Photo by Kathy Stout, Holy Family church in Wuhan, China At the end of each month, the USCCA compiles a brief list of interesting news articles about Chinese Catholicism. Here is an aggregate of links for September 2026. Upcoming USCCA Friendship Happy Hour discussion: "Chinese Arts and Christian Spirituality," October 29, 2026. Antonio Spadaro, SJ, “Sino-Vatican Deal: 8 Years, 18 Chinese Bishops,” Global Catholic, Sept 11, 2026. Marta Zhao, “Andrew Ding Yang Ordained Archbishop of Chongqing,” Agenzia Fides, Sept 8, 2026. Marta Zhao, “Paul Liu Honggang Ordained Bishop of Datong,” Agenzia Fides, Aug 31, 2026. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Photo by Kathy Stout, St. Anthony's Church, Shenzhen, China Today's Gospel teaches us the paradox of God's generosity: The last will be first, and the first will be last. May we grow in gratitude rather than resentment, in faithfulness rather than rivalry. We invite you to read the latest reflection from Fr. Joseph Ruan, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十五主日（甲年） 今天是常年期第二十五主日，今天的福音借着葡萄园工人的比喻，邀请我们省察自己怎样理解公平，也学习天主怎样看待人。清晨进入葡萄园的工人，劳苦受热了一整天；傍晚才来的人，只工作了一个小时，最后却领到同样的工资。先来的工人便抱怨说：“这些最后雇来的人，只工作了一个小时，你竟把他们与我们这整天劳苦受热的，一样看待。”（玛20:12）如果我们是先来的工人，也许同样意难平：付出不同，为什么所得一样？ 现代社会讲究按劳分配，也常按工作的成果决定酬劳。付出更多劳动、承担更大责任、创造更多价值，通常应当得到相应的回报。这合乎常理，因为劳动值得尊重，辛苦不应被轻视。不过，按工时计算与按成果计算，也未必得出相同的报酬。人的公平需要考虑不同因素，不能只凭一把尺子。尤其需要了解：工作成果可以作为计酬的依据，却不能用来衡量一个人的全部价值。有人能力强、机会多，容易有所成就；有人同样尽心，却因疾病、年老或缺少机会，成果有限，加上男女有别。若只看产出，不问处境，就容易以偏概全。 福音中，最后受雇的人说：“因为没有人雇我们。”（玛20:7）他们并非好逸恶劳，也并非故意拖延。先来的工人看见他们只工作了一小时，家主却看见他需要养家糊口。我们容易从一个人的表现判断人，天主却认识人的整个生命，包括我们看不见的困难与挣扎。家主从清晨到傍晚，多次出去寻找工人，正让我们体会这份关怀。人有时急于论资排辈，天主却不断向人发出邀请；人容易根据过去下定论，天主仍为愿意回应的人打开大门。 那么，天主的慷慨是否有失公义？家主说：“朋友！我并没有亏负你，你不是和我议定了一个银币吗？”（玛20:13）他信守承诺，没有扣减先来者应得的工资；随后又说：“我愿意给这最后来的和给你的一样多。”（玛20:14）这份额外的给予，由家主自己承担。在这个比喻中，他既向先来者守信，也向后来者施恩。天主的公平包含祂对人的信实，祂的慷慨没有以亏待别人为代价。因此，这个比喻不能直接成为现实中的工资制度，更不能用来要求受亏待的人保持沉默。应付的工资、应负的责任，必须认真履行；关怀有需要的人，也不能成为侵害他人权益的借口。 先来工人的困扰在于：原先接受的工资，因为别人得到同样的数目，忽然变得难以接受。自己所得虽没有减少，心中的尺度却改变了。我们也可能如此：起初盼望辛苦得到肯定，后来却需要别人少得一些，才觉得心里平衡。别人受称赞，我们便耿耿于怀；别人有机会，我们便觉得自己吃亏。家主问：“还是因为我心好，你就嫉妒吗？”（玛20:15）这句话值得反复省察：我们所追求的公平，是让每个人得到应有的尊重，还是自己必须高人一等？据理力争合理待遇，与嫉妒别人蒙恩，需要分辨清楚。 这份分辨也适用于信仰生活。我们若把计酬的方式带进与天主的关系，就容易认为：自己进堂多年、奉献不少，理应比后来者得到更多的爱。然而，天主的恩典并不按工时计价。早日认识天主，包含多年的奉献，也包含多年受到圣言滋养、在软弱中得到扶持。应该饮水思源，我们记得自己为天主做了什么，也要记得天主怎样陪伴我们走到今天。答唱咏说：“上主亲近所有呼求他的人，所有诚心诚意呼求他的人。”（咏145:18）一个刚刚回头的人，同样可以诚心呼求上主；他得到宽恕，并没有减少我们所领受的恩宠。 第一篇读经说：“因为我的思念不是你们的思念，你们的道路也不是我的道路。”（依55:8）这句话的前文，正是邀请罪人归向天主：“他该归附上主，上主必会怜悯他；他该归附我们的天主，因为他富于仁慈。”（依55:7）天主道路的高远，在这里显露为宽恕的丰厚。人可能认定某个人已经无可救药，天主却仍呼唤他改过自新。不过，仁慈也要求回应。先知说：“罪人应离开自己的道路，恶人该抛弃自己的思念。”（依55:7）后来受雇的人，也确实进入葡萄园工作。我们既不应因过去的失败而灰心，也不应把悔改一拖再拖。 第二篇读经中的保禄，为我们指出奉献的方向。他说：“因为对我来说，基督就是生命，死亡就是获益。”（斐1:21）他渴望与基督在一起，也顾念信友的需要：“但是我活在世上，为你们却更重要。”（斐1:24）他衡量劳苦的意义，关心基督是否受到光荣，弟兄姊妹是否得到益处。这样的心，使人愿意成人之美。我们服务团体、陪伴信友，若看见别人因此成长，就能认出自己付出的果实，不必处处比较谁更受重视。 耶稣最后说：“这样，落后的将要领先，领先的反而落后。”（玛20:16a）这提醒我们，信仰资历不能成为居功自傲的凭据。身在葡萄园中，还要学习园主的心意。多年默默服务的人，应当得到感谢与嘉奖；刚刚来到教会的人，也需要欢迎与陪伴。推己及人，我们能够珍惜自己的辛苦，也体谅别人的处境；能够坚持公义，并愿意慷慨相助。少一些斤斤计较，多一些感恩与宽厚，在忠信中成长，在奉献中体会喜乐，也为每一个回应天主召叫的人真诚祝福。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Today we celebrate Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s Gospel invites us to examine our understanding of fairness and to learn how God sees people. The laborers hired at dawn work through the burden and heat of the day. Those hired toward evening work only one hour, yet receive the same wage. The first workers complain: “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.” (Mt 20:12) If we were in their place, we might feel the same resentment. Why should different amounts of work receive the same reward? Modern society generally links pay to work performed or results achieved. Greater effort, heavier responsibility, and higher productivity normally deserve greater compensation. This is reasonable: work deserves respect, and effort should not be taken for granted. Yet paying by hours and paying by results can produce different outcomes. Fairness requires careful judgment. Above all, a person’s output may help determine their wages, but it cannot measure their entire worth. Some people have strong abilities and abundant opportunities. Others work just as faithfully but face illness, age, limited opportunities, or discrimination. If we judge only by results, we risk overlooking the person. In the Gospel, the last workers explain why they are still waiting: “Because no one has hired us.” (Mt 20:7) The passage gives us no reason to assume that they were lazy or deliberately avoiding work. The first workers notice how little these men have done; the landowner notices that they have been left without employment. We can imagine their concern about providing for themselves and their households. We often judge people by what is visible, while God knows their whole lives, including struggles hidden from us. The landowner’s repeated journeys into the marketplace reveal his concern. Even as the day draws to a close, he continues to invite people into his vineyard. Does this generosity come at the expense of justice? The landowner replies: “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?” (Mt 20:13) He has kept his promise and withheld nothing owed to the first workers. He then asks: “What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?” (Mt 20:14) The additional gift comes from his own resources. He honors his agreement with the first workers and treats the last with generosity. God’s justice includes faithfulness to his promises; his generosity does not require cheating anyone. This parable should therefore never become an excuse for unfair wages or for silencing those who suffer injustice. Wages owed must be paid, responsibilities fulfilled, and workers treated with dignity. Charity toward some cannot justify mistreatment of others. The first workers’ difficulty is that a wage they had accepted now seems insufficient because others receive the same amount. Their pay has not changed; their measure of fairness has. We can recognize this tendency in ourselves. We begin by wanting our efforts appreciated, but gradually we may need someone else to receive less before we feel satisfied. Another person’s praise becomes our grievance. Another person’s opportunity feels like our loss. The landowner asks: “Are you envious because I am generous?” (Mt 20:15) His question invites an honest examination of conscience. Do we want everyone to receive proper respect, or do we need to stand above others? Defending our legitimate rights and resenting another person’s blessings are different things. This distinction matters in our life of faith. If we approach God as though we were negotiating payment, we may assume that years of worship and service entitle us to more love than someone who has only recently returned. Yet grace cannot be calculated by the hour. Knowing God from an early age means years of commitment, but it means years of being nourished by his word and sustained in weakness. Gratitude asks us to remember the source of what we have received. Alongside what we have done for God, we should recall how God has carried us. Today’s psalm says: “The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.” (Ps 145:18) Someone returning today can call upon him sincerely. The mercy they receive takes nothing away from the grace already given to us. The first reading declares: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.” (Is 55:8) These words follow an invitation to repentance: “let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.” (Is 55:7) Here, the greatness of God’s ways is revealed in the abundance of his forgiveness. We may decide that someone is beyond hope; God continues to call that person to a new beginning. His mercy calls for a response: “Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts.” (Is 55:7) The workers hired late accept the invitation and enter the vineyard. Past failure need not lead to despair, and present mercy should never become an excuse to postpone repentance. In the second reading, Saint Paul shows us how to understand the purpose of our labor. He says: “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.” (Phil 1:21) He longs to be with Christ, yet remains concerned for the community: “Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.” (Phil 1:24) He measures his labor by whether Christ is glorified and others are helped. Such a heart can rejoice in another person’s growth. When our service helps someone deepen their faith or find the courage to return, we can recognize the fruit of our efforts. We do not have to keep comparing who receives more attention. Jesus concludes: “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Mt 20:16a) Years of faithfulness should never become grounds for claiming superiority. Being in the vineyard means continuing to learn the heart of its owner. Those who have served quietly for years deserve gratitude and support; those just arriving need welcome and companionship. We can value our own efforts while remaining attentive to another person’s circumstances. We can uphold justice and give generously. May we grow in gratitude rather than resentment, in faithfulness rather than rivalry, and in the joy of welcoming every person who answers God’s call. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

by Huili (Kathy) Stout, Ph.D. 18th Century Wood Sculpture, Mater Dolorosa, public domain This Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, was the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. The feast commemorates the seven sorrows of Mary in different stages of her life, beginning with Simeon's prophecy at Jesus’s presentation in the temple and culminating in Mary standing at the foot of the cross to witness her son's death. In this short reflection, I would like to offer four reasons from a Chinese Catholic perspective for why we honor Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows. The first reason is a general principle of all Marian devotions: never separate Mary from Jesus. Marianist priest and scholar, Fr. Bertrand Buby, taught me this a long time ago when he commented on the scripture from Matthew 2:11: when the magi from the east came to Bethlehem, “on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.” Jesus is always “with Mary his mother,” as she is always with him. This unbreakable bond between Mother and Son is celebrated by the fact that the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows comes right after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Monday, Sept 14, 2026. The second reason for honoring Our Lady of Sorrows is to overcome our forgetfulness of God. Some Church Fathers, such as St. Mark the Ascetic, teach that forgetfulness is one of the primary roots of sin that supports and reinforces other vices. By turning to Mary in the depth and purity of her human sorrow, we are reminded of her love for God, God’s love for us, and the degree of God’s loving kindness. Mary is a gentle reminder for us to remember and turn to Christ. The third reason is a very Chinese one. It is part of traditional Chinese morality that we must strive to repay all the graces we receive from others. Every Chinese, Christian or not, recognizes the rightness and justice of the moral command to repay a grace 报恩. Even though it is theologically impossible to repay the grace of God, it is right and just to live with gratitude to God for his loving kindness and redemptive care, and try to give back, however little it may be. Christ is our debtor and redeemer—我们最大的恩人. It is only right and just to remember the suffering of Christ and the sorrows of his mother in the spirit of gratitude and giving back. Finally, Our Lady of Sorrows reminds us of the reality of suffering in human existence and beckons us to live with courage and perseverance in this valley of tears. Often, we try to avoid suffering. Sometimes, we try to ignore the reality of suffering by distractions, overstimulation, or simply running away. Social media tries to sell us a false dream of glitzy happiness. Yet suffering is the ordinary texture of human life that none of us can escape: old age, illness, death, separation from loved ones, frustrated desires, disappointment, bad relationships, and the burning of the passions/vices within. Finding true happiness in this life and in the next is no small task. It requires a face-to-face confrontation with the reality of suffering and the courage to go on, with the help of God, Mary Our Lady, and all the saints both in heaven and on earth. Dr. Huili (Kathy) Stout is the USCCA's Membership Coordinator and the facilitator of the USCCA Book Circle. She received her Ph.D. in theology from the University of Dayton, and she has taught classes on Catholic theology and Chinese traditions at the University of Dayton and the University of Oklahoma. Her current research interest is the dialogue between Chinese Buddhism and Christian spirituality. You may reach her via email at membership@uscatholicchina.org. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

"Jesus and the Children" by Chen Yuandu 陈缘督 (1902-1967) The strength to forgive comes from God, who continues to treat us with mercy. By forgiving others, we extend God's mercy to our families and communities. We invite you to read Fr. Ruan's latest bilingual Sunday Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十四主日（甲年） 今天，教会在常年期第二十四主日的圣言中，邀请我们默想宽恕。人与人相处，难免有误解、摩擦与伤害。有些事情看似已经过去，心里却仍然耿耿于怀；有些伤口平日不易察觉，一句话、一次相遇，便可能使往事涌上心头。我们知道应当宽恕，却未必知道如何迈出第一步。今天的福音为我们指出一条道路：要学习宽恕别人，先要记起天主怎样宽恕了自己。每当我们真诚悔罪，怀着改过的决心领受和好圣事，天主都赦免我们的罪，赐予我们重新开始的恩宠。主耶稣邀请我们，让这份亲身领受的慈悲，渐渐改变我们对待近人的方式。 伯多禄来到耶稣面前，问道：“主啊！如果我的弟兄得罪了我，我该宽恕他多少次呢？七次够了吗？”（玛18:21）上主日，耶稣教导门徒怎样劝告犯错的弟兄，帮助他回心转意，修复关系。今天，伯多禄进一步提出一个切身的问题：如果对方一再得罪我，我究竟还要宽恕多少次？这个问题，也道出了许多人的心声。宽恕一次，或许还能勉强做到；一而再、再而三地宽恕，便容易令人心灰意冷。我们不禁会想：我已经如此忍让，难道还不够吗？伯多禄愿意宽恕，却仍希望知道一个明确的限度。耶稣回答他，要宽恕“七十个七次”（玛18:22）。主的这句话，使我们看见：宽恕不能停留在计较次数上。只要心中仍握着一本账簿，时时计算对方欠了自己多少，我们便很难真正走出怨恨。 随后，耶稣讲述君王与仆人结账的比喻，把我们的目光从别人亏欠了什么，带回自己领受了什么。一个仆人欠了君王一万金元宝，债台高筑，根本无力偿还。他俯伏在地，恳求主人宽容，并许诺还清一切。他所求的只是宽限时日，主人却动了怜悯的心，释放了他，并免去全部债务（参阅玛18:24-27）。这份恩惠远远超出他的请求。他能够重获自由、重新开始，完全出于主人白白赐下的慈悲。可是，这个仆人一出门，就遇见欠他一百银币的同伴。他抓住对方，掐住他的喉咙，逼他还债。同伴苦苦哀求，所说的话几乎与他刚才向主人说的一模一样。他却毫不留情，把同伴关进监牢（参阅玛18:28-30）。 一百银币虽非微不足道，然而，与主人刚刚免去的巨债相比，两者实在相去甚远。这个仆人的问题，在于他领受了莫大的怜悯，却没有让这份恩惠进入内心。他只记得别人欠了自己什么，转眼便忘记自己蒙受了多大的恩典。主人于是质问他：“难道你不该怜悯你的同伴，如同我怜悯你一样吗？”（玛18:33）这句话点明了整个比喻的核心，也触及我们每个人的良心。我们既然不断领受天主的宽赦，就应当学习推己及人，以慈悲回应近人的软弱。福音结尾的警告十分严肃，耶稣要求我们“从心里宽恕”弟兄（玛18:35）。天主的慈悲白白赐下，也召叫我们真实地悔改。若我们一面恳求祂的宽恕，一面执意拒绝怜悯别人，就需要认真省察：我们是否愿意让祂的恩宠改变自己？ 从心里宽恕，需要诚实面对自己的伤痛，也需要逐渐放下报复的愿望，不再以对方受苦作为自己的满足。伤痛的平复往往需要时间，信任的重建也需要悔改与实际行动。面对持续的伤害，我们仍可以设立必要的界限，寻求保护，并维护公义。在这样的过程中，我们依然可以求主保守自己的心，不让仇恨生根，不让伤害决定自己往后怎样生活。宽恕的道路可能并非一帆风顺，但当我们愿意把伤痛带到天主面前，祂的恩宠便能扶持我们，逐渐走出怨恨的束缚。 今天的读经一同样指出怀恨的危险。德训篇提醒我们：当我们向上主祈求宽赦时，也应当省察自己是否仍对近人怀怒（参阅德28:3-5）。我们希望天主体谅自己的软弱，却有时对别人的过失紧抓不放；我们盼望自己的过去获得宽赦，却可能不断翻出别人的旧账。这份反省，邀请我们将心比心，以自己所盼望得到的体谅去体谅别人。德训篇也劝我们记得生命的结局，停止仇恨，并记念至高者的盟约，宽恕近人的过错（参阅德28:6-9）。人生有限，能够用来爱人的时日弥足珍贵。若任由积怨盘踞心中，我们便容易错失眼前行善与修和的机会。记念天主的盟约，则帮助我们看见：无论自己经历怎样的软弱，祂始终信守祂的爱，也不断召唤我们回到祂身边。 今天的答唱咏邀请我们赞颂天主，记念祂的恩惠。感恩能够帮助我们学习宽恕。当我们细数自己领受过的赦免、扶持与忍耐，心便有机会渐渐柔软。我们会发现，自己能够走到今天，同样有赖于天主的慈悲，也有赖于许多人曾经给予的包容。第二篇读经进一步提醒我们：“所以我们或生或死，都属上主。”（罗14:8）我们属于基督，因此，怎样面对伤痛、处理愤怒、解决冲突，也应当接受祂的引导。基督死而复活，成为生者和死者的主。那些我们无力处理的关系、难以启齿的委屈，以及多年未愈的伤处，都可以带到祂面前，求祂医治，求祂带领。 回顾自己的信仰生活，我们已经多少次在告解中，承认同样的软弱？有些过错曾经立志改正，却又一再重犯。然而，每当我们真诚悔改，怀着改过的决心领受和好圣事，天主仍然赦免我们，扶持我们重新起步。祂对我们的耐心，使我们在跌倒之后仍能怀着希望站起来。想到这里，我们也可以扪心自问：我曾多少次求天主给我重新开始的机会？当别人需要我的宽容时，我是否愿意为他留下一条回头的路？当我希望别人不要以一次过失断定我的一生时，我是否也愿意相信，对方能够在恩宠中改变？ 宽恕，往往就从生活中的一小步开始。家人的一句话再次刺痛我们时，可以先停下来祈祷，避免以恶言相向；朋友令我们失望时，可以诚实表达自己的感受，给彼此倾听的机会；堂区里的旧事又勾起怨恨时，可以克制传播是非的冲动，为有关的人祈祷，并在合宜的时候寻求沟通与和解。这些选择未必立刻消除伤痛，却能帮助我们逐渐走出怨恨。即使此刻还做不到心平气和，我们仍可以向天主承认自己的困难，求祂赐予我们一颗愿意学习宽恕的心。 亲爱的弟兄姊妹，宽恕的力量，来自那位始终以慈悲对待我们的天主。每一次走近告解亭，每一次获得罪赦，我们都重新领受祂的恩宠，也重新受派遣，把这份慈悲带进家庭、堂区和日常生活。愿我们常怀感恩，记念天主对自己的忍耐；愿我们每次想到别人亏欠了自己，也记得自己怎样一次又一次蒙受宽赦。让每一次领受的宽恕，都成为我们怜悯近人的力量，使天主的爱在我们的言语和行动中结出果实。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A The readings for this Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time invite us to reflect on forgiveness. Misunderstandings, disagreements, and hurt are part of our relationships. Some experiences seem to be behind us, yet resentment remains. A word or an unexpected encounter can bring an old wound painfully to the surface. We know that we are called to forgive, but we may struggle to know where to begin. Today’s Gospel shows us a way forward: to learn to forgive others, we must remember how God has forgiven us. Whenever we approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation with sincere repentance and a firm purpose of amendment, God forgives our sins and gives us the grace to begin again. Jesus calls us to allow the mercy we have received to shape the way we treat our neighbor. Peter approaches Jesus with a practical question: how often must he forgive a brother who sins against him? Would seven times be enough? (See Matthew 18:21.) In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus taught his disciples how to correct a brother who has sinned, seeking his conversion and the restoration of their relationship. Now Peter asks what happens when forgiveness must be offered again and again. His question speaks to an experience many of us recognize. Forgiving once may already be difficult. Repeated offenses can leave us discouraged and exhausted. We may find ourselves thinking: I have already been so patient. How much more can be expected of me? Peter is willing to forgive, but he wants to know the limit. Jesus answers, “not seven times but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22). His response calls us beyond keeping count. When we carry an inner ledger, carefully recording everything another person owes us, we struggle to become free of resentment. Jesus then tells the parable of a king settling accounts with his servants. Through this story, he directs our attention from what others owe us to what we ourselves have received. One servant owes the king ten thousand talents, an overwhelming debt he has no means of repaying. Falling before his master, he begs for patience and promises to repay everything. He asks for more time. Moved with compassion, however, the master releases him and cancels the entire debt (see Matthew 18:24–27). The gift far exceeds the request. His freedom and his opportunity to begin again come entirely from his master’s generosity. Yet when this servant leaves, he finds a fellow servant who owes him a hundred denarii. He seizes the man by the throat and demands payment. His fellow servant begs for patience in almost the same words he himself has just used. He refuses to listen and has the man put in prison (see Matthew 18:28–30). A hundred denarii was a meaningful sum, and the debt was real. Yet it was small beside the enormous debt the master had forgiven. The servant’s failure was that he received extraordinary mercy without allowing it to change his heart. He remembered what someone else owed him and immediately forgot the gift he had received. The master confronts him: having received compassion, should he not have shown compassion to his fellow servant? (See Matthew 18:33.) This question lies at the heart of the parable and reaches into our own conscience. Since we continually receive God’s forgiveness, we are called to respond mercifully to the weaknesses of others. The Gospel ends with a solemn warning: Jesus calls us to forgive “from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). God freely offers his mercy, and that mercy calls for genuine conversion. If we ask him to forgive us while deliberately refusing compassion to others, we must examine whether we are allowing his grace to transform us. Forgiving from the heart requires us to acknowledge our pain honestly and gradually relinquish the desire for revenge. It means learning to stop taking satisfaction in another person’s suffering. Healing often takes time, and rebuilding trust requires repentance and concrete action. Where harm continues, we may still need appropriate boundaries, protection, and justice. Throughout that process, we can ask the Lord to keep hatred from taking root and to help us move forward without allowing the injury to govern our lives. The path of forgiveness may be difficult, but as we bring our wounds before God, his grace can sustain us and gradually free us from resentment. The first reading also reveals the danger of resentment. Sirach asks us to examine the anger we hold toward others when we approach God seeking pardon (see Sirach 28:3–5). We want God to be patient with our weaknesses, yet we sometimes cling to another person’s failures. We hope our past will be forgiven, yet we may repeatedly bring up someone else’s mistakes. These words invite us to offer others the understanding we hope to receive ourselves. Sirach also urges us to remember the end of our lives, set aside hostility, and remain mindful of the covenant of the Most High. Our time on earth is limited, and our opportunities to love are precious. When we allow resentment to occupy our hearts, we can overlook the good we might do today and the possibilities for reconciliation before us. Remembering God’s covenant reminds us that, through all our weakness, he remains faithful in love and continues to call us back to himself. Today’s responsorial psalm invites us to praise God and remember his gifts. Gratitude can help us learn to forgive. As we recall the forgiveness, patience, and support we have received, our hearts can gradually soften. We begin to recognize how much our own journey has depended on God’s mercy and on the kindness of people who have made room for our shortcomings. The second reading places all of this within our relationship with Christ. Saint Paul reminds us that we belong to the Lord in both life and death (see Romans 14:8). Because we belong to Christ, we are called to seek his guidance in the way we face pain, respond to anger, and resolve conflict. Through his death and Resurrection, Christ is Lord of the living and the dead. We can bring him the relationships we do not know how to repair, the hurts we struggle to express, and the wounds that have remained with us for years. Consider our own experience of confession. How often have we confessed the same weaknesses? How often have we sincerely resolved to change, only to fall again? Yet whenever we return with genuine repentance and a firm purpose of amendment, God forgives us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and strengthens us to begin anew. His patience gives us hope that, after falling, we can rise again. Remembering this, we can examine our hearts. How many times have I asked God for another beginning? When someone needs my forgiveness, am I willing to leave room for that person to turn back? When I hope others will not define my whole life by one failure, am I also willing to believe that another person can change through grace? Forgiveness often begins with a small, concrete step. When a family member’s words hurt us again, we can pause and pray before responding harshly. When a friend disappoints us, we can speak honestly about our feelings and make room to listen. When an old disagreement in the parish stirs up resentment, we can resist the impulse to spread gossip, pray for those involved, and seek conversation and reconciliation when appropriate. These choices may not remove the pain immediately, but they can help us move toward freedom from resentment. Even when peace seems beyond our reach, we can acknowledge our struggle before God and ask him for a heart willing to learn forgiveness. Dear brothers and sisters, the strength to forgive comes from the God who continues to treat us with mercy. Each time we approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive forgiveness, we receive his grace anew. We are also sent to carry that mercy into our families, our parishes, and our daily lives. May we remain grateful for God’s patience with us. Whenever we remember what someone else owes us, may we also remember how often we ourselves have been forgiven. May every gift of forgiveness we receive strengthen us to show compassion to our neighbor, so that God’s love may bear fruit in our words and actions. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

by Fr. Xavier, SJ* Dear You—A Heartfelt Portrayal of Family, Migration, and Love 給阿嬤的情書Dear You (literally translated Love Letters to My Grandmother) emerged as a remarkable dark horse in China’s 2026 film market. It opened with 3.77 million RMB in box office receipts and held the top spot for five consecutive weeks, resonating strongly across Malaysia, Singapore, and other markets, where it set new records for Chinese-language cinema. Directed by Lan Hongchun(藍鴻春), this Teochew-dialect family drama is the third installment of his acclaimed Teochew Trilogy, weaving nostalgia, migration, and kinship into a quietly powerful narrative that triumphed through authentic word of mouth. At its core, the film centers on Southeast Asian Chinese immigrants and the enduring bonds of family. For those who leave home to build a life abroad, love for family remains an unshakable anchor and spiritual strength to endure hardship—and this love is mutual. The fidelity, loyalty, and quiet devotion between separated loved ones strike a deeply human chord. Letters carrying news of life overseas, paired with hard-earned remittances that sustain families and villages, become tangible expressions of hometown affection, duty, and solidarity. Beyond blood ties, the film also honors the fraternal friendship forged in shared toil. To find a kindred spirit in a foreign land, especially amid struggle, is a grace; over time, integrity, humility, and genuine virtue draw hearts together, nurturing steadfast friendship that ripples outward to embrace a wider community. Here, respect, admiration, and selfless love transcend fleeting impulse, completing one another in life’s journey. It is a different kind of love, yet the same love; a different family, yet the same family of care. Love need not be named or proclaimed; it is lived, felt, and bound in truth. From a Catholic perspective, these themes echo our Church’s timeless social teaching: to welcome the stranger, honor the family, and live in love and solidarity. The Bible reminds us, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35), calling us to see Christ in every migrant and displaced person. The film’s portrayal of cross-border sacrifice, faithful remembrance, and quiet charity aligns with the virtue of caritas—love of God and neighbor—that animates Christian life. The story begins with a quest for inheritance, yet gently evolves into a search for truth, a testimony to love, and ultimately a journey toward meaning. In this process—rooted in time and animated by love—characters are transformed: from selfishness to generosity, from prejudice to understanding, from greed and cowardice to courage and fidelity. They are changed by encountering selflessness, loyalty, and kindness in others, reflecting the grace of conversion that Christ offers to all. Nostalgia in the film is embodied not in rhetoric, but in quiet acts of charity, faithful friendship, and reverent teacher-student bonds. Life is shown to be simple, yet ablaze with love that transcends boundaries of gender, age, distance, culture, and even division, touching the deepest core of the human heart. Widely screened around the world, Dear You will premiere in North America as the closing film of the 25th New York Asian Film Festival on July 26. Well Go USA will co-distribute the film, with a theatrical release across North America this September. For Catholic viewers and families, this film is more than a moving family story: it is a witness to the dignity of the migrant, the sanctity of the family, and the power of self-sacrificial love. It invites us to cherish our loved ones, welcome those far from home, and live out the truth that love—rooted in fidelity, mercy, and grace—transcends all borders and lasts forever. *This piece was originally published July 23, 2026. You can now watch "Dear You" in select U.S. theaters after its release on Sept 4, 2026. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

AI-generated image What should we do when someone sins against us in the Church? Today's Scriptures remind us that fraternal correction involves both responsibility and limits. We can speak a helpful truth with charity, but we cannot control how another person responds. We invite you to read Fr. Joseph Ruan's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十三主日（甲年） 今天是常年期第二十三主日。今日圣言的主题，是基督徒在教会团体中彼此承担责任，以真理中的爱规劝弟兄，修复受损的关系，共同走向与天主及近人的共融。爱不仅给予安慰，也关怀对方灵魂的益处；团体的共融需要每一位成员以谦逊和勇气加以维护。 今天的福音首先提出一个十分现实的问题：当“你的弟兄得罪了你”时，应当怎样处理？耶稣给出的第一步是：“趁你和他单独在一起的时候，规劝他”（玛18:15）。私下交谈能够保护对方的尊严，也能防止消息以讹传讹，避免一个原本可以解决的问题演变成公开的冲突。 耶稣随即说明这场谈话的目标：“如果他听从了你，你便赚得了你的弟兄”（玛18:15）。“赚得”一词说明，规劝的目的在于挽回一个人，修复一段关系，帮助一位弟兄恢复与基督的关系。胜负、面子和情绪都应当服从这个更高的目标。我们开口以前，需要先问自己：我希望证明自己正确，还是希望弟兄得到益处？我准备发泄心中的不满，还是帮助他认识真理、回归正道？ 因此，弟兄规劝宜从祈祷开始，以事实为依据，用清楚而温和的言语表达，同时给对方充分解释的机会。推心置腹需要勇气，洗耳恭听同样需要勇气。诚恳的交谈也许会使双方发现，事情比原先想象的更为复杂，彼此都需要调整和悔改。真正的弟兄规劝是一场共同走向真理的交谈。 当私人交谈未能解决问题时，耶稣让一两个人参与，“好使任何事端，凭两三个见证人的口，得以成立”（玛18:16；参申19:15）。这些人承担见证和辨明的服务，帮助双方澄清事实、节制情绪、避免一面之词。“兼听则明”在这里具有属灵价值。他们前来促进修和，使当事人能够从更完整的角度审视自己的行为。 若问题依然存在，团体便需要承担责任：“就要告诉教会”（玛18:17）。教会是基督的身体，一个成员的行为会影响整个身体。严重的罪可能损害团体的信仰、见证与安全。因此，教会的介入应当服务于真理、公义、悔改和医治。牧者与团体需要按照福音作出审慎的辨别，使受伤者得到保护，使犯错者获得悔改的机会，也使教会的共融免受进一步的伤害。 耶稣所提出的程序，需要在智德的指引下加以运用。涉及暴力、虐待、犯罪或现实危险时，保护受害者，并及时寻求教会负责人及有关专业机构的协助，应当成为首要责任。福音所强调的私下交谈旨在维护人的尊严；面对危险时，爱德也要求我们采取能够保护生命、维护正义的行动。 “如果他连教会也不听，你就把他看作外教人或税务员吧”（玛18:17），这是一句容易引起疑问的话。耶稣在此承认，教会的共融具有真实的界限。一个人若持续拒绝真理，便会使自己与团体之间产生裂痕。教会需要如实承认这种处境，有时也需要采取相称的纪律措施，清楚表明罪的严重性。 与此同时，耶稣自己曾主动接近税务员，也曾从税关上召叫玛窦成为宗徒（玛9:9-13）。因此，把一个人视作外教人或税务员，也意味着教会与他的关系进入了新的阶段。他成为教会继续为之祈祷、向其宣讲福音并邀请其悔改的对象。教会以清楚的界限保护共融，也以慈悲为迷途者保留回归的道路。 接着，耶稣说：“你们在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放”（玛18:18）。这句话指向基督赐给教会的辨别与治理权柄，也与教会施行修和的使命相连。这项权柄来自基督，需要按照他的真理、慈悲和救恩旨意来行使。个人情绪无法代表天上的判断；教会则在祈祷、圣言、圣传和牧职责任中寻求基督的心意。 耶稣随后谈到同心祈祷和他的临在：“无论在哪里有两三个人，因我的名字聚在一起，我就在他们中间”（玛18:20）。这句话固然能够安慰人数很少的祈祷团体；按照今天福音的内容，它也告诉我们：当团体面对罪、冲突和艰难的辨别时，复活的主亲临其中。“同心合意”意味着众人共同归向基督，让天主的旨意净化各人的动机和立场。教会的合一并不要求所有人的意见完全相同；它体现于众人共同聆听临在于团体中的基督。 读经一帮助我们进一步理解这种彼此负责的使命。上主立厄则克耳为以色列的警卫，吩咐他把所听见的话传给百姓（则33:7）。古代城墙上的警卫无法替城中的居民作出决定；他的职责是保持清醒，及时发出警报。同样，先知不能强迫恶人回头，却要忠实地传达天主的召叫。先知为自己的忠信负责，听者为自己的选择负责。 厄则克耳的使命帮助我们明白：规劝别人有一定的责任，也有一定的界限。看见一个人走在明显错误的方向上却袖手旁观，容易沦为明哲保身；试图控制别人，又会忽略天主赐给人的自由。圣经所启示的责任位于两者之间：我们以爱德说出有益的真话，悔改则是人在恩宠推动下作出的自由回应。弟兄是否立即接受规劝，并不完全掌握在我们手中；我们所能奉献给天主的，是祈祷、忠信、耐心和真诚。 厄则克耳作为警卫，首先需要聆听上主：“你听了我所说的话，要代我警告他们”（则33:7）。这也与答唱咏相呼应：“你们今天要听从他的声音，不要心硬”（咏95:8）。规劝别人的人，首先应当让天主的话审视自己。经过祈祷和省察，我们才能怀着同为罪人的谦逊去帮助对方。一个愿意接受天主规劝的人，才更懂得怎样温和地规劝弟兄。 读经二则告诉我们弟兄规劝的内在原则。圣保禄说：“你们除了彼此相爱以外，对人就没有任何亏欠”（罗13:8）。爱成全法律，因为爱使每条诫命都指向其真正目的：保护人的尊严，维护人与天主及近人的正确关系。纵容伤害会使罪继续扩散，粗暴揭露又会增加新的创伤。成熟的爱关心真理，也珍惜人的名誉与悔改的机会。 正如福音前欢呼词所说：“主，你的话就是真理，求你以真理圣化我们”（若17:17）。这正是弟兄规劝的灵魂。真理使爱保持清醒，爱使真理成为医治。当别人诚恳地提醒我们时，我们也应以温良的心分辨其中是否含有来自天主的召叫，避免讳疾忌医，也珍惜忠言逆耳所带来的成长机会。这样，便能使教会成为修和的家：受伤者获得照料，迷途者听见召唤，弟兄在基督内重新彼此相认。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A Today we celebrate the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Word of God speaks about our responsibility for one another in the Church. Christian love gives comfort, and it also cares about the spiritual good of another person. Sometimes love asks us to speak honestly, to repair a wounded relationship, and to help a brother or sister return to the right path. Today’s Gospel begins with a very practical question: What should we do when someone sins against us? Jesus says, “Go and tell him his fault between you and him alone” (Mt 18:15). The first step is a private conversation. Speaking directly to the person protects his dignity, prevents gossip, and keeps a problem from becoming a public conflict. Jesus then explains the purpose of the conversation: “If he listens to you, you have won over your brother” (Mt 18:15). The goal is to win back a brother, restore a relationship, and help someone renew his relationship with Christ. Before we speak, we should ask ourselves: Am I trying to prove that I am right? Am I speaking out of anger? Do I sincerely desire what is good for this person? Fraternal correction should begin with prayer. We ask God to purify our intentions and give us the right words. We speak about the facts in a clear and gentle way, and we give the other person an opportunity to explain. An honest conversation may show that the situation is more complicated than we first thought. Both people may need to reflect, forgive, or change. Speaking honestly takes courage, and listening patiently also takes courage. Fraternal correction becomes a shared journey toward truth. Sometimes a private conversation does not resolve the matter. Jesus then says to bring one or two others, so that “every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Mt 18:16; cf. Dt 19:15). These people are there to help clarify what happened, calm strong emotions, and help both sides listen more carefully. If the person still refuses to listen, Jesus says, “Tell the church” (Mt 18:17). Serious sin can affect the whole community because the Church is the Body of Christ. The Church then has a responsibility to protect those who have been hurt, call the offender to conversion, and safeguard the community. When violence, abuse, criminal conduct, or immediate danger is involved, protecting the victim and seeking help from the proper Church and civil authorities should come first. Jesus then gives us a difficult instruction: “If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector” (Mt 18:17). These words remind us that communion has real boundaries. A person who continues to reject the truth may separate himself from the community. The Church may need to recognize that separation and take appropriate action. At the same time, we remember how Jesus treated tax collectors. He spoke with them, ate with them, and called Matthew to become an apostle (Mt 9:9-13). The person who has gone astray remains someone for whom the Church prays. The invitation to repent and return remains open. The Church protects her communion through clear boundaries and continues to seek the salvation of the person. Jesus also says, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 18:18). These words refer to the authority Christ has entrusted to the Church—the responsibility to teach, guide, reconcile, and sometimes apply discipline. This authority comes from Christ and must be exercised according to his truth, mercy, and saving purpose. Personal anger cannot speak for heaven. The Church seeks the will of Christ through prayer, Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and careful pastoral judgment. Jesus then makes a beautiful promise: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). This promise brings comfort to every small community gathered for prayer. In today’s Gospel, it also tells us that Christ is present when his people face conflict and seek reconciliation. He is present when the Church must make a difficult decision. He is present when two people sit down and try to speak honestly with each other. To gather in Christ’s name means allowing him to guide the conversation and purify our pride, anger, and personal opinions. The unity of the Church does not require everyone to have exactly the same opinion. It grows when people listen together to Christ and seek his will. The first reading helps us understand our responsibility more clearly. God appoints Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel (Ez 33:7-9). In ancient times, a watchman stood on the city wall and sounded a warning when danger approached. He could warn the people, but he could not make their decisions for them. In the same way, Ezekiel had to communicate God’s word faithfully, while the people were responsible for their response. Ezekiel’s mission teaches us that correcting another person involves both responsibility and limits. When we see someone moving in a clearly harmful direction, silence may become a way of protecting our own comfort. An attempt to control the person, however, can ignore the freedom God has given him. Our responsibility is to speak a helpful truth with charity. Conversion remains a free response to God’s grace. We cannot control how quickly another person responds. What we can offer to God is our prayer, fidelity, patience, and sincerity. Before Ezekiel could speak, he first had to listen to God: “When you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me” (Ez 33:7). The responsorial psalm gives us the same message: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 95:8). Before correcting another person, we must allow God’s Word to examine our own hearts. We remember that we also need mercy. A person who listens humbly to God will be better prepared to speak gently to a brother or sister. Saint Paul gives us the guiding principle in the second reading: “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another” (Rom 13:8). Love fulfills God’s law because it seeks the true good of our neighbor: “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10). Permissiveness may allow harm to continue, while harsh words may create another wound. Mature love cares about truth and also respects the other person’s dignity, reputation, and opportunity for repentance. The Gospel acclamation brings all the readings together: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19). This is the heart of today’s message. Christ has entrusted his work of reconciliation to people who have themselves received mercy. When another person offers us a sincere correction, we also need a gentle and receptive heart. A difficult word spoken with love may be one of the ways God calls us to grow. May Christ make the Church a home of reconciliation, where those who are wounded receive care, those who have wandered hear the call to return, and brothers and sisters find their unity again in him. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

On July 31, 2026, the US-China Catholic Association's 30th Biennial Conference was honored with a keynote speech by Fr. Thomas Betz, OFM Cap., entitled "Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Chinese Catholics in America Following the Way of Christ." We invite you to watch the video of Fr. Betz's speech, now available on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/xVA8-LqSF_8 Fr. Thomas Betz, OFM Cap. Below, you may view an AI-assisted transcript of Fr. Betz's speech: Fr. Robert Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D.: So, my name is Father Rob Carbonneau, and I'm chair of the coordinating committee here, and it's an honor to have our keynote speaker, Father Thomas Betz. Anyone who travels the east coast corridor on Route 95 and goes into Philadelphia has to go through–if they're lucky–inner city Philadelphia, and they go through Chinatown in Philadelphia. And Father Thomas Betz, for his years as a Franciscan Capuchin, has been a key person to make sure that Chinatown that you see and stop by exists today. So, we're very honored to have him here. He's also been past provincial of the Franciscan Capuchin province based out of Pittsburgh, and their missionaries were in Gansu Province in the early 1900s. There's a quote of one of the men who was in Gansu, which is a very rugged province in in northern part of China where he said, at one point he says, "I feel sometimes every day I'm on the doorsteps of hell," and it it was an intense statement made out of love of commitment to the people, and that bore fruit because Father Tom was telling me when I was talking to him that he went back to Gansu and actually encountered Catholics that knew the congregation from Pittsburgh and from the United States who had kept that faith all these years up until the present day. So, it's a great honor for the United States China Catholic Association to have Father Thomas Betz here as our keynote speaker. He'll speak for a while and then we'll entertain questions, and we welcome him. And thank you, Father Tom, for being here. [applause] Fr. Thomas Betz, OFM Cap.: Thank you, Father Rob. It really is an honor for me to be here. I see some of my parishioners walking in right now from Philadelphia, and I'm so happy to be here. Yes, you are the only attendees who've gotten applause so far. So that's, that's really good. You know, Father Rob said that one of my predecessors who went to Gansu said that he felt like he was at the foot of the doorsteps of hell. I have to say Chinatown Philadelphia is heaven. So if you've never been there, you really need to get there before--You should put that on your bucket list because it deserves to be. And I'm going to tell this story about Chinese American Catholics. That's my task. And I'm going to tell it somewhat through the story of Holy Redeemer in Philadelphia, Chinatown. And I'm going to say some things about some other communities around the country, too. I have to give you a caveat, though. If I say something about your community that's not accurate, don't get mad. You can correct me, and I'd be happy for the correction. But I did do a little bit of research, even made a few phone calls, but I'm confident about the story of Holy Redeemer in our Chinatown, but I'm not as confident about the other communities that I'm going to mention in my conversation. I first set foot on the property of Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School around August 1st, 1991. I had been ordained a priest about two months when I came to Chinatown. Now, what priest gets to be with the same community for 35 years? I don't know of anybody who's had that privilege, but I have had that privilege. Holy Redeemer operates like an independent parish, but it's connected to St. John's Parish, where I'm also the pastor these days. My first visit to Holy Redeemer in 1991 was to attend a meeting of the committee planning the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Holy Redeemer. Now I remember my first time at Holy Redeemer. I was mesmerized. I remember my first school mass in September of 1991, and I walked onto the altar–behind the altar–and looked at that congregation, and I saw all those Asian faces looking back at me, something like tonight, saw all those Asian faces looking back. I'm no longer mesmerized by Asian faces, but I was that night, that time, it just seemed to me so amazing, you know, I knew immediately that Holy Redeemer was unique. First of all, it's in Philadelphia, but Holy Redeemer and Chinatown are imbued with the aroma and culture of China. Holy Redeemer is now 85 years old. And I have been involved with Holy Redeemer for 35 years. A good bit of its 85 year history, about 40% of its time, I've been there. Now what I've learned in terms of preparing for this talk tonight is that Holy Redeemer's story is not entirely unique. Similar evangelical initiatives were happening in other US Chinatowns during the same time frame. So, Holy Redeemer's story: the story begins with the 1939 visit of Bishop, later Cardinal Paul Yu Pin of Nanking, China, later in Taiwan, and his request to Dennis, Cardinal Dougherty, to gather the Chinese Catholics of Philadelphia to meet the Chinese bishop. Only one Chinese Catholic family was found. Now, Philadelphia had a small Chinatown, and there were Chinese living in Philadelphia. Yet, the Catholic Church and the Chinese community had barely met. This woeful lack of engagement disturbed Cardinal Dougherty, who then assigned one of his most talented young priests, Monsignor Kavanagh, William Kavanagh, Vice Chancellor, to engage and evangelize the Chinese. Now, remember, the story is pretty fascinating. 1939, Cardinal Yu Pin–Bishop Yu Pin, then–came. By 1941, two years later, the diocese had built a church and a school for the Chinese. Now, could you imagine that today? I can't. We close churches today. In 1931, shortly after Bishop Yu Pin's visit, Father Kavanagh gathered a group of five, 15 Chinese children and taught them how to make the sign of the cross. That's 1939, sorry, not 1931. 1939, he gathered 15 children, taught them for the first time. In October of that year, 1939, the first nine Chinese were baptized. By Pentecost Sunday of 1940, there were 58 converts ready for the sacrament of confirmation. The mission among the Chinese was so successful that, a year later, there was a church and a Catholic school specifically for Chinese children. Now, early US Catholic efforts at evangelizing Chinese were based in Chinatowns. Chinatowns were, and still are, Chinese neighborhoods. They were, and to some extent still are, the center of cultural life for Chinese in the United States. Of course, the Chinese community of the United States is way bigger than Chinatowns now, but they're still important. I'm going to give you four periods of US Chinese history, and it relates to Chinatowns. So one, during the 1980s small numbers of Chinese came to the United States, mostly the west coast, larger numbers, not large numbers but larger numbers–came in the 1850s and 1860s to work on–you know what? They came to work on the railroads. Someone sent me a text today who's in Vancouver, one of my Chinese Catholic parishioners who said that the Chinese came to Canada to work on the railroads also. I didn't know that till today. And in the mines. These Chinese were often victims of appalling racial prejudice and sometimes violence. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which pretty much every Chinese American knows about. The only law ever passed which designated one ethnic group as ineligible for admission to the United States. So Chinese women could not come to join their men who were here. Chinese children couldn't come to join their fathers who were here. And then there were anti-miscegenation laws which meant that Chinese couldn't marry other races. It's a bad time for the Chinese. 1924, additional laws were passed excluding Asians. Now, in 1943, after World War II, the US and China were allies. Chinese immigration was again permitted, but there wasn't much immigration of any kind then, you know, so immigration to the United States was rare for anybody in the 1940s and 50s and 30s. Now, this is something I find fascinating. It's worth noting that Holy Redeemer, and–as we will see in a minute–most other Chinatown-based Catholic outreach, started at the end of the extreme anti-Chinese anti-immigration period. It's also worth noting that many Chinese Americans served admirably in the Second World War. So that's three of the periods. Small numbers came, Chinese Exclusion Act, after World War II some immigration was permitted, anti-miscegenation laws were repealed or not enforced. After 1965, the immigration and naturalization act lifted origin quotas, allowing many more Chinese and others to enter the United States, resulting in the rapid growth of the Chinese community. To this day, it was not until the late 1980s that my church, Holy Redeemer, began to grow significantly because of this legislation. So again, 1965 is when immigration was became more robust again in the United States. We're kind of now in a little bit of a period of pushing back on immigration. There's been an ebb and flow, but this history is very important to understand Chinese American Catholic experience in America. Now, the early Catholic Chinatown missions began when there were few Chinese in America, where Chinese had been victims of racial discrimination, and where there did not seem to be a good long-term prospect for the growth of the community. Now, that's pretty astonishing to me. You build a church and a school for a tiny community with new immigrants not allowed to come. Primarily a not Christian, not Catholic community, and you build them a church and a school, and, as we'll see later, that's the same time–1930s, 1940s–when the other Chinatown Catholic communities came to be, makes no strategic sense to invest in these Chinese communities at a time when there were so few Chinese, not many more coming, victims of racial discrimination and almost no Christians among them. Now, one of the most remarkable mostly unknown papal social teaching encyclicals is Exsul Familia by Pope Pius XII in 1952. If you read the current–the new encyclical by Pope Leo, where he goes through a history of Catholic social teaching, he doesn't mention Catholic social teaching on immigration. Just to make a little plug, if you want to learn more about this, if you go to the website and put "Catholic social teaching immigration," an article that I wrote will pop up. It's on the USCCB website. And the basis of Catholic social teaching on immigration is this document by Pius XII. Pius XII speaks on two things. He speaks forcefully of the rights of migrants and the moral imperative for Christians to assist migrants. regardless of religion. So he speaks about the rights of migrants and the duty of Christians to help them. Sounds familiar. Pope Leo is saying that today. He also spoke about the need to take care of Catholic migrants. So two prongs. One is we need to take care of the humanitarian needs of all migrants. And secondly, the Catholic Church has a duty to give care, spiritual care to Catholics who come to America. Pope Pius said the Catholic Church has always been on the side of migrants, has always defended their rights. Sort of true. Pope Pius said the church must always offer help to suffering migrants. And he cited the cases of Palestinians, Christians and Muslims in the holy land as an example. The Catholic Church at this time began a laudable work with Muslim and Christian migrants in the holy land. He also said that Catholics need to embrace Catholic migrants and help them live their faith in a new land. Now the movie Cabrini depicts a real event in the life of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini. Many of you saw the movie. Cabrini founded a new community of missionary sisters, and she hoped that her sisters could go to China as missionaries. However, when she told Pope Leo XIII of her desire, he told her, "Go west, not east." While Pope Leo did foster many missionary ventures to non-Christian lands, including China, his own heart was taken with the plight of poor Italian immigrants in the United States. From the time of Pope Leo XIII to the present, we often hear from the church of our duty to offer charity to migrants of all religions, and that we must safeguard the Catholic faith among Catholic immigrants. The church rightly understands that if Catholic migrants are not welcomed, they will lose the Catholic faith. So the church sends missionaries to the nations, and we send missionaries to China and Southeast Asia, Africa. We've sent them all, all these years, and we have to assure that Catholics are welcomed wherever they go. So if a Catholic comes from Zimbabwe, that Catholic needs to be welcomed in our churches. It's in the United States today, it is a critical pastoral need for the future of our church and the good well-being of of human beings. But this is what I want to make a point about. This is one of my major points I'm making here tonight. By 1939, immigration from all countries had ebbed. The heyday of European immigration and immigration ministry was over, at least for a time. But in Philadelphia and other major US cities, the Catholic Church encountered an immigrant community that was not Catholic. And church leaders in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago planned a robust evangelization outreach. In Philadelphia, they even built them a church and a school. This was not a social service outreach to help suffering immigrants. It was not to secure the faith of already Catholic migrants. This was a full-scale mission of evangelization among non-believers in the United States. I don't think there's ever been anything else like this in the history of the Catholic Church of America. An outreach to non-Christians who came here as migrants. Now, many people came to the United States from China already Christian, already Catholic after 1965, especially in the 80s and 90s. Many of you are those people or your parents are those people. But the first Chinese Catholic outreach was evangelization. Up until the late 1980s, the mission of Holy Redeemer and other Chinatown Catholic ministries was not to receive Chinese Catholics from Asia, but to encounter and evangelize non-Chinese, non-Christian Chinese people living in the United States. Now, what happened in Philadelphia is similar to what happened in other Chinatowns. Again, I'm going to summarize what I've said. The mission was primarily to evangelize Chinese Americans rather than to care for Chinese migrants, for Catholic migrants from China. Two, the missions began around 1940, though San Francisco's mission was somewhat earlier, but still, San Francisco's mission kind of followed the pattern of the 1940s being the time when it revved up. Churches, Catholic and Protestant, became the most important institutions in American Chinatowns. Every citizen of Chinatowns knew the churches and respected them. Well, I can't say everybody respected them, but pretty much everybody did. Catholic churches in Chinatowns were centers of faith, education, recreation, social service, and community. The primary target of this evangelization was not adults, immigrants. It was their children. The language of ministry was English. Holy Redeemer, for the first 50 years, had no Chinese language ministry. And that's true for the other communities, as well, because there was no need for it. They were evangelizing American-born or American-raised Chinese kids. The people in the Chinatowns were mostly from Cantonese-speaking parts of China. Now, I'm going to say a little bit about the history of the other churches in the United States. St. Bridget's in Los Angeles, founded by Colombian fathers who have been forced to leave China in 1939. Same year, evangelization began in Philly. A center was built in 1940, a year before Holy Redeemer Church and School were built. From the center, the church conducted a language school and other programs for children. Like Holy Redeemer, the focus was on the evangelization of children, but without a school. In 1980, the first Chinese priest arrived from Hong Kong and Chinese-language Mass began. Holy Redeemer, it was in the late 1980s that we began Chinese language ministry. St. Bridget's is still a vibrant center of service in LA, Chinatown. And of course in LA there are Chinese language masses in other parts of the archdiocese and other places. St. Mary's San Francisco, built in 1854 as a cathedral for the diocese, built by Chinese laborers but not for Chinese people. There's never really been regular Chinese language masses. I actually talked to somebody on the phone because that didn't seem possible. Today, there's a Chinese deacon that assists at one of the parish masses, which makes it effectively bilingual. For many years, St. Mary's school educated and evangelized children, mostly Chinese, but the school is now closed. Transfiguration New York was built for German immigrants, later for other immigrants, and then Chinese. It's been a church of immigrants from its beginning to the present. The church was founded in 1832, not primarily Chinese for many years. Now it is, and it's still open. St. Teresa, Chicago, was originally Italian. There was an effort in the 1920s to evangelize Chinese children, but permanent evangelization began in 1940. Same as Holy Redeemer, same as the others. 1941, a school opened and is still open and they have Chinese language masses now, one Sunday a month. So, it's interesting that the original Chinese missions were English-speaking. Now, Holy Redeemer, let's talk about that again. Similar to the other Chinese Chinatown missions, it not only became a Catholic church, but it became the preeminent hub of Philadelphia Chinese life. Holy Redeemer introduced sports to the young people, organized baseball, basketball, football teams. Our kids aren't very good at football. Actually, they aren't very good at basketball either, but they play. Our kids competed, and still do, in CIO sports. Eventually, in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Suns was formed out of the two churches, and it's now a vibrant large Chinese youth sports organization. The Suns, very close to the two churches, teach and perform Chinese cultural lion dancing. The director of the Philadelphia Suns works for the Chinese Christian church, you know, and one time I was talking with a vocation prospect for the Capuchins, and it was a cold day, and school was closed that day, and I accidentally stepped outside without my keys, and locked myself out. I couldn't figure a way to get back in. I tried to call the principal. Nobody answered their phones. So I said to this vocation prospect, we got to go down to the Chinese Christian church, the Protestant church and get a key. So I went down to--he was looking at me like "what"?--I went down to the Protestant church, Christian church. And rang the bell and said can I borrow the key to Holy Redeemer? Sure. Took my key and he said, “Why do the Protestants have a key to the Catholic Church? And I said how else would they get in? Again, these kinds of activities seem to be the same in all the other US Chinatowns. Now, several things were happening since the 1960s in Philadelphia. Many graduates of Holy Redeemer moved away from Chinatown, away from Philadelphia, causing a decline in the number of people involved at Holy Redeemer. In fact, Chinese Catholics were told to integrate into local parishes. And so, Holy Redeemer shrank. Immigration from Asia was not a factor. Trickle. And in Philadelphia at least, the government condemned the church, and was going to tear it down to build a highway. That's when Chinatown residents stood up and fought for 20 years to save the church. And then they created Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, which built hundreds of homes in Chinatown, protected the businesses, saved the church. I came after the church-saving had already been done, and I became the president of PCDC for many years, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, for about 25 years. And so we were, and we built [clears throat] AC across Chinatown is here, highway is here, Holy Redeemer is to the north of the highway. We knew that the only way to save Holy Redeemer was to tear down the neighborhood and build a new one because the neighborhood was just blight. So we did that, built homes and so now Holy Redeemer is, you know, a firm. But then in the early 1990s, late 1980s, early 1990s, something remarkable happened. They started coming from Asia already Catholic. And when they came from Taiwan or Hong Kong, not the mainland so much, already Catholic, the first reaction was to look for a Chinese Catholic church. And they came and wondered about why don't you speak Chinese here? You know, you're all Chinese, right? The Chinese Americans thought it was an invasion from outer space. You know, when I arrived in 1991, the church was torn apart by the fight between the American-born who were also raised in the school and these new people who came from Taiwan and Hong Kong. and other places wanting to hear mass and have activities in their own language. The sisters who were running the school and the church before that basically said we don't have enough space for everybody, so let's fight to see who gets it. And when I came along, and after a while the theme was there's plenty, there's plenty of space for everybody. Let's just figure out how we allocate it. The educated Chinese who came from Taiwan did speak English for the most part. But it doesn't mean they didn't want to worship in their own language, their first language. That was something, a lot, of the–I remember the people would say “they speak English, why are they wanting to have a Mandarin mass?”, you know, but we got through it. We also had in those days a large number of Southeast Asian–Vietnamese, primarily–refugees come, and many of them were ethnic Chinese, Cantonese. And so they didn't speak English and so they became a factor in our church. The priests, for a while they put two priests in charge, one after another, who were from China, elderly, and they had goodwill, but they were incapable of taking care of the American-born Chinese. It was an interesting bad time for our church. And when we Capuchins came in 1991, the Chinese priest left about the same time. Mass attendance was low, people were not happy, we had no money. But as immigration continued, the church was built up, especially when everyone was welcome. So school enrollment dropped, and especially these Vietnamese immigrants had had lifted the school with, you know, new members, Catholic kids. Mass attendance was very low in those years, early 90s. But as we began to revive things, mass attendance went up, and all the masses, many of the school children started asking for baptism again. We baptized quite a few kids in the school. Most of them don't go to mass after they grow up, but that's true for American-born kids of every ethnicity, you know. We began religion classes for kids. We only had the school in those days. And then when we started religion classes for public school kids, we eventually had 80 kids in religion classes on Sunday. Now it's about 50. It's only because of the patterns of immigration. It's not because any of any kind of departure from the faith. So, we have activities and, you know, once again it's a pretty vibrant, vibrant church. We have a--we're the playground for the community. I have lots of stuff boasting about all the things we do. You know, pilgrimages, Bible studies, retreats. I probably don't need to say this. With the way we took care of our Chinese-speaking immigrants for many years, priests would come. First we had these elderly priests who were in New York mostly, who had left China at the time of the revolution, and they came and they would come every week on the bus, and they would have the Masses on the weekend and go back. They were wonderful, sweet old men, really beloved, not in tune with younger people, but revered. And then Marion began that program of educating Chinese priests. And so then they were in Washington and New York, mostly Washington, and they began to come, you know, once a week to do the Mass. And then we had the best and the brightest priests of China coming to us. You know, we had the old guys who, you know, they were good guys, but then we had the best. You know, they didn't live with us, but they came, and that was an interesting bridge. We're going to talk about that in a minute. And now about five years ago, we have our own Chinese priest. The Mandarin community under him has flourished. And all three communities attend the same–the Cantonese, Mandarin, English–attend the church together in peace. The Mandarin mass is by far the largest language group, now filled with immigrants, almost all from Fujian province. I don't know if you're finding that to be the case in some of your parts of the country, but that's certainly true in Philadelphia. Since Holy Redeemer's primary method of evangelization was to encounter Chinese-American children through the school, there was not much consideration of the situation of the Chinese of the Catholic Church in China. I want to make sure I didn't worry too much about the Catholic Church in China because the people of our parish had no experience of it. Their parents weren't Chinese, a few handful, but they weren't from China. They were Catholics from here. As Catholics first arrived from Asia they were mostly from Taiwan, Vietnam and Hong Kong, not China. A few Catholics arrived from mainland China and these had practiced the Catholic faith in the underground church. Now, the few Catholics from mainland China were underground Catholics, then and now. Well, now it's lots of Catholics, but underground Catholics, but the priests who came from China for studies were from the open church, the one endorsed by the government, and this caused some mistrust, particularly from parishioners from Shanghai. Some of our people have spent years in labor camps and when these priests came, that wasn't something they were ready to accept right away. But as time passed, the Chinese priests, the Maryknoll sponsor priests, came to be loved as holy, enthusiastic and dedicated young men, and they went back to China to became leaders in the church in China. Some of these priests put up with some disrespect, but they put up with it and they won the hearts of pretty much everybody. And these priests now in China, some bishops will say they loved Holy Redeemer and they will say that their priestly vocation was strengthened by their association with our community. Now the diabolical program of the government of China to harm the Catholic Church was to create two churches, dividing the Catholics into two groups. These two groups, the underground and the open churches, came to mistrust each other in China. This lack of trust and unity has undermined everything in the Catholic Church of China. Some of this has spilled over to Chinese Catholic communities in the United States. but not much. At least at Holy Redeemer, most Catholics from Asia are from the underground church or from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Vietnam. However, when a person shows up from mainland China, even a priest, even today, some people can mistrust that newcomer, suspecting a Chinese spy. However, for the most part, these divisions within the Catholic Church of China are not a major factor in the United States. One of our women, who's an older lady born in Vietnam, had never even been to mainland China. She's Catholic, Cantonese. She says she won't go to confession to our Chinese priests. I said, "Why?" She says, "I'm afraid he's going to call the government and tell them what I did." I said, “Do you really think the government of China cares about your confession?” During the 1990s and especially after 2000, more and more Chinese began to come to Philadelphia from the mainland, mostly from Fujian Province. Again, they came from the underground church. These came most often, almost completely without legal documents. Most were smuggled across the Mexican border. They either remained in the United States without legal status, or they applied for asylum based on China's draconian one-child family planning program, or based on religious persecution for being members of the underground church. I'm a lawyer. I represented many of these people in court and organized their representation if I didn't do it. It was a huge engagement with these people that their legal needs could be understood and taken care of at church. It took a while for Holy Redeemer to engage this new community. And so when the Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Vietnamese Chinese and Hong Kong Chinese came, it took a while for us to figure out how to engage that community. When the Fujian came, absolutely not speaking English, poor, undocumented–it took a while for us to figure out how to engage that community, too. But once we did, growth exploded. Now, beginning in 1998, I would, the young woman that picked me up today--Peter, your niece is Indonesian? or born Indonesian Chinese. Beginning in 1998 with the anti-Chinese riots, large numbers of ethnic Chinese arrived from Indonesia, fleeing anti-Chinese discrimination. I saw all these newcomers. I heard their language. I didn't think they looked Chinese, but they didn't talk like Chinese, you know, and they had moved up to the north of Chinatown. And I said, "Who are these people?" So I went over one day, they were eating, and I said, "Can I eat some of your food?" I'm dressed like this. They looked at me, you know, so I said, "Will you come over to the church Sunday?" I found out they were Indonesians. I figured they were Muslims. When I said, "What can we do for you?" They said, "Please, Mass in our language." So we had a Mass in 1998 and the church was packed like Christmas. And I said, "They can't stay here. There's, you know, too many of them, which is very interesting. I was praying and praying and praying for more members, and God sent me hundreds and hundreds for a church that fits like 200 at most, 150. So we moved them to South Philadelphia, St. Thomas Aquinas. At one point they had 7,800 people at Sunday at Mass. Now they still have 200 or so, you know, maybe more. But several Indonesian Chinese Catholic families stayed at hold. I wish more had stayed because they're wonderful, wonderful members of our community, even though I did send them south, but they're really good. So far, I've told you the story of Chinese Catholic communities formed in Chinatowns. But as many Catholics began arriving from Asia, some were grafted into these Chinese Chinatown communities like I told you about. Some simply went to English Catholic churches, English Masses, you know, neighborhood American churches. But others formed and found–first of all, we lost some Catholics, lost lots of Catholics who didn't find a church home in the United States. So I don't want to sound like everything's fine. It's not. We lost a lot of Catholics. Lost them to Protestant churches. Lost them to nothing. But three other structures emerged. Prayer groups. As Chinese Catholics arrived in the United States and did not find a Chinese language, church or ministry, often families gathered for prayer or Bible study. Some groups found a Chinese-speaking priest to visit them occasionally for mass or other assistance. Some of these private prayer groups have become the seed of more organized Chinese-language pastoral and sacramental activity. Well, this is how our Taiwanese Mandarin-speaking community started. It started as a prayer group in the suburbs. And then they came to Holy Redeemer and said, "Well, we want to, you know, belong to you." And of course, they were told no. But anyway, they got in anyway. And now they're there. So, prayer groups. Second, most Chinese ministry happens today when a Chinese-language Mass is scheduled at a local parish. So, the local parish has English Masses in the morning, and there's a Chinese Mass scheduled at a less than ideal time, 2, 3 in the afternoon, right when football games are being played, you know. But this is what happens to other non-English-speaking immigrant groups like Hispanics, Haitians, Vietnamese. When there are not so many of them, they get the 2:00 time slot that nobody wants. At least in Houston, there's a newly founded Chinese Catholic church that also has other Asian communities, Ascension. I need to learn more about Ascension. Immigrant groups usually want their own church, but this is expensive and often not supported by local dioceses, and of course many Chinese Catholics attend mass in their local parish, perhaps connecting with other Chinese Catholics from time to time and perhaps not. China is a large country, and the Chinese have a long history in the United States. Everything I learned about diversity though, I learned from the Chinese. They're a diverse people. They're not all the same. At Holy Redeemer, our people now cooperate and genuinely like each other. However, when we have parish gatherings, I can see those people talking are Cantonese from Vietnam and those people are Cantonese from Hong Kong and they're the Taiwanese. And we do cross barriers, but you know, we still recognize who's Fujian, who's American-born Chinese, and who are Indonesians. There's a huge difference based on when and how people came to the United States. Families who migrated to the United States in the 1960s have a very different experience from Chinese who came illegally across the Mexican border in the last 10 years. And their experience is different from the Chinese who came from Taiwan to pursue graduate degrees in the 1970s or 80s. These are different from the Chinese coming from the mainland now, international students for education and work. And some Chinese come from the diaspora, from Latin America, from the Philippines, Burma and Malaysia, Singapore. Chinese Catholics are diverse people, not really one people. They do share a familial and often ancient link to China. As sensei, however, Chinese Catholics come to care about their US Catholic community. Whether it's a Chinese church, a Chinese mass, a prayer group, or belonging to an American parish, they come to care about the Catholic church here where they practice, where they worship, where they have friends, where they raise their kids. Education, experience can help them to care about Chinese Catholics in China. This is what the focus of this conference is: caring about the Chinese Catholic Church in China. Exchanges can also help Chinese Catholics from China to be aware of the vibrant Catholic life that one can find in North America. A few years ago, a Chinese young man who became Catholic at Holy Redeemer, he went to our school, he married a devout Vietnamese Catholic girl who had a priest uncle. All Vietnamese have a priest uncle. Um, [cough] [clears throat] He was married in a Vietnamese Catholic church, and his first child was baptized in the same Vietnamese Catholic church. When his second child was born, he told me he wanted me to baptize the child at Holy Redeemer because he wanted his in-laws to know that we Chinese can be Catholics, too. And I think in a way that's an important point. That it's one thing, I think, that our Chinese Catholic communities do, is they make it quite normal to be Chinese and Catholic. Catholics are a very small minority in China. In the United States, few Chinese are Catholics, but strong Catholic Chinese communities make it quite normal to be Chinese and Catholic. When Chinese become involved in their parish or community and grow in their Christian faith in that community, their experience of being Chinese and Catholic is normal. I look at our kids in our church who go to Sunday school and they, you know, they go to the nursing home and visit the elderly, and we go apple picking, and we go, you know, do all the things churches do with kids. The kids do the nativity play, baby Jesus and Joseph and Mary and the angels and the shepherds and all that. And they love their church, you know, and it's normal for them to go to church and be part of the church, and they're Chinese. Past three years, we had a deacon from China serving at Holy Redeemer who's now a priest and who's now right there. He was ordained to the priesthood in Philadelphia this past May, because our Chinese-speaking parishioners were proud and delighted. They hosted two festive celebrations. Most people get one party when they're a priest, but he had two. And Chinese Catholics came from far and wide to attend, because they were proud of a Chinese young man who became a Catholic priest. His ordination did not have a huge impact on our English-speaking Chinese community. But they were also proud of David that he became a priest. Now, the mission of the USCCA is to foster encounter between the Catholic Church in the United States and in China. Is there meaningful encounter between the Chinese Catholic Church in the United States? Not just the Catholic Church, the Chinese Catholic Church and China. As we all know, the situation of the Catholic Church is complicated, and no one can glibly describe the situation of China in a few words. Until the past few decades, immigrants did not usually have the opportunity or the means to visit the land of their birth. Consequently, the only contact that most immigrants had with their former homelands was through new immigrants arriving with news and perspective. As immigration to the United States slowed, contact with the homeland diminished. So the Chinese here didn't meet people from China much, and so they didn't think about China much as immigrants assimilated into the US culture. Interest in the family's ancestral homeland decreased. Until the 1980s, few Chinese Catholic immigrants came to the United States. So there was limited encounter between the US Catholic Church and the Chinese Catholic Church. For the most part, Chinese American Catholics are committed to their parishes or communities wherever they worship, whether they are majority Chinese or not. However, there are significant points of contact between Chinese American Catholics and the Chinese church in China today. Today, new immigrants from China interact with immigrants already in the United States and with more established Chinese Catholics. To be honest, Chinese Catholics born in the United States don't understand or appreciate the situation of the Catholic Church in China. But new immigrants come from China, Chinese Catholics already here encounter the Catholic Church of China through those immigrants who tell their stories and have their experiences. Two, and I can't say enough about this, Chinese priests studying in the United States. It's impossible to overstate the impact of these priests on Chinese Catholics in the United States. In many places, these priests have ministered to Chinese Catholic communities. Of course, the ministry of these priests has been to Chinese-speaking Catholics, not English-speaking Chinese Catholics. But exceptional priests have come. I've said this several times, and they've formed a bridge between the church of China and the church here. We've had weddings in Philadelphia, when priests from China have come to celebrate with the family, with the bride and groom, because their beloved priests and their connection to China is there. Also, Chinese priests visiting the United States from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. These priests sometimes come to visit their own family members, or sisters come to visit their family members, but they have an impact because they're present in our churches. Chinese from China, not Chinese Americans, but Chinese from China come and are part of us. And so the bond of unity is forged there. There's more needed and welcome, but there is some significant presence. I brought these calendars with me. There, it shows the vibrancy of Chinese Catholic life in the United States. Many different Chinese Catholic communities are featured on each page. I'm going to leave the ones I have here wherever things are left. You may want to look at them and take one with you. But you see from this that there are connections among the Chinese Catholic communities of the United States. That's significant. and there are vibrant Chinese Catholic communities ministering to people, young people, etc. I'm going to tell one quick story to close. He mentioned Gansu. This is a story I told Rob and he likes the story, so I have to tell you. So I did visit Gansu, poorest Catholic church in the world. I visited the underground church in Fujian. I visited the church in Haiti, Ethiopia, India, Papua New Guinea. I've spent because of my former work. I used to be important actually, but when I was important, I did a lot of traveling and visiting the Catholic church around the world. I've never seen poorer Catholic priests than what I saw in Gansu. I could say more about that: remote. And so we went the Sunday I was there, we went to the cathedral, we had Mass. I mean they had Mass. We were there. People were very intrigued. American priests here in Tinu Gansu, you could imagine. So 10 years pass, and I'm not at the Chinese church. I'm at St. John's, the other church where I'm also a pastor. And they're telling me there's a Chinese kid in the church wants to talk to a priest because his grandfather died. So I'm thinking, you know, funeral, whatever. So I go see this kid and he's from Gansu. He's a student and his aunt or some relative told him, "You have to go to a priest and you have to read these prayers which I'm sending you in the presence of a priest in a church to honor your grandfather." So he was hellbent on doing that. So he comes to me and I'm thinking, "Oh, I got to bring Father Joseph down. They talk for two minutes. They don't seem interested in each other and I don't understand that." So anyway, I I start talking about, you know, grief and he wants to read those prayers. So we go to the church and he reads 10 minutes of prayers in Chinese and he's satisfied. So I say, "Let's come back and have a cup of tea or something together." So he comes back into the friary again. He's from Gansu. And I said, "Uh, what city?" Tinue. I've been there. went to Mass there. And he says, “about 10 years ago my grandfather told us that he saw American priests in,” and so I'm thinking, “he's not looking for a Chinese Catholic church, looking for any Catholic church, he's way out in the suburbs and he takes the bus into the city, finds our church, finds the one and only priest in North America who actually was present with his grandfather once.” I thought that was pretty astonishing, you know. And actually, last Sunday another man came from China to see me–just another coincidence, you know–who was actually baptized by a Capuchin many years ago. So it's an interesting, very remote part of China and yet the faith is alive there as it is elsewhere. Anyway, thank you for listening and for anything you want to say or have questions or tell me I was wrong about something, please there's a few minutes to do that. [applause] Father Tom Betz is a Capuchin priest, the Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Center City Philadelphia, which includes responsibility for Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School. This keynote speech was delivered at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX, on July 31, 2026, during the 30th Biennial Conference of the US-China Catholic Association. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

AI-generated image Today Jesus says to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me" (Matthew 16:23). How can the rock [Peter] become an obstacle? Peter has identified Jesus correctly, but he has not accepted the road Jesus has chosen. We invite you to read more in Fr. Joseph Ruan's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十二主日（甲年） 上个主日，伯多禄宣认耶稣是“默西亚、永生天主之子”，耶稣也对他说：“你是伯多禄，在这磐石上，我要建立我的教会”（玛16:16-18）。然而，今天的福音却急转直下。耶稣对同一个伯多禄说：“撒殚，退到我后面去！你是我的绊脚石”（玛16:23）。 磐石怎么会成为绊脚石？关键在于：伯多禄虽然正确说出了耶稣是谁，却还没有接受耶稣所选择的道路。他承认耶稣是默西亚，却无法接受一位将要受苦、被杀的默西亚。 今天的福音以一句重要的话展开：“从那时起，耶稣开始向门徒说明，他必须上耶路撒冷去……”（玛16:21）。“从那时起”标志着玛窦福音叙事的重大转折。耶稣开始公开宣讲时，玛窦也曾使用同样的表达：“从那时起，耶稣开始宣讲说：你们悔改吧！因为天国临近了”（玛4:17）。如今，门徒已经开始认识耶稣的身份；接下来，他们还必须明白耶稣将怎样完成默西亚的使命。 耶稣告诉他们，他“必须”上耶路撒冷，受许多苦，被杀，并在第三天复活（玛16:21）。这里的“必须”，并不是说圣父喜爱苦难或死亡，而是指出耶稣对圣父旨意坚定不移的服从。面对人类的罪恶、拒绝和暴力，他仍要把爱贯彻到底。他不会以暴力回应暴力，也不会为了保全自己而放弃使命。十字架揭露了罪恶的残酷，也彰显出天主的爱比罪恶更有力量。死亡绝不是最后一句话，因为耶稣在预告苦难和死亡的同时，也清楚地说：“第三天他要复活”（玛16:21；参阅格前15:3-4）。 可是，伯多禄似乎只听见了苦难和死亡，没有听见复活。他把耶稣拉到一边，劝谏他说：“主啊，千万不可这样！”（玛16:22）这句话听来情真意切，也完全合乎人情。谁愿意看见自己所爱的人受苦？然而，伯多禄所希望的，是一种没有十字架的胜利、一种不必付出代价的光荣。他试图替耶稣安排另一条默西亚的道路：避开耶路撒冷，避开受难，直接进入成功与荣耀。 耶稣的回答一针见血：“你所体认的，不是天主的事，而是人的事”（玛16:23）。伯多禄的问题，不是他不爱耶稣，而是他的思想仍然受到世俗成功标准的支配。他想象中的救主应该势如破竹，战胜敌人，使跟随他的人扬眉吐气。这种思想与旷野中诱惑耶稣的声音彼此呼应：取得权势，显示能力，选择捷径，不经过十字架便获得光荣。耶稣曾在旷野中斥退魔鬼（玛4:8-10）；如今，他也拒绝借着伯多禄的话再次出现的同一种诱惑。但是，“退到我后面去”还有更深一层的意义。门徒的位置，本来就在师傅后面。伯多禄却走到耶稣前面，试图告诉耶稣应该往哪里去，甚至要替他决定怎样成为默西亚。 因此，耶稣命令伯多禄回到门徒的位置：“不要走在我前面替我决定方向；退到我后面，重新学习跟随。” 耶稣严厉责备伯多禄，并不是要抛弃他，而是要纠正他、召回他。即使门徒曾经误解、软弱或跌倒，只要愿意回应召叫，仍然可以回到耶稣后面，重新学习做一个跟随者。 随后，耶稣把这条道路向所有门徒展开：“如果有人愿意跟随我，就该舍弃自己，背着他的十字架来跟随我”（玛16:24）。“舍弃自己”并不等于轻视自己的价值，更不表示任由别人伤害、操纵或虐待自己。舍弃自己，是不再把自我当作生活唯一的中心；是不再只问“这对我有什么好处”，而开始让天主的旨意、福音的真理和近人的需要进入我们的选择。玛窦福音所说的十字架，是当时罗马世界中羞辱、痛苦和死亡的刑具。因此，耶稣使用这个强烈的形象，是要告诉门徒：忠于福音不是一句轻松的口号，而是必须付出真实的代价。 今天的第一篇读经让我们看见，耶肋米亚先知早已亲身经历了这种代价。他奉命指出犹大的罪恶，警告耶路撒冷即将面对灾难，因此遭受打击、排斥和公开羞辱（参阅耶19:14—20:6）。他向天主倾诉：“上主的话，天天为我成为受侮辱和讥笑的原因”（耶20:8）。他曾想保持沉默，不再奉天主的名发言；可是，天主的话在他心中“像有烈火在焚烧，封闭在我的骨髓里”（耶20:9）。 这是一位疲惫先知的真切告白。他没有假装自己毫无痛苦，也没有掩饰内心的挣扎。他会抱怨，会疲倦，甚至想要逃避；可是，天主的话已经牢牢抓住了他。最终，他无法背弃自己的召叫。耶肋米亚心中的烈火，也照亮了基督徒背十字架的意义。门徒的十字架，常常出现在忠于天主圣言的时刻：在众人保持沉默时讲诚实的话；在欺骗能够带来利益时坚持正直；在别人以怨报怨时选择宽恕；在照顾病人、长者和弱小者时持之以恒；在信仰受到嘲笑时，仍然温和而坚定地为福音作证。这些选择未必轰轰烈烈，却能在日积月累中，使我们的生命成为“生活、圣洁和悦乐天主的祭品”（罗12:1）。 在今天的读经二中，圣保禄劝勉我们献上自己的“身体”。这里的“身体”，包含我们整个具体的生活：我们怎样使用时间，双手从事什么工作，口舌说什么话，如何安排金钱，以及怎样对待身边的人。基督徒的敬礼不会在弥撒结束时停止。在祭台前，我们领受为我们交付的基督；走出圣堂以后，我们也蒙召把自己的生活与基督的祭献结合起来（参阅格前10:16-17；罗12:1）。于是，病床旁的守候、家庭中的忍耐、工作中的正直、对贫困者的援助，以及无人看见时仍然作出的善良选择，都能成为献给天主的祭品。 圣保禄继而劝勉我们：“不可与这世界同化，但要以更新的心思意念变化自己”（罗12:2）。世界不断告诉我们：先保护自己，先维护面子，先取得更多，先确保自己不吃亏。耶稣却问：“人纵然赚得了全世界，却赔上了自己的灵魂，为他有什么益处？”（玛16:26）这句话邀请我们停下来省察：我正在追求的东西，会使我更接近天主，还是使我的心日渐枯竭？我害怕失去的东西，是否已经成了束缚？我在作决定时，究竟是福音的真理占上风，还是面子、恐惧、利益和控制的欲望占上风？ 答唱咏指出了门徒能够继续跟随耶稣的深层动力：“上主，我的天主，我的灵魂渴慕你”（咏63:2）。如果我们只把十字架看成一种负担，很快便会心灰意冷。唯有当我们的灵魂尝到天主的慈爱“比生命更为宝贵”，我们才能依偎在他的护翼之下，坚持前行（参阅咏63:4,8-9）。 我们愿意背起十字架，并不是因为我们喜爱痛苦，而是因为我们已经遇见那位值得我们交付生命的主耶稣。我们相信，与基督一同舍弃的，不会真正失落；在基督内交付的生命，反而会得到成全。 今天，耶稣也对我们说：“退到我后面去。” 让我们放下事事掌控的执念，回到门徒的位置。不要要求耶稣跟随我们的计划，而要学习在他的身后行走。即使我们曾像伯多禄一样误解主耶稣，曾经患得患失，曾在十字架前退缩，耶稣仍然召叫我们重新跟随他。前面的道路会经过耶路撒冷和加尔瓦略山，但不会停留在那里；这条道路必将通向复活。谁愿意把生命交托给基督，谁就会在他内找到真正自由而丰盛的生命。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Last Sunday, Peter confessed Jesus to be "the Christ, the Son of the living God," and Jesus praised him: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:16-18). Today Jesus says to the same Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me" (Matthew 16:23). How can the rock become an obstacle? Peter has identified Jesus correctly, but he has not accepted the road Jesus has chosen. Matthew introduces today's Gospel with the words, "From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem" (Matthew 16:21). Matthew used similar words when Jesus began his public preaching: "From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 4:17). This is a decisive transition. The disciples know who Jesus is; now they must learn how he will fulfill his messianic mission. Jesus says that he "must" go to Jerusalem, suffer greatly, be killed, and be raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21). This "must" points to his unwavering obedience to the Father's saving will. Faced with human sin and violence, Jesus will love to the end. The cross exposes sin's cruelty and reveals a stronger divine love. Death will not conclude the story, for Jesus promises that "on the third day" he will be raised (Matthew 16:21; see 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Peter hears that Jesus will suffer and die, but seems not to hear the promise of resurrection. He takes Jesus aside and rebukes him: "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you" (Matthew 16:22). Who wants to see someone he loves suffer? Yet Peter is arranging a messianic road that avoids the cross. He desires victory but cannot accept self-giving; he longs for glory but wants to escape obedience. Jesus answers with piercing clarity: "You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do" (Matthew 16:23). Peter is still governed by worldly standards of success. He expects a Savior who will sweep away enemies and honor his followers. This echoes the desert temptation: seize power, display strength, and take the easier road. Jesus rejected the devil there (Matthew 4:8-10), and he rejects the same temptation in Peter's words. The command "Get behind me" carries another meaning. A disciple belongs behind the master. Peter has stepped in front and is trying to decide which road Jesus should take. Jesus calls him back: do not determine my direction; come behind me and learn again to follow. The rebuke is severe, yet Jesus does not abandon Peter. A disciple who stumbles can still return to the place of a follower. Jesus then opens this road to every disciple: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). To deny oneself does not mean despising the dignity God has given us or allowing others to abuse us. It means refusing to make the self the center of life. God's will, the needs of our neighbor, and the truth of the Gospel are allowed to shape our choices. The cross in Matthew's Gospel cannot be reduced to every inconvenience. In the Roman world, it was an instrument of public shame, suffering, and death. Jesus chooses this forceful image to teach that fidelity to the Gospel may carry a real cost. Jeremiah had experienced such a cost. Called to expose Judah's sin and warn Jerusalem, he was beaten and publicly humiliated (Jeremiah 19:14-20:6). He cried, "The word of the LORD has brought me derision and reproach all the day" (Jeremiah 20:8). He considered silence, but the word became "like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones" (Jeremiah 20:9). God's word has taken hold of this exhausted prophet. He complains and struggles, yet cannot betray the call entrusted to him. The fire in Jeremiah's heart illuminates the disciple's cross. It appears in speaking honestly when others remain silent; refusing profitable deception; choosing forgiveness; persevering in care of the sick, the elderly, and the vulnerable; and bearing gentle but steadfast witness when faith is mocked. These choices may attract little attention, yet day by day they become a "living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1). In the second reading, Saint Paul's reference to our "bodies" embraces the whole of our concrete life: how we use our time, what work our hands perform, what words our mouths speak, how we manage money, and how we treat the people near us. Christian worship does not stop when Mass ends. At the altar we receive Christ, who gives himself for us, and we unite our own lives with his sacrifice (see 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Romans 12:1). Keeping watch beside a hospital bed, practicing patience at home, acting with integrity at work, and assisting the poor can all become offerings presented to God. Paul continues, "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The world repeatedly urges us to protect ourselves first, defend our image, and acquire more. Jesus asks a very different question: "What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Matthew 16:26). His question invites a serious examination. Are the things I pursue drawing me closer to God, or are they leaving my heart increasingly barren? Has what I fear losing already become a chain? When I make my decisions, who is walking in front? The responsorial psalm reveals the deep motive that enables a disciple to follow: "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God" (Psalm 63:2). A person who sees the cross only as a burden will soon lose heart. We can persevere beneath the shadow of God's wings because we have tasted his kindness, "a greater good than life" (Psalm 63:4, 8-9). Christians take up the cross because they have encountered the Lord Jesus, who is worthy of the gift of their lives. Today Jesus also says to us, "Get behind me." He invites us to release the desire to control everything and return to the place of a disciple. We may have misunderstood the Lord as Peter did. We may have been ruled by fear of loss or stepped back when we saw the cross. Jesus still calls us to follow him. The road ahead passes through Jerusalem and Calvary, but it leads to the resurrection. Whoever entrusts life to Christ will find in him the life that is truly abundant. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

At the end of each month, the USCCA compiles a brief list of interesting news articles about Chinese Catholicism. Here is an aggregate of links for August 2026. Free upcoming event at DePaul University: My Chinese Dream: A Book Discussion with Author, Chiaretto Yan, Sept 14, 2026. Fides News Agency (Beijing), "During spiritual retreats, Chinese priests and religious sisters offer prayer and fasting for the sick and study the Encyclical 'Magnifica humanitas,'" Agenzia Fides: Information Service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927, August 26, 2026. Fides News Agency (Beijing), “‘Research on the History of Catholicism in China’: A New ‘Road Map’ Tracing Six Centuries of Catholicism in China,” Agenzia Fides: Information Service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927, Aug 25, 2026. USCCA Friendship Happy Hour, “The Digital Revolution and A Restless Heart: A Chinese Catholic Conversation on Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical,” Aug 20, 2026. Robert Ellsberg at Orbis Books, One-on-One Interview with Chiaretto Yan, Aug 20, 2026. Giorgio Bernardelli, “Farewell to Father Chao, the Last of the Trappist Martyrs of Hebei,” PIME Asian News, Aug 9, 2026. Alessandro Di Bussolo, “Christian-Confucian Dialogue: Working Together to Build a More Harmonious World,” Vatican News, Aug 4, 2026. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

AI-generated image In this Sunday's Gospel, Peter's confession of faith happens right before he receives from Jesus the office of visible chief shepherd, with responsibility for preserving the faith and serving ecclesial unity. We invite you to read Fr. Joseph's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十一主日 甲年 今天的福音把一个无法回避的问题放在我们面前：“你们说我是谁？”群众认为耶稣是洗者若翰、厄里亚、耶肋米亚或先知中的一位。他们尊敬耶稣，却尚未认识他的真正身份。伯多禄代表宗徒宣认：“你是默西亚，永生天主之子。”耶稣随即指出，这项认识来自天父的启示：“这不是血肉之人启示了你，而是我在天之父启示你的。”这里引用的是福音原文所使用的对比句；它说明基督信仰发源于天主的启示，人则以信德接受启示。伯多禄所宣认的耶稣超越所有先知，因为他是天父所派遣的默西亚，也是与父同性同体的永生天主之子（玛16:13-17；玛3:16-17；若1:1-18）。 伯多禄宣认耶稣的身份以后，耶稣也向他揭示其使命：“你是伯多禄，我要在这磐石上建立我的教会，阴间的势力决不能战胜她。”教会属于基督，因为耶稣称她为“我的教会”。基督永远是教会最高、不可取代的元首；伯多禄从基督领受可见的首牧职务，负责保护信仰、坚固弟兄并维护教会合一。历代教宗继承伯多禄的职务，担任基督在世教会的代表及可见领袖。教宗的权威完全来自基督，也必须服务基督的福音和羊群（玛16:18；弗1:22-23；哥1:18；路22:31-32；若21:15-17）。 读经一为“天国的钥匙”提供了重要的解释。舍布纳原任王宫总管，后来因失职而被撤换。上主召叫厄里雅金，把达味家室的钥匙放在他肩上：“他开了，没有人能关；他关了，没有人能开。”厄里雅金获得管理王室的权力，在君王的授权下处理达味家室的事务（依22:19-23）。耶稣采用同样的圣经图像，对伯多禄说：“我要把天国的钥匙交给你。”耶稣是达味之子和天国的君王，伯多禄则被委任管理基督在世的家——教会。钥匙象征真实的职权，包括教导、圣化、治理和保护共融。伯多禄的职权由基督亲自设立，其效力取决于基督的许诺（玛16:19；路1:32-33；弟前3:15）。 “你在地上所束缚的，在天上也要被束缚；你在地上所释放的，在天上也要被释放”，进一步说明这项职务所具有的管辖权。“束缚”和“释放”在当时包含对信仰、伦理、纪律及团体生活作出具有约束力的判断。耶稣后来也把共同牧养教会的责任交给宗徒团（玛18:18），同时保留了伯多禄独有的标记：磐石、天国的钥匙，以及坚固弟兄的使命（玛16:18-19；路22:31-32）。伯多禄的首牧权与宗徒团的权力彼此配合。因此，教宗在与众主教的共融中领导普世教会；众主教则在与伯多禄继承人的共融中牧养地方教会。 伯多禄具有人的软弱。他曾经抗拒耶稣关于苦难的预言，也曾三次否认主（玛16:21-23；玛26:69-75）。复活的基督仍然把整个羊群托付给他：“你牧放我的羔羊；你牧放我的羊群。”三次委托医治了他的三次背叛，也公开确认了他的首牧使命（若21:15-17）。教宗职务的稳固性建立在基督的召叫、祈祷和许诺上。耶稣曾特别为伯多禄祈祷，使他的信德不致丧失，并命令他在回头以后坚固弟兄（路22:31-32）。所以，教宗的权威包含沉重的服务责任：忠实传授宗徒信仰，保护圣事生活，纠正错误，医治分裂，引导天主子民走向救恩。 这个职务必须延续，因为基督所建立的教会要持续到世界终结。耶稣许诺阴间的势力不能战胜教会，也保证自己天天与宗徒同在，直到今世的终结（玛16:18；玛28:18-20）。《宗徒大事录》记载，犹达斯死后，伯多禄引用圣经说：“让别人接替他的职位。”宗徒们随后拣选玛弟亚，使他加入十一位宗徒之列（宗1:15-26）。这件事显示宗徒职务能够由继承人继续承担。伯多禄后来在罗马完成宗徒使命；罗马教会保存了他的宗徒座席及其继承次序。因此，罗马主教作为伯多禄的继承人，承担普世教会的最高牧职。圣经启示了伯多禄职务的建立及宗徒职位能够传承的原则；教会从宗徒时代保存下来的传统，则见证这一职务在历代罗马主教身上的连续性（玛16:18-19；宗1:20-26；伯前5:13）。 圣保禄在读经二赞叹天主的智慧：“万物都出于他、依赖他、而归于他。”教会的建立、伯多禄的蒙召以及首牧职务的延续，都出于天主的计划（罗11:33-36）。教会能够经历迫害、分裂、牧者的软弱和时代的变迁而继续存在，显示基督始终忠于自己的许诺。答唱咏因此宣告：“上主，你的慈爱永世无穷，不要放弃你双手的妙工。”教会正是天主双手的工程，需要不断净化，也不断得到天主的保护（咏138:1-3、6、8；弗5:25-27）。 今天，耶稣也问我们：“你们说我是谁？”承认耶稣是默西亚和天主子，要求我们接受他的福音，也接受他所建立的教会。尊敬教宗表达我们对基督安排的服从，因为教宗承担伯多禄的职务，负责坚固弟兄、牧养羊群并维护宗徒信仰的合一。信友也要为教宗和主教祈祷，认真聆听教会的训导，在圣事中生活，并避免破坏教会共融的言行。求主赐给我们伯多禄宣认基督的信德，使我们在伯多禄继承人的带领下，忠于宗徒的教导、擘饼、祈祷和弟兄共融，坚定地宣认：“你是默西亚，永生天主之子。”（玛16:16；宗2:42） Scripture Reflection in English 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time A Today’s Gospel places an unavoidable question before every disciple: “Who do you say that I am?” The people identify Jesus with John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet. Their answers express respect, yet they do not reach the full truth about him. Peter speaks for the apostles: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus explains that this confession comes through the Father’s revelation. Christian faith begins with God making himself known and reaches its proper response when a person receives that revelation in trust and obedience. Peter confesses that Jesus stands above all the prophets: he is the promised Messiah and the eternal Son who reveals the Father (Matthew 16:13–17; Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:1–18). After Peter identifies Jesus, Jesus reveals Peter’s mission: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” The words “my Church” establish Christ’s permanent sovereignty. Christ remains the supreme and irreplaceable Head of the Church. Peter receives from Christ the office of visible chief shepherd, with responsibility for preserving the faith and serving ecclesial unity. Each pope succeeds Peter in this pastoral office and serves as the Vicar of Christ and the visible head of the Church on earth. Papal authority comes from Christ and remains accountable to Christ’s revelation and saving mission (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18; Luke 22:31–32; John 21:15–17). The first reading provides the biblical background for the keys. Shebna is removed from his position as master of the palace, and Eliakim receives his robe, sash, authority, and office. God declares: “I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.” Eliakim exercises authority over the royal household under the authority of the Davidic king (Isaiah 22:19–23). Jesus uses this established biblical image when he says to Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus is the Son of David and the eternal King. Peter is appointed to exercise stewardship within Christ’s earthly household, the Church. The keys signify an actual office of teaching, sanctifying, governing, and protecting communion (Matthew 16:19; Luke 1:32–33; 1 Timothy 3:15). Jesus adds: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Binding and loosing referred to authoritative judgments concerning doctrine, moral conduct, discipline, and membership in the community. Jesus later entrusts the apostolic body with a shared responsibility for governing the Church (Matthew 18:18). Peter still receives three distinctive signs: the rock, the keys, and the command to strengthen his brethren (Matthew 16:18–19; Luke 22:31–32). Peter’s primacy operates within the apostolic college. In the same way, the pope leads the universal Church in communion with the bishops, and the bishops govern their local churches in communion with Peter’s successor. Peter’s personal history shows the demanding character of this office. He resists Jesus’ teaching about the cross and later denies the Lord three times (Matthew 16:21–23; Matthew 26:69–75). The risen Christ restores him and entrusts the flock to him three times: “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep” (John 21:15–17). This threefold commission heals Peter’s threefold denial and publicly confirms his pastoral responsibility for Christ’s flock. Earlier, Jesus had prayed especially for Peter, so that his faith would not fail, and commanded him to strengthen his brothers after his return (Luke 22:31–32). The stability of the Petrine office rests on Christ’s call, prayer, and promise. Its authority carries a grave duty to transmit the apostolic faith, guard the sacramental life of the Church, correct serious error, heal division, and guide God’s people toward salvation. The office entrusted to Peter has to continue because Christ established his Church for every generation. Jesus promises that the gates of the netherworld will never prevail against her and that he will remain with the apostles until the end of the age (Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:18–20). Acts records the principle of apostolic succession. After the death of Judas, Peter cites Scripture: “May another take his office.” Matthias is then chosen to join the eleven apostles (Acts 1:15–26). An apostolic office can therefore pass to a successor when its holder dies. Peter later completed his apostolic ministry in Rome, whose Church preserved the succession of his apostolic chair. The Bishop of Rome consequently serves as Peter’s successor and exercises the universal pastoral office associated with the keys. Scripture reveals Christ’s establishment of Peter’s office and the principle that an apostolic office continues through succession. The Church’s living apostolic tradition identifies the historical succession of the bishops who occupied Peter’s Roman See (Matthew 16:18–19; Acts 1:20–26; 1 Peter 5:13). Saint Paul’s praise of divine wisdom helps us understand this mystery: “For from him and through him and for him are all things” (Romans 11:33–36). The founding of the Church, Peter’s calling, and the continuation of his pastoral office belong to God’s providential design. Through persecution, internal division, human weakness, and great cultural change, Christ has preserved the Church he founded. The Responsorial Psalm gives the deepest reason for her endurance: “Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands” (Psalm 138:1–3, 6, 8). The Church is the work of God’s hands. She constantly needs purification, and she constantly receives the sustaining grace of her Lord (Ephesians 5:25–27). Christ now directs his question to us: “Who do you say that I am?” Confessing Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God includes receiving his Gospel and the Church he founded. Respect for the pope expresses fidelity to Christ’s pastoral arrangement, since Peter’s successor carries the responsibility to strengthen the brethren, shepherd the flock, and protect the unity of apostolic faith. Catholics should pray for the pope and bishops, listen carefully to the Church’s authentic teaching, live faithfully through the sacraments, and reject words and actions that injure ecclesial communion. Through God’s grace, Peter’s confession can become the foundation of our whole life, keeping us faithful to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16; Acts 2:42). Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

By Fr. Joseph Ruan Group arrival and gathering in China – pilgrims from different ethnic backgrounds united in faith. During April 17–27, 2026, fourteen Catholics from the United States embarked on an unforgettable ten-day spiritual and cultural journey across mainland China. Organized by Mr. Peter Tan, with the assistance of Apollo Travel & Tours and local guides, the trip brought together a uniquely diverse group of travelers: local American Catholics, Chinese American Catholics from different backgrounds, and three Mexican American Catholics. Some pilgrims traveled from Texas, Chicago, New Jersey and other states; others transited through Taiwan before arriving in Beijing. Fr. Joseph Ruan joined the group from Fuzhou. Although the pilgrims came from different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, languages, and life experiences, everyone shared one common faith. In many ways, the pilgrimage itself became a living image of the Catholic Church — universal, diverse, and united in Christ. From the very beginning, there was a spirit of joy and anticipation. At the airport and throughout the journey, English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish naturally blended together in conversation. Some travelers translated for others; some helped older pilgrims carry luggage; others shared stories of immigration, family, parish life, and faith experiences in America. Very quickly, the group no longer felt like tourists traveling together. Instead, the pilgrims began to feel like one family. Beijing — Encountering Ancient Civilization and Modern China Our trip officially began in Beijing, one of the world’s great historical capitals. For many of the American pilgrims, China immediately shattered old stereotypes and assumptions. The modern airport infrastructure, efficient transportation systems, high-speed trains, clean streets, and thriving city life surprised many who still carried outdated images of China in their minds. Several pilgrims openly admitted that they had not expected China to appear so modern, developed, organized, and technologically advanced. Yet Beijing also revealed another dimension of China — the depth of its civilization and historical memory. For Christians, however, these places also inspired spiritual reflection. Dynasties rise and fall. Political powers come and go. Yet the Kingdom of God alone remains eternal. The pilgrims also visited the Summer Palace and explored traditional Beijing hutongs, where traces of old Chinese life still survive amid rapid modernization. One particularly memorable experience was climbing the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Some pilgrims climbed energetically while others moved more slowly and carefully, encouraging one another along the way. Standing atop the ancient stones overlooking the mountains, many reflected on the perseverance required both in history and in faith. Faith itself often resembles climbing a great wall — sometimes difficult, sometimes exhausting, yet always opening toward a wider horizon. Sunday Mass at Beijing Dongtang One of the most spiritually moving moments of the tour came during Sunday Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Beijing, commonly known as Dongtang (East Church). Founded in 1655 by the Jesuits, Dongtang is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Beijing. Over the centuries, it has survived wars, fires, revolutions, and political upheaval. Today, it stands not merely as a historical building, but as a living witness to the perseverance of Catholic faith in China. As the pilgrims entered the church on Sunday morning, many immediately sensed something special. The church was already filled with worshippers quietly before Mass. Young adults and families entered reverently. The atmosphere was deeply prayerful and dignified. For many of the American and Mexican-American pilgrims, this was their very first experience attending Mass inside a Catholic church in mainland China. They were deeply moved by the devotion of the local faithful, the beauty of the liturgy, and the reverence shown throughout the Mass. For Fr. Joseph Ruan, the experience carried even deeper emotional significance because he was invited to concelebrate the Mass. Standing once again at the altar of a Chinese church after decades of priestly ministry in New York stirred many memories and emotions. At that moment, everyone felt strongly that the Eucharist truly transcends all boundaries of language, nationality, politics, and history. Whether in New York, Mexico, Beijing, or Rome, Catholics gather around the same altar and receive the same Body of Christ. Xi’an — Ancient Civilization and Ancient Faith From Beijing, the group traveled to Xi’an aboard China’s remarkable high-speed rail system. Many pilgrims were amazed by the speed, comfort, and efficiency of the trains. Watching the Chinese countryside pass rapidly outside the windows while sharing stories and laughter together became one of the warmest parts of the trip. Xi’an, one of the oldest cities in China and the ancient eastern gateway of the Silk Road, revealed another dimension of Chinese history. The Terracotta Warriors left the group speechless. Thousands of life-sized soldiers buried underground for more than two thousand years testified to the sophistication, ambition, and historical depth of ancient Chinese civilization. Yet Xi’an also carries deep significance for Christianity in China. The Silk Road once carried not only commerce but also religion, including early Christianity, across Asia. In Xi’an, the pilgrims visited the historic South Cathedral (Nantang), dedicated to St. Francis. Founded in the early eighteenth century, the cathedral remains one of the oldest Catholic churches in northwestern China. Although modest compared to Europe’s great cathedrals, the church radiates quiet dignity and historical depth. Inside the cathedral, the pilgrims prayed together and softly sang hymns. There was a profound sense that generations of Chinese Catholics had prayed within those same walls through periods of peace, hardship, and suffering alike. Many pilgrims later shared that praying inside these ancient churches touched them even more deeply than visiting famous tourist sites. In those sacred places, history suddenly became alive and personal. Hangzhou — Beauty, Prayer, and Chinese Culture From Xi’an, the group flew southward to Hangzhou, one of China’s most beautiful and culturally celebrated cities. The ancient Chinese saying declares, “Above there is heaven; below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou.” As the pilgrims glided across West Lake beneath misty skies and willow trees, everyone understood why poets and artists had praised this region for centuries. The beauty of Hangzhou felt almost poetic. Hangzhou also offered another important spiritual stop: the local Catholic cathedral. Though smaller and less internationally known than churches in Beijing or Shanghai, the cathedral reflected the quiet elegance and gentleness often associated with southern Chinese culture. The pilgrims paused there for prayer and song, once again reminded that the Church in China lives not only in famous cities but also in countless local communities throughout the country. The group also visited tea plantations, ancient streets, and cultural sites that revealed the depth of Chinese artistic and philosophical traditions. Tongli and Suzhou — Harmony and Friendship The tour then continued into the Jiangnan region — Tongli and Suzhou — where classical Chinese culture seemed to unfold like a living painting. The canals, stone bridges, whitewashed walls, narrow waterways, and quiet gardens fascinated many of the American pilgrims. For some, it was their first experience of the poetic beauty so often depicted in traditional Chinese art and literature. In Suzhou, the group visited classical gardens, silk factories, and the famous Hanshan Temple. The harmony between architecture, water, trees, and stone reflected a uniquely Chinese understanding of beauty and balance. Many pilgrims began reflecting on how Chinese civilization values harmony, patience, family, respect for tradition, and interior peace. These values resonated deeply with Christian spirituality in unexpected ways. One particularly joyful moment occurred in a traditional cultural hall, where one pilgrim jokingly posed like an ancient Chinese scholar at a writing desk, causing the entire group to burst into laughter. Moments like these reminded everyone that pilgrimage is not only about prayer and reflection, but also about joy, friendship, and shared humanity. Shared Meals, Friendship, and Cultural Discovery One of the great joys of the trip was simply sharing meals together. Whether enjoying Beijing duck, Xi’an dumpling banquets, Hangzhou cuisine, Suzhou specialties, or Shanghai dishes, every meal became an opportunity for conversation, laughter, and friendship. The three Mexican-American pilgrims especially delighted in discovering authentic Chinese food and culture. One of them joked that he never imagined eating dumplings in Xi’an while discussing Catholic theology with Chinese-Americans and local Americans together. Yet that was precisely the beauty of the trip. Different peoples, different histories, different cultures — united through faith. The group also spent joyful moments shopping for souvenirs, tea, silk, panda gifts, religious items, and local crafts. Many pilgrims became like excited children in the marketplaces, eager to bring home gifts and memories for friends and family. Throughout the trip, friendships deepened naturally. Pilgrims helped one another, shared snacks and stories, looked after older members, and supported each other throughout the long days of travel. Many later remarked that the warmth and unity of the group became one of the greatest blessings of the trip. Sheshan — Returning to the Roots of a Vocation The spiritual climax of the tour came when the group arrived at the Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan near Shanghai. Sheshan is the most important Marian shrine in China and holds immense significance for Chinese Catholics. Perched upon a peaceful hill surrounded by trees, the basilica has become a symbol of hope, perseverance, and devotion for generations of believers. For Fr. Joseph Ruan, however, Sheshan carries even deeper meaning. From 1983 to 1989, he studied at Sheshan Seminary during a crucial period in the rebuilding of the Church in China after years of hardship. Those seminary years shaped his priestly vocation and his entire life. On June 24, 1989 — the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist — Fr. Ruan was ordained to the priesthood at the Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan. His first Mass as a newly ordained priest was celebrated shortly afterward at St. Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui, Shanghai. Returning to Sheshan more than thirty years later became an intensely emotional experience. As Fr. Ruan walked once again through the seminary grounds and climbed the familiar paths toward the basilica, memories flooded back with extraordinary clarity. The trees, the pathways, the shrine, the statue of Our Lady — so much remained familiar. Yet time had passed. Many former classmates and professors were now scattered throughout the world; some had already entered eternal life. Standing once again before the altar where his priesthood began, Fr. Ruan could only feel deep gratitude. When the group gathered before Our Lady of Sheshan to sing Marian hymns and pray together for China, for the Church, and for peace, many pilgrims were visibly moved. Some later shared that this was the most powerful spiritual moment of the entire trip. At Sheshan, the group was no longer simply visiting a religious site. They had become true pilgrims. Xujiahui Cathedral — Returning After Thirty Years That evening, the group traveled into Shanghai and attended Mass at St. Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui. The magnificent red-brick Gothic cathedral, illuminated beneath the evening sky, stood as once known as the “cathedral of the Far East”. For Fr. Joseph Ruan, concelebrating Mass there once again after more than three decades carried profound emotional weight. As a young newly ordained priest, he had once stood at that same altar full of youthful dreams and zeal. Returning now after decades of ministry in New York, he carried not youthful idealism alone, but also the deeper gratitude that comes through years of pastoral service, sacrifice, struggle, and grace. Many pilgrims later said that hearing these personal memories transformed the churches from mere historical monuments into living testimonies of vocation, faith, and perseverance. Standing before the cathedral after Mass, many members of the group lingered for photographs beneath the illuminated towers and glowing cross. The church represented not only architectural beauty, but also the enduring history of Catholicism in China. Conclusion — More Than a Journey Throughout the trip, the local guides and organizers contributed greatly to the experience. The group remains deeply grateful to Peter Tan, Apollo Travel & Tours, and all the local guides whose careful planning, hospitality, historical explanations, transportation coordination, and warm companionship made the journey so successful and enjoyable. As the trip finally came to an end in Shanghai, many participants found it difficult to say goodbye. At the airport, people continued exchanging photographs, sharing memories, and already speaking about future trips together. In just eleven days, the group had shared prayer, friendship, laughter, meals, stories, and sacred moments across thousands of miles. The pilgrims returned home carrying much more than souvenirs and photographs. They carried home a deeper understanding of China, a renewed appreciation for Chinese Catholicism, a stronger awareness of the universality of the Church, and a profound gratitude for the way faith can unite people of every ethnicity and culture. For many overseas Chinese Catholics, journeys such as this are more than tourism. They become moments of rediscovery — rediscovery of cultural roots, rediscovery of the history of the Church in China, and rediscovery of the universal nature of Catholic faith. Perhaps this is one of the important missions of organizations like USCCA: to build bridges between cultures, generations, and communities of faith, so that Chinese Catholics around the world may continue walking together in communion, hope, and service to the Gospel. In the end, this tour was not simply about visiting China. It was about encountering history, culture, memory, faith, friendship, and above all, the enduring presence of God along the road. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

In his latest bilingual blog, Fr. Joseph Ruan reflects on the recent gathering in Texas of Chinese priests serving in the United States. We invite you to read Fr. Joseph's reflection below (click here for Chinese 点击这里查看中文): Faith Brings Us Together, Friendship Leads Us Forward The 2026 Houston Gathering of Chinese Priests, Religious Sisters, and Deacons in the United States —From Houston to San Antonio: Renewing the Priestly Mission through Prayer, Fellowship, and the Footsteps of Evangelization August 3–7, 2026 | Houston–San Antonio, Texas, USA From August 3 to 7, 2026, the annual gathering of Chinese priests serving in the United States took place in Houston, Texas. Chinese priests from dioceses across the country joined priests and religious sisters from China who were studying or pursuing further formation in the United States, together with two deacons. Through prayer, Mass, shared reflection, visits, and fraternal fellowship, they considered how to live their priestly vocation more fully within the Church’s multicultural setting and how to advance the mission of evangelization among Chinese communities. The gathering was organized and coordinated by Fr. Roger Shuxin Zhang and was based primarily at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston. Participants arrived on August 3 and departed on August 7. The program included concelebrated Masses, exchanges on pastoral ministry and evangelization, a nature outing, and visits to historic Catholic sites in San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston. The gathering followed naturally upon the 30th International Conference of the US-China Catholic Association (USCCA). Some participants attended the conference in Houston from July 31 to August 2 and then continued with the August 3–7 gathering. Priests and religious sisters who had taken part in the conference were invited to remain, while Chinese priests and sisters studying in the United States, along with two deacons, also joined the group. Bringing together people of different vocations, ages, and pastoral experiences, the gathering became a truly ecclesial encounter across regions, dioceses, and forms of consecrated service. Participants in the 30th USCCA International Conference gather in Houston. (photo credit: James Ramos / Texas Catholic Herald) In the Passionist Spiritual Tradition: Learning Again to “Pause and Remain with the Lord” Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center, where the gathering was based, is rooted in a rich spiritual tradition. In 1946, Christopher Byrne, the fourth Bishop of Galveston, invited Passionist priests and brothers to establish a retreat center there. Expanded facilities opened in 1953, and the center gradually became an important place of prayer, retreat, and spiritual formation in the Houston area. Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, the Passionists place particular emphasis on contemplating the Passion of Christ and recognizing in the Cross the love and saving mercy of God. Holding a gathering of Chinese priests in this setting therefore carried special meaning. In their own parishes, participants are ordinarily occupied with Masses, the sacraments, pastoral visits, catechesis, and administration. They rarely have an opportunity simply to pause and speak with one another as brothers. Several days of common life created such a space: to pray together, eat together, travel together, and share the joys, difficulties, and hopes of pastoral ministry. One of the gathering’s central themes was a renewed reflection on “mission,” moderated by Fr. Chunxiang Zhang. On the evening of August 4, participants discussed how the Church might better carry out and promote her missionary vocation. On the morning of August 6, they continued with a reflection on the meaning of mission itself. Chinese immigrant communities are continually changing. Younger generations use English more frequently, intercultural marriages are increasingly common, and parish life is becoming ever more diverse. Chinese pastoral ministry must cherish its linguistic and cultural heritage while also entering actively into the life of the local Church and bearing witness in communion with other communities. Into the Depths of the Earth: A Nature Outing and Unhurried Fellowship On the morning of August 5, the group departed at 9:00 a.m. for Cascade Caverns in Boerne, Texas, and began the tour at 10:00 a.m. The guided visit lasted approximately 45 minutes to one hour and followed a walking route of about 1,100 feet through five chambers. As the group descended, rock walls, stalactites, and underground spaces offered a landscape very different from the cities and churches of the preceding days, adding a relaxed and refreshing experience to the program. The visit to the caverns was a nature outing and community activity within the gathering. Walking, waiting, and looking out for one another gave participants further opportunities for conversation and helped them become better acquainted in an easygoing atmosphere. There was no need to impose an exaggerated religious symbolism upon the experience. Precisely as a simple journey shared together, it provided a welcome change of pace before the historical and ecclesial visits that followed and allowed fellowship to unfold naturally. Participants visit Cascade Caverns on the morning of August 5. Along the San Antonio Mission Trail: Seeking Answers for Evangelization Today One of the most historically significant parts of the gathering was the journey to San Antonio and the renowned San Antonio Missions. In the early eighteenth century, Spanish Franciscan missionaries established a series of missions along the San Antonio River. These communities combined churches, friaries, residential life, agriculture, and catechetical formation, while also profoundly altering the lives and cultures of Indigenous peoples. Today, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and Mission Espada are preserved within San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Together with The Alamo—originally Mission San Antonio de Valero—they form the first and, to date, only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. The four churches within the national historical park remain active Catholic parishes. The centuries-old stone walls, bell towers, altars, and courtyards naturally called to mind the early missionaries who arrived in an unfamiliar land, facing differences of language and culture, difficult living conditions, and an uncertain future. Yet they chose to remain, to learn local languages, to build communities, and to sow the seeds of the Gospel from one generation to the next. An honest view of this history must also acknowledge the complex entanglement of the mission system with colonial expansion and the profound changes endured by Indigenous peoples. Only by looking back with truthfulness and respect can history genuinely illuminate evangelization today. Mission San José was founded in 1720 and later became one of the largest and best-preserved centers in the San Antonio mission system, earning the title “Queen of the Missions.” The origins of Mission Concepción date to 1716; it was moved to the San Antonio area in 1731, and its original stone church and traces of colonial-era frescoes remain. Mission San Juan Capistrano was likewise relocated there in 1731, and agriculture, irrigation, and community life became defining features. Mission Espada traces its beginnings to an earlier mission founded in 1690 and moved to the San Antonio River in 1731; its acequia and community remains bear witness to the common life of its early inhabitants. Taken together, the four missions reveal a network of faith, production, and social life that developed along the river. The group also visited the celebrated Alamo. Originally the Catholic mission of San Antonio de Valero, it was founded in 1718 and later became a widely recognized Texas landmark because of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. For the participants, The Alamo connected modern Texas history with an earlier past marked by the shared life, prayer, and labor of missionaries and Indigenous communities. Three centuries ago, missionaries came to a land unknown to them. Today, three hundred years later, priests, religious sisters, and deacons from China live and serve in the United States. Times, social conditions, and methods of evangelization have changed, but the mission entrusted by Christ to the Church continues. The lesson of the old missions is not to reproduce the past, but to seek forms of witness that are faithful and humble today—always respecting particular cultures, human dignity, and the experience of the local Church. Participants gather in front of The Alamo, originally Mission San Antonio de Valero. In the “Heart” of San Antonio: Faith and the City Growing Together The group also visited downtown San Antonio. San Fernando Cathedral was established in 1731 by sixteen families from the Canary Islands. The parish identifies itself as the oldest continuously functioning religious community in Texas. For generations, the cathedral has stood at the center of San Antonio’s religious, cultural, and civic life. Those who enter each day to pray, together with residents and visitors crossing the plaza, form the daily scene of this city’s “heart.” After nightfall, participants strolled along the famous San Antonio River Walk. The river, bridges, lights, restaurants, and visitors displayed the vitality of modern San Antonio, while a cathedral and mission sites nearly three centuries old stood only a short distance away. Here, the ancient and the modern meet. The scene offered a fresh reminder that the Gospel is not an abstract idea removed from life; it becomes life within the cities, languages, and cultures people actually inhabit. Participants continue their fellowship along the San Antonio River Walk, where the old and the new meet. From Historic Sites to a Living Chinese Catholic Community On August 6, the gathering returned to Houston and celebrated Mass at Ascension Chinese Mission. An important community serving Chinese Catholics in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the mission is currently led by Fr. Roger Shuxin Zhang. If the old missions of San Antonio offered a glimpse of evangelization three centuries ago, Houston’s Chinese Catholic community showed that the same mission continues today. Every Mass celebrated in Chinese, every catechumenate class, every visit to the sick, every accompaniment of a newly arrived immigrant family, and every effort in youth formation writes a new chapter in the life of the local Church. Participants concelebrate Mass with an auxiliary bishop of Houston at Ascension Chinese Mission. Following the itinerary, the group also traveled to the Galveston waterfront and visited St. Mary Cathedral Basilica. In 1842, Fr. Jean Marie Odin dedicated Galveston’s first simple church of St. Mary. After the Diocese of Galveston was established in 1847, construction began on a new church, which was consecrated in 1848. One of the two cathedrals of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, it is also known as the “Mother Church” of Catholicism in Texas. In 1979, Pope St. John Paul II elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica. The cathedral survived the Great Storm of 1900 and suffered severe damage during Hurricane Ike in 2008; following restoration, it reopened fully in 2014. Its history extended the journey from the mission heritage of Spanish colonial Texas to the growth, trials, and renewal of the local Church. Visiting St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston. Friendship Itself Is a Form of Evangelization Another indispensable part of the gathering was simply eating together, talking together, and laughing together. Smiling faces, raised glasses, and shared dishes captured a fraternity both simple and precious. Priestly life often means carrying responsibility, and it can also mean facing many parish challenges alone. What a joy, then, to set ordinary duties aside for a while and speak honestly with brother priests about life and ministry. Special thanks are due to Fr. Roger Shuxin Zhang for the care he devoted to the gathering. From early communications, registration, lodging, and transportation to the itinerary between Houston and San Antonio, he extended generous hospitality and warmly welcomed brothers and sisters from many places, making the entire gathering possible. Special thanks are also due to Mr. Jiong Lin of the parish, whose generous sponsorship provided essential financial support for the gathering. During the gathering, parishioner Xiongguan Liu and his family, together with parishioner Xuemei Chen, invited the participating priests, religious sisters, and two deacons to dine at their restaurant and insisted on covering the entire meal. Behind the abundant dishes was the simple and sincere love of Chinese lay Catholics for the Church, for priestly and religious vocations, and for the ordained ministry of deacons. Heartfelt thanks are likewise offered to Professor and Mrs. Liang and to Ruben Luna and his wife for their gracious hospitality. They opened their homes and welcomed everyone as friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. A family meal, a cup of tea, and an unhurried conversation can bring people closer than a formal meeting, allowing participants from different places to experience firsthand the warmth of Houston’s Chinese Catholic community. The many Chinese parishioners of Ascension Chinese Mission also deserve sincere thanks. Some assisted with transportation, others prepared meals or welcomed guests, and still others served quietly behind the scenes. Many names did not appear in the schedule or this report, yet together they made these beautiful days of fellowship possible. Sharing friendship and joy. Concluding the Gathering in the Glory of the Transfiguration As the gathering drew to a close, the priests joined the community at Ascension Chinese Mission for a solemn celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The liturgy gave the entire gathering a particularly beautiful spiritual meaning. On Mount Tabor, Peter, James, and John saw the face of Jesus shine and His garments become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Him, and the Father’s voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” The disciples were permitted a brief vision of Christ’s glory, but they still had to follow Jesus down the mountain toward Jerusalem, the Cross, and finally the glory of the Resurrection. The days of the gathering carried something of that “Mount Tabor” experience. Participants stepped away briefly from the demands of parish life to gather, pray, share, and laugh. They looked back upon the history of the Church at San Antonio’s ancient missions, contemplated Christ anew in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and rediscovered the joy of vocation through the friendship of brothers and sisters. When the gathering ended, each person still had to “go down the mountain” and return to a diocese, parish, school, or pastoral assignment. Yet they descended with renewed strength. At the final Mass, the priests brought before the altar all the benefactors, families, and parishioners who had supported the gathering and prayed for them: for Fr. Roger Shuxin Zhang and his organization and hospitality; for the generous banquet offered by Xiongguan Liu and his family and by Xuemei Chen; for the financial support of Mr. Jiong Lin; for the gracious welcome extended by Professor and Mrs. Liang and by Ruben Luna and his wife; and for all the members of Ascension Chinese Mission and Houston’s Chinese Catholic community who helped publicly or quietly behind the scenes. Before the gathering concluded, the priests solemnly celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord at Ascension Chinese Mission. The Gathering Ends; the Mission Continues What remains after a truly ecclesial gathering is not merely a collection of photographs and an itinerary, but the communion formed between people. From the 30th USCCA International Conference to the gathering of Chinese priests, religious sisters, and deacons in the United States; from a Houston retreat center to three-hundred-year-old missions in San Antonio; from the natural wonder of underground caverns to ancient stone churches and a vibrant Chinese Catholic community today—the experiences of these days spoke with one voice: the Gospel is handed on as one generation walks beside the next. Three centuries ago, people came to Texas and sowed the seeds of the Gospel. Today, priests, religious sisters, and deacons from China continue to serve on this land. In the future, the same mission will be entrusted to another generation. May Christ transfigured shine His light upon every Chinese priest, religious sister, and deacon serving in the United States. May God bless all benefactors and lay faithful who support Chinese evangelization. And may the fraternal friendship formed in Christ give everyone strength to continue the journey. “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.