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Chiaretto Yan and Simeiqi He both would answer the question affirmatively. They also envision Chinese and U.S. Catholics engaging with one another to find ways to care for our common home, the earth. They both take great encouragement from Pope Francis' efforts and Chinese wisdom to see ourselves as part of nature in our work to discover a ‘healthy ecology” I invite readers to reflect on Chiaretto Yan’s, “My Chinese Dream” and this article, “Is Ecological Civilization Our Common Hope?” by Simeiqi He. Please send us your comments and questions so we can begin to build bridges of friendship and dialogue around our mutual work to care for our common home. Note: This is (re)shared with Simeiqi He's permission~ Tom McGuire, Director Emeritus Is Ecological Civilization our Common Hope? Posted November 2023 | By Simeiqi He | Junior Scholar Forum Article, Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church, Simeiqi He is a Catholic laywoman from the People’s Republic of China, living in the United States. Her research in Christian social ethics has included Pope Francis’s writings on ecology and the ecological civilization of China. This month is marked by Pope Francis’ publications of two Apostolic Exhortations – Laudate Deum and C’est La Confiance. Together, they shed new light on the expansive global movement of ecological civilization and its potential to serve as our common hope. Eight years ago, Pope Francis expressed his heartfelt concerns about the care of our common home in Laudato Si’. Earlier this month, in Laudate Deum, Pope Francis emphasized that climate change is a global social issue. [1] By clarifying the global reality of climate change and its “anthropic” origin, he issued an urgent call for a broader perspective, “one that can enable us to esteem the marvels of progress, but also to pay serious attention to other effects that were probably unimaginable a century ago.” [2] Pope Francis reiterated his two convictions expressed in Laudato Si’ – “everything is connected” and “no one is saved alone” [3] – and his earlier diagnosis of the technocratic paradigm underlying the current process of environmental decay. [4] He stressed that contrary to this technocratic paradigm, we must not view the world that surrounds us as “an object of exploitation, unbridled use, and unlimited ambition,” [5] but recognize ourselves as a part of nature, while understanding human life, intelligence, and freedom as “elements of the nature that enriches our planet, part of its internal workings and its equilibrium.” [6] In doing so, Pope Francis encouraged a “healthy ecology” that results from the interactions of human beings and the environment, of natural systems with social systems, other than a denial of the human being. [7] Further, to accomplish this vision, Pope Francis called for a reconfiguration and recreation of multilateralism by taking into account the new world situation. [8] Having mentioned the importance of multilateralism in Fratelli Tutti, [9] he pointed out its intimate connection with postmodernism, grounded in the observation that “postmodern culture has generated a new sensitivity toward the more vulnerable and less powerful.” [10] Advancing his proposal in the previous encyclical, Pope Francis accentuated the need for an alternative approach to politics, where “ethics will prevail over local or contingent interests” in “recognizing that the emerging forces are becoming increasingly relevant and are in fact capable of obtaining important results in the resolution of concrete problems.” [11] The ever-defined shape of Pope Francis’ message shares profound affinity with the emerging and expansive global movement that is ecological civilization. John B. Cobb, Jr. pointed out that the idea of ecological civilization was first fully developed in China. [12] In my 2021 article, [13] I have considered the deep commonalities between the proposal of ecological civilization and that of integral ecology exemplified through Laudato Si’. I proposed that they create a novel opening for the development of an eco-spirituality in the Chinese Catholic Church and suggested that this eco-spirituality could serve as the Chinese Church’s active response to climate change and ecological crisis and contribute to the work of reconciliation and the common good in China and the world. My understanding of ecological civilization has grown substantially in the past two years as I dove deeper into its philosophical foundation, its dynamic manifestation, and its global and grassroot developments. Through first-hand experiences and personal conversations with leading Chinese scholars and activists of ecological civilization, such as Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan, I began to realize the intimate connection and deep entanglement between the proposal of ecological civilization and Pope Francis’ thought. I become ever more convinced that their common vision is a result of a convergent intellectual development and is pointing us toward our common hope. In their seminal 2011 work The Second Enlightenment, Wang and Fan offered their decades-long integration of the best of Chinese and Western thought while bringing together the novel perspectives of process thought and constructive postmodernism. They demonstrated a deep concern for the world through a thoughtful analysis of modern industrial civilization and its close association with the first Enlightenment, referring to both the 17th and 18th-century intellectual and philosophical movement in Western Europe and the early 20th-century May Fourth Movement in China. Issuing a thorough critique of modernism and its prevailing implications for contemporary social and ecological crisis, Wang and Fan advanced the proposal of a second enlightenment that moves from modernism to postmodernism, from industrial civilization to ecological civilization. They stressed that a second enlightenment is also a postmodern enlightenment, which is not found in a total denial of the first enlightenment (modern enlightenment), but in the integration of its marvels of progress. [14] The leading scholar in religion and ecology and a member of the International Earth Charter Drafting Committee, Mary Evelyn Tucker, observed that in light of the current environmental crisis and its devastating impact, some Chinese people are charting a path towards a sustainable future against great odds by “reflecting on the need to create not just a technologically sophisticated society, but an ‘ecological civilization.’” [15] Wang and Fan and the Institute for Postmodern Development of China function as a locus for these developments. Over the past decade, the Chinese proposal of ecological civilization has grown increasingly expansive as a result of the inclusive outlook of pioneering Chinese scholars and the common vision that resonates with diverse communities around the world. In 2019 Philip Clayton and Wm. Andrew Schwartz published the book What is Ecological Civilization? Crisis, Hope, and the Future of the Planet. They pointed out that while China has been among the leading voices in ecological civilization, ecological civilization as “a vision of hope for a better future” has now expanded globally. [16] It requires a fundamental transformation of modes of production and development, of worldview, values, and lifestyle. Appealing to Thomas Berry, Clayton and Schwartz emphasized that the goal of ecological civilization is “to live in a community of subjects rather than a collection of objects.” [17] They elucidated the scale of the “great transition” we are currently witnessing and the common vision that has been taking root in many different communities, under many different names, such as “integral ecology,” the “new story,” “unity in diversity,” “constructive postmodernism,” the “ecozoic era,” and the Japanese notion of “Yoko civilization,” etc. [18] The vision is one of “moving beyond the broken civilization that is driving economic globalization today – the vision of a radically new mode of human life on this planet.” [19] Noting the immensity of this global movement, Clayton and Schwartz mentioned that working toward ecological civilization has brought hope to people around the world. [20] It is only telling that Pope Francis followed Laudate Deum with another apostolic exhortation on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, urging all theologians, moralists, spiritual writers, pastors, and believers to appropriate her insight, that is the little way of trust and love, also known as the way of spiritual childhood, [21] from which is born “a most firm hope.” [22] Pope Francis called our attention to the thick darkness St. Thérèse experienced [23] and her complete confidence in God’s infinite mercy, “’confidence that must lead us to Love.” [24] Exalting her insight that God’s Justice is clothed in love as the loftiest and one of her major contributions to the entire People of God, Pope Francis pointed out that St. Thérèse “probed the depths of divine mercy, and drew from them the light of her limitless hope.” [25] Granting St. Thérèse the title of “Doctor of Synthesis,” Pope Francis not only opened a novel path for the exploration of St. Thérèse’s doctrine but also pointed us to its vital relevance to the dark night of contemporary global society confronted by prevailing climate crises and structural sin. He indicated that St. Thérèse’s confidence has “an integral meaning that embraces the totality of concrete existence and finds application in our daily lives.” [26] This understanding is reflected in Pope Francis’s insistence that “every little bit helps.” [27] It is precisely what underlines the great work of ecological civilization, which, beginning with comprehending the global situation as one of civilizational change, serves as the foundation for realistic and long-term hope. [28] In many ways, such common hope is grounded in the same insight of St. Thérèse, that is the complete confidence in an infinite Love and its inexhaustible creativity. Acknowledgment: “The USCCA is grateful to share Simeiqi He 's writing and thinking with our membership. This article first appeared as a November 2023 Forum essay for Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church.” — [1] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 2, accessed October 18, 2023, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html [2] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 18. [3] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 19. [4] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 20. [5] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 25. [6] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 26. [7] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 27. [8] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 37. [9] Francis, Fratelli Tutti, par. 147, accessed October 18, 2023, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html . [10] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 39. [11] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 40. [12] John B. Cobb, Jr. “What Is Ecological Civilization?” in What Is Ecological Civilization? Crisis, Hope, and the Future of the Planet, by Philip Clayton and Wm. Andrew Schwartz. (Anoka, MN: Process Century Press, 2019), 6. [13] Simeiqi He, “The Time Has Come!: An Eco-Spirituality for the Chinese Catholic Church in Light of Climate Change,” Asian Horizons, Vol. 15, no. 2, June 2021, 314-327. [14] Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan, A Second Enlightenment (Beijing: Peking University Press, 2011), 23. [15] Mary Evelyn Tucker, accessed October 18, 2023, https://reflections.yale.edu/article/risk-our-food-our-water-ourselves/ancient-voices-speak-ecological-future [16] Philip Clayton and Wm. Andrew Schwartz, What Is Ecological Civilization? Crisis, Hope, and the Future of the Planet (Anoka, MN: Process Century Press, 2019), 68. [17] Clayton and Schwartz, 60. [18] Clayton and Schwartz, 71 [19] Clayton and Schwartz, 72 [20] Clayton and Schwartz, 147 [21] Francis, C’est La Confiance, para.50, accessed October 18, 2023, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231015-santateresa-delbambinogesu.html . [22] Francis, C’est La Confiance, par. 28-29. [23] Francis, C’est La Confiance, par. 25. [24] Francis, C’est La Confiance, par. 27. [25] Francis, C’est La Confiance, par. 27. [26] Francis, C’est La Confiance, par. 23. [27] Francis, Laudate Deum, par. 70. [28] Clayton and Schwartz, 163.

"The world risks exploding today if it does not find ways of dialogue." My Chinese Dream Bridging East and West: Hope, Challenges, and Opportunities By Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan ~ an introduction by Tom McGuire, USCCA Board Member Chiaretto Yan is a Lay Catholic theologian and a seminary professor in China. He recently published a book in English, My Chinese Dream , Bridging East and West-Hopes, Challenges and Opportunities”, Claret, Publishing Group, 2023. I was happy to help edit my friend Chiaretto’s book. He offers us a broad and integral basis for building bridges of friendship and dialogue. His research contributes to understanding life from a Western and Chinese point of view, grounded in Divine Revelation. In September, Chiaretto attended a My Chinese Dream panel discussion in Rome, Italy. A panel member, Fr Federico Lombardi, S.J., gave the book a glowing endorsement, saying it contributed to the dialogue between East and West. Pope Francis was presented with a copy of My Chinese Dream during the Synod in October. The hope is with the positive endorsement and having been brought to the attention of Pope Francis, interest will grow in Chiaretto’s book. The goal is a richer dialogue among friends that includes Chinese wisdom, giving us a fuller understanding that Divine Revelation is for all nations under the sky. I asked Fr Vic Clore, my classmate and retired pastor from the Archdiocese of Detroit, to read My Chinese Dream and write his thoughts about Chiaretto’s Dream. He is a scholar of Greek and Roman culture and has no first-hand knowledge of Chinese culture. I thought getting his views about Chiaretto’s original thinking on dialogue with Chinese people and the Catholic Church would be good. He not only wrote some thoughts but also wrote an excellent short commentary on each chapter and recommended using the book in faith-sharing groups. Note: Claritian Publisher published My Chinese Dream in Macao. You can access an ebook at this link : -------------- My Chinese Dream Bridging East and West: Hope, Challenges, and Opportunities By Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan Commentary by Victor Clore This book is the result of years of serious research by a man born in China, educated in Hong Kong and Europe, and now living in Shanghai and teaching at the National Seminary in Beijing and the Catholic University of St. Joseph in Macau. The phrase "Chinese Dream" (中国梦) is a common expression of hope to restore China’s lost national greatness. It has ancient origins; the poem "Flowing Spring" (下泉) describes a poet waking up in despair after dreaming of the former Zhou dynasty. Popular patriotic Chinese literature makes frequent references to the "China Dream." Recently, the phrase has become widespread in official announcements and political ideology under General Secretary Xi Jinping. Xi promoted the word in a high-profile tour of an exhibit at the National Museum of China in November 2012: “The Chinese Dream is the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation – a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, and harmonious.” Eradication of poverty and improved living standards are critical components of the China Dream. Xi said that young people should "dare to dream, work assiduously to fulfill the dreams, and contribute to the nation's revitalization." Moreover, now that China can demonstrate significant internal progress, Chinese thinkers, spiritual leaders, and artists are beginning to engage as equal partners in constructive East/West dialogue. Kin Sheung Chiaretto Yan’s Chinese Dream has this current development in mind: I dream of fewer wars and conflicts, less hunger and indifference, and reduced poverty and greed. … More than competition, we need collaboration. More than wit, we need tenderness. … I dream of respectful dialogues among people of different cultures, faiths, and convictions, recognizing that diversity in harmony can be a gift to one another. I dream of a world, a common home for all, for generations to come, with fresh air to breathe and for young people to travel freely for exchanges and appreciation of each other’s history, culture, art, and literature. As a follower of the Focolare Movement , I believe in the charism of unity, building a united world beyond all borders. (p 3) As we read his book, Kin Sheung proposes a strategy to engage in productive dialogue to achieve this dream. He points out that the United States and China must revise inaccurate prejudices. The American public labors under the belief that atheistic communist China should be isolated at all costs, and China continues to carry the historical baggage of a “hundred years of humiliation” caused by Western powers. Kin Sheung hopes to help readers in both the West and China know each other better and clear up the most critical obstacles at stake. Since China and the Catholic Church are the two oldest extant cultures in the world, he proposes a three-point dialogue: China, the West, and the Catholic Church. He explains how his dream has been unfolding in five chapters. Chapter One elaborates on the dialectic harmony between Chinese culture and the Christian Trinity. Chinese culture is a blend of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, which complement one another and contribute to the happiness and harmony in daily life. Confucianism is a social and moral philosophy focusing on personal relationships and present-day fulfillment. Buddhism contributes a sense of religious spirituality. Daoism is more transcendent and mystical, with three attributes: the invisible, the inaudible, and the formless. Dao manifests itself as an absolute and united One. Dao contains the yin and yang, and therefore One becomes Two. Two becomes three in the Qi, the relation between the vital forces of yin and yang. Kin Sheung then describes the Trinity, illustrating the similarities with Chinese thinking. As Vatican Council II proposed in Dei Verbum , divine revelation occurs in all cultures at all times. Chapter Two is about the relationship between the human family and the created universe within which we live. Kin Sheung summarizes our relationship with ecology in the Daoist, Confucian, and Buddhist schools of thought and Catholic teaching. He outlines the relational paradigm from both the Chinese and the Christian perspective, focused on the anthropocentrism of Christ. Kin Sheung studies two critical documents: Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis and a speech by Xi Jinping, Ecological Civilization. Chapter Three studies fraternity and social friendship. Kin Sheung describes examples of brotherhood and fraternity in Chinese culture. Unlike in English, the Chinese term for brotherhood is neither masculine nor feminine: Bo’ ai, “universal love.” He summarizes brotherhood in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the history of Christianity. He discusses “fraternity instead of clash” in Christianity, Islam, and China, examining a diplomatic journey that Pope Francis made to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The pope greeted the head of state and signed a historic joint declaration on “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” with Grand Imam Al-Tayyib of Egypt. Kin Sheung summarizes Pope Francis's speech in this meeting and then outlines the contents of Fratelli Tutti , illustrating how its notions of fraternity and social friendship are consonant with Chinese culture. This is an enlightening and inspiring chapter. Chapter Four is Poverty Alleviation and a New Model of Economy. He gives a historical overview of poverty in China. He identifies efforts for reform – for example, systematic agreements by which more prosperous coastal provinces assist the poor areas in the interior. Kin Sheung examines spiritual poverty, i.e., materialism and a culture of indifference. He offers China’s approach to alleviating poverty as a new economic paradigm incorporating the Asian values of harmony, diligence, frugality, and habitual savings. This parallels the suggestion by Pope Francis that the West adopt a new economic system that considers ecology, fraternity, social justice, and respect for multiple cultures. Kin calls this the “Economy of Francesco.” He cites John B. Cobb, an American theologian, philosopher, and environmentalist who promotes ecological interdependence – every part of the ecosystem relies on all the other parts. Catholic Social Services in China is a spiritual and practical witness to poverty alleviation. The rubber hits the road in this chapter. Chapter Five: Freedom of Religion and the Golden Rule of Reciprocity. The Chinese constitution does allow freedom of religion, but not political intervention. This complicates efforts at evangelization. Christianity has deep roots in China since the days of Matteo Ricci, but at present, most Christians are Protestant – they do not owe allegiance to a “foreign power” in Rome as Catholics do. Kin Sheung examines the dialogue between the Holy See and Chinese authorities and how Catholics navigate changes and challenges in China. My Chinese Dream is a thorough study that demands careful study by the reader. It would be profitable to read it with a group, reading one chapter at a time and discussing it over several weeks. Ideally, at least one member of the group would be Chinese. Recall the Prophet Zechariah (8:23): In those days, ten persons from nations of every language will take a Jew by the sleeve and say, “We want to go with you since we have learned that God is with you.” Take a Chinese person by the sleeve, “We want to go with you.” Since Vatican Council II, many of us have had enlightening experiences in ecumenical dialogue, but our religious encounters usually engage other Western religions. We may have had some contact with Buddhist or Hindu ideas but little exposure to Confucian or Daoist thought and spirituality. For most of us, our only contact with Chinese culture is in a restaurant. Studying My Chinese Dream would be an excellent way to learn how God is in this ancient culture. This is not simply an exercise in historical knowledge; with present-day technology, China is no longer remote but our neighbor in the world community. Kin Sheung has introduced us to our Chinese friends, sisters, and brothers, building a bridge from East to West. Another bridge is Focolare (Italian for family hearth or fireside). It is active in 180 nations and promotes unity and universal brotherhood. Your study group might investigate forming a permanent community of faith-sharing like Focolare.

By Theologian & Missiologist BRAD VAUGHN, Ph.D. (formerly “Jackson Wu”) As part of our ongoing joint lecture series with China Source and the China Academic Consortium, we will be co-hosting the autumn lecture on Saturday, November 11. Dr. Brad Vaughn (formerly known as Jackson Wu) will present the lecture, entitled “Salvation in a Chinese Context.” Brad Vaughn holds a Ph.D. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the theologian in residence with Global Training Network. He previously lived and worked in East Asia for almost two decades, teaching theology and missiology to Chinese pastors. He serves on the Asian/Asian-American theology steering committee of the Evangelical Theological Society and is the author of Saving God’s Face, One Gospel for All Nations, Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, Seeking God’s Face, and The Cross in Context. You can find his articles and resources on his blog, savinggodsface.com. He is also a regular contributor to ChinaSource. Those of you in the Bay Area can attend the lecture in person at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. If you can’t make it to the live lecture, register anyway and you’ll be sent a link to a recording. Here are the details: In-Person Saturday, November 11, 2023 First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley 2407 Dana St. Berkeley, CA 94704 5–6 pm: light meal and fellowship 6--7:30 pm: lecture and Q&A closing at 8 p.m. Register by November 5—email to: operations@errchina.com A video link will be provided to registered guests unable to attend in person. This event is being hosted by the China Academic Consortium (ERRChina) and co-hosted by the United States-China Catholic Association (USCCA) and ChinaSource. We hope to see you there.

The US-China Catholic Association is proud make available Chinese-and-English Bibles that Chinese Catholics throughout the country worked so hard to typeset and publish. These beautiful volumes have Chinese in one column and English in a parallel column. They are available in both traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese text. The Chinese text in these volumes is taken from the Sigao version of the Bible, first published in the 1960s. While written in contemporary speech, this elegant translation captures the nuance and cadence of classical Chinese. The English text is from the New American Bible, which was updated in 1986 and is authorized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Both versions are highly faithful to the original Greek and Hebrew texts. These volumes are perfect for students from Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and other Chinese-speaking regions who are learning English. For people who have been in the United States for many years, they offer the opportunity to read Scripture both in English and in a familiar Chinese version. And they are a great resource for English speakers who are studying Chinese. Commentary taken from the New American Bible can be found at the bottom of each page. It offers helpful historical and theological insight to the biblical text. Learn more about these volumes and the story behind them by visiting our website here. We hope that they enhance your devotion and your study of Scripture, and that they can be of help for neighbors, friends, or students with whom you work. Learn more and order here >

Mission Sunday, October 22, 2023 by Tom McGuire, a USCCA Board member In the dark loneliness of political tension between China and the United States, where is joy? Matteo Ricci, the 16th-century Jesuit missionary in China, wrote, “A world without friends is a world without joy.” Something to ponder in light of our USCCA mission of building bridges of friendship and dialogue with the people of China. The USCCA initiated a Chinese and America Ministry of Friendship at four U.S. university campuses during the past year. Indeed, we witnessed friendship fostering joy. Catholic university students experiencing the joy of friendship in Christ responded to the missionary call of the Holy Spirit and invited Chinese students to share food and conversation. The result was joyful friendly gatherings that encouraged reflections and cultural dialogue One Chinese Catholic participant shared with me his experience of joyful dialogue with no demands or pressure. The conversations created intimacy and friendship. This is missing in the celebration of Catholic Mass. Catholics when they gather for Mass, need to experience shared conversations that create intimacy and friendship, to experience communion with one another in Christ. Others discovered friendship is a way of sharing personal experiences of God with others, even those of with no faith in God. Some became curious about the Catholic Church and asked questions. Some even wanted to experience the Catholic Mass. Seeds were planted, and the joy of the Gospel awakened desires for the fullness of life. The little steps of hospitality made possible the transformation of human hearts to accept the gift of friendship in Christ. Let us Pray Come, Holy Spirit, in this seemingly joyless world, inspire in us, confidence that Jesus is our truest and closest friend. May the joy of His friendship glow so brightly in us that others open their hearts to His love. Help each of us engage in a ministry of friendship so we may discover the different faces of one humanity. We are grateful for what we have learned from dialogue with Chinese friends. Send us friends to continue the USCCA Ministry of Friendship. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen Shalom, Tom McGuire "The Hebrew word “shalom” embodies this sense of harmonious relationships and peace that we can strive for day to day. To reach that goal, we will learn how to communicate love for our enemies and peace." Dunams, Alicia.

We come to you now to ask for your support of our 2023 Annual Appeal. We pray that you will stand by us. All donations, however large or small, are most welcomed and appreciated. ​ Your interest in and your spiritual and financial support for the USCCA will keep us moving forward! ​ We're also very pleased to introduce you to new board leadership including Peter Tan (our new Board Chair) and two new Board members, Carolyn Woo and Herb Quinde. Through the generosity of your support and partnership, the USCCA has managed to stay ahead of expenses, all while reimagining our work with college and university students through the Chinese and American Friendship Ministry (CAAFM). Piloted throughout 2022-23, the Fall 2022 Annual Appeal will be the key to continuing our programming and promoting our mission. In an era when tensions within the U.S., the Americas, across the Gulf region and beyond to the Pacific drive people apart, the USCCA’s promotion of dialogue, faith and friendship, encountering and belonging, welcoming and mutual respect is more relevant than ever. The upcoming Fall 2023 Annual Appeal will run through the month of December 2023. Currently, the USCCA has set an overall campaign goal of $200,000; during the pre-campaign/silent phase, USCCA has received pledges or gifts of nearly $90,000 and full support from USCCA's Board. If you would like to help in this effort, please contact Gerald Doyle, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, at Director@USCatholicChina.org.

Fr. Francis Li ( 李东平神父), much beloved pastor of Chicago’s Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta Parish, will chair the USCCA’s Conference Committee and also head up efforts as the event’s local host. Fr. Li was born in Shanxi Province and first came to Chicago for theological studies. He returned to China and was ordained a priest 1999. After returning to Chicago for further studies, he was asked by Cardinal Francis George, then-Archbishop of Chicago, to take on local pastoral duties, as well. After serving in three diverse parishes and earning an Advanced Pastoral Leadership Certificate through Kellogg School of Management in 2013, and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, in 2016, he was appointed to St. Therese in Chicago’s Chinatown, now part of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta Parish. As chair of the Conference Committee, Fr. Li will work with USCCA Board members, and with local groups based in Chicago. Together they will make the USCCA’s 2024 conference a visionary gathering that brings together Christians on both sides of the Pacific in their commitment to the Gospel. The 2024 Conference will be held on August 2-4, 2024; location details forthcoming. As in previous years, the USCCA’s conference will include: · keynote speakers from the U.S. and around the world · representatives of organizations that serve the Church in China · panels with opportunities for learning and discussion · workshops for networking and building capacity · the Ricci Award Banquet · local performers · and the opportunity to celebrate and worship together! It is the people that make the event. We look forward to seeing you there! Last updated: 9 October 2023

Date to be determined. More information to come. Learn more here >

On Tuesday, April 4, 2023, the Most Reverend Joseph SHEN Bin was installed as Bishop of Shanghai. Bishop Shen had been serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Haimen, located in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, not far from Shanghai. He was ordained bishop on April 21, 2010, at which time he both received the mandate of the Holy See and was recognized by the government. His predecessor as Bishop of Haimen, Msgr. Matthew YU Chengcai, had not been recognized by Rome. In 2013, Bishop Shen was later elected vice-president of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which works closely with the United Front of the Chinese Communist Party. Bishop Shen currently serves as the president of the government-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference. While all bishops in China are currently in communion with Rome, this bishops’ conference is not recognized by Rome. That is because it does not include those bishops who have not registered with the government but who are also in full communion with Rome. These unregistered bishops are often referred to as China’s “underground bishops.” Bishop Shen’s appointment letter as Bishop of Shanghai came from the council of bishops that he himself heads. The Vatican states this move was unilateral in that it only involved the Chinese side. On April 5, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated, “The Holy See had been informed a few days ago of the decision of the Chinese authorities” to transfer Bishop Shen from Haimen to Shanghai, and it only “learned from the media of the installation this morning.” In the days leading up to the installation, priests, sisters, and lay Catholics in the Shanghai Diocese were consulted in an effort to gain their support. The Diocese of Shanghai is an important center of the Catholic Church in China. Its roots as a center of faith go back to the Ming Dynasty, when one of its most prominent sons, Xu Guangqi (a protégé of the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci) served in various high positions in the imperial court. t is home to a major seminary and one of China’s most famous pilgrimage sites at Sheshan. In 2000, the Vatican recognized bishop of Shanghai, Ignatius KUNG Pin-Mei, died while in exile in the United States, and the Vatican recognized Bishop Joseph FAN Zhongliang, his coadjutor, to be his successor. Bishop Fan had already had numerous unfriendly encounters with local authorities. They recognized Msgr. Aloysius JIN Luxian as bishop instead. Bishop Jin had been ordained without Vatican approval in 1985 and installed as the state-approved Bishop of Shanghai in 1988. In 2005 the Vatican finally recognized Bishop Jin as the administrator bishop of Shanghai on behalf of Bishop Fan. Over the years, all sides worked for reconciliation, and in 2005 the Chinese Patriotic Association and the Vatican agreed to the consecration of Giuseppe XING Wenzhi as auxiliary bishop to succeed both Bishop Fan and Bishop Jin. In 2010 Bishop Xing excused himself from this role for personal reasons, and Bishop Thaddeus MA Daqin was chosen instead to be consecrated as the new successor to Bishop Fan and Bishop Jin. Unfortunately, as is well known, in 2012 at his own consecration as auxiliary bishop in the Cathedral of St. Ignatius in Shanghai, Bishop Ma publicly repudiated his membership in the Patriotic Association. He was placed under house arrest, and the diocese was placed under administrative lock down. In 2013, Bishop Jin passed away, as did Bishop Fan, who had Alzheimer’s disease, the following year. As a result, until this appointment, the Diocese of Shanghai has been operating under a council of priests. The Diocese remains divided, and many are looking to Rome for guidance. While the provisions of the entente between Rome and Beijing on the appointment of bishops is unclear, in this case, Bishop Shen was not ordained without Vatican approval. His ordination was approved by Rome in 2010. It is his installation in a new diocese that was not approved. Article 377.5 of the Church’s Code of Canon Law states that “no rights and privileges of election, nomination, presentation, or designation of bishops are granted to civil authorities.” In this case, it was not civil authorities that authorized the installation of Bishop Shen, but the irregular Chinese Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Nonetheless, the Vatican has been clear that such appointments violate the spirit of the Beijing-Vatican accord. Bishop Shen will serve as pastor under difficult and painful circumstances. He states that one of his most important missions is to bring reconciliation to a divided church. You can go here to read an interview with Msgr. Shen conducted by Vatican Insider in 2017. In that interview, one theme he stressed is that in China nobody wants a Church separated from the Pope. During this Easter triduum, when we enter into the death and the resurrection of Jesus, let us keep the Church of Shanghai, its sisters, its priests, its bishop, and all its faithful in our prayers.

When outsiders think of religion in China, they tend to focus on persecution--for example Muslims in Xinjiang or Christians in many big Chinese cities. While that is true for some faiths, China is also in the midst of a religious boom, which the government is trying to use to further its grip on power. That includes rebuilding ancient temples, subsidizing pilgrimages to holy mountains, and endorsing Confucian philosophers. But can authoritarianism and religious life coexist? What are the risks as the government in Beijing embraces some religions while opposing others? . About Ian johnson Ian Johnson is Stephen A. Schwarzman senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who lived in China for more than 20 years. A regular contributor to the New York Times, he is the author of Wild Grass: Three Stories of Change in Modern China (Pantheon, 2004) and The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao (Vintage, 2017), as well as numerous other publications. the presentation further resources Ian Johnson's Website > Books by Ian Johnson >

Yesterday, August 8, was the Feast of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order. The order has a long and venerable history of missionary work in China. Father Gaspar de la Cruz, the first Dominican missioned to China, arrived in Guangdong Province in 1555. After 1633, Dominicans started mission work in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Fujian. To this day, Chinese Catholic communities in these regions, and others, look back with profound gratitude to the Dominicans, who made great sacrifices to bring the faith. As it turns out, the first Chinese priest, Gregorius LUO Wenzao, was a Dominican. In 1685, he went on to be ordained the first native Chinese bishop. By the middle of the twentieth century, the Dominicans had 98 missionaries working in China. They ran 319 schools, 14 hospitals and clinics, 10 orphanages, and a home for the aged. Dear Lord Jesus, continue to watch over the sons and daughters of Saint Dominic. Make their preaching and ministry fruitful! Amen.

During these difficult times, the USCCA has managed to stay ahead of expenses, all while bringing on new staff to further its Campus Engagement Initiative. The 2022 Annual Appeal will be the key to continuing our programming and promoting our mission. In an era when tensions within the U.S. and across the Pacific drive people apart, the USCCA’s promotion of dialogue, welcome, and mutual respect is more relevant than ever. The upcoming Annual Appeal will run through the month of September. Currently, the USCCA is seeking $30,000 in pre-campaign pledges to be matched by contributions that come in during the campaign itself. If you would like to help in this effort, please contact Fr. Michael Director@USCatholicChina.org.