Greetings from Yogyakarta where we continue to experience exceptionally hot weather. Fortunately, it has started to rain in Tawangmangu. We are hoping that we have seen the end of the dry season. Our delicious mangos are a bit smaller this year due to the long dry season.
Our semester has passed the mid-point. Consequently, we were able to make a day trip to the nearby [30 kilometer / 20 miles] Parangtritis beach. Fortunately, the Australian Fr. Peter Stoll. OMI was also free on Wednesday. We left at 05:00 am and returned at 19:00. He has returned to Yogyakarta after 6 years with the General Council in Rome. We have known each other since the 1980s. It has been over three years since we have experienced the healing power of salt water from the Indian Ocean. We also visited an upscale beach hotel Queen of the South as well as Beatrix, a new entertainment complex at the top of the mountain. Both have spectacular views of the ocean and the village that hosts a variety of beach accommodations. We paid only US$ 2 for a one day stay. Beatrix is a good example of Public-Private partnership. The winding road up and down the mountain has “cats’ eyes” to mark the center of the road after dark.
The trip to Tawangmangu last weekend was most interesting. On the one-hour train ride to Solo, there was a group of young [20 year old] Muslim women dressed in long gowns. They were attending a National Prayer Meeting. It was organized by one of the largest Muslim groups in the country [NU]. It is well known for its tolerance and attempts to modernize Islam, especially with regard to women’s rights. It was great to see such young people practicing their religion. They have a healthy sense of community. It is quite a contrast to the terrorist image of Islam given by groups like Hamas. At Tawangmangu, there were two groups who visited. On Saturday night, a sub-parish from the eastern city of Surabaya came for an evening liturgy. On Saturday night and all-day Sunday, a large group of 80 people from a sub-parish in Solo stayed in the parish accommodations. They were a mixture of all ages. Their weekend program was well planned. They were a very vibrant group.
Ms. Theresia Rorik recently visited us at Sonata Dharma during her home visit from Thailand. She has been teaching English there for many years. She is also studying for her PhD in Educational Leadership. She is one of the original English Major graduates from Sonata Dharma who were Stephens Scholars while getting a Master’s degree at Boston University. We also celebrated the 1,000 days since the death of a long time Sonata Dharma employee – Pak Markus Paid. We celebrated this memorial Mass at his home with his family and his sub-parish. It brought back many memories of my early days in Yogyakarta beginning in January, 1977. Like many other university employees, his family has been very hospitable to me over the years. His children all graduated from Sonata Dharma University.
Be assured of my thoughts and prayers
