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The 29th International Conference August 2-4, 2024 Chicago, Illinois, USA Conference Theme: "Our Hope is in Christ" Announcement and Call for Submissions Peace Sunday — 14 January 2024 Dear Friends, Peace Sunday is an annual opportunity to renew our commitment to work for peace and justice — and HOPE — in our world. This Sunday, we are pleased to announce that the theme for this year's 29th International Conference has been chosen: "Our Hope is in Christ." You can find more information about this year's conference at the web page on this year's conference theme; we also encourage you to subscribe to additional conference updates by clicking here. Our call for submissions will be open until March 1st. We look forward to receiving submissions promoting friendship, dialogue, and peace between people in China and the USA. Please click here to find our full call for submissions, and feel free to share that link with anyone in your networks who might be able to contribute. We look forward to learning with you on August 2-4, 2024, at DePaul University. Blessings, The 29th International Conference Committee and All of us at the USCCA

Inspired by the Gospel, the mission of the US-China Catholic Association is to build bridges of friendship and dialogue between the people of China and the United States by offering educational, service, and cultural programs in support of the Church and the larger society. USCCA 2024 CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS 29th Biennial Conference and 35th Anniversary of the USCCA August 2 to 4, 2024 DePaul University, Chicago, USA Conference theme: “Our Hope is in Christ.” “May the God of Hope bring you such joy and peace in your faith that the power of the Holy Spirit will remove all bounds to hope.” (Romans 15:13) For Saint Paul hope was not the same as optimism. He wrote when many Christians were suffering martyrdom, the church was suffering serious divisions, and he was in prison awaiting execution. Hope is a theological virtue enabling us to face foreboding realities with the help of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the 35 years since its founding, USCCA has remained faithful to the spirit of St. Paul, and has remained strong in the hope for friendship and peace between the people of China and the United States. Hope is enabled by humble dialogue among persons in hard times, and dialogue is made possible through building channels of communication. Our 29th conference in 2024 will explore how to build these channels between American and Chinese Christians and the people of all faith in our challenging world. We will be especially eager to listen prayerfully to our Chinese brothers and sisters and learn from their witness to the faith. Keynote speakers will discuss the signs of the times, wars and rumors of wars and the tensions between the US and China that endanger global peace. On the first evening, we will provide historical perspective for how Chinese Christianity has responded to such situations; on the second day we will focus on Christian responses to their current situation; on the third day we will offer perspectives of hope for the future. On each day we will strive to learn, receive mutual inspiration and understanding for the flourishing of the Church in China. Our panelists will discuss the building of mutual understanding and interpersonal encounter that will forge channels of communication within which blessed hope can arise. Panelists will discuss their perspectives, experiences, expertise, as well as share hopeful signs of the future on three main topics: (a) theology and faith formation in the Chinese context, (b) clergy and church life in China, and (c) social services in China by both religious and lay people in both rural and urban communities. We will encourage dialogue and interaction between speakers and all participants. The USCCA has been dedicated to building such channels for the past 35 years and we earnestly hope that this conference will discover new ways to fulfill this mission for the future years. We hope you will join us in the celebration of 35 years of USCCA and together to develop a vision and path for the future 35 years. Call for Submissions Submission Deadline: March 1, 2024 We are calling for you to share your work on promoting friendship, dialogue, and peace between people in China and the USA in your role as intellectuals, as community leaders, members of religious organizations, and of nonprofit agencies dedicated to promoting US-China friendship and dialogue. The work can be broad or fall into anyone of the three main panel topics of: (a) theology and faith formation in the Chinese context, (b) clergy leadership and church life in China, and (c) social services in China by both religious and lay people in both rural and urban communities. The work also can be about interfaith dialogue or collaboration on any of the above topics. We are particularly interested in projects or programs or research that focus on the Chinese youth. Submission guidelines: Please send a 3-page document (in English) describing the program including the activities, the desired and anticipated accompaniment and friendship outcomes as well as the overall impact on Chinese and American Friendship. The document should include the following information: Page 1: Your first, middle, and last name; Your affiliation or institution (with website link to your institution); Your professional role and position in your institution; the title of your project/work/presentation; Your mailing address, email address, cell phone number, and personal webpage if any. Page 2-3: No more than 1000-word description, single spaced, 12-pitch font size, approximate 500 words per page. Please describe both the content of your presentation, and format. We encourage interaction with participants for a more lively and engaging exchange and learning. We may consider a panel submission if you would like to propose two to three speakers dedicated to the same topic or program. Please submit as a ‘package’ with a 3-page document for each speaker. Put all speakers’ documents together into one single file with a cover page indicating that this is a panel submission and the contact information for the corresponding person for this submission. We assume this person also would serve as the “chair” of the panel being proposed. Submission Procedure: Please send your individual or panel submission file labeled as “USCCA 2024 Conference Submission – your full name” to Anne S. Tsui, the Secretary of USCCA Board at this email address: board@uscatholicchina.org. Please use “2024 conference submission” in the Subject heading of your email. Submission deadline is March 1, 2024. You will be informed of decision by April 1, 2024. Authors whose work is accepted must register for the conference and present the work in person. Co-authors are acceptable but no substitute by non-authors of the submissions. Submission Inquiries: Please send any submission-related inquiries to Dr. Richard Madsen, Program Chair, and other inquiries to Fr. Francis Li, Conference chair, at this email address: board@uscatholicchina.org. Please use “2024 Conference inquiry” in the subject heading of the email message. Information about the program schedule, keynote speakers and registration process will be forthcoming soon. Please stay tuned. We look forward to your enthusiastic participation in the USCCA’s 29th conference and 35th year celebration by submitting your work to share with conference participants and your participation at the conference in Chicago on August 2-4, 2024. USCCA Board 2024 Conference Committee Fr. Francis Li, 29th Conference Committee Chair, Director USCCA Board Fr. Rob Carbonneau, CP, Emeritus Director USCCA Board Dr. Richard Madsen, Director and Vice Chair USCCA Board Mr. Tom McGuire, Emeritus Director USCCA Board Mr. Herb Quinde, Director USCCA Board Ms. Mary Sluka, Director USCCA Board Fr. Hugh O’Donnell, CM, Director USCCA Board Dr. Anne S. Tsui, Secretary and Director USCCA Board

Dear Friends in Christ: Here's hoping you enjoyed a happy New Year. As we venture to discover what 2024 will bring, let us remember that we do "not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, NAB). Reading Scripture in community with friends is a life-giving activity. With the Chinese-English Bible currently available for purchase on our website, you can learn more about the connections between Chinese and English through faithful translations of ancient Greek and Hebrew biblical texts. We encourage you to consider how your faith community might benefit from the introduction of several bilingual Bibles for group study. This Bible also makes a wonderful gift for anyone seeking to understand how Christ's message speaks across languages and cultures. Click on this link to place your order now. Deepen your understanding of words in Chinese and English through study of the divinely inspired Word. We thank you for supporting our mission of friendship and unity with the Catholics in China. Blessings, All of us at the USCCA _______________________________________________ DONATE

Friends in Christ. As we observe the Solemnity of Mary with the beginning of a new year, let us pray for the grace which might enable us to recognize and act in accordance with God's will. As Mary walked by faith in bearing the Savior, may we strive to walk by faith into a year of peace, reconciliation, and global dialogue. May we continue to draw inspiration from the Holy Mother in her cherishing care for God's promises. Blessings, All of us at the USCCA

Friends in Christ: As 2023 concludes, we are thankful. As 2024 begins, let us be inspired. We pray for the Catholic Church in China; we pray for the people of the world. As we ring in the new year, we hope you'll support the mission of the USCCA by making a tax-deductible donation before midnight, 31 December 2023. Happy New Year and the Peace of Jesus Christ to all. With appreciation, Peter Tan, Chair Richard Madsen, Vice-Chair Anne Tsui, Secretary Deacon Doug Lovejoy And all of us at the USCCA _______________________________________________ MAKE YOUR 2023 GIFT 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 thank you for your invaluable support.

Hope in Christ’s Love, the prayer at Christmas Mass by Tom McGuire, USCCA Board of Directors A friend from Beijing sent me this story of a young Catholic couple in their 20s. They’re just married and face the challenge of the unexpected illness of a parent. They reflect on God, who becomes human to dwell among us because of God's love for us. In the example of God’s love, they seek to find a way to endure the pains of their future life. The Husband asks, “How do we, as husband and wife, transform hardships and pain into love? Because of our love for one another, we support each other in the pains of life. Our choice of married life flows from God’s love and gives us the responsibility to form a small family. Our future will require supporting and providing for the livelihood of our parents and caring for our children. As a newly married couple, we are facing more significant and more painful pressure from the unexpected illness of my mother. This is a test of our love for each other. God, who was born as a man because of his love for us, is an example, in Christ, of word and deed of how we are to love and endure the pains and hardships of life.” Nativity Scene in front of the National Seminary in Beijing Let us pray with this young couple and many others like them in China. This prayer of Christmas Mass asks for what we hope for in Christ- that our human love be shared in divine love. O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen ________________________________________________________ Inspired by the Gospel, the mission for the last 35 years of the US-China Catholic Association is to build bridges of friendship and dialogue between the people of China and the United States by offering educational, service, and cultural programs to support the Church and the larger society. Please join us in this important work by contributing to the USCCA today. Sign up to be a USCCA Affiliate to support the mission and vision. Together, we can make a difference.

Friends in Christ: May the Holy Family teach us love and understanding through the mystery of the Incarnation! This painting, entitled "Nativity" (circa 1940s), was painted by Chinese artist Luke Chen (1902-1967). He painted traditional Catholic images in a traditional Chinese style. "Nativity" was presented as a gift to Passionist Cuthbert O'Gara, (1886-1968), missionary to China and Bishop of Yuanling, Hunan, China (1934-1968). The Passionist China Collection has kindly granted us permission to include it here. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we wish you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas. Blessings, All of us at the USCCA

December 20, 2023 Friends in Christ: Advent is a season of anticipation. Gazing upon an Advent wreath reminds us to prepare the way of the Lord in unique ways. This Advent, we can join together by paying special attention to Christmas decorations and displays with religious images. This 1920s photo from the Passionist China Collection shows St. Augustine Church in Chenzhou, (present day Yuanling), Hunan, China. We invite you to join with the US-China Catholic Association to remember the legacy of faith between 20th-century Chinese Catholic missionaries as it shares new hope with contemporary Catholics. Our prayers together and your financial donation (large or small) assist in our mission of friendship this Christmas 2023. Peace of the Advent Season From all of us associated with the US-China Catholic Association

USCCA Parish Mission Appeals: Continuing the United States-China Friendship of Faith July 28, 2019, Mission Appeal talk at St Therese Church in Mooresville, North Carolina. —A quote from the talk: John Wu, a well-known Chinese Catholic lawyer and author, captured the core of the USCCA Mission: “...there is no other way of loving God than by loving.” Love—as Christ loved Compassionately Serve—as Christ served Mercifully Forgive—as Christ forgave Willing to suffer—as Christ suffered Be Free, life-giving, and joyful—as Christ is." Tom McGuire, USCCA Board of Directors For the past 35 years, the USCCA has shared a mutual story of faith, thanks, and learning between Catholics in China, who have been discovering and living the Good News of Jesus Christ, with Catholics in the United States. Such mission appeals are common in most parishes across the United States at weekend Masses. During these Eucharistic celebrations, USCCA preachers or guest speakers reflect, educate, and proclaim a common experience: the mission of building bridges of friendship and dialogue with Chinese people in partnership with Catholics in China that has taken place since the early 1900s. Since 1989, this shared message of the USCCA has taken place in an estimated 150 dioceses and 500+ parishes; perhaps 500,000 Catholics have heard the message. This faith story unites people in the pews throughout the United States, allowing them to reflect on their relationship with the Chinese Catholic Church and its intimate communion with the Universal Church. These encounters at the parish level demonstrate how shared friendship, awareness and acknowledgment of common sufferings, and dialogue to establish sustained common faith continue between Chinese Catholics and Catholics in the United States. If you have been one of the people in the pews who have contributed and listened to our story, we thank you. At the same time, we invite all of you parishioners and others who are reading this reflection to grow in the shared interest you and others have about the Chinese Catholics and the USCCA mission. Such participation can be through engagement with our ongoing interdisciplinary initiatives, generous financial support, and prayerful participation as a mutual witness of faith in the Gospel and the living hope of Christ today. In addition, the USCCA Board of Directors and Affiliated Members are available to lead guided conversations, either in person or via Zoom, throughout the year, upon request. To learn more, please get in touch with Anne Tsui, Board Secretary, at board@uscatholicchina.org -------

USCCA BOOK CIRCLE: A WORD OF WELCOME The USCCA Book Circle began three years ago to create an opportunity for members and affiliates of the USCCA and interested friends and neighbors to deepen their knowledge of the culture, wisdom, history, and spirituality of China and share experiences and love of the Chinese people. A leadership group, which welcomes recommendations from the group, chooses the book or relevant article(s) for discussion and sharing. The discussion on Zoom is usually limited to one hour once a month. Our goal is to deepen our understanding and friendship with the people of China as an alternative to engaging in the adversarial politics of the present moment. Over the past couple of years, we've read and discussed John C.H. Wu's fantastic autobiography, with his youngest son, 80-year-old John Wu, Jr, and his wife Terry, who now lives in Alexandria, Virginia, joining us and giving us excellent first-hand insights! We also read and discussed John Lindblom's article, "John C.H. Wu and the Evangelization of China," facilitated by John himself and Dr Richard Madsen's China's Catholics - Tragedy and Hope in an Emerging Civil Society, also facilitated by the author himself. Having the authors join the conversation was very enriching. We will begin in January 2024. We hope to read and discuss two books and two articles in 2024. More news is coming soon. ------ The USCCA Book Circle is coordinated by the USCCA Board of Directors, Mary Sluka, and Fr. Hugh O'Donnell. ----- Beyond East and West Catholic Press Association Book Award: Memoir, Third Place "When John C. H. Wu’s spiritual autobiography Beyond East and West was published in 1951, it became an instant Catholic best seller and was compared to Thomas Merton’s The Seven Storey Mountain, which had appeared four years earlier. It was also hailed as the new Confession of St. Augustine for its moving description of Wu’s conversion in 1937 and early years as a Catholic. This new edition, including a foreward written by Wu’s son John Wu, Jr., makes this profoundly beautiful book by one of the most influential Chinese lay Catholic intellectuals of the twentieth century available for a new generation of readers hungry for spiritual sustenance. Beyond East and West recounts the story of Wu’s early life in Ningpo, China, his family and friendships, education and law career, drafting of the constitution of the Republic of China, translation of the Bible into classical Chinese in collaboration with Chinese president Chiang Kai-Shek, and his role as China’s delegate to the Holy See. In passages of arresting beauty, the book reveals the development of his thought and the progress of his growth toward love of God, arriving through experience at the conclusion that the wisdom in all of China’s traditions, especially Confucian thought, Taoism, and Buddhism, point to universal truths that come from, and are fulfilled in, Christ. In Beyond East and West, Wu develops a synthesis between Catholicism and the ancient culture of the Orient. A sublime expression of faith, here is a book for anyone who seeks the peace of the spirit, a memorable book whose ideas will linger long after its pages are closed." source: click here.

In the spirit of “Communion, Participation, Mission,” the theme of the Synod, I was delighted to learn that Pope Francis invited two Bishops from Mainland China to join the October Synod in Rome. What a visible symbol of unity and a concrete witness of the universality of our Church! The Spirit continues to work wonders. Bishop Yao, one of the two Bishops attending the Synod, was interviewed on his experience of the Synod on Synodality. I knew Bishop Yao when I was in the Seminary, where he taught liturgy. He is a humble and wonderful human being. His experience of participating in the Synod has changed him and enriched the synod. His invitation for us to “show God’s mercy and love to all,” in the interview is at the core of our faith and discipleship. I invite you to take some time to read the interview and pray for him and the Church in China. ~ Father Francis Li, USCCA Board Member Chair of the 2024 Biennial Conference (Chicago at DePaul University, 2-4 August 2024) ------------------------------------------------------- Chinese bishop reflects on his experience at the Synod on Synodality By Courtney Mares, Rome Newsroom, Nov 17, 2023 / 11:56 am A Chinese bishop who attended the Synod on Synodality assembly has spoken out about his experience, saying he was cheered to meet Catholics from all over the world and to discover that many showed great interest in and were praying for the Church in China. Bishop Antonio Yao Shun of Jining was the first bishop consecrated in China under the terms of the Sino-Vatican agreement. He was one of two bishops from mainland China who participated in the first half of the synod assembly in October before suddenly departing early without explanation. In an interview with the Pontifical Mission Societies’ information service, Agenzia Fides, published on Nov. 16, Yao said that he was very grateful to Pope Francis for inviting him and Bishop Joseph Yang to attend the synod. “We were very happy to meet all these bishops, priests, men and women of different religious and lay orders from all over the world during the synod. Everyone was friendly and cheerful. They welcomed us and showed us their consideration,” Yao said. “They all showed interest in the development of the Church in China, eager to know more and to pray for us.” Yao is the bishop of Jining, located in China’s northern Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia. Born in Ulanqab in 1965, he is a native of Inner Mongolia. He both studied and taught at the national seminary in Beijing. In the interview, the Chinese bishop shared a little bit about his Catholic roots and vocation story. “I was born into a Catholic family. My parents and grandparents were very devout and faithful. It is with them that I began to walk in faith and received many graces from God,” he said. Yao described how the greatest influence on his vocation came from an elderly priest. “His virtues and his selfless dedication to the Church inspired me,” he said. “Meanwhile, my parents’ encouragement and support further strengthened my will and determination to pursue the path of the priesthood.” After his ordination in 1991, Yao completed a degree in liturgy in the United States at St. John’s University in Minnesota from 1994 to 1998. He also spent some time pursuing biblical studies in Jerusalem. He went on to serve as the secretary and later vice director of the liturgical commission overseen by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Council of Chinese Bishops, returning to the Diocese of Jining to serve as vicar general in 2010. The New York Times reported in 2019 that the Vatican had approved Yao as the successor of Bishop John Liu Shigong in the Diocese of Jining in 2010, but the Chinese government refused to approve him, even after Bishop Liu died in 2017 at the age of 89. Yao said that it is his impression that the “prevailing opinion” in China is that the provisional agreement signed by Beijing and the Holy See in 2018, often referred to as the Vatican-China deal, was “very significant” and “paves the way for promoting integration and unity between the Church in China and the universal Church.” He said that he has seen a slight decrease in the number of baptisms in his diocese but still has young people and adults coming forward to ask for and receive baptism, something he attributes to “the good example set by the parishioners and the kindness, encouragement, and comfort that the local Church shows towards them.” “In my opinion, the first mission of us Chinese Catholics is to show God’s mercy and love to all other Chinese,” Yao said. “We really care about the needs of society, especially those of the poor and the suffering, and we try to help them in every way.” -------------- * Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees. * Bishop Yao Shun of Jining (left) and Bishop Yang Yongqiang of Zhouchun (right) of the People's Republic of China at the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican in October 2023. | Vatican Media

November 2023 Dear Friend, A very special Thanksgiving. Greetings from the USCCA! We bring you and your families our sincerest wishes for a happy, healthy, and blessed Thanksgiving! May the Lord bring you joy and peace as we prepare to begin the season of Advent. The USCCA is thankful for you and your steadfast support of the USCCA over the years. As we begin this Advent season and prepare for Thanksgiving, the Board of Directors of the USCCA reflects upon the 35 years since its founding in 1989. We are grateful for the support of our friends, partners, and patrons. We especially look forward to 2024, when the USCCA will celebrate its 35th anniversary at its 29th biennial conference in Chicago on Friday, 2 August 2024 to Sunday, 4 August 2024 with our theme, "Our Hope is in Christ" to be held at DePaul University Lincoln Park Campus, Chicago. We hope many of you will join us in this extraordinary celebration. We would like to share with you a letter from the Board with updates on USCCA and an invitation to continue your support. May the Lord bless you and your family abundantly this Thanksgiving and beyond! From all of us at the USCCA … Officers Chair Peter Tan Houston, TX Vice-chair Richard Madsen, Ph.D. San Diego, CA Treasurer Deacon Doug Lovejoy, Colonel, USA (Ret), MPA, Ph.D. Annapolis, MD Secretary Anne S. Tsui, Ph.D. Paradise Valley, AZ Directors Rev. John S. Chen, Ph.D. Winchester, MA Sr. Maria Lai, CSJ Los Angeles, CA Rev. Francis Li, D.Min. Chicago, IL Rev. Joseph Lin, CM Brooklyn, NY Rev. Hugh O'Donnell, CM, Ph.D. Chicago, IL Herbert Quinde Chicago, IL Mary Sluka Riverside, IL Carolyn Woo, Ph.D. South Bend, IN Directors Emeriti Rev. Rob Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D. Chestnut Hill, MA Anthony E. Clark, Ph.D., FRHistS Spokane, WA Most Rev. John S. Cummins Oakland, CA Luke Liu Sugar Land, TX Thomas McGuire, M.Div., M.R.E. Chicago, IL Rev. Doug Mullen, OSB Collegeville, MN Jean-Paul Wiest, PhD Newcastle, WA Associate Directors Fr. Tim Kilkelly, MM. Minneapolis, MN Stephen C. Tsai, Ph.D. Walnut Creek, CA Chief Administrative Officer Gerald Doyle Chicago, IL Read the biographies of the USCCA Board here DONATE TODAY