Search Results

by Tom McGuire, M.Div., M.R.E., USCCA Director Emeritus In early September, Fr. James Martin, S.J., interviewed Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., on his popular Spiritual Life Podcast. The interview was like two brothers sharing experiences. Fr. Jim asked questions, and Cardinal Stephen responded from his personal experiences, from his Chinese heritage and his Jesuit spirituality. Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J. One theme in the interview that especially caught my attention was how Cardinal Stephen Chow described vocation as a relationship. He illustrated that his own vocation developed through deep friendships. Many of his responses were examples of the importance of relationships. His final comment about visiting and telling stories in an elementary school illustrated his deeply personal relationship with the least among us. Cardinal Stephen's pastoral way made me think of St. John Chrysostom, who said that if only a few of us truly made it our goal to make friends, there would be no limit to what we could accomplish. How? By loving others, whether they love us or not. The responses to the podcast were overwhelmingly positive. A friend of mine, Marilyn Kott, a returned Maryknoll Lay Missioner, gave a good summary of the responses. She wrote, “I found Cardinal Chow’s interview very moving – he was generous in sharing his experiences as a person with Catholic and Chinese roots. I particularly enjoyed his discussion and advice regarding discernment and Jesuit spirituality.” I invite you to spend a little time viewing the YouTube Interview : The USCCA was honored to have Cardinal Stephen Chow participate in our 29th International Conference, which was held in 2024. To learn about our upcoming 30th International Conference, scheduled July 31–August 2, 2026, I invite you to read our recently released Call for Submissions . 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. ---------------------- 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 is the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul (pictured in image), founder of the Congregation of the Mission (also called the "Vincentians"). St. Vincent died in 1660; less than 40 years later, Vincentian missionaries began their ministry in China. Today, the USCCA appreciates the leadership and gifts of two Vincentian members of the USCCA Board: Rev. Joseph Lin, CM, Ph.D. and Rev. Hugh O'Donnell, CM, Ph.D. To learn more about St. Vincent de Paul, we invite you to read the article about him in the Catholic Encyclopedia . ---------------------- 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 September 20, 2025, the US-China Catholic Association Book Circle gathered to discuss John C. H. Wu's meditations on St. Thérèse of Lisieux. This virtual discussion focused on the sections of Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality entitled "Thérèse and Céline" (pp. 127–141) and "The Science of Love" (pp. 203–226). Image from Angelico Press More than ten participants gathered virtually to reflect on Thérèse's exemplary faith, as well as the wisdom in her "Science of Love" as elaborated by John C. H. Wu: Sensitive, intuitive, paradoxical, humorous, subtle, flexible and ethereal, she did for spiritual life what some of the greatest minds have done in their own spheres of activity. (pp. 19–20) Among these aspects of Thérèse's personality described by Wu, the "intuitive" and the "paradoxical" were of particular interest during the course of Saturday's Book Circle discussion. Participants remarked on the paradoxical genius of simplicity in Thérèse's devotion to God, for example—a wisdom taught primarily through intuition rather than through rational explanation. Examples of such intuitive expression—of teaching virtue by example, through daily practice in the company of others—are found in Thérèse's relationships with her family: Her relationships with her sisters and her cousins apparently contributed meaningfully to her spiritual development, and she grew to serve as a positive influence on them, in turn, through her devotion to God as a Carmelite nun. Ultimately, Thérèse's life challenged Book Circle participants to recall intuitive encounters with the outstanding love of God in their own lives, and to consider how they might seek to follow her in the daily practice of love such that others might also learn of God's great love for humanity. Wu's reading of Thérèse, deeply informed by his interpretation of ancient Chinese sages like Lao Tzu, suggests that the attempt to live out such supernatural wisdom involves a level of rigor something like that of the scientist striving to discover the secrets of nature. How might the Science of Love taught by Jesus and emulated by Thérèse inform the conduct of our daily lives? The next Book Circle discussion will be held via Zoom on October 18, 2025, at 6 AM PT / 7 AM MT / 8 AM CT / 9 AM ET / 9 PM China Standard Time. We will be discussing the section entitled "Technology and Christian Culture: An Oriental View" (pp. 147–157) in John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality , which is currently available from Angelico Press  for 15% off with the discount code wu15 . If you have not yet joined us for a Book Circle discussion, please sign up for Book Circle email updates  today  and invite your friends to do the same! ---------------------- 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.

Earlier this month (September 11) was the Feast Day of St. John Gabriel Perboyre, C.M. (pictured in image). John Gabriel, a Vincentian missionary to China, served as a missionary in his home country of France prior to his ministry in China. In the midst of international conflict and political antagonism toward missionaries, John Gabriel was detained in 1839 and subjected to harsh treatment leading up to his death in 1840. We invite you to read more about St. John Gabriel Perboyre on the Holy See website . As the Holy See's biography recounts, John Gabriel built bridges between Europe and China, but hostility between the two regions had a frustrating effect on his mission. The US-China Catholic Association, founded in 1989 by missionary societies, is committed to building bridges of peace and mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and of 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.

Pope Leo XIV recently established a new diocese in China: the diocese of Zhangjiakou. Zhangjiakou (pictured below) is a city in China's Hebei Province. The creation of this new diocese coincides with the suppression of the nearby dioceses of Xuanhua and Xiwanzi; much of the territory of those two previous dioceses will now be included in the diocese of Zhangjiakou. The new Bishop of Zhangjiakou is Father Wang Zhengui, who has previously ministered in both Xuanhua and Xiwanzi. We invite you to read more about the establishment of this new diocese in Vatican News and America Magazine . For more discussions about the Church in China, we invite you to read about our upcoming 30th Biennial Conference , to be held in Austin, Texas on July 31–August 2, 2026. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations  are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Since its founding by missionary societies in 1989, the US-China Catholic Association (USCCA) has worked through friendship and dialogue to build bridges of peace between the people of US and the people of China. As you read the  2025 Annual Appeal Letter  from our new Executive Director, Dr. Benjamin T. OuYang, we invite you to consider the ways in which supporters like you have made our mission possible over the years.  Our mission remains as urgent as ever, and the USCCA continues to promote dialogue through programs like Book Circle Discussions and Biennial Conferences (pictured above).  Will you  donate to the 2025 Annual Appeal  to help the USCCA in building bridges of friendship and understanding? Each and every gesture of support for our mission, financial or spiritual, is deeply appreciated. ---------------------- 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 are glad to announce that the Call for Submissions has been released for the US-China Catholic Association's 30th Biennial Conference, to be held July 31–August 2, 2026, at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. The theme of the 30th Biennial Conference will be "Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Following the Way of Christ." We invite you to read the full Call for Submissions at the conference page . To view videos from our last conference, we invite you to navigate to our YouTube channel , where several past conference presentations are available to the public. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations  are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

In the USCCA's Book Circle discussions, attendees from around the world come to discuss history, Chinese culture, theology, philosophy, and the life of the Church in China. Since January, the Book Circle has been reading John C. H. Wu's Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality , available from Angelico Press  for 15% off with the discount code wu15 . Image from Angelico Press On August 23, the Book Circle will discuss pages 95–120 of Wu's work; these pages cover the chapter entitled "St. Thérèse and Lao Tzu: A Study in Comparative Mysticism." This discussion will be held at the usual Book Circle discussion time: 6 am PT / 7 am MT / 8 am CT / 9 am ET. This is 9pm Chinese Standard Time. Prior to the discussion, Book Circle participants are invited to consider the following prompt from Book Circle facilitator Kathy Stout: For our first meeting in the fall on Aug 23, we will read pages 95-120 of John C. H. Wu's book, Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . This chapter is about the wonderful coincidences between Laozi and Thérèse of Lisieux in their mysticism and spirituality. It is structured around a series of paradoxes. You are invited to consider the following questions as you read: 1) How do the Daoist paradoxes (masculine and feminine, white and black, glorious and lowly, 98-109), illuminated by the examples of Thérèse and Laozi, help you see the Gospel in a different light?  2) The next section of the chapter deals with these topics: the motherliness of God, the relationship between virtue and mysticism, redemptive suffering, and Dao as the eternal Law. What do you find most interesting? What questions do you have? If you have not yet joined us for a Book Circle discussion, please sign up for Book Circle email updates today , and invite your friends to do the same! ---------------------- 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 Benny Mattis, Digital Communications Coordinator In the opening chapter of the Analects , Confucius acknowledges the "great joy" to be found when "a friend visits from far away." I would not claim to understand the depth of meaning in that sage's wisdom, but I can attest to the joy that was felt during a lunch gathering in Maryland when Peter Tan, Board Chair of the US-China Catholic Association, visited Maryland from his home in Texas. This occasion brought together the people in the photo below: from left, those present included myself, current Executive Director Ben OuYang, Ben's wife Jia-Shieu, Jean Lovejoy, former Executive Director and current Board Member Doug Lovejoy, and current Board Chair Peter Tan. As we relished the cuisine of Rockville's Taipei Café, I had the privilege of listening to some of the US-China Catholic Association's leadership as they discussed upcoming USCCA events and recalled personal anecdotes of international friendship. Their enthusiasm for the USCCA and its mission was inspiring and energizing. Looking back on this gathering, I gained a new understanding of the importance of in-person fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, even (and especially) when we are typically separated geographically by long distances. The USCCA's Study Tour s include plenty of opportunities to dine and discuss with neighbors from near and far; likewise, the 30th USCCA International Conference will bring scholars and lay people together once again for dialogue around the theme of "Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Following the Way of Christ." I reckon that my recent lunch excursion brought only a taste of the blessings that participants might find in these upcoming USCCA events! Benny Mattis is the Digital Communications Coordinator of the US-China Catholic Association. He resides in Silver Spring, Maryland. ---------------------- 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 heard about the USCCA's Study Tours ? Since its inception in 1989, the US-China Catholic Association has had the blessing of bringing church leaders, scholars, graduate students, journalists, and other interested individuals to China with the purpose of helping them better understand Chinese society and the circumstances of the Christians who live there. Today, we are glad to share that a Study Tour is being planned for October 2025. Study Tours include opportunities to visit churches in China This Study Tour will include 15 days (October 11–23) in mainland China . Food and lodging will be organized as part of the Study Tour; travel to Beijing (from each participant’s home country) and from Beijing (returning to each participant’s home country) are the responsibility of each participant . The mainland portion of the trip is beautifully described by the Verbiest Foundation, who will be facilitating the USCCA trip in conjunction with a group from Brussels: The journey begins in Beijing . There will be a visit to the tombs of Ricci, Schall, Verbiest, and others. Of course, the former Imperial Palace, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven are also on the program, as are the Beijing National Stadium, the North Cathedral (where we will attend mass) and the old Verbiest Observatory, the Great Wall of China, and others. And of course we will also feast on the famous glazed Peking duck! VF PhotoArchive - The Tiger Valley (Laohugou) We will travel by bus to Chengde (Rehe), halfway between Chaoyang and Beijing, which is another 230 km. Here we will visit a beautiful summer palace built by the Manchu emperors. The emperors resided here from May to October. A visit to Laohugou is also planned, a small Catholic village in the direction of Beijing, the place where Theofiel Verbist, founder of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM), died of typhus in 1868. He was buried there along with other Scheut fathers. His body was later transferred to Scheut-Brussels. As we do elsewhere, we will contact the local Christian community to show our solidarity. We will also visit the Tibetan Bodala Palace in Chengde. The visit to the city of Chaoyang is entirely in the context of the history of the Scheut fathers in China: a visit to the former main post and later seat of the diocese, Songshuzuizi. Even today, the Verbiest Foundation supports various initiatives of the Catholic community in this region. It is a nice introduction to the North Chinese countryside and its inhabitants. VF PhotoArchive - The Church in Xiwanzi today The journey continues to western Liaoning, an area where the Scheut fathers worked from 1865 to around 1950, as in neighboring Jehol. In Fuxin , we will visit the church community. We will travel to Shenyang , the capital of the southern province of Manchuria, by high-speed train. A visit to the imperial palace, built in 1635, reveals the nomadic past of the Qing emperors. After that we will travel on to Xi'an , where we will visit Xi'an Cathedral, the city walls of Xi'an, the museum of the Qin Shi Huang terra-cotta army, and others. We will also watch a Chinese classical dance performance from the Tang dynasty. In Zhangjiakou , we plan to visit Xiwanzi, the village where Theofiel Verbist (the founder of CICM) began his missions in China. Since the Foundation does not have a travel license, the trip will be organized by a recognized travel agency called China Commercial International Travel Service. The trip will be accompanied by an English-speaking tour guide. Accommodation will be in standard three- or four-star hotels; meals will be adapted to Western travelers. The price of the trip (full board, excursions, transportation by airplane, train, bus and entrance fees included) is approximately 2220 EUR per person for a twin room. For a single room, the price is 2910 EUR per person. The prices do NOT include the flight tickets...These must be purchased on your own initiative. Are you interested in joining us? Click here to register for the October 2025 Study Tour today! ---------------------- 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 Peter Tan, Chair, USCCA Board of Directors On June 10, 2025, my wife Selina and I paid a visit to the Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation in Leuven, Belgium. We were welcomed by Verbiest Foundation Founder Fr. Jeroom Heyndrickx, CICM, and USCCA supporter Sr. Gaby. We were graciously housed at their Chinese College within the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), founded in 1425. Fr. Jeroom and I had three sessions of discussions. He is very keen for our two organizations to collaborate on many programs like China tours, conferences, lectures and written articles on the Church in China. He instructed Sr. Gaby and Fr. Matthew Gong (he was in China at the time) to work closely with us. Our first project will be the Study Tour from October 11–23, 2025. This Study Tour's agenda includes such destinations as Beijing North Cathedral, Chengde Imperial Summer Resort, and Shenyang Forbidden City. If you are interested in participating, we invite you to register for the study tour today . Fr. Jeroom founded the Verbiest Foundation in 1982, seven years before the USCCA's founding. Its mission, in many ways, is quite similar to the USCCA's, although it is a much bigger entity, doing more. I am looking forward to the USCCA working with them. Born in Indonesia and raised in Singapore, Peter Tan is the Chair of the USCCA Board of Directors. He graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1977 with a double BA Degree in Business Administration and Political Science. He is a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. ---------------------- 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.

Beijing, China Have you registered yet for the USCCA's upcoming October 2025 Study Tour in mainland China? Today, we invite you to consider the memories shared by a previous Study Tour participant: I’ve been fortunate to have participated...Favorite cities visited included Hong Kong, Beijing, Xian, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Baoding, among others. The Chinese citizens were very welcoming and China has outstanding food! A few of my most inspirational experiences included participating in Masses concelebrated by priests from the United States and mainland China, visiting the Holy Spirit Research Center in Hong Kong, visiting so many beautiful churches throughout China (many of which are designated historical landmarks), witnessing vibrant Catholic communities, observing exemplary social justice outreach, insightful discussions with priests and nuns – many of whom received training in the United States, and of course, climbing the Great Wall of China...I’m looking forward to future trips to China. You may click here to register today for the upcoming October Study Tour . The October Study Tour will be held on October 11–23, 2025; to learn more about the destinations planned during that time, we invite you to click here for the tour's itinerary . ---------------------- 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.