Rodel Vincent

        The Day of Valor, also known as Araw ng Kagitingan, commemorates the bravery of Filipinos and American soldiers during World War II, when the Japanese occupied the Philippines. On April 9, 1942, Major General Edward P. King of the United States Army was forced to surrender more than 76,000 Filipinos, Chinese, and American soldiers to the Japanese. The soldiers had to travel 90 miles (145 kilometers) to Camp O'Donnell in San Fernando. Thousands of inmates perished on the trip (also known as the Bataan Death March) as a result of famine, thirst, and diseases before reaching the camp.     Despite the difficulties of defeat, the captive soldiers remained steadfast, and heroes emerged from the experience. The fall of Corregidor was accelerated by the surrender of Bataan. However, if the Japanese had not taken this stand, they would have rapidly conquered all of the US bases in the Pacific. Bataan prompted them to halt down, giving the al...

People frequently do not look forward to Lent. Childhood recollections of giving up candy or going through weekly Stations of the Cross came to mind right away. Words like "sacrifice," "discipline," and "self-denial" are frequently employed in ways that imply Lent is a season to be endured rather than a time of grace and spiritual progress. Have you ever considered Lent to be an annual second chance? The Church provides us six weeks each year to take a deep, compassionate look at our life to determine if our values and priorities are in accord with God's purposes for us. Because most of us have strayed from God's path, Lent serves as a second chance, or do-over, to "return to God with our full heart." We're spotlighting Lenten rituals and the recollections of folks who have shared their experiences with us. Their experiences range from devout and conventional to innovative and unusual, but they all reflect attempts to make Lent a ...