he Xaverian Missionaries, founded by Blessed Guido M. Conforti in 1895, now number about 1000 living members. As in every society, every year, new life is infused into the congregation by the presence of young members, and suffer the loss of older members after a life of faithful and fruitful service to the cause of the missions.
The moment is poignant, however, when one returns to the Father’s house still in the fullness of youth, still full of dreams and enthusiastic desires for the missionary life.
We had such a moment this past year when one of ours, Yohannes Fransiskus Setiawan, affectionately known as “Wawan,” died of leukemia this past May.
He wasn’t 30 years old yet. Born in Magelang, Indonesia, Wawan entered the Xaverians in 1995 and took his First Vows in 1997. He died in Mexico City during his 2nd year of theology.
Having completed the first stage of his formation in 2002, Wawan was assigned to the Xaverian International Theology House in Mexico City, as he wished: “I want to work with the people of Latin America/” But Divine Providence had other plans. In august 2003, on a medical visit for a stubborn headache, he was diagnosed with an already acute form of leukemia.
The battle with the sickness had its moments of hope and disappointment, but Wawan gradually grew in his acceptance of God’s will. Fr. Lino Sgarbossa writes from Mexico: “Wawan’s life in this last year of sickness and pain was a shining light for us all who came in contact with him.”
In February 2004, Wawan asked to be admitted to the Final Profession of Vows ahead of time: “Thanks to this illness and the wonders the Lord has worked in my life, I feel a strong love for our missionary congregation, a love that continues to grow. Therefore I ask to be allowed to love it as a perpetually professed member… I wish this to be a final public expression of my love for our religious family and my resolve to bear witness to its charism to the end.”
He made his Final Profession on March 21st, encouraged by these words from Fr. Rino Benzoni, Superior General: “Your profession bears witness to all the confreres that we are missionaries first of all for what we are than for what we have… The Xaverian Family welcomes you, and welcomes you for the witness you have given until today.”
Thanks to this illness and the wonders the Lord has worked in my life, I feel a strong love for our missionary congregation, a love that continues to grow. Therefore I ask to be allowed to love it as a perpetually professed member… I wish this to be a final public expression of my love for our religious family to the end.
On the day of the funeral, Fr. Luigi Marchioron, Regional Superior of the Xaverians in Mexico, remembered Wawan’s last moments: “Looking at each one of us in the eyes, in a voice weak yet determined he told us, ‘I love you all… I say goodbye to all of you… I take you in my heart. Live faithfully the ideals of Blessed Guido Conforti. I feel I am a missionary even in my sickness and knowing that I’m going to die.’” And Fr. Luigino commented: “These were Wawan’s last words… For many of us, this day is like Easter morning. His tranquility, his strength and inner peace revealed the depth of his personality, his courage and readiness to meet the Lord. Death found him fully alive.”
And Fr. Rino added: “Wawan is for all of us a witness of fidelity to the Lord to the last. His example reminds and invites us to reflect on the Lord’s call to each of us to follow him: it is not always where and how we would have wanted to choose. Too often this becomes an excuse to slacken in our following of the Lord, to look back, or seek for ways out. Or we resort to compromises and, so, lose joy. Wawan, instead, in the calling of the Lord, humanly incomprehensible and difficult, has been able to stay faithful and serene.”
When Wawan wished to consecrate his youthful energies to the missions, God calls him to follow by another path. When he wanted to be a messenger of the Gospel, the Lord calls him to be a witness. When he wanted to be a priest to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice, the Lord calls him to be the offering for the sacrifice.
And Wawan says YES!… from beginning to end.
Surely, when the Lord calls, the Lord also gives the strength to follow in fidelity and joy.
With his Indonesian Xaverian student, Denny Wahyudi, who is at the theology house in Chicago, we say, “Adios, Wawan!… Goodbye. Selamat jalan!”
Now… Who will take his place? You who are young! Christ calls… Many are waiting… How will you answer?
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)