Scholarly Panels
Contributions from academics drawing on the method and resources of their respective disciplines.
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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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
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:
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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
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
Note: Presenters will have their conference registration fees waived in appreciation for their service to the gathering.
Conference 30 Provisional Program
(June 30, 2026 update)
The US-China Catholic Association invites clergy, scholars, students, and lay leaders to gather for reflection, dialogue, and friendship as we explore faith, trust, and mission within the Chinese Catholic experience.
The 30th International Conference will take place at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston, TX, on July 31–August 2, 2026. The Conference Theme is "Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Following the Way of Christ."
All conference attendees and participants register via the registration form.
For more information, contact conference@uschinacatholic.org.
Friday (7/31) Evening
2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Conference Registration (CSHP Atrium)
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Conference Opening Program (Jones Hall)
5:00 PM – 5:10 PM
5:10 PM – 5:30 PM
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Keynote Speech
Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Chinese Catholics in America Following the Way of Christ
Fr. Thomas Betz, OFM CAP., St. John the Evangelist Church, Philadelphia
Introduced by:
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
BBQ dinner and social networking (CSHP Atrium)
Saturday (8/1)
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Continental Breakfast (CSHP Atrium SW Corner)
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Registration, book displays, USCCA program tables, feature displays on three video screens (CSHP Atrium)
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Welcome and Keynote (CSHP Atrium)
8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
8:15 AM – 8:30 AM
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Keynote Speech
The Intercultural Church: A Theology of Aspiration
Dr. Stephanie Wong, Villanova University
Introduced by:
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Tea Break (CSHP Atrium SW corner)
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Parallel Session 1
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Panel 1A: Faith Formation in China (CSHP 146)
Mission experiences of a Chinese Religious Sister
Sr. Cuilian Jiang, Catholic Philosophy and Theology Seminary, MA
Nourishing Faith and Fellowship: Walking in the Way of Christ - Faith Warms Midlife Crisis
Sr. Shuangying Shen, Loyola University, Chicago
Promoting communicative catechesis in China based on Our Common Journey and Catechesis
Dr. Gabriella Yang, Verbiest Foundation, Belgium
Session Chair:
Fr. Francis Li, St. Mother Teresa Parish, Chicago
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Panel 1B: Living the Faith in the Chinese Context (CSHP 251)
Resurrection: Images from the 2026 Easter Triduum in Beijing
Mr. Peter Feng, Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome
Chinese Wisdom and Christian Faith: On Wisdom
Dr. Chiaretto Yan, University of Saint Joseph, Macau
Session Chair:
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Group Photo Taking (CSHP Atrium)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Box Lunch and Social Networking (CSHP Atrium)
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Parallel Session 2
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Panel 2A: Accompanying International Students: Friendship, Learning, and Meaning (CSHP 146)
Pursuing Christ Together - Equipping American Students to Journey with their Chinese Peers
Ms. Heidi Kempt Chew, Case Western Reserve University
The Role of Campus Resources and Opportunities to Create a Culture of Meaningful Encounter with Chinese International Students
Dr. Rosie Shawver (Session Co-Chair), Catholic Campus Ministry Association
Building a Home for Faith at the University of Washington
Session Co-Chair:
Dr. Anne Tsui, Arizona State University
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Panel 2B: Pastoral and Social Service in China (CSHP 251)
Serving International Congregation in a Beijing Parish
Ms. Vicky Sun, Wise Promise Advisory
Psychological Integration and Spiritual Maturity among Catholic Religious Women in Mainland China
Sr. Xin Yu, FDIHM, Ateneo de Manila University
Session Chair:
Fr. Ed Griswold, Diocese of Trenton, NJ
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Tea Break (CSHP Atrium SW corner)
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Parallel Session 3
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Panel 3A: Catholic Faith Across Cultures (CSHP 146)
Beyond East and West: John C. H. Wu and the Transfiguration of Cultures
Fr. Dr. Emanuele Angiola, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei
Matteo Ricci and Friendship in Contemporary Society
Kathleen O'Brien, Maryknoll Mission Society
The Faith Journey of Chinese Catholics in Jamaica, 1900 to 1957
Zichan Qiu, University of Illinois, Chicago
Session Chair:
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Panel 3B: Studies of Catholic Religious Orders in China (CSHP 251)
Scholarly Storytelling: Missionaries in Twentieth Century China
Ms. Katherine Koch, Independent writer
Total Sacrifice, True Charity, Constant Joy: The Spirituality of Vincent Lebbe and the first Chinese Religious Orders
Dr. Stephanie Wong, Villanova University
Session Chair:
Fr. Rob Carbonneau, CP, USCCA & Boston College
4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
Bus Transportation from UST (CSHP) to Ascension Chinese Mission Church - 4605 Jetty Lane Houston TX 77072
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
USCCA Conference Mass and Matteo Ricci Award
Mass Celebrant: The Most Reverend Joe Vasquez, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Bus Transportation to Ocean Palace Ocean Palace - 11215 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77072
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
8:30 PM
Bus Transportation from Ocean Palace to UST
Sunday (8/2)
7:00 AM – 7:30 AM
Private Meditation and Morning Prayer - Chapel of St. Basil, UST Campus (walk in, no organized program)
7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
Continental Breakfast (CSHP Atrium SW Corner)
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Registration and Information - CSHP Atrium
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Parallel Session 4
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Panel 4A: Vatican, China, Faith Partnerships (CSHP 146)
The Vision of the Inclusive Oneness of China and the Vatican
Fr. Bit-shing Abraham Chiu, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Sacramento
Synodality and the Sinicization of Catholicism in China
Weaving Relationships of Communion and Resilient Engagement between China and the Vatican
Dr. Chiaretto Yan, University of Saint Joseph, Macau
Session Chair:
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Panel 4B: Christianity and Friendship across Cultures (CSHP 251)
Upholding the Word of Life: Nourishing Trust and Friendship through Manchu Bible Research
Adam Joel Ensign, Insignia Cultural Endeavors
Intercultural Studies of Chinese Christianity
Dr. Naomi Thurston, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Session Chair:
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Tea Break (CSHP Atrium SW Corner)
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
Interactive Workshops
Workshop A (CSHP 146)
Chinese Martial Contributions to Prayer
Dr. Bede Benjamin Bidlack, Saint Anselm University
Workshop B (CSHP 251)
Catholic Bible Study in English and Chinese for the Growth and Renewal of the Church
Dr. Stephen Binz, Independent author
Workshop C (CSHP 252)
Fragmented Visions, Future Hopes: Civil War China in Lost Films by American Jesuit Missionaries
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Keynote Panel: Multi-Generational Conversation on the Past and Present of Catholicism in China (CSHP Atrium)
Reflections of a Passionist’s China Visits 1989 to 2024
Fr. Rob Carbonneau, CP, USCCA and Boston College
Observations of a New Generation Catholic: The resilience of the Chinese Faithful
Mr. Peter Feng, Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome
Growing up in a devout Catholic family and village in China
Fr. Francis Li, St. Mother Teresa Parish, Chicago
Respect and Hope for Chinese Catholics by a China Specialist from the 1960s
Session Chair:
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Closing Session: Gathering Graces and Preparation for the Future, Conference Wrap-Up (CSHP Atrium)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Box Lunch and Social Networking (CSHP Atrium)