Scholarly Panels
Contributions from academics drawing on the method and resources of their respective disciplines.
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Panels / topics proposed to date:
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Sino-Vatican Relations in Historical Perspective
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Sociological Perspectives on Christianity
in Contemporary China -
The Sinicisation of Religion in China Today
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Environmental Issues and the Faith Communities of China
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Click this button for a form to enter:
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suggestions for panels and topics
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suggestions concerning speakers (including yourself)
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submission of brief abstracts
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other suggestions or feedback
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Note: Panel organizers (only) will have conference registration fees waived in appreciation for their service to the gathering.
Presentations and
workshops
Discussion forums and practical advice from people involved in the life of the Church in China and in the Chinese diaspora.
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Practical workshops and presentations requested to date:
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Faith and the Current Generation
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Social Services: Making a Contribution in China Society
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The American University Context
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Relations among Christians and China
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Paths to Discipleship
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Religion in the City
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Click this button for a form to enter:
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suggestions for workshops or presentations
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suggestions concerning speakers (including yourself)
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other suggestions or feedback
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Note: Presenters will have their conference registration fees waived in appreciation for their service to the gathering.
Staff & Collaborators
Executive Director
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Introducing Dr. Benjamin T. OuYang, Executive Director
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Dr. Benjamin T. OuYang has accepted the Executive Director Position with the USCCA. Dr. OuYang is a retired public educator who served for over thirty years. During his professional educational career, Dr. OuYang worked as a school counselor, an Assistant Principal, a Principal and then a Director. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester and a Master's in School Counseling and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Maryland. He also has several years of training in the diaconate program.
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Dr. OuYang has over fifteen years of experience as a youth group leader, twelve years as a Married Couples Group Coordinator, and over twenty years as an English Ministry Liaison for Our Lady of China Pastoral Mission in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. OuYang worked for the US Catholic Mission Association, where he was a podcast coordinator and host. He has also been on several mission trips, and has diverse experiences with OCIA, prison ministry, food pantry, and serving as an Eucharistic Minister, Lector, and Acolyte.
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Dr. OuYang has been married to his wife Jia-Shieu for thirty years this June, and they have three children: Kaitlin, Jackson, and Timothy. Kaitlin, whose religious name is Sister Ma Li Ya Zhi Ai Zhi Nu (A Chinese name meaning Sister Mary Beloved Daughter) is a nun with the religious order of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin Matara, Jackson is a sophomore at Penn State University and Timothy will be a freshman at Belmont Abbey College.
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USCCA is personal to Dr. OuYang. His mother was converted to Catholicism in Shanghai, China. In the late 1930s, a wonderful missionary reached out and built a relationship with Dr. OuYang's mother and her family. And as immigrants to the US, his mom was all alone, but was taken care of by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Those relationships and acts of friendship have had a lasting impact on the OuYang family.
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In his opening remarks to the world, our new Pope Leo shared:
We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.
The USCCA’s mission is aligned with Pope Leo XIV's hopes and prayers. We are called to build bridges to develop dialogue and friendships with every individual that we encounter.
Please pray for Dr. OuYang as he begins the process to lead USCCA in building bridges and establishing new friendships in a world that needs peace so much.​
STAFF
Catherine Dugan
Salesforce Consultant
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Catherine Dugan is a Salesforce consultant with a background in non-profit program management and development. She holds an M.A. in Theology from Franciscan University and a S.T.L. in Marriage and Family studies from the John Paul II Institute in Washington, DC. Currently, she is researching a dissertation on Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI on the intersection of his personalism with salvation history through a hermeneutic of memory. For Catherine, the praxis of theological study is inseparable with the theoretical. She hopes that by supporting the CRM of the USCCA, their mission to build ties with the Catholic Church in China will lead to a strengthening in ecclesial unity, which affirms and incorporates the histories of individuals and cultures.
Benny Mattis
Digital Communications Coordinator
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Benny Mattis contributes to the USCCA's digital communications through web development, email development, and writing. He holds a Certificate in Web Development from Montgomery College, a Certificate in Theology and Ministry from Boston College, and an M.A. in Philosophy from Marquette University. Benny is interested in learning more about the history and contemporary trends of Chinese philosophy and religion. He hopes that web
communications can play a part in building bridges of understanding between the US and
China.
William Poling
Program Developer
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William Poling supports the USCCA’s bridge-building efforts on university campuses and beyond. After attending St. John’s University in his home state of Minnesota, he taught in China with the Maryknoll China Service Project. That cross-cultural encounter stretched William spiritually and philosophically. Now with USCCA, he hopes to foster that same type of encounter for others. William has worked in the fields of international development, education, and volunteer management, while attaining a master’s degree from the School of International Service at American University. He draws energy from USCCA’s mission, which centers friendship and shared faith, rather than divisiveness.
COLLABORATORS AND AFFILIATES
GRIFFIN BURRIS
Advisor to the Interim Chief Administrative Officer
Griffin Burris is a Director with the Central US Team of CCS Fundraising; his work focuses on helping nonprofits identify, evaluate, and achieve their strategic goals. His passion for partnering with nonprofits has been lifelong and he greatly enjoys spending his time to help any organization imagine its future. As Griffin looks back on his childhood, he remembers receiving Chinese lessons from his friends, his first-hand introduction to the stories and life of Chinese Americans, and how these two cultures came together in dynamic ways. Griffin is humbled by the opportunity to work with people worldwide to achieve the mission of the USCCA.
Griffin is actively supporting the Interim Chief Administrator in the following areas: (1) Fundraising, stewardship, donor relations, and engagement strategies for young professionals; (2) Supporting the newly (re)launched Affiliates program; (3) Contributing research and thinking to the Mission Cooperative Program/Mission Appeals through fostering a year-round culture of encounter drawing upon the words of Pope Francis, "We should rediscover and esteem anew these values as paths for evangelization, going beyond an approach of simple pastoral care to one of missionary proclamation,” which is manifested in the “desire to make known to as many brothers and sisters as possible the joy of the encounter with Christ. "
Phoebe Qian
Affiliate
Digital Designer
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​Phoebe Qian, a Catholic from China, studied Architecture in Berkeley, CA as an international student. She has experienced significant growth with the support of the USCCA's Chinese and American Friendship Ministry (CAAFM), where she found better ways to practice her faith.
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With her skillset in digital design, she is passionate about creating visually compelling content that aligns with the USCCA's mission to engage, inform, and inspire its communities. In this work, Phoebe collaborates with Anne T. (Board Secretary), Kathleen O., and Alfred G. (Board Directors and Co-Chairs of the CAAFM).
Shirley Wang
Affiliate
Rapporteur
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​Shirley Wang came home to the Catholic faith in 2021 while studying at Augustana University in South Dakota. She is currently studying mental health counseling at Divine Mercy University. With both Chinese and American cultural backgrounds, she desires to serve the Chinese and Chinese American populations in the US. Shirley was a rapporteur for the USCCA's 29th International Conference in 2024. She also volunteers when available to help with ongoing projects at the USCCA. She currently lives in New York City.