1st letter of October 2005

1) 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 02, 2005

Monday, September 26, 2005.
In the morning I attended the class of Amos then I met the director of M.Div program at CTU, Sister Barbara Bowe, rscj. I asked whether I needed to take a course at other school of theology. After she checked out my list she told me that it’s not necessarily I take a course at other school since I just have two more courses to finish my M.Div program for next semester, namely one ethic plus one integrating core. It’s great, so I am not worried again about it. At the library I was reading and made photocopy of the presiding class article while the presiding class started lately, at 2.15 p.m. because the professor, Father Fragomeni had to go to a dentist. In the presiding class once again the professor asked two students to play role in the confession after he gave us a quiz about the structure of the sacrament of reconciliation. At 5 p.m. Father Rocco led us the lectio divina and Harno cooked spaghetti for our supper.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005.
The whole morning I spent my time to read a lot of reading assignments of one integrating core in social justice taught by Dawn Notwehr, osf. I read them on the moodle, the CTU website. In the evening I attended the class of this integrating core.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005.
I attended the class of Amos in the morning, 8.30 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. then borrowed a book of Barbara Bowe about Biblical Spirituality. I went to Coop Market to buy my favorite food, papaya that good for my digestion. In the evening I was practicing the presiding course especially choosing an alb at the sacristy for me for next Monday class, plus trying a chasuble. It reminds me when I was at 1st grade of High School, I was interested becoming a priest then I put my pictures with white alb and chasuble. I felt very happy to see my own picture wearing an alb and chasuble. What a dream at that time.

Thursday, September 29, 2005.
In the morning I attended the class of Inculturation and Dialogue by Edmund Chia. We had discussion and sharing in the small group about our stories experiencing our own inculturation and dialogue. At 5 p.m. Francois led us the holy hour and Harno cooked again for our supper.

Friday, September 30, 2005.
I went to CTU to attend a workshop for CPE aftermath. We’re 8 students sharing our stories moderated by Father Roger Schroeder, svd from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It’s nothing new for me but because it’s the must program that I had to attend so there’s no other choice. At least I have done with my immersion course at CTU so that I can graduate of M.Div next year, in May 18, 2006. At 4.30 p.m. Ignas took me and Valery to Saint Therese church then Father Michael invited us to an interreligious dialogue at a Catholic parish at Skokie. I was expecting to come to a Buddhist temple to have this dialogue but there were only 8 people coming talking various things about our experiences. It’s an agenda of interreligious dialogue held by Archdiocese of Chicago. Most of them are Catholics and only one Buddhist monk whom I don’t know because I thought he’s a Catholic priest as well. He wore black clothes. At 10.15 p.m. Father Michael took us home at Hyde Park.

Saturday, October 01, 2005.
Today in Indonesia the oil price is increasing 125%. The gasoline becomes Rp 4,500 (45 cents), before it’s only Rp 2,500 (25 cents), while I heard there’s bomb attack again in Bali after three years ago happened tragically. IN the morning as community we worked to clean our house in Hyde Park. I cleaned up the first floor and the dining room. At the chapel Harno took me pictures wearing alb and chasuble as he suggested me. At noon, we, four of us (Alejandro, Dharmawan, Ignas and Harno) went to Saint Therese Church basement to celebrate the first year birthday of Leonard, the first son of Darwin-Astrid. There were about 25 people coming to this celebration. At 4.45 p.m. I went home at Hyde Park. After supper, I transferred my newest pictures on the computer and the shutterfly.com and shared to my penpals.

Sunday, October 02, 2005.
In the morning at 8 a.m. Harno, Valery and I went to Saint Therese Chinatown by CTA bus no.6 and train, the red line. We attended the Cantonese Mass at 9.30 a.m. presided by Father Tim. Together with two Jesuit students, Cesari and Vincent (a Vietnamese), I served at the altar in giving communion to the faithful. Started today the CCD/Sunday school began at Saint Therese parish. Together with Cesari, the Jesuit student, I was teaching the confirmation program. There’re three children coming, namely, Naomi (8th grader), Priscilla (7th grader) and Alex (7th grader). There should be 5 or 6 students. The class started at 11 a.m. till noon, so I didn’t attend the Indonesian Mass today at the church. In the rectory I had mutual conversation with Father Michael. At 6 p.m. Rina, Budi and Father Jack, c.m. gave me a ride at the public library downtown. I borrowed some 6 DVD’s then I went home at Hyde Park. After the evening prayer and supper, I am typing this journal.
In the beginning of this week the weather was bit colder and today is warmer again.