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At 7:00PM ET on July 31, 2025 , the USCCA's speaker series, in collaboration with ChinaSource and China Academic Consortium, will host Dr. Stephanie Wong as speaker on the topic of "Christian-Confucian Dialogue in the Contemporary World." Click here to sign up for this free public lecture, accessible via live video. Dr. Stephanie M. Wong is an assistant professor at Villanova University, where she teaches classes in Catholic theology, Chinese religious and philosophical traditions, and on comparative theology and inter-religious relations in East Asia. Dr. Wong will share about contemporary efforts in the Catholic Church to carry forward dialogue with Confucian communities in East Asia and around the world. She will reflect on not only her contributions to the work of the Dicastery of Interreligious Dialogue in developing a guidebook on Christian-Confucian relations, but also on current trajectories in Catholic comparative theology. ---------------------- 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 today is Trinity Sunday? The Most Holy Trinity is a perfect example of friendship and dialogue. As you reflect on the Trinity on this day, we invite you to read Pope Francis' words on the Trinity from June 7, 2020 : The Trinity is therefore Love, wholly at the service of the world, which He wishes to save and re-create. And today, thinking of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we think of God’s love! ... Dear brothers and sisters, today’s Feast Day invites us to let ourselves once again be fascinated by the beauty of God; beauty, goodness and inexhaustible truth. But also beauty, goodness, and humble and close truth, which became flesh in order to enter our life, our history, my history, the history of each one of us, so that every man and woman may encounter it and have eternal life. And this is faith: to welcome God-Love; to welcome this God-Love who gives himself in Christ, who moves us in the Holy Spirit; to let ourselves be encountered by him and to trust in him. This is Christian life. To love, to encounter God, to seek God; and He seeks us first; He encounters us first. ---------------------- 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 1999, the flagship journal of ChinaSource has published deep insights pertaining to Christianity in China and the global church. Did you know that past issues are accessible on the ChinaSource website ? image fom ChinaSource As indicated in a recent announcement from ChinaSource, the name of this journal changed in March from ChinaSource Quarterly to ChinaSource Journal . To read more about the history, present and future of ChinaSource Journal , we invite you to read Andrea Lee's article about the name change on the ChinaSource 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.

by Anne S. Tsui, Ph.D., Board Secretary of the USCCA During my month-long visit in Shanghai, I went to the Mass at the Basilica of Holy Mary, the Help of Christians, on Sheshan three times. My last visit was on May 25, 2025, the day after the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. Sheshan is about 30 kilometers to the west of Shanghai downtown. I was curious about the meaning of the name “Sheshan” and asked ChatGPT for assistance. There are three explanations, or more likely legends, about the origin of this name. The first is that a person with the surname She (佘) practiced Daoism in that mountain and thus it was named after him. A second explanation is about a large number of people with the surname She (佘) lived in the area, so the mountain took on the name. The third is that during the Eastern Han dynasty, a general surnamed She (佘) lived in seclusion on this mountain. Today, there is a She General Temple (佘将军庙) on the mountain to commemorate him. I consulted Wikipedia for a brief history of the Sheshan Shrine. I learned that the first church was built in 1863 by the Jesuit missionaries in China. Later expansion by the French Jesuits in the period of 1870 to 1900 included a mid-level church (which is now used by the locals), the Three Saints Pavilions 三圣亭 dedicated to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph, respectively, and the stations of the cross on a windy path along the hillside. The construction included an astronomical observatory which still stands in the same location today. The entire holy site is inside the Sheshan National Forest Park with an entrance for tourists (and informal pilgrims) on the north and an entrance on the east for formally organized pilgrim groups. I entered the north gate after registering with the security guards. After a long flight of stone steps, there is a one-way tree-lined trail made of wood planks and then a stone paved path to the top of the hill. The Mass is always in Chinese, with beautiful hymns and deeply devotional faces that moved me to tears. At the end of the Mass, the congregation recited the Holy Mother of Sheshan prayer. It asks Mary for protection and to lead us on the road to truth and mercy. On the top of the Basilica is a statue of Mary holding up baby Jesus with spreading arms, showing his love for all people in the world. Because Shanghai is located on the easternmost edge of China, the statue of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus on the roof of the Basilica faces westward, symbolizing her protection and care over all of China. Pilgrims waiting to enter the Basilica I saw three groups of pilgrims in differently colored uniforms lining up outside the Basilica, waiting to enter it for the 11 am Mass. The Basilica does not have a resident priest. The pilgrims bring their own priest to celebrate Mass. The pilgrim groups usually bring one or two doctors to meet any urgent needs. There were many volunteers wearing colorful vests to direct traffic and keep order. I met a friend after Mass, and she shared with me a brief history of the pilgrims to Sheshan from the early days to the present time. After the reconstruction of Sheshan in early 1900s, pilgrims would come to Sheshan using fishing boats on rivers flowing into the Shanghai estuary. With the advance of motor vehicles and highways, later pilgrims came on large tour buses seating 40 to 50 passengers. A group typically has more than ten buses. From the foothill, they would parade up the hill carrying the Marian stature, chanting in unison, and praying at the stations of the cross. Millions would come during the height of the pilgrim season, usually May each year. The entire mountain would be covered with people. My friend said, “It was a very grand and spectacular sight.” Nowadays, especially since the beginning of 2025, the number of pilgrims has greatly declined, to probably between 20% to 25% of what it was before. Since January 2025, government does not allow pilgrimages outside of a province. People can only organize formal pilgrims within a province. The formal pilgrims to Sheshan are only from churches in the Shanghai metropolitan area. Official pilgrim groups need to register online and wait for approval before embarking on their journey. Parading with the Mary stature is no longer allowed. However, this new policy has no impact on private pilgrims. There are still devoted Catholics, both from the open church and underground, coming to pray at the foot of Mary at Sheshan. Every day, the prayers in various local dialects, like beautiful music, linger around the Three Saints Pavilion. The earnest gestures of the faithful often draw curious visitors to stop and watch. At the Mary statue in the Three Saints Pavilion, faithful people in deep prayers. When the pilgrims finish their prayers, they sit down on the ground beside the pavilion, eating the simple food they have brought with them to satisfy their hunger. Although the food is plain and there are no tables or chairs, the pilgrims' hearts are filled with deep contentment and joy. This is why, year after year, Sheshan continues to attract countless pilgrims. For it is here that believers can feel the protection of the Virgin Mary and the power of their faith. Today, there are probably now more tourists than pilgrims, though some of the tourists may be pilgrims in disguise. People from other provinces come as groups of tourists. It is difficult to know exactly the scale of the informal pilgrims. I suppose nothing can prevent the faithful followers of Jesus from visiting his mother, who is also a mother of China. Attending Mass and praying at Sheshan, especially witnessing the deep devotion of these pilgrims, made me believe that people's faith in Jesus Christ and their pursuit of truth in God will never cease no matter the circumstances, good or bad. On the contrary, the greater the constraints and pressures, the stronger the power of faith becomes. My pilgrimage to Sheshan allowed me to personally witness the fervent faith and steadfast dedication of Chinese Catholics. There is no doubt that the Church in China is full of vitality and life, for I have seen the power of God in them. Anne Tsui May 26, 2025 Shanghai, China **My deepest gratitude to my friend for sharing her knowledge about Sheshan and for the gift of her spiritual editing of this essay. Dr. Anne S. Tsui is currently Professor Emerita at Arizona State University, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Peking University and Fudan University, China. Dr. Tsui has been a leading force in the development of Chinese management research as well as global efforts to transform business research into a force for the common good. ---------------------- 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.

Lumen Orientis , a new magazine focused on Chinese Catholic culture, has released a Call For Papers on the topic of "The Village and the Technological Age." This topic is explored in more detail in the following passage: As children of modernity, who we are has been fundamentally shaped by technology, no matter how much or how little we choose to interact with it. Nevertheless, we have also been formed by people and their relationships whether those relationships take the form of a family, village, city, or other institution. A comparison between the relatively close-knit community life of the village and the vastness of the technological era merits much consideration, including, but certainly not limited to these possibilities: how we view instrumentality in the life of the village and in the technological era; artifice vs. the organic, natural, or human; how modern technology and the life of the village might alter how we perceive man's purpose; and what the right relation of man is to the village or community and to technology. We invite contributors to reflect on these and many other questions through historical, theological, or philosophical essays, as well as through interviews, personal reflections, commentaries, art, photography, poetry, and literature. Please click here to read the full Call for Papers from Lumen Orientis magazine . For more opportunities to learn about the history, culture, and life of the Church in China, we invite you to subscribe to the USCCA email newsletter for updates about our upcoming 30th International Conference: SAVE THE DATE: U.S.-China Catholic Association 30th International Conference When: July 31-August 2, 2026 Theme: "Nourishing Trust: Following the Way of Christ" Where: University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas ---------------------- 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 May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI (1927-2022) released a Letter to Chinese Catholics, in which he asked that May 24 each year be celebrated as a World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. He chose May 24 because it is the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai. Image from the Passionist China Collection. Digitized at the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College. Image copyright © Passionist China Collection On this World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, we at the USCCA are glad to share the following "Save the Date" for our upcoming International Conference: SAVE THE DATE: U.S.-China Catholic Association 30th International Conference When: July 31-August 2, 2026 Theme: "Nourishing Trust: Following the Way of Christ" Where: University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas In closing, we invite you on this day to join us in prayer and petition for the Church in China: We join together this May 24, 2025. We ask Mary to look with love on the People of China...and open their hearts to her Son's Gospel of truth and love... Help us build bridges of understanding between cultures and traditions...Guide the Church in China to be a leaven of harmony and peace among all its citizens...Foster true friendship and open dialogue that respects both faith and diverse perspectives...That together we may be instruments of Christ's peace through patient listening and sincere encounter... Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and stay in touch for more conference updates from the USCCA. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

On May 18, 2025, the USCCA joined Catholics around the world in celebrating the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. As Vatican News reports, "The Pope upheld the missionary spirit" in his homily: This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people. Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion “were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 21). We rejoice in Pope Leo XIV’s description of missionary spirit. It is precisely “to offer God’s love to everyone" that informs the USCCA's mission of building bridges of friendship and dialogue. Our response to the question he raises from Pope Leo XIII is "yes." In the image above, an intercessory prayer is read in Chinese at the inauguration. In English translation, the prayer reads: Lord God, you look with constant kindness upon your sons and daughters: receive the prayers which your Church lifts up to you with gratitude and confident trust. Through Christ our Lord. May God bless Pope Leo XIV with peace and wisdom in the papal office. ---------------------- 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 We celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, who greeted the world with these words that carry the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his first message to the world: “God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people, always in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis! ” On April 28, 2025, the Verbiest Foundation in Leuven, Belgium welcomed nineteen Catholic priests from China to begin a program on pastoral leadership, catechesis, and social teaching, including a tour of holy places in Europe. These activities will provide an opportunity for Catholics from Europe and China to build bridges through dialogue and encounter. Pope Francis describes dialogue in Fratelli Tutti: Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word, dialogue. Let us pray that the participants, as disciples of Christ, will work in the Light of Christ in the Verbiest Program from both China and Europe to mutually 'build a bridge to reach God', a true way to peace for the world. Click here to read more about the Verbiest Foundation and the 19 Chinese priests joining them in Leuven, Belgium. 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.

First-hand testimony by Chiaretto Yan As soon as I arrived in Rome on May 6, I went immediately to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray in front of the tomb of Pope Francis: “Holy Father, you once wrote me in a letter, ‘I encourage you to promote dialogue on the paths of reconciliation and peace. I bless you and all your loved ones from my heart.’ Your words are a guiding light for my path forward. You inspired me to complete my book, My Chinese Dream: Dialogues and Encounters with Christianity . Then you passed away, sending us blessings from Heaven. You had always wanted to visit China. I feel you are smiling on us from Heaven, saying, ‘Why are you crying over there? I am already present in China with you!’ I will dedicate my book to you, Pope Francis, for your love for China and the Chinese people. Early in the morning of May 7, I participated in the final Mass at St. Peter's Basilica before the cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. Cardinal Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, presided. In his homily, he urged the cardinals to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide them in choosing a pope who would awaken consciences and strengthen moral and spiritual values. The Mass was a significant moment, as it marked the formal start of the conclave process and the cardinals' search for a successor to Pope Francis. He said: “Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great pontiffs, will give us a new pope according to God's heart for the good of the church and of humanity.” On the following day, May 8, black smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney shortly before noon. I was on my way to where I live, after meeting with my friend, the words “Fumata bianca!” (white smoke) popped up from a WhatsApp group on my cell phone, and messages spiralled. I immediately went to the bus stop on the opposite side of the road. There was much traffic. I was able to jump into a taxi. Many roads were blocked already, the driver dropped me off next to the bridge leading to St. Peter’s. The whole Via della Conciliazione was jam-packed with people clapping and cheering “Viva Papa!” I could see Pope Leo on one of the big screens. It was a moment of enormous emotions. Despite all the excitement, “peace be with you!” were the first words proclaimed by Pope Leo from the balcony, declaring that, just like the Good Shepherd, he would lay down his life for God’s folk as Jesus did. His powerful declaration and Papal blessing echoed from the loudspeakers following the memory of the faint voice of Pope Francis on Easter, making Pope Leo XIV’s blessing ever more powerful, reaching all corners of the earth. Besides this strong message for peace and invitation for us to be bridge builders and instruments of evangelization, he emphasized dialogue, encounters and synodality. After this first blessing “urbi et orbi” of his holiness Pope Leo XIV and the final solemn blessing at the end, I was particularly impressed by his continuity as the successor of Pope Francis and, above all, as the successor of Peter. The Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and I am ever more convinced of the collective discernment and wisdom of the cardinals who chose Pope Leo. Within one week of his papacy, he welcomed Eastern church leaders gathered in Rome, fostering unity without proselytism. Already as a bishop in Peru, he was famous for ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, serving refugees, the poor and marginalized. In his first weekend as Pope, he paid a surprise visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray in front of the tomb of Francis, and visited the Marian shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano near Rome. In his first meeting with the press, he thanked thousands of international journalists still gathered in Rome and urged them to be peacemakers, “Let’s disarm our words to disarm the earth.” I had a chance to see him at close distance. He is always attentive to what people say and engages in a dialogue. We also see he dares to speak and act gracefully in this turbulent world of our times. I am looking forward to the inauguration mass of Pope Leo this coming Sunday, May 18, before I depart for China in the evening. I am sure of more amazements and God’s surprises to come. Chiaretto Yan is a contributor to the USCCA blog. He is an author and speaker on topics related to the Church in China. He teaches in a Catholic seminary in Macau and at the National Seminary in Beijing. Orbis Books is planning to publish his book, My Chinese Dream , this year. ---------------------- 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.

Statue of Our Lady of Sheshan On May 7, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI wrote a " letter to the bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of China ." Since then, Catholics around the wold have celebrated May 24th not only as the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians, but also as a World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. We invite you to join us in requesting that you share an Intercession Prayer with your parish's intercession writer, asking for a petition similar to the one to be prayed at all your parish's Masses on May 24-25: As we prepare for the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians (May 24th), we ask Mary to look with love on the people of China in accordance with her Son's Gospel of truth and love...Mary, Our Lady of Sheshan, help us build bridges of understanding between cultures and traditions...Guide the Church in China to be a leaven of harmony and peace among all its citizens... Foster true friendship and open dialogue that respects both faith and diverse perspectives...That together we may be instruments of Christ's peace through patient listening and sincere encounter... We pray... If possible, sharing this information in your church bulletin would help in spreading the word about this opportunity to cultivate international peace and friendship. ---------------------- 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 May 24, the Book Circle will discuss pages 77–90 of Wu's work; these pages cover the latter portion of the chapter entitled "The Wisdom of Chuang Tzu: A New Appraisal," starting at the beginning of that chapter's sub-section entitled "Moral Virtues and the Living Fountain." This discussion will be held at the usual Book Circle discussion time: 6 am PT / 7 am MT / 8 am CT / 9 am ET. In May (daylight saving time), this is 9pm Chinese Standard Time. As you read about the wisdom of Chuang Tzu, Book Circle participants are invited to consider the following questions from Book Circle facilitator Kathy Stout: What do you make of Chuang Tzu's description of the ideal person on pages 77-80? How would you evaluate Chuang Tzu's attitude toward culture, civilization, and technology (80-85)? What connections between Chuang Tzu and Christian mysticism strike you as interesting (85-90)? If you have not done so already, please remember to sign up for Book Circle email updates , and to 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.

On this day (May 11) in the year 1610, Venerable Matteo Ricci died in Beijing at the age of 57. Today, his legacy lives on in a multitude of initiatives fostering friendship and dialogue among Catholics in the U.S. and in China. We invite you to read more about this remarkable Jesuit missionary to China at the following links: Catholic Encyclopedia: Matteo Ricci The 2024 Venerable Matteo Ricci Award From Matteo Ricci to Pope Francis: Jesuits and Christian Dialogue in China The Ricci Institute Relocates to Boston College ---------------------- 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.