FEBRUARY 2004

FEBRUARY 2004

1. 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 01, 2004

I live in this world because of
manifestation of God’s love and
to participate in God’s loving-kindness (St. Bonaventure).

On Monday, January 26, we had a mass in the morning at 7.15 which was presided by Father Ken, sx. In the evening, Syafa and her son, Hasnan came to our house to meet Father Lupo. I took Chinese food from Nicky’s restaurant for our supper in the community because nobody cooked on that day. After supper, I took them to their house on foot.
On Wednesday, I had a class in the night, Christology and Culture. This time, the professor, Robert Schreiter was not present because he assigned another professor, Scott Alexander to explain about Jesus in Islam. For me, nothing was new from this lecture about Jesus. He entitled his lecture, Jesus the muslim. (m)uslim (with little m) means that somebody who does the will of God. Therefore all of us who are doing the God’s will can be named muslim with this general meaning. But, the (M)uslim (with capital M) is meant to the religion, Islam. In the beginning of the class, I submitted my paper, the first exercise about the image of Jesus. At 9.45 p.m. the lecture finished and luckily Adrian, my Xaverian confrere came to CTU by a car, so we (Victor, Alexis, Alejandro, and I) went home with him. The weather in that night was so cold.
On Thursday evening, all of us as Xaverian theology community went to the Combonian theology house to celebrate mass at 6 p.m. The Combonian invited Xaverian and Scalabrinian to this event. I counted there were about 47 people attending this friendship among missionaries congregation. The Combonian has 18 students, Scalabrinian 12 and Xaverian 7. In the beginning of mass, we introduced ourselves. Father Rocco,sx, the Xaverian rector was the only North American among us and the rest were from Italy, Latin America , Africa and I the only Asian. After having supper together and hospitality, we (Fahters Rino and Lupo, Chuy, Adrian and I) returned home. The weather outside was so cold, most likely below zero Fahrenheit.
On Friday morning after mass and breakfast, soon I went to CTU to attend a workshop about lector. It was given by Father Bayuk. There were about 25 students attending this two-hour training. One thing that impressed me was that he has experience that most of lectors are not well prepared. He could predict that somebody is preparing the reading or not from the way of his or her reading. He mentioned that most likely the lectors read too fast and not from their hearts; he almost never experienced someone reads too slow. At the end of this training, he invited two volunteers to read a scripture, one a Native English-American speaker, and another a Haitian student. After reading several times, they could improve their reading much better. At least from this training, there is an insight that I should prepare and practice the reading before the day and be slowly, attentive to read so that the listener can catch up the word of the Lord. One funny thing he mentioned that made all of us laughed was a lector in a parish where he had mass did mispronouncing the word ‘Gentile’ to be ‘genital’. He added that most probably if someone has mispronunciation of a certain word, he/she doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
Still on Friday, in the afternoon I went to CTU to meet an Indonesian nun, Sister Betty, FMM. She lives at 7th floor of CTU building. At 4.40 p.m. Mateus, svd drove us to the SVD theology house to have Lunar New Year mass at 5.15 p.m. Many people came to this event; most of them were from CTU and Vietnamese. After mass, we had supper and we met an SSpS sister from Flores who lives in Chicago as well. At 6.50 p.m. Mateus, svd dropped us home. Once again we’re lucky because we could avoid the cold weather with the kindness and generosity of Mateus, svd who willing to drop us.
On Friday evening, 7.30 to 9.15 p.m. we had a last meeting, our Xaverian theology community with Fathers Lupo and Rino. We’re grateful to have and welcome them during these days.
On Saturday morning at 7.15, we had a mass presided by Father Rino as conclusion of their (with Father Lupo) visit to our community. Both of them returned to Rome-Italy in the afternoon. I had a class in the morning, Pastoral Care, in the room 214 because the courtyard was used for a lecture. In the practicing of this counseling of my group, I got a mistake as a helper. I couldn’t understand the word ‘better off’ that came up from the helpee, so the rest I confused and misinterpreted. After class, I still stayed at CTU preparing my first oral exam of Origin and Eschatology. At 1.30 p.m. I went up to 6th floor to meet the professor of Origin and Eschatology, Zachary Hayes, OFM. It was my first experience having oral exam at CTU. It made me bit nervous. It’s about creation. I realized that I couldn’t speak fluently answering the questions, and fortunately the professor was so kind, he could understand me. After 20 minutes having conversation, I said, “I’m sorry that my English is not good”, then he hugged me saying, “It’s OK, I could understand and I also had such experience when I studied in German”; I could feel that he was full of compassion and fatherness. He got his doctoral degree in 1960’s in German. He reminds me the kindness, humility and generosity of an OFM professor in Indonesia, Martin Harun. It symbolized the loving kindness of God which was implemented to him. With the oral exam, I did read the books several times to grasp the meaning of the course. Most probably, if I don’t have oral exam, I just read the books once. The style of this exam is rather different with oral exam in Indonesia. In here, the professor asked about my understanding, so not merely the knowledge of the books but also my experience. I could mention my question and having discussion during the oral exam. I told him that when I was a kind, in the 5th grade of elementary school, I had question on myself, “Why and what for do I live in this world?” In that time also, I was thinking that I didn’t want have a religion because the high science which will find some new live from outer space will distract the religions. The religions will not exist anymore. I tended to be atheist. My doubt was answered by this course: I live in this world because of manifestation of God’s love and to participate in God’s loving-kindness (St. Bonventure).
On Sunday morning after having breakfast and prayer personally, I went to RSCJ sister house, just 5 minutes walking from the Xaverian house, to meet Sister Jane who drove me to Chinatown. I am lucky because she helps us to teach our confirmation class for children in Saint Therese Parish so every week I have a colleague to accompany me to do this ministry. We went to the parish by a new-red-metallic car then had a mass at 9.30 a.m. From 11 to 12 a.m. I was attending the confirmation class which was attended by all of the children, 12, and this time Sister Jane taught them about the Creed on God almighty creator of heaven and earth. Next week I will take my turn to envoy the topic about our Lord Jesus Christ. One thing that impressed me from this class was the children could be silent, obey, and pay attention to the teaching of the sister. Hopefully, next week they will be the same like today. I believe with the attendance of Sister Jane among us, the children are more respectful to our teaching.



2. 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 8, 2004
On Monday, February 2, at noon I had a class of Origin and eschatology. Today I got $ 80,- from Father Rocco as usual for February and I gave him my money report of January. In the afternoon I did my pastoral care homework. I got an e-mail from Babka, the professor of problem of God. She gave me an-A for my grade in this course after she received my paper that I sent by post a couple of days ago and corrected it. Thank God for this grace and her kindness. Actually, I’m not worthy to receive this goodness.
On Tuesday, February 3, in the morning we had a mass presided by Father Pascal and Father Rocco headed to Franklin – Milwaukee for provincial meeting. At noon I had a liturgy class at CTU. During the lunch, I had time to chat to Adrian. I was busy doing my book review paper of liturgy class.
On Wednesday, February 4, at noon I had a class of Origin and eschatology with second section, Sin and Evil. It was finished and next week we will enter the last section, namely, Eschatology. It means that I have to do the second oral exam with the second section, sin and evil during next days. After siesta, at 3 p.m. I started to cook. For the first time I tried an Indonesian ingredient, ‘opor ayam’ (a kind of chicken with instant coconut). After supper, Victor invited me to call Setyawan up in Mexico. Before called him, we called Maryono up in Mexico City. He said that we can call Setyawan in Guadalajara. Maryono said that he would go to Guadalajara to visit Setyawan for 2 or 3 days. I was glad that I could talk to Setyawan in Guadalajara. Even though he is very sick but his voice still has an optimistic and happy sign. On the name of my Xaverian community theology in Chicago, I envoy our support and prayer. I thank to Victor who suggested this initiative. In his suffering of leukemia, he is able to give up to the will of God what is going to happen to him he is ready to accept it while we pray for his health. In the night I did my paper of liturgy.
On Thursday, February 5, at noon I had a class of liturgy which was held by Gil Ostdiek, OFM. His lecture was about the history of church architecture. At noon I got a letter from CTU, a grade report. It gave me consolation because the course of problem of God by Babka was given a grade since before it’s incomplete. Thank God she gave me an A. At 5 p.m. in the chapel we had a holy hour which guided by Chuy with special intention: vocation of Xaverian and Setyawan who is sick in Guadalajara – Mexico. There were some guests who joined this prayer, namely, Father Herondi, Father Annielo, Father Adolph, a sister from Africa who studies at CTU and Therese from CTU as well. In the night at 7.45 till 9.30 p.m. we had a community meeting. This time Father Herondi and Father Annielo shared about their meeting in Guadalajara – Mexico at the end of January 2004. They attended the Xaverian mission animation meeting together with other Xaverian from Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. It seems that only the USA Xaverian province as of now the Xaverians don’t have new vocation from this country. Even though it’s difficult but we still have optimistic effort which should be done by all Xaverians both priests and students
On Friday, February 6, morning, we had a mass presided by Father Herondi, sx. After breakfast, he continued his animation mission to Cleveland - Ohio. All morning I spent time to do my paper of Liturgy. After having supper which was cooked by Adrian, in my room we (Victor, Adrian and I) were chatting and sharing about my experience while they saw my pictures in photo albums. In the night I had a conversation in the computer room with Alexis who asked me about Indonesia and Xaverian mission in Indonesia. Even though I feel don’t have formal time in my community to share to them but from this informal conversation fraternally, I can share about myself and know the others.
On Saturday, February 7, after mass which was presided by Father Pascal, I went to CTU for Pastoral Care class. We submitted the first paper of this class. Today the weather is not so cold, but snowing. When I had lunch, suddenly three guys from Milwaukee, namely, Ignas, Wawan and Pascal came in to visit us. They had a fieldtrip with their English school watching a concert in downtown Chicago in the afternoon then they will return to Milwaukee in the evening. After having lunch, they were dropped by Alejandro in downtown. Waking up from siesta, Adrian, my Xaverian confrere, offered me a used computer and of course I accepted delightfully. He got the used computer from someone and repaired it. Since a couple of weeks I have dreamt having a personal computer in my room and I have prepared a small table for it. With the kindness of my Xaverian confrere, Adrian, my dream accomplished. He told me I can have it free of charge. With this computer, now, I can type my weekly journal faster than ever because I will write down my daily activity on the day without procrastinate till weekend. In addition, I can type my homework or paper from my study at CTU in my room with the music. Thank God for this grace and for the loving kindness of my oldest confrere (student) in my community. In the afternoon at 6 p.m., we (Alexis, Alejandro, Victor and I) went to Chinese New Year Party which was held by Saint Therese School-Chinatown at Furama restaurant. There were some dances from the Elementary School students. In this event I met a General Consulate of Indonesia in Chicago, Mr. Pasaribu and his wife. The party ended at 9.45 p.m. and we returned home by van car. In the night I prepared a teaching for confirmation class in my room with the topic Jesus is the son of the God.
On Sunday February 8, after personal prayer at my room, I invited Alejandro who wanted to go to Saint Therese church to join me together with Sister Jane. We went to RSCJ house then picked Sister Betty, FM up at CTU. After mass at 9.30 in Cantonese, I taught confirmation class as usual. Sister Jane helped to explain the lesson I have prepared, Jesus the Son of God. Even though there was still one boy who made nuisance, but generally they had willingness to learn. They were 12 children coming today. After this teaching finished at ten to twelve a.m., I went to Indonesian mass which was already in the middle. We continued with hospitality and lunch at basement as usual. There were about 50 people coming to this mass. The choir group which consisted of three SVD Indonesia students and one Philippines and some others from Southside was great. At 2 p.m. I took Sister Betty to Chinese stores but unluckily she couldn’t get an Indonesian food she wants. Then we went home by red line train and bus no. 15 stopping at my Xaverian house in Hyde Park. I invited her to come to our house and introduce her to some of Xaverian students. Finally, I accompanied her to CTU where she lives for sabbatical program till May. In the afternoon I can enjoy my room with new tool, a set of used computer, which I use for writing this journal while I listen to the classical music of CD.

“We are shaped by those who love us
and by those who refuse to love us”



3) 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, February 15, 2004
Monday, February 9, 2004. After woke up at 6.15 in the morning and took a shower, I watered the plants in the chapel. Mass presided by Father Rocco was begun at 7.15 in which I was in charge of the prayer and lector. At noon, 11.30 – 12.45, I had class at CTU, the Eschatology which gave me insight that God is our final place (Augustine) and relation between futurology toward eschatology. In the evening I spent my time in my room, reading liturgy courses for tomorrow, listening to classical music, reading Christology books, and writing this journal. My room seems lighter than before especially after I put 2 new-75-watt-bulb that help my sight a lot to read the books.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004. In the morning I read news about the sudden death of the Xaverian provincial of the Republic of Democratic Congo, Simone Vavassori, sx in age 67 years old. We pray for him, his family and Xaverian missionaries in Congo. At noon I had liturgy class in which I learned time line of revised Latin mass since Second Vatican Council till now. There are many and often changes and translations into American English of it. It seems that the translation of American English is important for other vernaculars in the world. At the end of this class, I submitted my book review paper entitled Worship and Spirituality by Don E. Saliers. In the afternoon I read some Christology books that I haven’t read yet. In the night I got phone call from New York, an Indonesian friend, namely, Slamet.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004. The mass in the morning was intended for a Xaverian priest in Congo who just died yesterday, namely, Simone Vavassori. Some of us who knows him gave sharing to us. Since three weeks I didn’t do body exercise, so I tried to do it again, just 30 minutes enough for me. I had class of Eschatology at noon. In the evening I attended the Christology and Culture class by Robert Schreiter. I got back the first exercise paper about the image of Jesus.
Thursday, February 12, 2004. I read an article of Liturgy course entitled Women in the Bible and the Lectionary by Ruth Fox, OSB. It’s interesting because from her feminist point of view, she points out many evidences of the bible pertaining to women are omitted in the lectionary. Unluckily, it wasn’t discussed in our class today. When I asked of my classmate, an American lady, her reaction was quite mad and she never knew before. In the afternoon we had an adoration to holy sacrament, holy hour which was guided by Jacques. Once again we prayed for a Xaverian priest who died in Congo a couple of days ago, Simone Vavassori. In the evening after supper, we had a community meeting as usual.
Friday, February 13, 2004. In the morning after lectio divina together, I cleaned the 2nd and 3rd floor, chapel and bathroom. In the afternoon Victor took me to CTU to attending a mass in the Passionist chapel at 8th floor. After supper, Victor invited me to go to Syafa’s house together with Adrian dropping some food that she bought this morning. We stopped at CTU for a moment then returned home. I read my reading assignment of pastoral care class for tomorrow morning. In the night I ironed my clothes as usual I do once a week. In the midnight I called my youngest brother up in Ponorogo-East Java. I was very glad listening to his great enthusiasm in his own work, running motor service station which seems more growing and put it in his total faith in Jesus who he believed in his Christian religion (Bethany).
Saturday, February 14, 2004. Today is the feast of Valentine Day, nevertheless there’s nothing special; we don’t celebrate it. Since the heater of our house didn’t work, the morning cold attacked me in the chapel during mass and in the afternoon it worked again after somebody fixed it up. Luckily, I have an electric heater that I bought last year so my room was quite warm. After breakfast “chocolate-cookies-sandwich”, I had pastoral care class at CTU from 8.30 to 11.15 a.m. First session we practiced in triad as helper, helpee and observer. The second one we watched a video entitled Broken Vows, illustrating the domestic violence in which the women were victimized and battered by their husbands. At the end of the class we received our papers. In the afternoon I did my homework of liturgy paper, namely, annotated bibliography of three chapters from three sources. It entailed me to be patient on reading, understanding, and writing down. It was done in the night. I was glad to have a new stato del personale (2004) and i saveriani, a Xaverian magazine from Rome. I read them as intermezzo doing my liturgy homework.
Sunday, February 15, 2004. I went to Chinatown church with Sister Jane, RSCJ by her car, having mass at 8.30 in which Petrus preached homily. In the confirmation class, Petrus taught about Holy Spirit. I returned home earlier by CTA train and bus because I had to cook this afternoon. I cooked as usual: rice, rendang, fried fish, crackers and tom yup soup. The temperature in the house is rather hot since the heater now works too much.
“To love and to be loved as a human being give a highest meaning in our life”.

3. Hari Minggu Biasa ke-6, 15 Februari 2004.

Senin, 9 Februari 2004. Setelah bangun tidur pukul 6.15 pagi dan mandi, saya menyirami tanaman di kapel. Misa dipersembahkan oleh Pastor Rocco dimana saya bertugas memimpin doa dan menjadi lektor. Siang hari saya ikut kuliah di CTU, yaitu Eskatologi yang memberikan pencerahan bagi saya bahwa ‘Allah adalah tempat terakhir kita’ (Agustinus) dan hubungan antara futurology dengan eskatologi. Malam hari saya guanakan waktu saya berdiam diri di kamar, membaca buku-buku dari matakuliah liturgi untuk kuliah besok, mendengarkan musik klasik, membaca buku-buku Kristologi dan menulis jurnal ini. Kamar tidur saya nampak lebih terang daripada sebelumnya khususnya setelah saya pasang dua lampu pijar 75 watt baru yang sangat membantu penglihatanku dalam membaca buku.
Selasa, 10 Februari 2004. Pada pagi hari saya membaca berita duka tentang kematian mendadak seorang provinsial Xaverian di Congo, yaitu Simone Vavassori, sx dalam usia 67 tahun. Kita berdoa untuknya, keluarga yang ditinggalkannya juga misionaris Xaverian di Congo. Siang hari saya kuliah liturgi di mana saya belajar kurun waktu misa Latin yang direvisi sejak Konsili Vatikan II hingga sekarang. Ada banyak dan sering kali perubahan dan terjemahan ke dalam bahasa Inggris Amerika. Nampaknya terjemahan ke dalam bahasa Inggris Amerika ini cukup penting untuk bahasa-bahasa lokal lain di dunia (bahasa Inggris jadi pedoman untuk terjemahan ke dalam bahasa lain selain bahasa Latin). Pada akhir kelas saya menyerahkan tugas paper book review yang berjudul Worship and Spirituality oleh Don E. Saliers. Sore hari saya membaca buku-buku untuk bahan kuliah Kristologi yang belum sempat terbaca. Malam hari saya mendapat telepon dari New York, yaitu seorang teman Indonesia, Slamet.
Rabu, 11 Februari 2004. Saat misa pagi hari kami berdoa secara khusus untuk seorang misionaris Xaverian di Congo yang baru saja meninggal kemarin, yaitu Simone Vavassori. Beberapa dari kami yang mengenal beliau membagikan sharing tentang dia. Sudah sejak tiga minggu ini saya tidak melakukan olah raga atau jogging, maka saya mencoba melakukannya lagi, hanya 30 menit sudah cukup bagi saya. Saya mempunyai kuliah Eskatologi di siang hari dan malam hari Kristologi dan Kebudayaan yang dosennya adalah Robert Schreiter. Ia membagikan kembali paper latihan pertama yang sudah diserahkan dua minggu lalu tentang image Yesus.
Kamis, 12 Februari 2004. Saya membaca sebuah artikel dari kuliah liturgi yang berjudul Wanita dalam Kitab Suci dan Lectionary (bacaan Kitab Suci dalam misa) yang ditulis oleh Ruth Fox, OSB. Tulisan ini menarik karena dari pandangan feminis penulis, ia menunjukkan banyak bukti dari Kitab Suci yang menyangkut wanita dihilangkan dalam bacaan misa. Sayangnya hal ini tidak didiskusikan dalam kelas hari ini. Ketika saya bertanya kepada sorang teman wanita Amerika, reaksinya agak marah (waktu membaca artikel ini) dan ia tidak pernah mengetahui hal ini sebelumnya. Sore hari kami mengadakan adorasi pada sakramen mahakudus yang dipandu oleh Jacques (seorang frater dari Congo). Sekali lagi kami berdoa bagi seorang imam Xaverian yang meninggal beberapa hari lalu yaitu Simone Vavassori. Malam hari setelah makan malam seperti biasa kami mengadakan pertemuan komunitas.
Jumat, 13 Februari 2004. Pagi hari setelah lectio divnia (renungan kitab suci) bersama, saya membersihkan lantai dua dan tiga, kapel dan kamar mandi. Sore hari Victor mengantar saya ke CTU untuk mengikuti misa sore jam 5 di kapel Pasionis di lantai 8. Setelah makan malam, saya diajak Victor ke rumah Mbak Syafa bersama dengan Adrian juga mengantar bahan belanjaan makanan yang dia beli pagi ini. Kami berhenti sejenak di CTU lalu pulang kembali ke rumah. Saya membaca tugas bacaan untuk kelas pastoral care buat kuliah besok pagi. Malam harinya saya menyeterika baju seperti biasa kulakukan seminggu sekali. Pada tengah malam saya menelpon adik bungsu saya di Ponorogo-Jawa Timur. Saya sungguh gembira mendengarkan semangatnya yang besar dalam pekerjaannya sendiri, bengkel sepeda motor yang nampaknya semakin berkembang dan ia menyerahkan usahanya ini pada imannya secara total kepada Yesus yang ia yakini dalam agama Kristen (Bethany).
Sabtu, 14 Februari, 2004. Hari ini adalah pesta hari Valentine, namun demikian tak ada acara khusus, kami tidak merayakannya. Karena pemanas ruangan di rumah ini tidak hidup, dinginnya pagi hari sungguh menyerangku di kapel selama misa pagi dan di sore hari pemanas hidup lagi setelah diperbaiki oleh seseorang. Untungnya, saya memiliki sebuah pemanas elektronik di ruangan sehingga kamarku cukup hangat. Setelah sarapan dengan menuku sendiri “sandwich coklat dan biskuit”, saya menghadiri kuliah pastoral care di CTU dari jam 8.30 hingga 11.15. Bagian pertama kelas ini kami mengadakan latihan konseling dalam kelompok trio sebagai helper-helpee-observer. Bagian kedua kami menonton video yang berjudul Broken Vows, menggambarkan kekerasan dalam rumah tangga dimana wanita dijadikan korban dan pemukulan sewenang-wenang oleh suami mereka. Pada akhir kuliah kami menerima paper kami kembali. Sore hari saya mengerjakan PR liturgi yaitu annotated bibliography (semacam ringkasan singkat sekitar 3 kalimat tiap bab sebuah buku) dari tiga bab yang berasal dari tiga sumber. PR ini menuntutku untuk bersabar dalam membaca, memahami dan menulis kembali. Ini selesai di malam hari. Saya senang pula sore ini menerima sebuah buku stato del personale baru edisi 2004 (yang berisi semua nama dan alamat para Xaverian di dunia) dan majalah i saveriani dari Roma-Italia. Saya membacanya sebagai selingan mengerjakan PR liturgy.
Minggu, 15 Februari 2004. Saya pergi ke gereja di Chinatown bersama Suster Jane, RSCJ dengan mobilnya, ikut misa pukul 8.30 dimana Petrus berkhotbah. Dalam kelas krisma anak-anak Petrus mengajar tentang Roh Kudus. Saya kembali ke rumah lebih awal dengan kereta dan bis CTA karena saya harus memasak sore ini. Saya seperti biasa memasak: nasi, rendang, ikan goren, krupuk dan tom yam (Thailand) sup. Suhu udara di dalam rumah agak panas karena mesin pemanasnya berfungsi terlalu maksimal.

“Mencintai dan dicintai sebagai insan manusia
memberikan sebuah makna tertinggi dalam hidup kita”

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4) 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 22, 2004
“No hope for the future when the past remain unconfessed, unreceived, and misunderstood”(Henri J.M Nouwen)
Responding to some of my penpals since last week I have been writing my journal on bilingual; firstly in English then I translate it in Indonesian language. It costs me extra time but I have commitment to do it regularly in order to make them easier to read it.
Monday, January 19, was a US national holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr. As theology community we had mass in the morning with listening to some speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which was presented by Alexis, then we shared our own personal experience regarding social justice in our country origins. At 10 a.m. in the cold-snow weather, Father Rocco, Alejandro and I removed two big-heavy tables and a light one to a Maryknoll sister house, still in the Hyde Park area. In the afternoon I got a student grade report from CTU (my theology school). They are pretty good; gospel of John and Introduction to Social Ethics (A-) but the problem of God is Incomplete (I), unluckily. It entailed me to ask the professor what I should do. It seemed that she didn’t accept my final paper which I have submitted before the dateline at her CTU mailbox. Thanks God she helped me to be calm and sending once via pos to her home address in Indiana. I did what she suggested to me immediately.
On Tuesday, January 20, I attended a meeting at CTU for M.Div students regarding Ministry Practicum course. We spent two hours, from 9 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. to know this course little bit in new curriculum system which will start in Fall 2004. The convocation which was presented by Aves, Dawn and Opal ended up with a conclusion that we’re still in the transition and process toward new curriculum system, so some questions were not ready to be answered yet. There are some opportunities that I should choose as my ministry course for one year, 2004-2005. I need to discern what will be apt to me. In the evening at 7.30 p.m., Fathers Rino and Lupo visited to our theology house in Chicago till January 30. Since two years I have not met Father Lupo. The last time I met him in Jakarta during the Xaverian assembly in November 2001.
On Wednesday, January 21, in my way to CTU, I stopped at RSCJ’s sister house, at South Blackstone, to give a confirmation book to Sister Jane. In the night I got e-mail from Babka, the Problem of God professor answering my question about my paper. She asked me to resend via pos my final paper. Directly, I printed it out and ready to be sent.
On Thursday, January 22, we had a mass which was presided by Father Lupo. After breakfast, from 8.30 to 9.40 a.m. I had an interview with Fathers Lupo and Rino speaking in English. Then I went to pos office to send my paper to Babka; hopefully it will arrive soon. At CTU after class at 1 p.m., I met an Indonesian sister, Sister Betty, FMM. She is a former of FMM provincial in Indonesia for 2 periods. She just arrived in this month and doing sabbatical year till May 2004. We met her together with Mateus, svd and Mbak Syafa at CTU. After lunch I directly prepared some food to be cooked for our supper. This time we had a bigger number than usual because there were some guests coming here; totally we were 16 people. I cooked as usual: rendang, rice, tom yum soup and crackers. Actually, I tried the new Vietnamese recipe that I bought from Argyle last week, but unluckily it seemed unsuccessfully, then I changed the food with Indonesian ingredient. Some of our guests were Father Adolph and 2 friends from CTU, Father Michael and Petrus. From 7.30 till 9.40 p.m. we had a community meeting with Fathers Lupo and Rino.
On Friday after lectio divina in the morning with community and having breakfast, I went to CTU for workshop with topic Professional Standard which was presented by Brother Jim Zullo, FSC. It’s very good one. Most of his presentation I have known but it is good for refreshing, reminding and renewing my life especially in the ministry field now and future. From this workshop that ended at 4.30 p.m., I got some insights such as ministerial relationships, human sexuality in the ministry and how to stay well in our ministry. Above all I got 2 poetic phrases: “No hope for the future when the past remain unconfessed, unreceived, and misunderstood”, “When we’re afraid of sexuality, we’re afraid of God”. At 5 p.m. I attended a mass at 8th floor of CTU building. After having supper and ironing my clothes, even though I felt quite tired and sleepy, I read the reading assignments of Introduction to Pastoral Care for Saturday.
On Saturday, January 24, we had a mass in the morning at 7.15 and Father Rino presided it. In the snowing season I was walking to CTU to have Pastoral Care class at 8.30 till 11.15 a.m. In the afternoon at 5.30 p.m. three Xaverian students from Milwaukee: Ignas, Dharmawan and Pascal were taken by Father Alfredo, their rector coming down to our theology house in Chicago in order to attend the Chinese New Year mass on Sunday, January 25 in Chinatown parish, Saint Therese.
On Sunday morning, January 25, we (Fathers Rino, Lupo, Ken, and 5 Xaverian students, Alejandro, Ignas, Dharmawan, Pascal and I) headed to Saint Therese Church in Chinatown by CTA both bus no. 15 and red line train. We attended Chinese New Year celebration in the church beginning with dragon dance and exploded firecrackers also some Chinese dances. At 10 a.m. we continued mass which concelebrated by 7 priests and presided by Father Tim, an American Maryknoll priest who speaks fluently Cantonese. This mass was special and extraordinary because we celebrate Chinese New Year 2555, Monkey year. The church was full of people from various races such as white American, Chinese both Cantonese and Mandarin, Indonesian, African American and Latin American, even the students from CTU especially the IRF program which Father Adolph, sx recently is undertaking were coming to this event. Unlike last year, this year I got four angpao (gift with the red envelope) from the priest and some friends in the parish. After mass some people were praying for their ancestor in front of the altar. At noon we continued the celebration in the auditorium of Saint Therese School. We were performed by some Asian dances such as dragon dance, Korean dance and Bali dance (Indonesia) then we had lunch together with various Asian foods including Indonesian food which was made by Ibu Imelda Palmas. Actually, at the same time there was a Chinese new year parade along the street, but unluckily it was over when we came out. At 2.40 p.m., in the cold weather we return home to Hyde Park by CTA. The three students from Milwaukee, Ignas, Wawan and Pascal returned to their lovely home by Amtrak train at 5 p.m. In the evening at 7 we had evening prayer together at chapel and we had special intention to pray for Indonesian Xaverian student who is in Mexico, enduring very painful disease of leukemia, Setiawan. For this supplication also I implore to you to pray for his healing and be granted strong faith and hope undertaking this critical time.

“When we’re afraid of sexuality, we’re afraid of God”

5. 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 29, 2004