Scholarly Panels
Contributions from academics drawing on the method and resources of their respective disciplines.
Panels / topics proposed to date:
-
Sino-Vatican Relations in Historical Perspective
-
Sociological Perspectives on Christianity
in Contemporary China -
The Sinicisation of Religion in China Today
-
Environmental Issues and the Faith Communities of China
Click this button for a form to enter:
-
suggestions for panels and topics
-
suggestions concerning speakers (including yourself)
-
submission of brief abstracts
-
other suggestions or feedback
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.
Practical workshops and presentations requested to date:
-
Faith and the Current Generation
-
Social Services: Making a Contribution in China Society
-
The American University Context
-
Relations among Christians and China
-
Paths to Discipleship
-
Religion in the City
Click this button for a form to enter:
-
suggestions for workshops or presentations
-
suggestions concerning speakers (including yourself)
-
other suggestions or feedback
Note: Presenters will have their conference registration fees waived in appreciation for their service to the gathering.
The Board and Officers of the China Association very much appreciate the willingness of various panelists to share their views and expertise with us.
At the same time, we make clear that the views are not our own. In fact, we deliberately invite people with a range of views to speak, so long as they speak in good faith and in a spirit of mutual respect.
Fr. Joseph Jianmin Bai
Catholic University of America
Fr. Joseph Jianmin Bai, from Hebei Province, was ordained to the priesthood in China in 2013. After ordination, he served in a parish as a parochial vicar from 2013 to 2017, teaching philosophy as a guest lecturer in Hebei Seminary at the same time. He came to the US in 2017, sponsored by the Maryknoll China Project. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Catholic University of America.
"Philosophy and Seminary Formation in the Chinese Context Today"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
It is obvious that seminarians in their seminary formation need courses in the Scriptures, theology, liturgy, spirituality, pastoral training, and the like, but why do they need philosophy? In this talk, I want to show that reason, by opening itself to other cultures as well as to the divine, is not weakened and mitigated but strengthened and broadened of its horizon. In order to do this, I want to discuss two points. First, I will show that the function of philosophy in theology is to try to understand and dialogue with the divine. Second, teaching philosophy in seminary in the Chinese context has a dual-task of dialoging, both with other cultures and with the divine.
Fr. Rob Carbonneau, C.P., Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus, USCCA, (2015-2018)
Since 2023, Fr. Carbonneau has been an Archival Specialist at the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College. His research concentrates on the Passionist China Collection in Hunan, China, documenting the Republican era (1911-1949).
“Understanding China's Catholic past and present realities as a foundation for future USCCA relationships”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Based on their expertise and experience, the panelists will address three areas:
1) Provide an historical context for when the historical founding of the USCCA in 1989: immediate challenges and opportunities
2) Now at 35 years, summarize what have been the important contributions of the USCAA to their various audiences in China, the U.S. and internationally
3) Anticipate the future of intellectual and spiritual exchange that the USCCA will need to address into the future to sustain and fulfill its mission mandate in the future
This will be a roundtable discussion with Q&A.
“Learning about Chinese Catholics through USCCA”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Introducing some of the major activities, besides this conference, through which the USCCA helps to educate about Church in China. These include our speaker series, book circles, and study tours. Our panelists include members who have played prominent roles in one or another or all of these.
Michel Chambon, Ph.D.
National University of Singapore
Dr. Michel Chambon is a Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore. He has a PhD in Anthropology from Boston University and a Canonical License in Theology from the Catholic University of Paris. In addition to his monograph, Making Christ Present in China, he has published papers on the agency of Christian buildings, Chinese Pentecostalism, and Chinese Catholic nuns. He is a coordinator of the Initiative for the Study of Asian Catholics – ISAC – an academic consortium designed to foster social scientific research on Asian Catholics: www.isac-research.org
"Catholicism & Interreligious Realities in Southeast China"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
This paper explores ways in which Catholicism shapes itself in relation to Christ and other religious traditions of northern Fujian. Without reducing Christ to Catholic communities, and keeping in mind the diversity of deities and worldviews which characterize the region, this paper discusses how Chinese Catholics of Northern Fujian make Christ present in a context marked by rapid cultural change. By paying attention to the material dimension of their fellowship, I highlight the continuity between Catholicism and other traditions. This presentation will mostly elaborate on data gathered in the diocese of Minbei between 2013 and 2024.
Anthony Clark, Ph.D.
Whitworth University, Spokane, WA
Dr. Anthony Clark, Ph.D., Whitworth University, Spokane, WA is Professor of Chinese History, and the Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair. His research centers on the history of China-West cultural exchange, conflict and confluence in China, especially the intellectual, scientific, and religious missionary activities during the Qing through Republican eras (1644-1940s).
“Understanding China's Catholic past and present realities as a foundation for future USCCA relationships”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Based on their expertise and experience, the panelists will address three areas:
1. Provide an historical context for when the historical founding of the USCCA in 1989: immediate challenges and opportunities
2. Now at 35 years, summarize what have been the important contributions of the USCAA to their various audiences in China, the U.S. and internationally
3. Anticipate the future of intellectual and spiritual exchange that the USCCA will need to address into the future to sustain and fulfill its mission mandate in the future.
This will be a roundtable discussion with Q&A.
“Learning about Chinese Catholics through USCCA”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Introducing some of the major activities, besides this conference, through which the USCCA helps to educate about Church in China. These include our speaker series, book circles, and study tours. Our panelists include members who have played prominent roles in one or another or all of these.
Georges Enderle, Ph.D.
Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame
Georges Enderle is Professor Emeritus in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. Before joining Notre Dame in 1992, he was doing research and teaching business ethics in Europe over ten years. Since 1994, he has been involved in numerous research and teaching activities in China. His research interests lie in the ethics of globalization, wealth creation, business and human rights, corporate responsibilities of large and small companies, with a view on developments in China. His most recent book is Corporate Responsibility for Wealth Creation and Human Rights (2021; in Chinese 2023). His website can be found at sites.nd.edu/georges-enderle.
"Supporting business ethics in China and the United States"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
The first part presents a brief summary of the country-reports on business ethics in China and the USA (conducted in early 2024). The second part discusses several reasons and difficulties why business ethics should be supported, especially, in order to strengthen mutual understanding, sympathy and support between the two countries. The third part explores different ways and approaches how best business ethics in China and the USA can be supported, particularly from a religious and spiritual point of view (in terms of justification, heuristic guidance, motivations and implementation), and what the two countries can learn from each other.
Greta (Rauch) Frei
Boston University
Greta Frei is a PhD student in the Department of History at Boston University working with Dr. Eugenio Menegon. Greta received a BS in Computer Science along with a supplemental major in Chinese from the University of Notre Dame. Her undergraduate thesis explored the theme of suffering in Su Xuelin’s novel Heart of Thorns, a semi-autobiographical work about a May Fourth intellectual who converts to Catholicism. Greta also worked in Notre Dame’s natural language processing research lab where she explored how computers can be used to process human language. At Boston University, she combines her love of Chinese, literature, religion, and technology to research the impact of Christianity on the development of Chinese literary and intellectual history. Greta leverages her technological background to visualize and analyze Christianity’s development in China.
"Historical Interpretation in the Digital Age: Introducing the China Historical Christian Database."
Saturday, August 3, 2024
I am the project manager for the China Historical Christian Database, a digital tool for visualizing the impact of Christianity in China from 1550-1950. As a part of the young scholars panel, I would like to introduce the CHCD and its potential as a research tool for exploring the history of Chinese Christianity. I also hope to speak about how digital methods can allow us to ask new questions about Christianity in China and open up new avenues for research.
Brent Fulton, Ph.D.
ChinaSource
Dr. Brent Fulton is Founder of ChinaSource, which serves as a platform for facilitating informed discussion around critical issues facing China and its church. An avid China watcher, Dr. Fulton has written and taught extensively on the church in China and on Chinese social and political phenomena. His publications include China’s Urban Christians: A Light That Cannot Be Hidden (Pickwick, 2015). Dr. Fulton holds MA and PhD degrees in political science from the University of Southern California and a BA in radio-TV-film from Messiah College. Dr. Fulton and his wife, Jasmine, previously lived in Hong Kong from 2006 to 2017. They currently reside in northern California.
“God is on the Move: Observations and Reflections on Protestant Christianity in Post-Covid China”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Drawing on recent scholarly research on social service in China, conversations with believers inside and outside China, and a trip earlier this year to Beijing, we will share the experiences of Christians from different walks of life as they relate their life and experiences during China’s pandemic isolation and hear how God has been at work in the churches there. These are stories of pressure, frustration, and innovation, all told with an attitude of joyful faithfulness. We will share some of these stories as well as personal reflections on what we see God doing in through churches in China today.
Sr. Xiaoping Guo
Shanghai Shenshang Catholic Seminary
Xiaoping Guo is a religious sister from the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary in China. She entered religious life at the age of 20. She was twice sent to the US to study theology, educational psychology, and religious education. She earned two Masters and a PhD from Boston College. In the past thirty years of religious life, she has carried out various ministries, such as teaching at Catholic Seminary, leading retreat, and serving as general superior of the congregation. She is currently teaching at Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai.
"Synodality in Praxis—the Catholic Church on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau "
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Yanjing church is the only Catholic community in Tibet --- a world of Buddhism. This presentation examines how faith is being embodied in the life of Yanjing Catholics today. It shows how their theological and spiritual experiences have resulted in a fervent faith which has been lived out in the daily life. The presentation also captures the characteristic of interactions among Catholics and Buddhists. The story of Yanjing church also exemplifies the significant role of laity in building a synodal church in contemporary world. This presentation also points out some of the challenges facing Yanjing church today.
Sr. Antoinette Gutzler, M.M.
Maryknoll Sisters
Antoinette Gutzler, a Maryknoll Sister, holds a doctorate in systematic theology from Fordham University. She has served in mission in Tanzania, East Africa and in Taiwan where she first directed a center for factory workers. After completing her theology studies, Sr. Gutzler was associate professor of theology at St. Robert Bellarmine School of Theology in Taipei until her election to the Leadership Team of the Maryknoll Sisters in 2014. During her time in Taiwan, she was consultant to the Ecclesia of Women in Asia (EWA), a standing committee member of the Association of Major Religious Superiors and a member of the Taiwan JPIC committee.
"Coming Out of the Shadows: Engaging Theology in Taiwan"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
The theological enterprise in Taiwan invites students into an engagement with the challenges before the Church as it emerges from the shadows of a western Christianity to become a Church of Asia. In a male-dominated church, this becoming necessitates the recognition of “women matter” and diversity of cultures as theological imperatives. In addition to the study of FABC documents, Ecclesia in Asia, feminist essays and films, Shusako Endo’s novel Deep River introduces us to the questions that those on the periphery bring to the Church in Asia.
Andrea Lee
ChinaSource
Andrea Lee is Content Manager at ChinaSource. Holding a B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature from Tunghai University and an M.A. in Comparative Literature from SOAS, UK, she has a profound understanding of cultural narratives, which she applied in academic and editorial contexts before joining ChinaSource. Originally from Taiwan, Andrea's career spans significant contributions to Chinese Christian ministries and extensive editorial work. Her fluency in Mandarin and expertise in content management make her a vital member of the ChinaSource team. Andrea resides in southern California with her family. She continues to promote the dialogue around Christianity in China through her participation in international conferences and collaborative projects.
“God is on the Move: Observations and Reflections on Protestant Christianity in Post-Covid China”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Drawing on recent scholarly research on social service in China, conversations with believers inside and outside China, and a trip earlier this year to Beijing, we will share the experiences of Christians from different walks of life as they relate their life and experiences during China’s pandemic isolation and hear how God has been at work in the churches there. These are stories of pressure, frustration, and innovation, all told with an attitude of joyful faithfulness. We will share some of these stories as well as personal reflections on what we see God doing in through churches in China today.
Fr. Francis Li, D.Min.
US-China Catholic Association
Fr. Francis Li is the Pastor of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, a parish with two worship sites, St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church and St. Barbara Catholic Church. Fr. Li was ordained in 1999. He received his Advanced Pastoral Leadership Certificate through the Kellogg School of Management and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, in 2016. He has a passion for Evangelization and enjoys reading, sports, and contemporary cinema. He is a full Director of the USCCA Board and serves as the Chair of the 2024 USCCA International Conference.
Conference Chair
Chair of Saturday Morning Keynote Address
Co-Chair of Saturday Evening Awards Banquet
Fr. Jeremiah Li
Aquinas Institute of Theology
Rev. Jeremiah Jiangtao Li is a priest from Hebei, China. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2014. Before coming to the US for further studies, he served at Hebei Catholic Seminary as a faculty member. He earned his Licentiate (S.T.L.) in Biblical studies and the Master of Theology from Boston College. He is currently sponsored by the Maryknoll China Project and is a doctoral candidate in homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri.
"Seeing Hope at the Crossroads"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
The Church in China is at the crossroads. This presentation focuses on two very representative parishes in China: one in the northern part of China and the other in the southern part of China. By sharing some emerging challenges and opportunities that both parishes confront, especially with young adult formation in these two parish communities, the presenter hopes that the explanation can serve as a window to help the Conference participants understand how Chinese Catholics live their faith in hope at the crossroads and come to a better understanding of church life in China today.
Fr. Joseph LiN, C.M.
Basilica of Regina Pacis
Fr. Joseph Lin belongs to the China Province of the Congregation of Mission founded by St. Vincent de Paul, also known as Vincentians, whose central charism is to share the Gospel with those who have been marginalized in society. Fr. Lin received his master's degree in Scripture at St John’s University in 2011 and Pastoral Counseling at Fordham University in 2020. He served the Chinese community at the Church of St. Joseph in Manhattan until 2015, and now he serves the Chinese community as parochial vicar at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn.
“What is the Good News Message for U.S. Catholics from Chinese Catholics?”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
St. Paul traveled from Church to Church sharing the Good News from one community with another. In the USCCA Mission Appeal Ministry, speakers share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Catholic Church in China with the Catholic Church in the U.S. Panelists will make brief statements to encourage dialogue among participants on these questions. What is the Good News Message from Catholics in China for Catholics in the U.S.? What are the stories from the Chinese faithful that will invite Catholics of the U.S. to stand in solidarity with Chinese Catholics in their sorrows and joys under the cross of Jesus Christ?
Jin Lu, Ph.D.
Professor of French at Purdue University Northwest
Dr. Lu received her PhD in French Literature from Boston College. As a trilingual writer, she has authored a monograph on the concept of philosophe in French Enlightenment (Laval University Press, 2005), served as an editor, contributor and co-translator for a book on the images of France during the Qing dynasty (Laval University Press, 2009) and co-authored a book (with Benoît Vermander) on intercultural dialogue (Peking University Press, 2016). Her forthcoming monograph from the University of Notre Dame Press is entitled Translingual Catholics: Chinese Theologians before Vatican II.
"One Hundred Years of Hope: The Case for Xu Guangqi’s Beatification"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
On October 20, 1931, while writing to Lu Zhengxiang to brainstorm about the tercentennial of the death of Xu Guangqi (1562-1633) and the call for his beatification, Fr. Wang Changzhi, who was then studying theology at the Jesuit Theologate of Lyon-Fourvière, predicted that Xu’s beatification may take fifty to one hundred years before it could be realized. Eighty years later (2011), Fr. Wang’s former student, Shanghai’s bishop Jin Luxian, set in motion Xu Guangqi’s beatification process, which has subsequently stalled. Is time finally right for Xu Guangqi’s beatification to happen soon, realizing Chinese Catholics’ one hundred years of hope?
Richard (Dick) Madsen, Ph.D.
University of California, San Diego
Dr. Richard (Dick) Madsen, Ph.D. is Professor University of California, San Diego. He is also the Vice Chair of the USCCA Board. He went on a mission to Taiwan in 1968. While there he discerned a vocation to be a bridge builder between China and the West by fostering mutual understanding between their cultures and reconciliation from past estrangements. He has been involved with USCCA since its founding.
“Learning about Chinese Catholics through USCCA”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Introducing some of the major activities, besides this conference, through which the USCCA helps to educate about Church in China. These include our speaker series, book circles, and study tours. Our panelists include members who have played prominent roles in one or another or all of these.
Tom McGuire
USCCA Board Emeritus Director
Tom McGuire’s friendship with Chinese people dates back to his days as a Maryknoll Missionary in Hong Kong. His experience of living and sharing the Gospel with Chinese refugee sisters and brothers was a formative experience of mission discipleship. Tom also served as Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Detroit Mercy. When he returned to the U.S., participating in USCCA Conferences helped to maintain his friendships with Chinese people. From 2018 to 2024, he served as USCCA Board Chair and now as a Board Emeritus Director.
“What is the Good News Message for U.S. Catholics from Chinese Catholics?”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
St. Paul traveled from Church to Church sharing the Good News from one community with another. In the USCCA Mission Appeal Ministry, speakers share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Catholic Church in China with the Catholic Church in the U.S. Panelists will make brief statements to encourage dialogue among participants on these questions. What is the Good News Message from Catholics in China for Catholics in the U.S.? What are the stories from the Chinese faithful that will invite Catholics of the U.S. to stand in solidarity with Chinese Catholics in their sorrows and joys under the cross of Jesus Christ?
Fr. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
In July 2021, Fr. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M., was elected Superior General of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. Prior to his election, Fr. Nadeau served as Maryknoll missioner in Tanzania, Egypt, and Kenya. He was the Regional Superior of Maryknoll’s Africa Region from 2010 – 2016. In Tanzania and Egypt, he was involved in parochial and educational ministries. In Kenya, he was engaged in HIV communal health ministry and university chaplaincy.
Chair & Response for Sunday Morning Keynote
Kathleen O'Brien
Maryknoll Mission Formation Department
Kathleen O’Brien’s commitment to her Catholic faith and passion for Chinese culture were nurtured during her time at Bradley University, where she was a religious studies and philosophy major. Upon graduation, she dedicated three years as a Maryknoll lay missionary, teaching English in China at Jilin Agricultural College and Jilin Catholic Seminary. Kathleen has a master’s in systematic theology at Catholic Theological Union. She was also a full-time USCCA staff member from Fall 2021–Spring 2023 tasked with launching the Chinese and American Friendship Ministry. She now works for Maryknoll in the Mission Formation Department and is heavily involved with her local parish serving as the co-chair of the Parish Council. She will speak on the successes and challenges of engaging national Chinese students on US campuses.
“Friendship as Ministry”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
This panel focuses on engaging national Chinese students who are studying at US universities. These individuals often arrive on campuses with different degrees of readiness to settle into their new homes for both professional endeavors and communal belonging. This panel reflects on meeting these national Chinese students where they are in terms of needs for assistance, information, understanding social and cultural practices, and finding their places in the community. This panel emphasizes friendship as the approach and the intent to journeyings with these students. Depending on and respecting students’ interests and curiosities, explorations of life questions and religious traditions within the Christian framework and in small groups may follow as appropriate. Some of the journeys have led to conversion, while others have planted the seeds of fraternity and initial understanding of Christ’s call to love all. This panel includes three speakers who have had different roles and experiences in the journeys through friendship to faith.
Rev. Hugh O'Donnell, C.M.
USCCA Board Emeritus Director
Rev. Hugh O’Donnell, CM is an Emeritus Director of USCCA. Born to Irish immigrant parents in Chicago in 1934, he entered the Congregation of Mission (the Vincentians) in 1952, ordained a priest in 1961. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1966. He then served as professor and formation director at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, as rector at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, as provincial superior of the Midwest Province Congregation of the Mission. In 1993 he accepted the mission to Taiwan as provincial superior. Under his tenure, the Vincentians re-entered China for the first time since 1950. Then from 2003 to 2009 he served as director of the Center for International Formation at the Vincentian motherhouse in Paris. Now based in the U.S., Fr. O'Donnell founded and heads up an annual five-week summer program on leadership at De Paul University for sisters and priests from China.
“What is the Good News Message for U.S. Catholics from Chinese Catholics?”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
St. Paul traveled from Church to Church sharing the Good News from one community with another. In the USCCA Mission Appeal Ministry, speakers share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Catholic Church in China with the Catholic Church in the U.S. Panelists will make brief statements to encourage dialogue among participants on these questions. What is the Good News Message from Catholics in China for Catholics in the U.S.? What are the stories from the Chinese faithful that will invite Catholics of the U.S. to stand in solidarity with Chinese Catholics in their sorrows and joys under the cross of Jesus Christ?
Fr. Peter Shen
St. John’s University New York
Fr. Peter Shen is from Xingtai Diocese of Hebei Province, China. He graduated from Jilin Catholic Major Seminary in 2012. He was ordained to the priesthood in China in 2016. He worked at Hebei Faith Press which is a Chinese Catholic Newspaper from 2013 to 2019. He received a master's degree in Pastoral Theology at National Catholic Seminary in China in 2023. He is currently sponsored by the Maryknoll China Project and is studying for a master’s degree in International Communications at St. John’s University in New York City.
“Jinde Charities: An example of the Chinese Catholic Church's Social Outreach"”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Since China's reform in 1978, religion has gained a lot of freedom. Charitable organizations have also been restored and established. Over the past 40 years, Chinese religious circles have made great contributions to the Chinese people in charity, especially in disaster relief and prevention, social development, caring for students, elderly services, medical assistance, epidemic prevention, orphan rearing, environmental protection, public welfare promotion, cooperation and exchanges, and youth training. Using the Hebei Jinde Charities as an example, I will describe how religious charities serve and develop in China, their development history, and the difficulties and challenges they face. If possible, I will give a brief introduction of other religious charities.
Mary Sluka
USCCA Board Member
Mary Sluka is one of the leaders of the USCCA Book Circles. She is a long-time Board member of the Association, has been its Secretary, and has helped work on its China Church Quarterly, its National Conferences and a Study Tour to China. She has a BA in History, an MA in Asian Studies, and an MA in Scripture, Theology, and Liturgy.
“Learning about Chinese Catholics through USCCA”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Introducing some of the major activities, besides this conference, through which the USCCA helps to educate about Church in China. These include our speaker series, book circles, and study tours. Our panelists include members who have played prominent roles in one or another or all of these.
Huili (Kathy) Stout, Ph.D.
University of Dayton
Dr. Stout received her Ph.D. in theology from the University of Dayton in December 2023. She has taught classes on theology and religious studies as well as Daoism, Buddhism, and Chinese traditions in general to undergraduate students at UD and the University of Oklahoma.
“An Immigrant Theologian’s Journey in American Academia”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
I would like to share my journey of trying to find a sense of belonging as a Chinese theologian in the United States. This journey is about coming to terms with my Chinese cultural identity and integrating it with the work of Christian theology. I will discuss the tensions I have experienced as well as interesting opportunities that have arisen because of my background. In response to the conference theme, I will also share some ways in which the retrieval of my Chinese identity has led to a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.
Peter Tan
USCCA Board Chair
Peter Tan is the Chair of the USCCA Board. He was born in Indonesia and grew up in Singapore. He graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1977 with a double BA Degree in Business Administration and Political Science. In 1992, he converted to the Catholic faith. He joined the Knights of Columbus, became the Diocesan Deputy of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and then Master of the Fourth Degree. He currently serves on the Board of St. Mary Seminary in Houston. He is a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Since 2016, he and a small group of priests and Chinese lay Catholics in Houston raised funds to sponsor priests from China to attend the University of St. Thomas in Houston to study for a MA Degree.
“What is the Good News Message for U.S. Catholics from Chinese Catholics?”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
St. Paul traveled from Church to Church sharing the Good News from one community with another. In the USCCA Mission Appeal Ministry, speakers share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Catholic Church in China with the Catholic Church in the U.S. Panelists will make brief statements to encourage dialogue among participants on these questions. What is the Good News Message from Catholics in China for Catholics in the U.S.? What are the stories from the Chinese faithful that will invite Catholics of the U.S. to stand in solidarity with Chinese Catholics in their sorrows and joys under the cross of Jesus Christ?
Fr. Heping Wang
National Catholic Seminary and Beijing Catholic Seminary, China
Fr. Heping Wang was born in Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia in 1968. He is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Beijing and holds a PhD in Theology from the Jesuit Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. He currently works as a researcher in the Biblical Research Department of the CCPA & BCCCC, and teaches at the National Catholic Seminary and Beijing Catholic Seminary.
“Challenges in the faith formation of people in modern China ”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Today's Chinese society poses lots of challenges for the church to address. In response to the wave of migrant workers, the church needs to provide corresponding pastoral care. When it comes to young people’s high divorce rate, choosing not to marry, and preferring DINK, what theology and faith can do to change for the better? When lack of gratitude, justice, and judgment creates an impact on the practice of faith, what role should the church play?
Carolyn Woo, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame
Dr. Carolyn Woo chairs Panel 4b, "Friendship as Ministry." She was born and raised in Hong Kong and educated by the Maryknoll Missionary Sisters. She attributes her faith formation to the joyful ministries of the Maryknoll Sisters to serve the vulnerable and most marginalized. During her career, Carolyn Woo served as the Dean of the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and as CEO of Catholic Relief Services.
“Friendship as Ministry”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
This panel focuses on engaging national Chinese students who are studying at US universities. These individuals often arrive on campuses with different degree of readiness to settle into their new homes for both professional endeavors and communal belonging. This panel reflects on meeting these national Chinese students where they are in terms of needs for assistance, information, understanding social and cultural practices, and finding their places in the community. This panel emphasizes friendship as the approach and the intent to journeyings with these students. Depending on and respecting students’ interests and curiosities, explorations of life questions and religious traditions within the Christian framework and in small groups may follow as appropriate. Some of the journeys have led to conversion while others have planted the seeds of fraternity and initial understanding of Christ’s call to love all. This panel includes three speakers who have had different roles and experiences in the journeys through friendship to faith.
John Worthley, Ph.D.
Seton Hall University
Prof. John A. Worthley first went to China in 1983 to teach at Wuhan University as visiting professor of public administration from Seton Hall University. He returned every year after teaching at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade and Hainan University. In 1993 he facilitated Mother Teresa’s visit to Sheshan and in 2004 he brought her successor, Sr. Nirmala, to Qingdao. He authored the first article on Chinese public administration in Western literature in Public Administration Review (1984) and has published three articles in America magazine on the church in China. He is a (retired) University Professor of Public Administration of Seton Hall University. His time is divided among the East coast, the Midwest and China.
"The Holy Spirit on the Ground in China"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
This presentation will focus on two significant developments in the Chinese church: one, the rise of the Mother Teresa Evangelical China Charity, and two, the union of the previously unregistered church in the Diocese of Mindong with the registered church. Founded by a convert from Beijing, Li Baofu, the former was inspired by coverage in China of the beatification of Mother Teresa in 2003. It has developed as a “third order” of the Missionaries of Charity and now numbers over twenty thousand members in eight provinces. In 2014 the foundress and a delegation met with the MC superior general, Sr. Prema, and her Council in Kolkata. The latter, in cooperation with the Vatican-Beijing efforts to reach an accord on the appointment of bishops, began with an heroic accommodation between Bishops Zhan Silu and Guo Xijin. These two phenomena will be described and analyzed.
Xiaoxin Wu, Ed.D.
Director of Research at the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College
Dr. Wu Xiaoxin, Ed. D., Director of Research at the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College. He has had relationship with the USCCA since its beginning, especially as understood through the personal relationship of Father Edward Malatesta, founder of the Ricci Institute and an early board member of the USCCA. The Ricci Institute is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024.
“Understanding China's Catholic past and present realities as a foundation for future USCCA relationships”
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Based on their expertise and experience, the panelists will address three areas: 1. Provide an historical context for when the historical founding of the USCCA in 1989: immediate challenges and opportunities; 2. Now at 35 years, summarize what have been the important contributions of the USCAA to their various audiences in China, the U.S. and internationally; 3. Anticipate the future of intellectual and spiritual exchange that the USCCA will need to address into the future to sustain and fulfill its mission mandate in the future. This will be a roundtable discussion with Q&A.
Fr. Joseph Yu Yang
National Catholic Seminary, China
Joseph Yu Yang entered the Beijing Theological Seminary in 1991 and went to the United States to study in October 1994 at the Manderland Theological Seminary of the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Chicago. He obtained a Bachelor of Theology (S.T.B.) in May 1998, a Master of Divinity (M. Div) in May 1999, and a Master of Systematic Theology (S.T.L.) in June 2000. Since July 2000, he has been teaching systematic theology at the National Catholic Seminary and Beijing Catholic Seminary in China. The main courses include: Introduction to Theology, Basic Theology, Revelation, Theological Anthropology, Catholicism, Ecclesiology, Holy Trinity, and Ancient Church History. He also serves at the Wangfujing Church (St. Joseph Church) in Beijing every weekend. Since 2011, he has been working for the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China, and from August 2022 he has been the Secretary General of the Bishops’ Conference.
"Church Life in China: Wangfujing Church as An Example "
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Taking Wangfujing Church of the Diocese of Beijing (St. Joseph's Church/East Church) as an example, I will introduce the services and faith life of grassroots churches across China, which are specifically reflected in the following aspects: pastoral evangelization, sacramental services, standardized parish management, and church engagement and charity work.
Qi Zeng, D.Sc.
Boston College
Dr. Qi Zeng was professionally involved for many years in the U.S. pharmaceutical and financial industries. She holds a Doctor of Science degree from Harvard School of Public Health, as well as dual MA degrees in philosophy and theology from Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in theological ethics in Boston college working on her dissertation titled “Toward a Chinese universal ethic.”
"Building Intellectual Friendship: Engaging contemporary Confucian theory of harmony with Catholic Social Teaching"
Saturday, August 3, 2024
There is a rich potential for engagement and conversation between Catholic Social Teaching and the Confucian theory of harmony-in-strife. This potential is augmented by the framework of global peace and common good expressed in the Vatican II encyclical Gaudium et Spes. I suggest that an engaged conversation in the spirit of intellectual friendship can throw light on how to reconcile the tensions that exist between US-Chinese relations, understanding that both nations struggle with their own interpretations of what constitutes individual rights and social responsibility in the service of the common good.
Yujia (Sam) Zhai
Boston College
Yujia (Sam) Zhai is a Theology doctoral candidate at Boston College concentrated in Comparative Theology and Christian-Jewish Relations. Born and raised in Tianjin, China, Sam came to the USA as a college student majoring in Physics and Computer Science at University of Southern California. He became a Catholic in 2013 and went on to earn two Master's degrees at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Sam will share how his experiences with a multicultural U.S. campus, research in Christian-Jewish relations, and reflection on friendships have shaped his Catholic identity and commitment as a Chinese student in America.
“Friendship as Ministry”
Sunday, August 4, 2024
This panel focuses on engaging national Chinese students who are studying at US universities. These individuals often arrive on campuses with different degrees of readiness to settle into their new homes for both professional endeavors and communal belonging. This panel reflects on meeting these national Chinese students where they are in terms of needs for assistance, information, understanding social and cultural practices, and finding their places in the community. This panel emphasizes friendship as the approach and the intent to journeyings with these students. Depending on and respecting students’ interests and curiosities, explorations of life questions and religious traditions within the Christian framework and in small groups may follow as appropriate. Some of the journeys have led to conversion, while others have planted the seeds of fraternity and initial understanding of Christ’s call to love all. This panel includes three speakers who have had different roles and experiences in the journeys through friendship to faith.
Fr. Qiulin Zhang
National Catholic Seminary, China
From May 1992 to October 1994, Fr. Qiulin Zhang studied theology and philosophy at the National Catholic Seminary. From February 1995 to May 1999, he studied theology at the Theological Seminary of St. John's University in Minnesota, USA, and received a Master's degree in Liturgical Studies and Master’s degree in Divinity (M.Div). From September 1999 to May 2007, he studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and obtained a PhD in Liturgical Studies. Since September 2007, he has been teaching at the National Catholic Seminary in China. From 2008 to 2011, he served as director of the Spirituality Department of the Seminary; from 2011 to 2012, he served as director of the Discipline Department; and from 2012 to present, he serves as director of the religious affairs department.