagi saya dan bersama frater lain yang diperkenankan memperbaharui kaul-kaul kami untuk setahun ke depan dan sambil berharap tahun depan ada diantara kami yang akan mengikrarkan kaul kekal. Kelima konfrater dari Milwaukee dan tiga dari Santa Theresia-Chinatown kembali ke rumah mereka masing-masing setelah acara makan malam bersama ini. Terima kasih kepada mereka semua yang sudah mendoakan dan mendukung kami dalam menjalankan hidup bakti ini.

Jumat, 05 November 2004. Saya menghadiri sebuah seminar wajib di CTU, Pearls and Treasures dari jam 9 pagi hingga 3 sore. Kami para Xaverian diundang ke rumah Mbak Syafa untuk merayakan syukuran kelulusannya dari ujian komprehensif di LSTC. Hingga tengah malam saya mengerjakan paper kuliah spiritualitas tentang pertobatan Santo Agustinus.

Sabtu, 06 November 2004. Pagi hingga tengah hari saya mencuci dan menyeterika baju lalu membersihkan ruang TV di basement. Setelah makan malam, Petrus mengajak saya ke The Assembly Hall at International House di University of Chicago untuk menonton Chinese Musical Festival. Tiba di rumah pukul 9.45 malam, kami bercakap-cakap dengan beberapa orang dari komunitas kami di dapur hingga tak terasa sampai tengah malam.

Minggu, 07 November, 2004. Sejak pagi hari saya tetap tinggal di kamar saja mengerjakan paper spiritualitas saya dan sore harinya saya pergi ke Gereja Santo Thomas Rasul untuk ikut misa pukul 5.30 sore. Kali ini saya melakukan observasi khususnya dalam misa bagian Communion Rite bersama dengan teman sekelas saya yang adalah seorang diakon Norbertin bernama Bill Kelly. Minggu depan untuk kedua kalinya saya harus melakukan hal serupa di gereja yang sama.
Saya juga mensharingkan sebuah pengalaman kunjungan saya di sebuah vihara Buddha di Chinatown Chicago akhir bulan October lalu untuk matakuliah Dialog Antar Agama di Asia yang saya ambil di CTU untuk semester musim gugur 2004 ini (silahkan melihat di atas dalam versi bahasa Inggrisnya).