DECEMBER 2003

DECEMBER 2003

1) Sunday Advent II, December 7, 2003
My fall quarter study at CTU finished last week but I still have 2 papers to be done and submitted by this week. Hopefully, I can do it pretty soon. On Tuesday, December 2 there was news that the US government no more continues requiring special registration for Indonesian citizens who live in this country. Accordingly, I won’t go to Immigration Service again next year to report myself annually like I did last time on November 12, 2003 as my first year living in here. I will undertake this process only when I leave from or return to the US at the airport. Hopefully, they will not change again the rule which will be worse than ever. Tuesday evening was my last class of Introduction of Social Ethics (Kevin Jung).
December 3 is the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, missionary patron. Instead of this day celebrating our patron, we chose one day after it, on December 4.
On Thursday, December 4, was my last class of the Gospel according to John (Barbara Reid). In the evening we celebrated the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, our Xaverian Missionaries patron with mass at 5 p.m. which was presided by Father Ivan and accompanied by Fathers: Rocco, Pascal and Anniello. We had a special guest who took a part in our simple celebration; she was a Missionary Notre Dame sister from Bangladesh who studies for MA at CTU, Sister Reba. After supper, she shared her experience to be local missionaries in Bangladesh and dealing with the Xaverian missionaries who work in Bangladesh.
On Friday, December 5, I went to public library in downtown Chicago. I was asked by Petrus to find book and make photocopy of it. It’s about 240 pages which will be sent to Father Morini, sx in Jakarta. Actually, I tried to make library card, but because I don’t have ID Card (Chicago ID card) yet, so I couldn’t make it; so I need to make it as soon as possible on these coming days. In the evening I went to CTU chapel, 6th floor to have mass, but unluckily there was no mass there. Then I went to a Border’s bookstore to buy a CD of meditation. I feel very well when I do meditation in my room with listening the meditation CD. I plan to do it everyday as my daily personal spiritual program.
On Saturday, December 6, I had last class of Paulik Susie Babka, the Problem of God in the contemporary society. After undertaking meditation in the afternoon, I headed to Cathedral church, Holy Name, at downtown Chicago. I went for reconciliation since this Advent invites me to renew my life and for mass at 5.15 p.m. It’s a wonderful interior of the Church with brightly lights. Many people come to this mass every Saturday and Sunday mass, so no wonder if we should have ticket for the midnight Christmas mass or other big celebrations. After mass, I took a walk along the Michigan Avenue toward a halt of bus then return home at 8.30 p.m. I saw a lot of people walking on the streets of downtown bringing their many things they bought from the stores and malls. I entered to Water Tower Mall just want to see and compare to Jakarta. They are quite same, so I think that the custom of shopping in the mall in Jakarta is coming from the USA. I notice that Jakarta has many shopping malls, even more than Chicago. I was not wonder to see the glamour things in the stores because I have seen them also in Jakarta. I enjoyed my journey from Cathedral toward home; it invites me to give a meaning of it: that from and toward spiritual notion, I have to face many things in the world, many beautiful or bad sides which could be an obstacle or grace for my journey and I have to wait for patiently (like the bus that should I take to go home). It all depends on my perspective and how I undertake it. Thanks God for this experience.
On Sunday morning at 9 o’clock, Father Rocco drove me to Chinatown then I went to the Cantonese mass at 9.30 which was presided by a Maryknoll American priest, Father Tim. One fellow told me that he is speaking Cantonese fluently because he lived in Hong Kong for 7 and half years. As usual with Petrus, I taught CCD class and this time my turn to teach them about Advent. Even though I got difficulty to engage with them because there is a boy who always makes trouble but at least I have used dialogue, asking and answering method like their hope toward Christmas. Edi, my Indonesian friend from Surabaya also attended the class to see it for the first time. After CCD class, I was talking to Edi who has a girlfriend, Lisa, who is living close to my cousin in Surabaya. Lisa will come to Chicago and she will bring a letter from my cousin, Grace since a long time she didn’t send me letter. It seems that the world is closer and closer, wherever I go I can find friend who is from same area of mine. I return home by CTA. After listening to CD meditation, I did my paper of Problem of God. To fulfill my personal project of live of study, I was watching video about Taize and Irish who immigrated to the USA in 19th and 20th century. It’s very interesting to know the history of Irish immigration especially New York City, Elis Island and Liberty Statue as monumental of immigration which I have ever been there last year.
Though in the East has been snowing heavily but in Midwest especially Chicago, now there is not snowing yet. Thank you for your attention and have a nice Christmas holiday to all of you.

In faith-hope-love,
ACDW, sx

2) Sunday Advent III, December 14, 2003
On Tuesday morning, December 9, I tried to go to CTU by bicycle submitting my Social ethic paper. It seemed that by bicycle I could go faster than on foot that takes 10 minutes. It’s good idea for next year to go by bicycle to CTU especially in the winter in order to avoid the cold outside weather. In the afternoon I went myself by bus to downtown Chicago, 100 West Randolph Street to get state’s ID card. They only required my passport, social security number, mail with my name and address in Chicago and paying US$ 4. It’s the same place where people get driver’s license. Still in the same building, I tried to donate my blood like my custom in Indonesia. After filling out the form and interview and check my health up, the doctor said that I couldn’t donate my blood till 3 years I live in the USA because Indonesia has a malaria disease risk. They deferred my blood as well as in Milwaukee. OK, no problem, next time, I will wait till the day to come. If I live continuously after three years in Chicago without spend vacation in Indonesia, probably I can donate my blood in November 2005 and hopefully the rule will not be changed.
During the days in the last week I could spend my time to watch several video and DVD such as about mission, the history of Catholic Church, sexuality education and Pirate of the Carribean.
On Thursday, Ignas, Dharmawan and Pascal came from Milwaukee to our house in Chicago to spend vacation time with us especially our trip to New Mexico on December 15-24.
On Friday, Dec.12, the weather in Chicago was very cold, circa 20 degree Fahrenheit (minus 6 C). In the morning, Alexis dropped us (Ignas, Dharmawan, and I) to Indonesian Consulate General in 540 North La Salle, downtown Chicago to report and register Ignas and Dharmawan. I did it for myself three months ago, so I could escort Dharmawan and Ignas who just arrived three months ago for this case. Then we took a walk along the streets in downtown Chicago, had a lunch in Burger King. In the evening we had a mass almost 6 o’clock with Father Rocco. At 7 p.m. Petrus picked us (Ignas, Dharmawan and I) up to go to Indonesia Consulate to practice Christmas songs. Actually, I just took Ignas to do it since I myself can’t sing. It’s for the Christmas party in Navy Pier on December 27. Pak Ngurah, the Consulate official trained us to sing the songs. There were Elisabet, Magda, Fely and Rita. After practicing the songs, we’re going to Elisabet’s apartment and they treated us to have supper in the Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. At 10.15 p.m. we went to Saint Therese church to help Petrus making the Christmas crib, also Edy Liang. That night, Father Anniello gave me 2 new shirts which were not fit for him. We (Dharmawan, Ignas and I) were sleeping in Chinatown in the night in the youth room together with Petrus on the floor with sleeping bag. It reminded us when we had ‘fraternitas’ in Puncak-Indonesia, a kind of recreation for one week after one semester lasted. We shared many things till 2 a.m. In the morning at 7 o’clock Petrus took us to Hyde Park since we had mass at 8.30 a.m.
On Saturday evening, December 13, Alejandro, Ignas and I went to the opening house of Franciscan Conventual house in the North Chicago close to the Loyola University. We had supper and evening prayer. I savored the food and drink. This evening was very special because the snow was already coming earlier than last year that happened in the night of Christmas, December 24.
On Sunday morning, we (Ignas, Dharmawan and I) went to Chinatown by CTA, having Indonesian mass at 12 o’clock. I had a colloquium (spiritual direction) with Father Michael. Petrus dropped us to Hyde Park. We had a farewell party and supper for a Xaverian priest, Bideri, who will be working in London. There were also coming some Mexican families. Our Mexican confreres cooked Mexican food for this party which lasted almost in the middle of the night.
Tomorrow morning December 15 till 24 we’ll be heading to New Mexico (Santa Fe) to have ‘fraternity’ with our theology community; we’re 11 including our rector, Father Rocco. Please, pray for us for the safe trip and see you for the next time with my trip report……….

In faith-hope-love,
ACDW, sx

3). Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, 2003
First of all I want to wish for all of you, my friends and penpals:
HAPPY MERRY CHRISTMAS 25 DECEMBER 2003
&
HAPPY NEW YEAR 01 JANUARY 2004
The ten past days was my trip to Southwest, so that now I want to share about this long and wonderful journey I experienced at the end of the year 2003. On Monday Dec 15, we as Xaverian theology community, 11 persons (Father Rocco, Adrian, Victor, Alejandro, Alexis, Jacques, Chuy and I, plus Ignatius, Dharmawan and Pascal from Milwaukee) headed to Southwest by gray-rented van car. In the middle of the night we stayed at Motel 6 in Oklahoma.
On Tuesday morning, Dec 16, after having breakfast at Denny’s restaurant, we visited a monument in Oklahoma City. We continued our trip toward Santa Fe (New Mexico) which was passed Northern Texas. At night we stayed at Motel 6.
On Wednesday we were strolling to downtown Santa Fe, visiting museum, church, chapel, galleries and having mass at Cathedral in the afternoon.
On Thursday we went to Chimayo, a shrine, where we had mass at the chapel el Nino. After having lunch ‘spicy-tamales’, we had hiking at Box Canyon.
On Friday we still were in Santa Fe visiting chapel Loretto which has famous magic stair. We had tour in cathedral which was guided by Father Jerome Martinez. At 5.15 p.m. we had mass at cathedral Santa Fe then we continued to go to Chinle. In the middle of the trip we stopped at Chinese restaurant. One funny thing was the waitress was speaking in Chinese to Dharmawan after he ordered ‘Chap Cay’, also because he looked like Chinese and indeed he was. We stayed this night in Chinle.
On Saturday, we had hiking at ‘White House’ Canyon, shopping at gift shop then mass at 7.30 p.m. at Saint Mary de Fatima in Chinle. A Fransiscan priest who presided the mass explained to us about the church with Navajo interior design. In the middle of the night we had supper at Denny’s and celebrated the 29-year-birthday of Ignatius.
On Sunday Advent IV, after staying overnight at Motel 6 in Holbrook (Arizona), we went to Grand Canyon in 3 hours traveling. We enjoyed the incredible Grand Canyon. In this area, I got a misunderstanding experience: after having lunch some of us visited museum in the information center. At 4.30 p.m. I tried to see my confreres but nobody was there. Until at 6.30 p.m. I just kept staying at this place till Jacques and Alexis found me. Apparently, I didn’t understand what Father Rocco was saying, so I got lost in the information center. We came back to Motel 6 in Holbrook.
On Monday, Dec 22, after staying at Motel 6 and having breakfast at Denny’s, we departed toward Chicago. In the middle of the trip we visited Museum of Petrified Forest in Arizona. All day and night we stayed in the car in order to arrive Chicago quickly.
On Tuesday, Dec 23 at 4.40 finally we arrived in Hyde Park-Chicago after having long trip about 4500 miles roundtrip away in 9 days.
On Wednesday, Dec 24, I made a small nativity crib for chapel. In the afternoon the 3 guys (Ignas, Wawan and Pascal) returned to Milwaukee by train. In the evening I joined the Mexican confreres to visit 2 Mexican families in Chicago like last year. I attended Christmas midnight mass by myself at Saint Thomas the Apostle while the temperature when I came to home at 1.45 in the morning was about minus 4 degrees Celsius.
On Thursday, December 25, I woke up at 8.15 in the morning and tried to write my last 10 days experience on this journal. I went to China town to have Indonesian mass at Saint Therese. This time I was appointed as an altar boy even though I don’t have experience to be an altar boy in a big celebration. We continued our Indonesian Christmas party in Saint Therese School. There was a drama which was produced by Budi cs. This time also I roled as a majus with Petrus and Sony. Today I met Lisa who is my cousin’s neighbor in Surabaya. She brought my cousin’s letter for me. Apparently it’s not coincidence, but providence and it looks like the world is just narrow; wherever I go I meet someone who knows the others. In the afternoon, Father Anniello, Petrus and I went to Hyde Park to celebrate Christmas in our theology community. We started with evening prayer, dinner and a game which was telling a story then changing the gifts. It’s really the time of togetherness as community and having fun, laughing and getting gifts from others and especially each one got a nice-blue Xaverian sweater from our rector, Father Rocco. During the Christmas season I got phone call from Mother Oey in Jakarta, Tina in Bogor and Slamet in New York; for your wish and attention, I appreciate it so much. Also for all of you who have sent Christmas card and wish by e-mail, thank you very much for your remembrance of me.
This is my second time celebrating Christmas in the USA. Once again I am grateful to be here and having great experience with Xaverians and many Indonesian friends in Chicago who always love and kind to me. May the peace of Christmas always with all of us in our daily life.
“The me I see is the me I’ll be,
If I cannot see it I’ll not be it,
Until I believe it I will not achieve it”.

In faith-hope-love,
Alexander Cornelius Denny Wahyudi, sx