It's That Time of Year Again!

For many of my Roman Catholic readers, Lent is just around the corner; whether you're feasting on pączki or king cake (depending on whether you're a Northerner or Southerner, respectively), the time of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving starts on Ash Wednesday. As for us Melkite Catholics--as well as all Eastern Catholics and Eastern/Oriental Orthodox--Lent's started early or later (depending on whether you're on the Julian or Gregorian calendar).

Sweets and calendars aside, you've probably thought about what you're giving up for Lent. Some of you may have decided to keep a small simple fast, such as candy or fast food. Others may have decided to go all out monastic this year and go vegan for the next 40-50 days. Still others may have given up habits, such as smartphone usage, internet browsing, or swearing. Whatever your fast is, I wish you the best and keep you in my prayers:

"Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him." --Romans 14:3

Everyone has their own individual journey to go through during Lent. In anticipation of the rebirth of our lives on the feast of Pascha/Easter, we journey together with Jesus in the wilderness, facing temptations to break our fast as well as self-reflections of our falls and shortcomings. Yes, we acknowledge that we are sinners from dust and to dust we shall return, but we are called to rise from the ashes as a new creation, stronger and better than our yesterday.

Wherever you are in life, use Lent as an opportunity for growth. Whether you're at a spiritual high or dry time, we are always called to grow and discern in our life in Christ and His Church.

As an added bonus to this post, I will keep you posted on almsgiving opportunities that you can give to for this Lenten season. Here's the first one.

St. William School Class of 2018 Graduation Fund!

As a 2009 alumni of St. William Catholic School, I'm very proud of how my faith foundation was laid out. My faith journey so far was made possible by my religious education at St. William, and I'm more than willing to support its students as they go out to the next chapters in their lives. This year's 8th grade class, the Class of 2018, is struggling to fund their graduation as well as the school's operation itself. Please take some time to give or at least share this fundraiser; it would personally mean much to me to keep my old school running. God bless y'all!

2016: The Final Days

I suddenly realize that we're in December now. Things are starting to gradually fall into place as this year ends.

I spent the first half of my year studying to earn my bachelor's degree. It was stressful enough to fit all of that in three years. But now I completed that first step towards my future career. I have yet to apply for a graduate program, but I hope to attain that step soon.

I spent the second half training to become a soldier. It was a bombshell for everyone (myself included), yet I felt like this fit in well with what I strove to be. BCT pushed me beyond my perceived limits, and I found myself no longer in the mental purgatory that kept me stagnant for the past few years. I like to think that I'm finally moving with the plan, as I have discovered many things about myself that have lit the way to where I am now.

As I enter the final phase of my initial training in the Army, I look forward to the new adventures that await in the coming year. Being in the Reserve, I already have a game plan set for when I get back home in Chicago. Greater challenges wait for me in 2017; time to give them a taste of the new me!

Persons of Interest! #2: Dennis Ho

(I actually don't have this hair now as we speak. I cut it a while back.)

This is Dennis, a Vietnamese-American from Rockford currently studying at UIC. Like many of my close friends, I can't quite remember the exact moment we met. However, we got to know each other pretty quickly from wherever that point was, creating a friendship which would spice things up at Newman quite a bit.

From my perspective, Dennis is dedicated and very hard-working. Having to come all the way here to Chicago from Rockford, and then staying over the summer to work for campus housing...that's commitment. His activity with Newman should be duly noted as well, with him having a very strong faith, which is expressed through his service to the community.

It's been a while since I've seen him, but I hope to see him again at Newman or wherever. It feels a bit boring without him around to do our signature handshake.

Dennis, if you're reading this..Sup, Ho.

It's finally here!

A few days ago, something wonderful happened in Skokie...

...today, I got a taste of that wonder...

You better believe it!

Cutting to the chase for all my non-Filipino viewers, the Filipino version of McDonald's, Jollibee, finally opened up a Chicagoland location! Now I don't have to go all the way to New York or Vegas for Chickenjoy or spaghetti!

Now to wait until they open a Max's in the city as well...

Persons of Interest! #1: Katie Soprych

As I continue to journey on the adventure of a lifetime--pardon the cheese--I not only encounter places; I will often run into people that make significant impacts on my life and shape the path I walk.

Based on a series of Instagram/blog posts done by another good friend of mine (check out her blog sometime), I've decided to start a Persons of Interest series on The Mapping. It's only appropriate that I take note of my friends and fellow adventurers, as I cannot truly traverse alone.

Which leads us to the inaugural post of this series.

Meet Katie Soprych.

Photo creds: Christy Manaois

I met her a year or two ago at the St. John Paul II Newman Center. We sometimes chatted a bit at Newman, though we hadn't been that close back then. It was only until recently, when we traveled to Rome and Krakow, that we became very close friends, our friendship sealed by the many memories made during the trip to World Youth Day 2016.

Katie is quite the adventurer, not afraid to act on her curiosity. She is definitely willing to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new, an attribute which definitely could prove useful for her, as she has recently been undergoing student leader training from Evangelical Catholic. It brings out the best--and often the funniest--out of her, and she is very outgoing. She has an extremely open heart and can also maintain some very interesting conversations.

(In other news, she's planning on building a very extravagant house with all the landmarks she's seen in Rome.)

I'm very blessed to have gotten to know her during the trip, and I believe she herself will have quite a big adventure (and a big map to complement it).