2nd SUNDAY OF EASTER 2004, APRIL 18, 2004

3) 2nd Sunday of Easter, April 18, 2004
Monday, April 12, 2004. Today there was no class at CTU, still day-off. We had a Mass at 8 a.m. and the whole day long I was doing my paper for this week, such as Issues in Spiritual Formation, Native American Spirituality and Family Dynamic. Regarding the Issues in Spiritual Formation paper, I made a third one about the Context of my formation in Xaverian. Here is my reflection:
CONTEXT & TIME
For my quarter project of formation program I choose myself in a process of formation in the Xaverian Missionaries toward missionary-religious priesthood. I had endured my initial formation in the Xaverian Missionaries Society in Jakarta-Indonesia. I began my formation with pre-Novitiate in 1996 for one year, Novitiate in 1997-1998, first vows in 1998, study philosophy and theology for four years (1998-2002). So, the first 6 years my formation in the Xaverian took place in my own country, Indonesia. For one year I continued my formation (2002-2003) study English in Milwaukee, the USA. My final formation program takes place in Chicago where I study theology at CTU in 2003 till 2007 (as the Xaverian formators plan for me). Now, I am living in the Xaverian theology community in Chicago, 1347 East Hyde Park Boulevard, where we are as professed students live as a family, encouraging one another to grow toward God and humanity through prayer, study and various ministries of social concern. Academic life is just part of our Theology Program, which will give the theology students the opportunity to grow and mature in their consecration to mission. Together with students from different countries, the community will have the experience to live in an international community as a family, encouraging one another to grow in their global perspective. There are 10 Xaverians live in this house: 7 students (one from Indonesia, one from R.D. Congo, one from Cameroon, and four from Mexico), and 3 priest-formators (each one from the USA, Italy and Rwanda-Africa).

Inspired by Robert L. Kinast, Sacred Space and Time, written, “When one person enters a place of encounter with the holy and spends meaningful time there, it is hard not to share it with others”, I reflect my experiences upon it. Since I have been living in the Xaverians, I always tell my way of life as a religious missioner toward priesthood to people whom I meet especially my family when I visit them. Furthermore, when I have moved in the USA since November 2002, I continually write my weekly journal, such a diary of my experience life in the USA, the new land for me and share them to all of my friends, confreres and penpal by e-mail. I do agree to Kinast that “Computer technology will not replace the traditional spiritual life, but it can be a valuable aid in preparing for and leading to authentic spiritual experience”. With the easy facility of Internet in my community house and also in the USA environment, I can take advantage of it, keeping in touch with my friends and confreres all over the world. From this tool, I am helped to share my experiences and get some important and up-to-date information. In addition, it is a tool that can support one another in greetings and prayer instantly. Perhaps one quite disadvantage to me is my addiction to e-mail and spending much time to it. It entails me to manage my time and my activity properly not too much stick on the Internet but to other dimensions of my vocation life that need to be cultivated more and more.

Regarding to the context for my formation program in the Xaverian missionaries Society in the USA Province, I have two references to write this program. Firstly, I draw five dimensions of community project of life in my theology community, namely, Spiritual Dimension, Community Life, Ministry/Mission Activity, Academic Life and Consecrated Life. Secondly, I take from the Guide for Xaverian Formation in the USA Province, that is, five Principle Characteristics / Areas of Growth for Xaverian life, namely, Mission, Christ-Centeredness, Religious Consecration, Family Spirit and Human Characteristics. Both of these I combine into one program as I consider my context of spiritual formation in Chicago. They will be Spiritual Dimension (Christ-Centeredness), Community Life (Family Spirit), Ministry/Mission Activity (Mission), Human Characteristics (including Academic Life) and Religious-Consecrated Life.

With these sources, I spell them out in the following program:
1. Spiritual Life: We are conscious that the call to mission is a gift from God that requires a personal and communal response as a way of growing in Jesus discipleship. The spirituality of Christ-Centeredness is expressed in: the development of a relationship with God rooted in a believing community, the belief that Jesus is the integral part of any enterprise we are wanting to undertake, the values of enthusiasm for the global Reign of God, conversion of heart as a way of life for discipleship, respect for other religions, loving service that is reciprocal, an easiness and thirst for prayer.
2. Community Life (Family Spirit): From different corners of the world Jesus calls us to witness to his love and make of the world one family. We believe that this time of formation is an opportunity to break all the barriers that prevent us from embracing one another and witness as a community of disciples. It will be taking into account in: knowledge of the community’s history, both locally and globally, ability to learn from conflict and ambiguity, a sense of belonging that does not depend solely on communal events, openness to developing communication skills and creativity.
3. Ministry/Mission Activity: We are called and chosen in order to be sent to work in the vineyard of the Lord; that is why we commit ourselves to the apostolic life as a way of developing missionary attitudes. We try to choose and to work in new experiences that are open to us according to our qualities and preferences. The mission will take shape in: faith and the sharing of that gift, social skills in view openness to cross-cultural relationship, adaptability in view of openness to transcending national and cultural identity and dialogue with the community regarding ministerial choices.
4. Human Characteristics: We should live out as: academic life skills sharpened, sound physical/psychological health enjoyed, appropriate degree of judgement and motivation encouraged, acceptance of our vulnerability, ability to confide and to risk developed. Study is an essential component of our personal formation. It enables us to view life situations critically and provides us with that certain sensitivity and those adequate methods to incarnate the Gospel message amidst diverse human context. Academic life assists each Xaverian in developing a methodology of reflection, which draws together all that he learns and experiences for Mission. The academic dimension constitutes the main goal of our presence in Chicago; therefore we shall make an effort to deepen the courses given at CTU and to see how they could apply to the various cultures and Mission context in which we are going to exercise our missionary activity.
5. Religious-Consecrated Life: We have consecrated our lives to God by virtue of the vow of Mission, Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience. Therefore, we shall always try to live happily our religious life and to make choices of life that reflect the vow we have professed. These religious vows are worked out through authentic living out of the evangelical counsels within the US reality, both as a challenge to and a challenge from. Some description of this area are seen in Xaverians who show: commitment to the unique Xaverians project as a lifestyle and ministry choice, cooperative skills and discipline, openness to whole and healthy celibate lifestyle; appreciation of the value in other ministries and lifestyle.

All of these five dimensions of my Xaverian life will be spelled out in more detail in my final paper as my Spritual Formation Program (SFP). Above all, my personal life and my religious-missioner-priesthood life will direct toward the source of love and live that is God. The God as described by Thomas Hart in his book entitled Spiritual Quest, is taking some meanings to its word, God, based on experiences. In my reading and reflection, I was impressed on the God’s meaning as the Object of our deepest longing. In my daily life especially living in the USA, sometimes I feel so deeply longing when I do not have anything to do or many things to do. Apparently, I should give meaning of my loneliness and to be aware of it that when I experience it, it means that I should fulfill it with God not other things that only give me momentarily consolation. I should use to be in emptiness with God. It is a long life process that needs to be practiced in my daily and heartily life.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004. At 8.30 a.m. I met Claude Mary Barbour, my Native American Spirituality professor in her apartment 401 cross of the CTU building. We had an interview about my story and I proposed my presentation project for final exam, that is about Javanese puppet leather and she accepted this planning very well. Whole day long I spent my time just at room to do my reading assignment of Modern Mission History and its paper. In the afternoon all Xaverians priests went to Franklin-Milwaukee to attend our provincial chapter which will last till next week. I had a turn to cook and luckily there were plenty leftover, so I just made them warm in the oven. To reduce my tension of study, I watched television in the night.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004. In the morning at 7.30, we had a morning prayer led by Victor. Again I spent the whole morning till afternoon at my room to do reading assignement and paper of Family Dynamic in which I made Genogram of my family till four generations. I believe that this exercise is very helpful to know myself, my extended family both positive and negative sides. In the afternoon I went to CTU to attend a memorial Mass of Oscar Romero, a bishop who was shot in El Salvador. It was presided by Friar Gilberto, OFM and presented by a lot of people. After the Mass finished, there was a Mexican artist who painted some paintings about Oscar Romero. His name is also Oscar Romero who has lived already in Chicago for 15 years. We concluded our celebration with eating Mexican food, such as tamales and tacos. At 7 p.m., I had a class of Native American Spirituality at Combonian house, located one block from CTU. This time there was a guest named Julia, a South Dakota woman. She seemed like a Chinese or Asian woman. She told her real story being raped as a girl in her board Catholic school in South Dakota. It is such a horrible story that also I read from some of the books about the Indians in the USA. Some of the students who will go to South Dakota kept stay for briefing but I went home directly because I won’t go for this field trip that cost $ 650. I chose not to go because this quarter I have a lot of things to do in my study and also there is another alternative for those who don’t go to this trip will go to Anawim Center at Northside Chicago. I think this place as one possibility of my Ministry Practicum for next year.
Thursday, April 15, 2004. I woke up eralier in the morning about 5.45, took a shower and prayed personally at my room. At 7.15 a.m. I attended a Mass in SCJ theology house on 53rd street. There were about 21 people attending this Mass in the small chapel including five nuns. I met my old friend of ESL program SHST-Milwaukee, Octavio, a Mexican, who still studies English at DePaul University in Chicago. He’s a candidate of SCJ student. Then I went to CTU to attend a class of Issues in Spiritual Formation. At 10 a.m. the class finished since the professor, Friar Gilberto, OFM had a meeting. I made photocopy of this class completely. As I opened my e-mail, I got a sad news that my Xaverian classmates in Indonesia, Didik, will be leaving our Xaverian Society. As his roomate for one year at Cempaka Putih and 6 years being together with him, I felt sorry and keep pray for him and for his new life. I believe my 5 others classmates, namely, Utomo (Parma-Italy), Kadek (Aek Nabara-North Sumatera), Marsel and Emannuel (Philippines) and Dharmawan (Milwaukee-USA) feel the same thing and we keep in touch and pray for him. At noon I called Anawim Center up and I spoke to Sister Patricia, then tomorrow morning I will be going to visit it in order to know the possibility of my Ministry Practicum I for next academic year and for Native American Spirituality class. I read a book of Esther de Waal entitled A Seven-Day Journey with Thomas Merton. In the afternoon I finished my paper of Family Dynamic class. At night after supper, I called Father Laurenzi, sx in Bintaro-Jakarta to greet Happy Easter. At room I was reading the book of David J.Bosch, Transformation Mission, for the Modern Mission History.
Friday, April 16, 2004. Today the weather was very warm, about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In the morning I tried to call Didik (my Xaverian classmated) up in Toasebio-Jakarta and talked to him. He will leave tomorrow toward Semarang having a plan to continue his study for Master Degree in Jogjakarta perhaps. We pray for him and for his new path in his life. At 7.15 I went to SCJ theology house to attend a Mass. At 8 a.m. by CTA I went to Anawim Center, the Center of Indian American Spirituality and stopped by Lawrence Station, Red Line train. The office is located on 4750 North Sheridan, just 2 blocks from Lawrence Station. I met and talked to Maria, Sister Patricia, OSF and Georgiana. They were positively accepting me as their guest and having a nice conversation. Last year they came to our house in Hyde Park for confirmation retreat kid which was led by Father Rocco, sx. I plan to be a volunteer in the celebration of Indian community, namely Pow-pow, which will be held on May 1st at Saint Benedict School and perhaps I will apply this site for my Ministry Practicum I course at CTU for next semester. At 11.45 a.m. I returned home and this time I tried to know where the CTA bus no.15 has last terminal. Now I know where Jackson and 103 Street are. It is South side Chicago where most people living are African American. In the afternoon and night, I read my book of Family Dynamic class for tomorrow, about 80 pages.
Saturday, April 17, 2004. At 9 a.m. I went to SCJ house to attend a Mass which was presided by an SCJ priest from Milwaukee, Father Paul and I saw Father James Bracckin as well. By bicycle I went to CTU for class of Family Dynamic in pastoral care setting (Linda Strozdas) from 11.30 to 2.15 p.m. After ironing my clothes, I got a letter in my mailbox, a grade report from CTU. It’s an addition of another course that I didn’t get a grade but now I get it, that is, Christology and Culture (Robert Schreiter), I got (A). In the afternoon and night I was preparing lesson of confirmation class for tomorrow with the theme: Oil of Salvation. Today also I got a book about Ministry Practicum I sites for next academic year. I should choose three preferences for this class and submit it on May 10. Most likely I will choose social ministry that I never endured before and I will put Anawim Center (Center of Native American Spirituality) as my first choice. Hopefully, I can get this chance eventually. There will be an interview on May 21 and CTU will decide it. At least, I had a previous interview as I visited and talked to Sister Patricia, OSF, as the supervisor of this minstry in her office yesterday.
Sunday, April 18, 2004. Today was very nice day for me at least because of the weather, temperature pointed at 87 degrees Fahrenheit and good experience of minstry in Chinatown. After pray personally at my own room, at 8 a.m. I went to Chinatown by CTA. There was still one hour I spent my time in the rectory with Father Jack, cm, Petrus and Alejandro to have conversation. At 9.30 a.m. I attended a Mass presided by Father Jack, cm, an Indonesian priest, because all of Xaverian priests have meeting in Franklin-Miwaukee till Tuesday. I was teaching 11 kids for confirmation program today. Maybe because there was no Kevin today, so all of them fully paid heed to me. With the theme: Oil of Salvation, I gave them a demonstration about the meaning of this oil as indelible spiritual mark as Christian. I used coin, oil and fire in which oil and fire are symbols of Holy Spirit. They were amazed seeing my arm was put a coin with fire and I covered by a glass then they saw my arm skin was growing reddish. I used this as visual demonstration to explain the indelible of chrism oil they will receive on June 6. Then my skin was little bit marked by the circle of glass and seemed red. In another conversation I read their understanding of the fruits of the Holy Spirit they already wrote on 9 pieces of paper. One of them wrote that the fruit of the LOVE is to kill Osama bin Laden. Then I asked them: is this true that we have to kill someone though she/he was bad? They gave arguments that seemed similar to the opinion of the USA government on mass media: that to kill terrorist is the right way. I challenged them with the Catholic teaching about love one another without violence and the then commandment then they had another argument to put them into court or the rule of law. Actually this is a complicated issue for them but the best thing is that I gave the positive and normative value for their age so that since then they will not have a hatred heart dealing with the sinners or enemy or terrorist. Another thing that was funny is when I told them a story about dog. There is very different treatment to dog between this country, the USA and my country, Indonesia. In here as my experience some people pick the shit of dog when they walk on the street with their dog but in my country people don’t care about dog and we as seminarian kill and dog. Their reaction was getting mad to me as they said: you’re evil. All in all, today I enjoyed the teaching at this class that they learn something about the chrism oil as indelible spiritual mark. At least they saw my a bit crazy demonstration that gave 2 circle marks on my arm. I said don’t do this for your own, it’s enough only for me. It’s only my way to give them explanation about the indelible mark of the chrism oil they will receive. I helped Petrus and some friends to pick some furniture up from one place in Chinatown to our parish Saint Therese. George and his little Matthew treated Petrus and me to eat lunch at a Chinese restaurant then we went to a Sport store in Berwyn and Cicero. They took me home and I arrived home at 5.30 p.m. I was watching and listening to the interview of Father Jack, cm on the Internet in the program of VOA news. At 7 p.m. we had an evening prayer together with community and I shared my great experience of teaching the confirmation kids in Chinatown. I am very grateful to have this good experience.


3) Minggu Paskah ke-2, 18 April 2004
Senin, 12 April, 2004. Hari ini tidak ada kuliah di CTU karena masih liburan paskah. Kami merayakan misa di komunitas pagi hari jam 8 dan sepanjang hari saya mengerjakan tugas paper seperti Isu dalam Formasi Spiritual, Spiritualitas Native Amerika dan Dinamika Keluarga untuk minggu ini.
Selasa, 13 April 2004. Pukul 8.30 pagi saya bertemu dosen Spiritualitas native Amerika yaitu Claude Mary Barbour di apartemen no.401 di depan gedung CTU. Kami berbincang tentang cerita asal usul dan keberadaan saya saat ini dan saya mengajukan usulan untuk memberikan presentasi tentang wayang kulit untuk ujian akhir saya dan nampaknya dia menerimanya dengan baik; saya berikan tiga miniatur wayang kulit padanya dan dia senang sekali. Sepanjang hari ini saya berdiam di kamar saya sendiri mengerjakan tugas bacaan dan paper Sejarah Misi Modern. Sore hari semua pastor Xaverian pergi ke komunitas SX di Franklin-Milwaukee untuk mengikuti provincial chapter selama seminggu penuh. Sore hari saya punya giliran masak untuk komunitas dan untunglah ada sisa makanan masih banyak jadi saya tinggal memanaskannya di oven. Untuk mengurangi sedikit kejenuhan dan ketegangan saya menonton televisi di malam hari, yang biasanya memang saya jarang sekali nonton.
Rabu, 14 April 2004. Pagi hari pukul 7.30 kami mengadakan doa pagi besama komunitas yang dipimpin oleh Victor. Sekali lagi saya gunakan waktu saya untuk berdiam di kamar untuk membaca Sejarah Misi Modern dan mengerjakan paper untuk kuliah Dinamika Keluarga dengan membuat Genogram yaitu silsilah keluarga saya sendiri hingga empat generasi. Saya percaya bahwa latihan ini sungguh berguna untuk mengenal dan mengetahui diri saya sendiri dan juga keluarga besar saya dengan segala kebaikan dan keburukannya. Sore hari saya pergi ke CTU untuk menghadiri misa memperingati Uskup Oscar Romero, uskup El Salvador yang wafat ditembak saat konsekrasi dalam misa kudus. Misa ini dipimpin oleh Pastor Gilberto, OFM dan dihadiri oleh cukup banyak orang. Setelah selesai misa, ada seorang artis pelukis asal Mexico yang bernama juga Oscar Romero yang memamerkan lukisannya tentang Oscar Romero. Ia sudah sejak 15 tahun lalu tinggal di Chicago. Acara ditutup dengan santap malam yaitu makanan Mexico seperti tamales dan tacos. Pukul 7 malam saya ada kuliah Spiritualitas Native Amerika di rumah Combonian sekitar satu blok dari CTU. Kali ini ada seorang tamu bernama Julia, seorang wanita asal South Dakota. Ia nampak seperti orang China atau Asia. Ia bercerita tentang kisah nyatanya ditindas dan dianiaya ketika masih gadis di sekolah Katolik di South Dakota. Cerita yang mengerikan ini juga saya baca di buku-buku kuliah ini tentang nasib suku Indian di Amerika ini. Beberapa mahasiswa tetap tinggal setelah kuliah selesai untuk briefing perjalanan ke South Dakota tgl. 3-8m Mei nanti, dan saya pulang segera karena saya memilih untuk tidak pergi untuk field trip yang membutuhkan biaya sekitar 650 US dollar, karena banyak tugas kuliah di musim semi ini juga karena ada pilihan lain yaitu bagi mereka yang tidak pergi ke South Dakota akan pergi ke Anawim Center yang terletak di Utara Chicago. Saya juga berpikir bahwa tempat ini sebagai salah satu pilihan untuk kuliah Ministry Practicum I untuk tahun ajaran mendatang.
Kamis, 15 April 2004. Saya bangun lebih awal di pagih hari sekitar 5.45 lalu mandi dan berdoa pribadi di kamar. Pukul 7.15 saya pergi ikut misa di rumah teologi SCJ di 53rd street. Ada 21 orang yang mengikuti misa ini termasuk kelima suster biarawati. Dalam misa ini saya bertemu teman lama saya yaitu Octavio asal Mexico yang masih studi bahasa Inggris sekarang ini di DePaul University-Chicago. Ia adalah calon frater SCJ. Kemudian saya pergi ke CTU untuk ikut kuliah Isu dalam Formasi Spiritual. Pukul 10 pagi kuliah selesai karena dosennya, Pastor Gilberto, OFM mengikuti pertemuan. Saya memfotokopi bahan kuliah ini hingga lengkap. Ketika saya membuka e-mail saya mendapat e-mail dari Frater Didik yang memberitahukan berita duka bagi saya bahwa ia akan keluar dari SX, yaitu Frater Didik, teman sekamar saya selama setahun di Wisma Xaverian Cempaka Putih-Jakarta dan teman sekelas saya di Serikat Xaverian selama 6 tahun. Saya merasa agak kehilangan dan sedih mengetahui hal ini dan terus tetap berdoa baginya dan jalan hidup barunya nanti. Saya percaya bahwa kelima teman sekelas kami yaitu Utomo (Parma-Italia), Kadek (Aek Nabara, Sumut), Marsel dan Emanuel (Philipina), dan Dharmawan (Milwaukee-USA) merasakan hal yang sama dan kami tetap berdoa dan kontak dengannya. Saya coba telepon dia di Toasebio tapi dia lagi pergi ke Cengkareng. Siang hari saya menelpon ke Anawim Center dan saya bicara dengan Suster Patricia, lalu saya berencana untuk mengunjungi kantor ini besok pagi untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut kemungkinan bagi saya di tahun ajaran mendatang sebagai lahan kerasulan dan matakuliah Ministry Practicum I dan juga untuk kuliah Spiritualitas Native Amerika. Saya membaca sebuah buku karangan Esther de Waal berjudul 7 Hari Perjalanan bersama Thomas Merton. Sore hari saya menyelesaikan paper saya untuk kuliah Dinamika Keluarga untuk hari Sabtu ini. Malam hari saya menelpon Pastor Laurenzi di Bintaro untuk mengucapkan Selamat Paskah. Di kamar saya membaca buku David J. Bosch, Transformasi Misi untuk kuliah Sejarah Misi Modern.
Jumat, 16 April 2004. Hari ini cuaca cukup hangat, sekitar 80 derajat Fahrenheit. Pagi hari saya coba menelpon Didk (teman sekelasku di Xaverian) di paroki Toasebio-Jakarta dan sempat berbicara dengannya. Ia akan meninggalkan paroki Toasebio dan Xaverian menuju Semarang dan kemungkinan berencana untuk melanjutkan studi Master di Yogyakarta. Kita berdoa untuk Didik dan perjalanan hidup barunya. Pukul 7.15 pagi saya ikut misa di kapel rumah SCJ. Pukul 8 pagi saya pergi ke Anawim Center (Pusat Spiritualitas Indian Amerika) dengan bus dan kereta umum, CTA namanya (Red Line). Saya behenti di stasiun Lawrence dan pergi ke kantor Anawim di 4750 North Sheridan, hanya dua blok dari stasiun ini. Saya bertemu dan berbincang dengan Maria, Suster Patricia, OSF, dan Georgiana. Mereka secara positif menerima kedatangan saya sebagai tamu mereka dengan percakapan mengenai diri saya dan program yang ada di Anawim Center ini. Tahun lalu mereka pernah pergi ke rumah teologi kami di Hyde Park untuk program retret calon penerima sakramen krisma anak-anak yang dipimpin oleh Pastor Rocco, sx, rektor saya di Xaverian ini. Saya berencana untuk untuk menjadi volunteer dalam perayaan yang bernama Pow-pow, perayaan komunitas suku Indian di Amerika ini yang akan diadakan tanggal 1 Mei nanti di sekolah Santo Benediktus dan kemungkinan saya akan mengajukan diri untuk menjalankan Ministry Practicum I sebagai matakuliah CTU untuk tahun ajaran mendatang selama setahun penuh di Anawim Center ini. Pukul 11.45 pagi saya kembali pulang ke rumah di Hyde Park dan kali ini saya mencoba untuk mengetahui di manakah bis CTA nomor 15 berhenti di terminal terakhir. Sekarang saya tahu terminal akhir CTA di Jackson dan 103 Street yang terletak di sebelah Selatan Chicago di mana kebanyakan orang Afrika-Amerika (negro) tinggal. Sore dan malam hari saya membaca buku untuk kuliah Dinamika Keluarga untuk kuliah besok siang.
Sabtu, 17 April 2004. Pukul 9 pagi saya pergi ke rumah SCJ untuk ikut misa yang dipimpin oleh Pastor Paul dari Milwaukee dan saya juga bertemu Pastor James Bracckin, SCJ, juga dari Milwaukee. Akhirnya saya bisa berbicara dengan Sheila Bachri lewat telepon, yaitu anak Ibu Albertine, umat Katolik di Bintaro-Jakarta, setelah sekian lama berusaha untuk menghubunginya namun selalu tidak ada. Meskipun saya belum pernah bertemu dia, tapi karena Ibunya, yaitu Ibu Albertine, pemilik salon di dekat gereja Bintaro ini memberikan alamat anaknya sebelum saya ke USA tahun 2002 lalu. Kabarnya dia baru saja menikah dengan orang Amerika dan dia sudah di Boston sejak tahun 1997. Dengan bersepeda saya pergi ke CTU untuk ikut kuliah Dinamika Keluarga dalam setting pastoral konseling (dosennya Linda Strozdas) dihadiri sekitar 11 mahasiswa dari jam 11.30 hingga 2.15. Setelah menyeterika baju saya mendapat surat dalam kotak surat saya yaitu laporan nilai untuk musim dingin lalu dari CTU. Ini sebagai pelengkap surat serupa sebelumnya untuk melengkapi nilai Kristologi dan Kebudayaan (dosennya: Robert Schreiter) dan saya mendapat nilai (A). Sore dan malam hari saya mempersiapkan bahan pengajaran untuk anak-anak calon penerima krisma besok dengan tema kali ini: Minyak keselamatan. Hari ini juga saya mendapatkan buku panduan dari CTU tentang tempat-tempat untuk kuliah Ministry Practicum I untuk tahun ajaran mendatang. Saya harus memilih tiga alternatif untuk menentukan tempat kerasulan dari CTU ini dan harus menyerahkannya tanggal 10 Mei nanti. Saya sudah memastikan diri untuk memilih bidang karya kerasulan sosial karena memang saya belum pernah mengalaminya dan saya akan memilih Anawim Center (Pusat Spiritualitas Native Amerika), sebuah lembaga di bawah naungan Keuskupan Agung Chicago sebagai pilihan pertama saya. Semoga saja, saya dapat mendapatkan kesempatan ini nantinya. Akan ada wawancara dengan supervisor masing-masing tempat kerasulan ini nanti tgl 21 Mei dan hasilnya CTU yang akan menentukan tempat kerasulanku selama setahun ke depan. Setidaknya saya sudah bertemu dan diinterview oleh Suster Patricia, OSF, supervisor Anawim Center ini kemarin saat saya mengunjungi kantornya.
Minggu, 18 April 2004. Hari ini sungguh hari yang sangat indah bagi saya pribadi setidaknya karena cuaca yang sungguh hangat cenderung panas seperti Jakarta dengan suhu sekitar 87 derajat Fahrenheit, yah sekitar 24 an Celsiuslah juga karena saya memiliki pengalaman indah dan mengesankan di Chinatown. Setelah doa pagi pribadi di kamar saya sendiri, saya pergi ke gereja Santa Theresia di Chinatown dengan bus dan kereta CTA, berangkat pukul 8 pagi. Masih ada sisa satu jam saya duduk di pastoran berbincang dengan Romo Jack, cm dan Petrus serta Alejandro. Pukul 9.30 saya ikut misa yang dipersembahkan oleh Romo Jack, cm, romo asal Indonesia yang membantu misa di gereja ini sementara para pastor Xaverian sedang ada pertemuan selama seminggu di Franklin-Milwaukee hingga Selasa depan. Saya sendirian mengajar ke-11 anak calon penerima sakramen Krisma hari ini dari jam 1045-11.45. Kemungkinan besar karena hari ini Kevin si murid yang selalu bikin ribut di kelas tidak hadir, maka semua murid cukup memperhatikan dengan penuh pada pengajaran yang saya sampaikan. Dengan tema: Minyak Keselamatan, saya memberikan pada mereka suatu demonstrasi kecil yang menunjukkan arti minyak krisma sebagai tanda spiritual yang tidak terhapuskan sebagai orang Katolik pengikut Kristus. Saya menggunakan sebuah uang logam, api dan minyak serta sebagai lambang Roh Kudus. Mereka sangat heran melihat kulit kedua lengan saya saya letakkan sebuah coin yang sudah dibungkus kain dan dilumuri minyak goreng dan dibakar dengan api lalu setelah agak panas sedikit saya tutup dengan sebuah gelas maka mereka menyaksikan lengan saya membengkak dan memerah sedikit. Saya memakai cara ini sebagai cara yang bisa nampak bagi mereka untuk menjelaskan minyak krisma yang merupakan tanda rohani tidak terhapuskan dalam sakramen krisma yang akan mereka terima tgl 6 Juni nanti. Maka kulit lengan saya sedikit bertandakan lingkaran gelas dan kemerah-merahan. Ini khan salah satu pengobatan alternatif di Indonesia ketika orang merasa sakit dan masuk angin, jelasku. Pada bagian lain saya membaca pendapat mereka tentang buah-buah Roh Kudus yang sudah mereka tulis di 9 carik kertas yang sudah mereka tulis beberapa minggu lalu. Salah satu dari mereka menulis: KASIH adalah membunuh Osama bin Laden. Lalu saya bertanya dan menantang mereka: apakah ini sungguh benar bahwa kita harus membunuh seseorang meskipun orang itu sungguh sangat jahat? Mereka memberikan argumen yang nampaknya serupa dengan pendapat pemerintah USA dalam media massa: bahwa membunuh teroris itu adalah perbuatan yang bisa dianggap benar. Saya menantang mereka dengan ajaran Katolik tentang cinta kasih satu sama lain tanpa kekerasan dan 10 perintah Allah kemudian mereka memiliki argumen lain agar menyerahkan para penjahat itu kepada pengadilan atau peraturan yang ada. Sebenarnya hal ini cukup rumit bagi saya apalagi bagi mereka namun hal yang terbaik adalah saya memberikan makna dan nilai positif dan normatif bagi anak-anak seusia mereka sehingga mereka nantinya tidak memiliki hati yang penuh kebencian berhadapan dengan orang berdosa, bersalah, musuh dan bahkan teroris. Hal lain yang cukup lucu adalahketika saya bercerita pada mereka tentang perbedaan perlakuan orang terhadap anjing di USA dan di Indonesia. Di USA ini sesuai pengalaman saya melihat orang-orang yang memiliki anjing sebagai hewan piaraan, mereka seakan seperti budak anjing yang harus memungut kotoran anjing di jalan dengan kantong plastik namun di negara saya Indonesia orang kebanyakan tidak peduli dengan anjing bahkan kami para seminaris membunuh, memasak dan makan daging anjing. Reaksi mereka sungguh marah pada saya mengatakan: kamu jahat. Kesimpulan atas semua pengalaman ini bagi saya: hari ini saya sangat menikmati rahmat yang diberikan Tuhan secara khusus ini terutama saya menikmati pengajaran yang saya berikan pada anak-anak dan mereka belajar sesuatu tentang makna minyak krisma sebagai tanda rohani yang tidak terhapuskan. Setidaknya mereka sudah menyaksikan langsung demonstrasi saya yang agak sedikit bisa dibilang ‘gila dan aneh’ dengan demonstrasi koin dan api yang memberikan dua tanda lingkaran pada kedua lengan saya. Saya bilang pada mereka agar tidak melakukan hal ini, cukup saya sendiri saja sebagai cara saya sendiri untuk mereka agar mereka mengerti makna minyak krisma sebagai tanda tak terhapuskan ketika mereka menerima sakramen ini nanti. Hal lain: siang hari saya membantu Petrus dan teman-teman lain mengangkut perabot dari sebuah tempat di Chinatown untuk paroki Santa Theresia. George dan anak kecilnya Matthew mentraktir saya dan Petrus untuk makan siang di sebuah restauran Cina di Chinatown kemudian saya ikut mereka ke toko alat olah raga di Berwyn dan Cicero, sebelah Barat Chicago. Mereka mengantar saya pulang ke rumah di Hyde Park dan sampai rumah sekitar 5.30 sore. Saya melihat dan mendengarkan dari Internet sebuah tayangan interview Romo Jack, cm, dalam program VOA news. Pukul 7 petang kami berdoa sore bersama komunitas dan saya mensharingkan pengalaman indah saya mendampingi anak-anak di Chinatown hari ini. Saya sungguh bersyukur atas segala pengalaman baik yang saya terima hari ini.