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Today is the Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. This year, it marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake! Many Chinese Catholics in the United States and in China celebrate Lunar New Year with a special Mass. To learn more, we invite you to read the Catholic News Agency article, Michigan Parish Celebrates Chinese New Year in Mandari n , as well as Sr. Gaby Yang's article, Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration . ---------------------- 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 Tom McGuire, with contributions from his wife Florence January 29, 2025, is the first day of the Spring Festival, the Year of the Snake. The Spring Festival is also known as the Chinese New Year and the Lunar New Year. People from many different Asian countries celebrate this fifteen-day festival rooted in Chinese culture. Spring Festival Mass in Chicago, 2023 (Year of the Dragon) When I was in Hong Kong, the Spring Festival was an important introduction to Chinese culture. My first experience was in 1970, the Year of the Dog. On New Year’s Eve, I walked the always busy streets of Hong Kong; they were empty. Chinese people were celebrating the family reunion dinner on the eve of the Spring Festival, which was an event I needed to learn about. As my Cantonese improved, I became friends with Chinese university students. By the 1971 Spring Festival, the Year of the Pig, a Chinese student friend, Steve Tang, invited me to his family’s Spring Festival Reunion Dinner. All members of his immediate family living in Hong Kong were present, and they welcomed me with open hearts. As the meal began, members of the family explained the symbolism of the different dishes and talked about the customs they brought from their family village in China. That memorable family reunion dinner began my understanding that the Spring Festival symbols and rituals preserve traditions of ancient Chinese Culture. The culturally diverse customs of Spring Festival celebrations reinforce the cultural heritage of family relationships as the source of the human virtues of Chinese civilization. The rituals, conversations, and the order and symbolism of dishes represent family harmony and the harmony meant to be extended for the benefit of the whole society. Food Arrangement for Spring Festival 2013 (Year of the Snake) For me, it seemed, the reunion dinner ritual, the way the food was served, where people sat at the table, and the polite nature of taking food from dishes reflected the Confucian virtue of humanity. C.H. Wu describes the key elements of the virtue of humanity in a quote from the Book of Rites: Gentleness and meekness constitute the essence of humanity: reverence and prudence, its foundation; broad-mindedness and generosity, its flowering; humility and courtesy, its function; ceremony and ritual, its manners; sharing and distribution, its expansion. A scholar combines all these qualities, but still, he dares not claim full humanity. (p. 5, Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality ) Transformation virtue is achieved by self-cultivation desiring goodness, practicing discipline and attaining harmony in family relationships, a harmony extended to the larger society. It is about caring for other people. During the Spring Festival, many Chinese Catholics go beyond the family reunion to participate in the celebration of the Sacred Meal, the Eucharist. A commemoration of the Last Supper and Jesus’ ultimate act of love, the sacrifice of his life for others. The words of this sacred meal remind those gathered, as the Mystical Body of Christ, to live a transformed life sharing in the divine life of Christ. The words of the silent prayer said as a few drops of water are dropped into the Chalice of Wine reveal the essence of this mysterious transformation: "By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity." Chinese Catholics who have practiced the virtues of humanity in the Spring Festival family reunion dinner gather for the Sacred Meal to celebrate the fullness of humanity by being one in Christ. “In his body lives the fullness of divinity, and in him you too find your own fulfillment (Col 2:–10, Jerusalem Bible). Tom and Florence met in Hong Kong; they have been active in parish communities throughout their lives together, fostering friendship and dialogue between the Church in China and the Church in the US. Now retired and living in Chicago, they continue to live the mission of the gospel and give witness to Christ as our Hope. ---------------------- 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.

How can we understand Chinese humanism in the light of Christian spirituality? John C. H. Wu provides some helpful ideas in Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . On Saturday, January 18, 2025, the USCCA Book Circle gathered to discuss pages i–38 of this work, in which Wu describes the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. During Saturday's discussion, participants reflected on Wu's analysis of these Chinese sages and remarked upon the continuing relevance of their wisdom. One participant, an instructor at a community college, observed that the Confucian notion of nobility as excellence regardless of one's station resonates with students from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Participants also appreciated the value placed by Confucius upon ordinary tasks, well-worn customs, and mundane duties; according to Wu, in Confucius' hands "the commonplace is transmuted into gold" (p. 7). By reading Wu's chapter on Mencius, the philosopher who "was to Confucius what Plato was to Socrates" (p. 37), several Book Circle participants gained an expanded understanding of Confucian notions of nature, heaven (天), and humanity: "so far as man is concerned, to develop his Heaven-endowed nature is the proper way of obeying the will of Heaven" (p. 31). Considering the ways in which Mencius and Confucius resonate with Catholic teaching in their affirmation of nature and creation, one participant imagined how these sages may have been inspired in part by the beautiful landscapes of China. The next Book Circle discussion will be held on February 15, 2025; we will be reviewing pages 15–35 and discussing pages 39–50 of 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 . 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.

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the USCCA invites you to visit the University of St. Michael's John M. Kelly Library for an exhibition on "The Golden Rule: Social Justice and the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society." The exhibition's opening talk, "Reflections to Shape the Future, 1918–2025: The Scarboro Mission Archives at St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto," will be given at 6:00pm on January 21 by none other than USCCA Board Member Fr. Robert E. Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D. Please click here to download the full invitation as a PDF. ---------------------- 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 MLK Day, and we are grateful for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy of friendship across social, economic, racial, and national boundaries. As civil rights activist Grace Lee Boggs has reflected, He not only empowered those on the front lines, but in the process developed a strategy for transforming a struggle for rights into a struggle that advances the humanity of everyone in the society and thereby brings the beloved community closer to realization. ( Yes! Magazine ) In the latter years of his life, a friendship between Dr. King and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh influenced King's advocacy for peace in Vietnam: Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. met for the first time in 1966; they met in person one other time before Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. They spent little time in each other’s company, and yet the energy of their meeting continues to ripple out into the world wherever people work for civil rights, peace, and community. ( Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation ) In the photo included above, a crowd of tourists gather around the Stone of Hope , a statue of Dr. King created by Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin. Cherry blossoms line the periphery, themselves a gift to the United States from Japan. Through programs like the Chinese and American Friendship Ministry (CAAFM) , the USCCA aims to cultivate a "beloved community" that welcomes the peoples of the United States and China alike. Through outreach to Chinese students studying in the United States, the CAAFM provides avenues for dialogue and friendship on the firm foundation of mutual respect and a desire to learn from each other. ---------------------- 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 know that in 1941, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church became the first church in the Western Hemisphere built in order to serve as a place of worship for Chinese Catholics? At 2:00pm ET on this Sunday, January 19, we invite you to learn more about the history of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church from a lecture presented by Fr. Thomas Betz, OFM CAP. This lecture will be free to the public and live-streamed for virtual attendance! For more information on how to register, please see the website of the American Catholic Historical Society . ---------------------- 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 Tom McGuire, M.Div, M.R.E., USCCA Director Emeritus Bishop John S. Cummins was laid to rest on December 21, 2024, at the Cathedral, Christ the Light, in Oakland, California. He is remembered as a friend and a caring pastor of the People of God. In his homily at the funeral mass, Fr Vassar captures my memory of Bishop Cummins. He said, When we leave this holy ground, this lakeside beach to which we have been called by him, whose body we lay to rest today, rejoice in being who you have become because you have known him: spirit-powered people empowered to do Jesus’ work incarnating God’s love. That would please Bishop John greatly. All of us who have known him over the years are grateful for who we are because we have known him. Bishop John Cummins Bishop John Cummins, an Episcopal Member of the Board since 2009, contributed his pastoral wisdom to the mission and vision of the U.S. China Catholic Association. Despite the historical difficulties, he was committed to building bridges of friendship and dialogue with the Church in China. In 1997, he wrote in an America Magazine article in light of the tension between the Vatican and Beijing, “Earlier we tended to take sides in assessing the faithfulness of church groups as they made difficult and sometimes ambiguous choices in the complex religious and political situation of the 1950s and 1960s,” he wrote of the church in China. “One bit of sound advice for us comes from the Hippocratic Oath. ‘First, do no harm.’ We should favor neither the open church group nor the underground group. Indeed, we need to speak out for human rights, but we should avoid strident language and confrontational politics.” For our friend, Bishop Cummins, we pray confidently: Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. Tom McGuire, M.Div, M.R.E. is a Director Emeritus of the USCCA. Tom has served as a Maryknoll Missionary in Hong Kong and as Director of Campus Ministry at University of Detroit Mercy. He is now retired, living in Chicago with his family.

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 will be 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 first meeting of 2025 will be held via Zoom on January 18 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: Much as Catholic theologians of the twentieth century engaged in a ressourcement of traditional teachings to meet the challenge of the times, Wu and other Chinese scholars re-interpreted the Chinese sages to meet the intellectual demands of modernity. Through his "ressourcement" of the sages, Wu found a renewed appreciation for the foundations of Chinese culture. This appreciation, together with his Catholic faith, formed the basis of his long apostolate as ambassador between East and West. Our journey with Wu's book, Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality, will unfold in five segments organized by the following themes: 1) Confucius and Mencius; 2) Daoism and Zhuangzi; 3) Therese of Lisieux in a Chinese light; 4) the spirit of joy in Chinese culture; 5) the synthesis between Chinese culture and Christianity.  Our first reading for January will be pages i-38, focusing on Wu's presentation of Confucius and Mencius. As you read these chapters, we encourage you to reflect on the following questions:  1) How does this reading supplement your knowledge and understanding of Confucius?  2) What arguments and stories do you find most powerful in Mencius's philosophy of human nature and natural law?  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 February 15, 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.

Have you heard about the 2025 USCCA Book Circle discussions ? The Book Circle meets on select Saturdays at 6 am PT / 7 am MT / 8 am CT / 9 am ET. This year, we will discuss John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . With discount code wu15 , you can order this book from Angelico Books  today for a 15% discount! Please share this information with your friends, family, and church communities who have an interest in learning more about history, Chinese culture, theology, philosophy, and the life of the Church in China. Anyone interested in the USCCA Book Circle is invited to sign up for additional information via the Book Circle interest form . ---------------------- 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.

We at the USCCA send you all our best wishes for a happy New Year in 2025.  For a peek at what is to come for the USCCA in 2025, we invite you to preview the 2025 Book Circle , which will focus on John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . By ordering this fine work from Angelico Books with discount code wu15 , USCCA supporters like you can benefit from a 15% discount! We also look forward to the continued growth and flourishing of the Chinese and American Friendship Ministry (CAAFM) , which will doubtless see values of dialogue and understanding—expressed so well in the work of John C. H. Wu—lived out on college campuses. Finally, we invite you to ensure that you have signed up for our email newsletter to receive the latest updates from the USCCA. Soon to come is an Annual Report documenting the progress that we have made over the last year with the help of supporters like you. ---------------------- 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.

Over the last 35 years of the USCCA, many faithful servants have contributed to our mission before being laid to rest. In a new web page on the USCCA website, we chronicle the contributions of some of these past USCCA stakeholders, including links to further memories of their lives and their contributions. We invite you to visit the new page on our website . ---------------------- 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.

Today, the USCCA cherishes the memory of Most Rev. John S. Cummins, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Oakland and Episcopal Emeritus Director of the USCCA. Bishop Cummins died on December 3, 2024; he was laid to rest at the Cathedral of Christ the Light on December 21, 2024. Throughout his distinguished career, Bishop Cummins worked for ecumenism and social justice in the spirit of Vatican II. For 22 years, he was fraternal delegate to the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC), and that gave him the opportunity to visit to Hong Kong and mainland China. In his own diocese, he was a good friend to the Bay Area Chinese community. In 1998, he sponsored the first meeting of local Chinese American Catholics, inviting then-Father John Tong, who subsequently became Cardinal Archbishop of Hong Kong, as the keynote speaker. He also maintained a long and enduring friendship with the most admired Archbishop Dominic Tang Yee-Ming, SJ, the exiled bishop of Guangzhou. Under his leadership, four parishes scheduled Sunday Mass in Chinese, and the InterFriendship House for visiting scholars and students from mainland China was established in Berkeley. The USCCA is deeply grateful for Bishop Cummins's service. He began his involvement with our organization as FABC liaison and Episcopal Patron in 2009, served five terms as an Emeritus Director on the Board, and began service in August 2023 as Episcopal Emeritus Director of the USCCA, in which capacity Bishop Cummins served until his recent death. For more information about Bishop Cummins, we invite you to read about his legacy at the Diocese of Oakland's website .