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Have you heard about the USCCA's Book Circle Discussions ? Through Zoom meetings on select scheduled Saturdays, we learn together about history, Chinese culture, theology, philosophy, and the life of the Church in China. The next Book Circle discussion will be held on March 15, 2025; we will be discussing the section entitled "Taoism" (pp. 51–57) in John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality , which is now available from Angelico Books for 15% off with the discount code wu15 . As participants read the passages selected for March 15, we ask them to consider the following message from the Book Circle facilitators: We will read the chapter of "Taoism" on pages 51-57. Even though it is a short chapter, it is peppered throughout with excerpts from the Daodejing  ( Tao Teh Ching ) that are "sententious and pregnant with meaning" (p. 55). The chapter concludes with two stories from the Book of Zhuangzi  ( Chuang Tzu ), which introduce us to two of the most important Daoist spiritual disciplines indispensable to one's union with Dao. Here are some questions that may help guide your reading: 1) What verses from the Daodejing  ( Tao Teh Ching ) do you find illuminating, and why? 2) What verses from the Daodejing  ( Tao Teh Ching ) do you find puzzling? 3) Do you see any points of contact between Daoist ideas in this chapter and the Christian faith? 4) How do you understand the spiritual practice of "the Fast of the Mind" (p. 56-57)? 5) How do you understand the spiritual practice of "Settled in Forgetting" (p. 57)? We invite you to sign up for Book Circle updates  and to share this information widely with friends, family, and church communities! ---------------------- 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.

Looking back on the year of the USCCA's 35th anniversary, we appreciate the historical and ongoing importance of our mission to build bridges of peace and friendship across countries and cultures. In 2024, the USCCA promoted dialogue through programs like the Book Circle, the Chinese and American Friendship Ministry, and the 29th USCCA International Conference with the help of supporters like you. We invite you to read more about the USCCA's mission and accomplishments in our recently published 2024 Annual Report . ---------------------- 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.

The USCCA Board of Directors was pleased to welcome Dr. Kathy (Huili) Stout and Ms. Vicky (Lianghui) Sun as Incoming Associate Directors. Dr. Stout (left), who has been serving as a USCCA Book Circle organizer for over a year, received her Ph.D. in theology from the University of Dayton in December 2023. She has taught classes on theology and religious studies as well as Daoism, Buddhism, and Chinese traditions in general to undergraduate students at UD and the University of Oklahoma. As the co-founder of Wise Promise Advisory, Ms. Sun (right) works with international businesses on ethical strategy, media engagement, and corporate philanthropy. She holds a Master of Theological Studies from the University of Notre Dame, specializing in ancient Chinese philosophies and comparative theology, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the University of Dallas. We greatly appreciate the commitment that Dr. Stout and Ms. Sun have made to serve as Associate Directors of the USCCA! Thanks to the steadfast engagement of supporters like them, the USCCA has been building bridges of friendship and dialogue for more than 35 years. If you would like to volunteer with the USCCA, please contact Interim Chief Administrative Officer Gerald Doyle at director@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.

On February 15, 2025, the USCCA Book Circle gathered to discuss pp. 15–50 of John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . In these passages, Wu shares his perspective on "Mencius' Philosophy of Human Nature and Natural Law" (pp. 15–35) and on "The Spirit of Joy in the Chinese Sages" (pp. 39–50). This Book Circle discussion touched on such themes as natural law, joy as harmony, and the mandate of heaven understood through Catholic tradition and Chinese culture. One aspect of this week's reading which spurred particular interest among participants was the way in which Wu's position as a legal scholar and as a Catholic informed his understanding of natural law in the teachings of ancient Chinese sages. Western philosophy tends to rely on metaphysical speculation as a source of wisdom, but discussion participants found that the Chinese sages challenge readers to find wisdom in the ways of our ancestors, learning from their examples in accordance with nature and ritual propriety. Such ways of living are described by sages as a kind of harmony, and are closely related to joy, as Wu notes: "According to the Chinese way of thinking, music is joy, and joy is music, because both of them are essentially bound up with the idea of Harmony" (p. 39). In turn, USCCA Book Circle participants reflected on the harmony of joy as it is portrayed in different religious and philosophical thinkers and traditions, from Mencius to Augustine. Participants suggested that dialogue between East and West could deepen our understanding of joy as an individual and collective phenomenon. The next Book Circle discussion will be held on March 15, 2025; we will be discussing the section entitled "Taoism" (pp. 51–57) in John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality , which is now available from Angelico Books for 15% off with the discount code wu15 . As participants read the passages selected for March 15, we ask them to consider the following message from the Book Circle facilitators: We will read the chapter of "Taoism" on pages 51-57. Even though it is a short chapter, it is peppered throughout with excerpts from the Daodejing ( Tao Teh Ching ) that are "sententious and pregnant with meaning" (p. 55). The chapter concludes with two stories from the Book of Zhuangzi ( Chuang Tzu ), which introduce us to two of the most important Daoist spiritual disciplines indispensable to one's union with Dao. Here are some questions that may help guide your reading: 1) What verses from the Daodejing ( Tao Teh Ching ) do you find illuminating, and why? 2) What verses from the Daodejing ( Tao Teh Ching ) do you find puzzling? 3) Do you see any points of contact between Daoist ideas in this chapter and the Christian faith? 4) How do you understand the spiritual practice of "the Fast of the Mind" (p. 56-57)? 5) How do you understand the spiritual practice of "Settled in Forgetting" (p. 57)? We invite you to sign up for Book Circle updates  and to share this information widely with friends, family, and church communities! ---------------------- 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.

As we enter 2025, the USCCA is glad to share the news of several individuals who committed in 2024 to serving our mission: John Dewan Alfred Gui Kathleen O'Brien, M.A. Fr. Aaron A. C. Bohr, SJ Fr. Edward Griswold Drew McNeil Margaret Smetana Sr. Dong Hong Marie Zhang, CSSF Karina Patman In addition to the new Board members mentioned above, we have been recently blessed to welcome Phoebe Qian as an Affiliate in the role of Digital Designer. If you are interested in volunteering your talents for our mission, we invite you to become an Affiliate of the USCCA . We invite you to view our Board and Affiliates page to learn more about these USCCA supporters and their stories. We are deeply grateful for the time that they have shared in service of the mission of the USCCA! ---------------------- 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.

Have you considered becoming a USCCA Affiliate? In addition to contributing financially to our mission, Affiliates also volunteer their time and skills in service of friendship and bridge-building among Catholics in the U.S. and in China. Most recently, the USCCA has celebrated Shirley Wang's choice to join us as an Affiliate. Currently a student of mental health counseling practice at Divine Mercy University, Shirley (pictured left) has previously served as a rapporteur at the 29th USCCA International Conference. We invite you to click here to read her reflection on a session that she attended at the 29th USCCA International Conference . As a USCCA Affiliate, Shirley will be in the good company of Phoebe Qian (pictured right), who has been serving as a USCCA Affiliate in the role of a Digital Designer. Phoebe is passionate about creating visually compelling content that aligns with the USCCA's mission to engage, inform, and inspire its communities. We greatly appreciate these Affiliates and their dedication to the mission of the USCCA. If you would like to volunteer with the USCCA, please contact Interim Chief Administrative Officer Gerald Doyle at director@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.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, but did you know that it is also the Feast Day of Saints Cyril (pictured) and Methodius? In a Valentine's Day article for Word on Fire , Fr. Steve Grunow introduces us to Sts. Cyril and Methodius: They were missionaries in that region of Europe where the culture of the East meets the culture of the West. Their missionary efforts represent a powerful example of cooperation between the Church of the West and the East. This Valentine's Day, we invite you to consider how the love of friendship can help build bridges among Catholics in the U.S. and in China. Through programs like the Chinese American Friendship Ministry and the USCCA Book Circle , USCCA supporters like you carry on a rich tradition of cooperation and friendship between East and West. ---------------------- 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.

Last week, Board Members and other friends of the USCCA gathered to learn about how we will work together to build bridges of dialogue in 2025 and beyond. We are grateful to these friends for the time that they continue to volunteer in service of our mission! This meeting was particularly helpful for our new Associate Directors, who were announced in our January 5 article, "New Year, New Board Members!" Fr. Aaron Bohr, S.J., one of the USCCA's new Associate Directors, offered the following reflection on the recent Orientation meeting: I am hopeful that the USCCA can contribute to creating a culture of encounter. In a world that is so divided and those who are different are viewed with suspicion, the model of Matteo Ricci and Paul Xu Guangqi are important reminders that our hope is in Christ, who heals every division. We are all beloved sons and daughters of the same Heavenly Father, created in the divine image and likeness. I hope that our work on the USCCA can remind us of the dignity of every child of God. Indeed, the hopes of our friends are evident from the time and efforts that they generously offer as volunteers in service of our mission. In another reflection on the recent orientation, USCCA Book Circle facilitator Dr. Kathy Stout reflects on why anyone would be a volunteer , comparing and contrasting the ways in which service is celebrated in the United States and in traditional Chinese culture. As we move into 2025, we look forward to the contributions that USCCA Board Members, Affiliates, and other volunteers will make toward our shared goals of bridge-building, dialogue, and friendship among Catholics in the U.S. and in China. ---------------------- Are you interested in volunteering your time with the USCCA? Contact Gerald Doyle at director@uscatholicchina.org  for more information on opportunities to get involved! Inspired by the Gospel, the mission of the US-China Catholic Association is to build bridges of friendship and dialogue between people of China and the United States by offering educational, service, and cultural programs in support of the Church and the larger society.

By Kathy Stout, Ph.D. Today’s board member orientation meeting was heartwarming and memorable. Anne with her unforgettable smile, Peter talking to us while driving on the road, Fr. Aaron’s beautiful opening prayer, and so much more. The most striking thing for me, however, was the feeling of being wowed by the presence of so many smart and holy people, who gathered for no other reason but the desire to serve. The concept of volunteering is a Western one associated with the reality of a civil society. When I grew up in China a few decades ago, I knew nothing about it. In the US, volunteers abound in many places so we don’t often stop to think about its logic.  Why would anyone be a volunteer? For us at the USCCA, perhaps it is because we have received many blessings from God and feel it is only right to give back. But perhaps it is also because we have somehow tasted the joy of giving, the joy of serving. Perhaps as Christians, we have experienced something of the logic of the Gospel, which Bishop Robert Barron identifies as the logic of the gift. It is more blessed to give than to take. For every little thing we do for the sake of others, so much more is poured back into our own lives.  This logic of the gift is also a prominent feature of traditional Chinese culture. Chinese Buddhists, for instance, are familiar with the idea that the quickest way to spiritual progress is through the practice of three kinds of giving 佈施: material gifts, the gift of no fear, and the gift of wisdom. Isn’t this the same secret that every Catholic saint knows and lives so well? I think it is also the secret that has drawn us together into the community of the USCCA. This new year, may God help us to give a little more, volunteer a little more, and serve a little more. I suspect that God will prove his generosity to us through our small gifts of nothingness.  Dr. Stout volunteers as a facilitator of the USCCA Book Circle. She received her Ph.D. in theology from the University of Dayton, and she has taught classes on theology and religious studies as well as Daoism, Buddhism, and Chinese traditions in general at UD and the University of Oklahoma. ---------------------- Are you interested in volunteering your time with the USCCA? Contact Gerald Doyle at director@uscatholicchina.org for more information on opportunities to get involved! Inspired by the Gospel, the mission of the US-China Catholic Association is to build bridges of friendship and dialogue between people of China and the United States by offering educational, service, and cultural programs in support of the Church and the larger society.

Have you heard about the USCCA's Book Circle Discussions ? Through Zoom meetings on select scheduled Saturdays, we learn together about history, Chinese culture, theology, philosophy, and the life of the Church in China. This semester, we are reading  John C. H. Wu's  Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . If you have not done so yet, we invite you to  order your copy from Angelico Books today . With discount code  wu15 , you are eligible for a 15% discount. Our next meeting will be held via Zoom on February 15 at 9AM ET / 8AM CT / 7AM MT / 6AM CT / 10pm Chinese Standard Time.  Please read the following message from Book Circle facilitator Dr. Kathy Stout: Our January discussion ran out of time to discuss all the interesting topics on Mencius. For the Feb meeting, we will begin by revisiting Mencius on pages 15-35 and then move onto the next chapter on pages 39-50, "The Spirit of Joy in Chinese Sages." You are invited to consider the following questions as you read: 1) What are your thoughts on Mencius's understanding of virtue, culture, and political philosophy? 2) Why is "joy" such an important category in Wu's presentation of the sages? 3) What new aspects of the sages have you learned from Wu's presentation? The USCCA is grateful to Dr. Stout, Mary Sluka, and Fr. Hugh O'Donnell for their ongoing work as Book Circle organizers. Future Book Circle Discussions are planned for March 15, April 26, and May 24; please sign up for Book Circle updates  to ensure that you receive the Zoom link! We hope to see you there. ---------------------- 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.

Did you attend or read about Cardinal Stephen Chow's Welcome Speech at the USCCA's 29th International Conference ? Cardinal Stephen Chow, SJ, is the Bishop of Hong Kong. As we move together from the winter holiday season into the natural beauty of spring, we invite you to read Cardinal Chow's recent comments on sustainable consumption and the ways in which we can glorify God through stewardship of creation . How do you intend to care for creation this year? May we build friendships through our shared efforts to maintain and sustain the gift of our common home! ---------------------- 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 Rev. Rob Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D. This 1920s photo from the Passionist China Collection shows a snake charmer from Wusu 烏宿 in West Hunan 湘西. Let this photo inspire us to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2025, The Year of the Snake, on January 29. In the Chinese Zodiac the snake is the sign for individuals who were born in 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025. At the end of this short essay are some qualities said to be associated with people born in these years. Passionists and other missionaries were constantly trying to understand local Chinese culture and tradition. Writing from Yongshunfu, 永順府 West Hunan on November 18, 1926 to benefactors back home in the U.S., Philadelphia native Passionist Father Raphael Vance explained the meaning of Chinese New Year. His summary comes from the 1920s publication China Press : The Chinese have many superstitions regarding the observance of New Year’s. The New Year’s observance is a religious festival, the principal one observed during each year. On the eve of the day, slips of red paper are pasted slantwise on the door. Henceforth, nobody may open it before the New Year has dawned; to do so would entail the greatest misfortune for the family, and all happiness expected during the coming year would thereby escape, were the door even slightly opened. On one of the slips is written the following motto: "May great happiness attend the closing of the door." And on the other: "May unbound prosperity accompany the opening of the door." Several attach to the slips some ingets [sic] of mock money, expecting thereby to be blessed with abundant riches during the coming year. The idea of sending New Year’s to the imps of the nether world, hoping thus to ingratiate oneself with them and be unmolested during the coming, exhibits more foresight and wisdom than the average Chinese is generally credited with. On the last evening of the old year, shoes when taken off, are placed with the soles upward, so as to prevent the god of epidemic and plague from depositing therein germs of these fatal diseases. On New Year’s morning "Heaven and Earth, the household gods, ancestors and the kitchen gods are duly worshipped, the God of Poverty is shown out and burnt beside the temple of the God of Soil, while the God of Wealth is ceremoniously introduced and this picture [is] set up in the family shrine hoping thereby to secure prosperity and an increase of fortune during the coming year. Strange to say some pagan families abstain from meat on New Year’s day. This is done in honor of Buddha, Maitreya [sic] or other dieties [sic] and is deemed to precipitate them and secure happiness for such pious devotion." Characteristics for people born with the Snake sign are said to be endowed with wisdom and with deep philosophical understanding. They are born thinkers who excel in finding solutions to complex problems. In matters of business they can be shrewd, biding their time in making a deal only to strike like lightning and make a killing when they judge the moment is right. Thus in life, the majority of Snakes are financially successful and generally lucky with money. These are clever, intelligent people who take time to formulate their ideas and opinions. Even when they are at their laziest, their minds are working overtime, laying their schemes and hatching their plots for the future. Snakes are wise, philosophical, calm, and understanding. Father Rob served as Executive Director of the U.S.-China Catholic Association from 2014—2017. At the Ricci Institute, he is historian and curator of the Passionist China Collection (PCC), an archive of over 10,000 photos and 60,000 documents, photographs, reports, films, and correspondence that reveal the twentieth century Passionist-based mission in Hunan, China. ---------------------- 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.