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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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.
the Venerable Matteo Ricci Award
The Venerable Matteo Ricci Award and Banquet honor a legacy of encounter, scholarship, and profound respect embodied by Matteo Ricci, SJ, whose life and work shaped enduring relationships between the Church and the people of China.
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Through his deep commitment to learning the language, culture, and intellectual traditions of China, Ricci modeled an approach rooted in humility, friendship, and mutual understanding rather than imposition.
The award and banquet bearing his name celebrate those who continue this tradition of dialogue and bridge-building, recognizing their contributions which reflect Ricci’s conviction that genuine engagement begins with listening, shared learning, and reverence for the dignity and wisdom of the Chinese people.
Recipient of our 2026 Venerable Matteo Ricci Award
Father Jeroom Heyndrickx, C.I.C.M.
Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation
Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium
Fr. Heyndrickx is the founder of the Ferdinand Verbiest Institute in 1982. He has inspired a whole generation of scholars and pastoral leasers to build bridges of friendship and spiritual maturity as exemplified by the presence and intellectual apostolate of Matteo Ricci within in China until his death in 1610 and his fellow Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-1688). Moreover, Fr. Heyndrickx and the Verbiest Institute served as an organizational model to imitate when the U.S.-Catholic China Catholic Association was founded in 1989 as the U.S.- China Catholic Bureau.
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Due to his age, Fr. Heyndrickx could not travel to Houston. Gabriella Yang of the Verbiest Institute will accept the Venerable Matteo Ricci Award on Fr. Heyndrickx’s behalf at the USCCA on August 1, 2026 at the Conference Liturgy, Ascension Chinese Mission, Houston, Texas. Immediately following is the Venerable Matteo Ricci Banquet.