1st letter of September 2005

1) 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 04, 2005

Monday, August 29, 2005.
I went to CTU to borrow some videocassettes and read some magazines at the CTU library. Since it was still on vacation, there’s nobody in the reading room. In the evening after supper from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. we had community meeting to plan our community project of life.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005.
In the morning I went to LSTC bookstore to check the books required by my courses this Fall semester. I checked those books in our library and I got some books then I checked on-line CTU library in which I got some books and I borrowed them directly by going to CTU. There are some books I couldn’t find both in the Xaverian library and CTU library, so I have to buy them at LSTC or maybe I will compare their prices with the Amazon.com. I borrowed some fifteen books from CTU library including Pastores Dabo Vobis and Instrumentum Laboris that are required by the Vatican visit next December 2005 and March 2006 especially for the priesthood formation.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005.
Three new Xaverian theology students, namely Harno, Valery and Francois today have orientation at CTU. I went to Saint Peter Church in downtown Chicago to have reconciliation then I went to public library to borrow five videocassettes and DVD’s. I have been having the public library card since two years ago but I never borrowed anything. I think I am influenced by an Alexian Brother, named Ronald who likes to borrow videocassettes at public library, so it intrigued me to do so. Two years ago I knew that there is a room to borrow this popular library staffs but I was not interested to come again. I have new spirit to know more about some interesting topic such as spirituality and other religious film that I can borrow from this library. Hopefully, this will be my personal learning and take advantage of the facility of the U.S. library. Normally, I can borrow 6 videocassettes or DVD’s and bring them home for only 7 days.
I went to Saint Therese, Chinatown and after 20 minutes chatting with Father Aniello, the bell was rung and there’s Father Michael Davitti who just came back from his vacation in Italy. Welcome back to Chicago (Ben tornato tra noi, Padre). I spent some time there and went home at Hyde Park. In the evening, there’s a diocesan priest from Sierra Leone, named Father Daniel came to visit us at Hyde Park. In the evening we continued our community meeting of the project of life.

Thursday, September 01, 2005.
This morning I was so sleepy then I slept for a while. In the afternoon I cooked for the community (Soto Madura, rice and crackers). In the evening we had community meeting again continuing our community project of life. As community, we watched a DVD about CHAKRA, which I borrowed from the public library. At night I called up my friend, named John who studies theology in San Antonio, Texas. He’s a CICM student and my classmate in Indonesia. He’s done with his theology study and ready to do pastoral work this October. Next year, probably he’ll make his perpetual vows and deaconate ordination in Texas. He came to the USA in November 2002, about seven days after my arrival.

Friday, September 02, 2005.
In the homily of Father Pascal this morning during the Mass, he proposed fasting. I remembered this practice again and I tried to do it again with eating once a day, namely supper only and drinking a lot of water during the day. It’s incredible that after I did it, my weight decreased. About two weeks ago after coming back from the CPE at Alexian Brothers, I had 195 pounds and now after doing little fasting, I have 190 pounds. It’s the same weight before I went to the CPE program.
In the morning I went to CTU to meet Nanko and Opal Easter regarding my workshops grade that some of them I didn’t accept grades. I did attend all of the workshop requirements for M.Div graduation. They checked on their archive data and it’s true that I have attended all. I went to the registration office and asked Maria to entry the Present grade on my Fall and Spring semester of last year academic.
Again I went to public library and returned the five videocassettes I have borrowed and I took 6 others. At night I watched one of them entitled the Cardinal.

Saturday, September 03, 2005.
In the morning Mass, Father Daniel from Sierra Leone presided the community Mass. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. we had community project of life meeting. In the afternoon, there were 6 Indonesian friends from Philadelphia came to visit us especially Harno. One of them Santi, the leader of Indonesian Catholic Group in Philadelphia whom I knew last year when I was doing pastoral work in Philadelphia. The other one whom I met last year is Dedy. They spent vacation to visit Chicago and stayed at a hotel. In the evening together with Valery, I watched a video about Irish in America then with Father Victor and Daniel we watched a video entitled Priests of Passion (the celibacy of Catholic priesst).

Sunday, September 04, 2005.
In the morning together with Valery, I went to Saint Therese Chinatown by CTA bus number 6 and red line train. We attended the 9.30 Mass presided by the Maryknoll father, Tim who speaks fluently Cantonese. It’s the Chinese/Cantonese Mass. Since Father Michael, the pastor, has arrived, so there was a lot of food prepared by this pastor. Valery and I are assigned to have ministry at Saint Therese Chinatown for this academic year. I am going to teach Confirmation program (8 children) together with Allun, one of the catechists and Valery with CCD program, the third grade children. They are going to start in October. We helped to clean up basement after all people have gone. It reminds me to Petrus who was doing this job when he’s here. Now, it’s my pleasure to have this ministry together with Valery. There was a lot of fruit leftover that we brought it home to Hyde Park with Father Pascal who gave us a ride. I did go to a salon at Chinatown to cut my hair that cost $ 22. It’s my first time in this country to cut my hair at a salon. Usually, I ask my confrere to cut my hair. Mario and Victor Hugo did cut my hair becoming bald in December 2002 and June 2004, then Ignas cut my hair shorter last May 2005. I like to have bald style again; maybe I will do it again at the end of this Fall semester.


After we had evening prayer and sharing, we had supper at 7.30 p.m. cooked by Francois. During this past week, I didn’t write anything on this journal except on my journal book, so in the evening I type it on my computer. Then I think maybe better I just post it weekly on my blogger website and multiply.com without sending it directly to many e-mail addresses. Starting from now, I inform all of my pen pals that my journal can be viewed on both of my websites:
http://www.acdw74.blogspot.com and
http://www.acdw74.multiply.com