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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.

Would you like to learn about the Church in China through an in-person visit to historical sites and living communities? Our next Study Tour will be held October 11–23, 2025 , in mainland China; you may click here to view the itinerary for this upcoming October 2025 Study Tour . This Study Tour's agenda includes such destinations as Beijing North Cathedral, Chengde Imperial Summer Resort, and Shenyang Forbidden City. If you are able to join us for this trip, please click here to register today for the October 2025 Study Tour . Space is limited—register 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.

On a day such as this—September 11—it is important to remember the value of friendship, peace, and dialogue among neighbors around the world. Through international virtual Book Circle Discussions, biennial Conferences, and other programs, the USCCA aims to build bridges across differing perspectives, cultivating mutual respect in the midst of differing voices. 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 September 20, the Book Circle will discuss pages 127–141 and 203–226 of Wu's work; these pages cover the sections entitled " Thérèse and Céline " and " Appendix: The Science of Love ."  This discussion will be held at the usual Book Circle discussion time: 6 am PT / 7 am MT / 8 am CT / 9 am ET / 9pm Chinese Standard Time. Prior to the discussion, Book Circle participants are invited to consider the following prompt from Book Circle facilitator Kathy Stout: We will read two separate sections about Thérèse of Lisieux from John Wu's book, Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality : "Thérèse and Céline" (127-141); "Appendix: The Science of Love" (203-226). The first section tells the story of the beautiful friendship between Thérèse and her sister Céline, while the appendix speaks of the bridal love between Thérèse and Jesus. You are invited to consider the following questions as you read: What do you find particularly impressive about the relationship between Thérèse and Céline? How does their story speak to us about friendship in general and friendship with God? What do you find most powerful about the intimate bridal relationship between Thérèse and Jesus? How do these chapters help us understand Christianity as "the Religion of Love par excellence" (204)? 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! For additional opportunities to learn about the Church in China, including Study Tours and biennial Conferences , we invite you to subscribe to the USCCA's email newsletter . ---------------------- 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, Pope Leo XIV canonizes two young saints, Blessed Carlo Acutis (pictured in portrait) and Blessed Giorgio Frassati, underlining the gifts that young people can share with the global Church through a life of faith. Catholic News Agency has published an article outlining how you can watch the canonization , as well as an article introducing the saints and their life stories . These saints remind us of the importance of outreach to and with young people; such outreach is a distinct emphasis of our Chinese and American Friendship Ministry. Click here to learn moe about how the US-China Catholic Association is reaching out to Chinese students in the United States. ---------------------- 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 Margaret Smetana, USCCA Board Member On the weekend of August 17, 1,258 miles from Chicago—where US-China Catholic Association (USCCA) board members Fr. Ed Griswold, Fr. Hugh O'Donnell, and Tom McGuire recently gave USCCA Mission Appeals—Rev. Rob Carbonneau, CP joined Fr. Cyprian Tatah Ferdzefer to concelebrate Mass at Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish, serving the communities of Lincoln, Howland, and Danforth, Maine. Though the congregations at St. Mary of Lourdes and St. Leo the Great Masses were small, parishioners were fully engaged as Rev. Rob shared the history, mission, and ongoing work of the USCCA. Thanks to Fr. Cyprian’s faithful announcements of the Mission Appeal over the past three weeks, parishioners offered Rev. Rob a warm welcome. On Sunday, Rev. Rob celebrated Mass at St. Leo the Great in Howland (8:00am), St. Mary of Lourdes in Lincoln (10:00am), and then traveled an hour north to St. Anne’s summer chapel in Danforth (12:30pm). These communities—Lincoln (population under 5,000), Danforth (population 636), and Howland (population of about 1,200)—lie in rural eastern Maine, not far from the Canadian border: a region of lakes, rivers, streams, and vast woodlands. Even in these remote parishes, the mission of building bridges of friendship and faith with the people of China is both welcomed and alive. My time with the parishioners and pastor of these Maine communities deeply enriched my understanding of the USCCA's mission and its impact on their lives. Their genuine interest and engagement with Rev. Rob and his stories—as well as their beautiful choirs, heartfelt singing, devotion to Mary, and strong sense of community—left me with lasting impressions of their Catholic faith. Margaret Smetana is an Associate Director on the USCCA Board. Margaret brings a lifetime of experience in organizational and educational leadership to her role supporting the 2024 Conference communications, the 2025 USCCA Mission Cooperative Program, and the 2026 Conference. ---------------------- 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 his prayer intention for August 2025, Pope Leo XIV called for mutual coexistence among neighbors around the world: Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons. Jesus, Lord of our history, faithful companion, and living presence, You who never tire of coming to meet us, here we are, in need of your peace. We live in times of fear and division. Sometimes we act as if we were alone, building walls that separate us from one another, forgetting that we are brothers and sisters. Send us Your Spirit, Lord, to rekindle within us the desire to understand one another, to listen, to live together with respect and compassion. Give us the courage to seek paths of dialogue, to respond to conflict with gestures of fraternity, to open our hearts to others without fear of differences. Make us builders of bridges, able to overcome borders and ideologies, able to see others through the eyes of the heart, recognizing in every person an inviolable dignity. Help us create spaces where hope can flourish, where diversity is not a threat but a richness that makes us more human. Amen. These words from the Pope resonate strongly with the USCCA's mission of building bridges of friendship among Catholics in the U.S. and in China. Tom McGuire, USCCA board member, offered the following reflection on the Pope's August prayer intention: Pope Leo XIV’s prayer is a call for all missionary disciples to be "builders of bridges.” We invite all who feel a call to build bridges and dialogue with the people of China to explore how they might get involved with the US-China Catholic Association. We invite you to join the USCCA's mission of bridge-building through participation in our Affiliates program , our virtual international Book Circle discussions , our Study Tours in China , or our upcoming 30th International Conference . May we honor the Pope's prayer intention for August by moving forward towards peaceful coexistence with brothers and sisters around the world. ---------------------- 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 August 23, the USCCA Book Circle discussed pages 95–120 of John C. H. Wu's book, Chinese Humanism and Christian Spirituality . This encompassed the chapter entitled "St. Thérèse and Lao Tzu: A Study in Comparative Mysticism." Image from Angelico Press During this Book Circle discussion, 16 participants reflected on John C. H. Wu's comparison between Lao Tzu and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The depth of insights in the writings of these figures challenged participants to consider the paradox of humility as a kind of greatness, bringing to mind biblical passages such as Matthew 23:11 ("The greatest among you will be your servant"). Striking similarities between the teachings of Lao Tzu and the writings of St. Thérèse prompted discussion about similarities in religious experience across cultural divides. Indeed, the role of mystical experience in spiritual growth was another major theme raised by St. Thérèse and Lao Tzu in the course of this recent discussion. Participants remarked on the limitations of language in its attempts to articulate transcendent truths; conversation also developed around the wisdom of simplicity in our increasingly complex world. Even as accustomed as we are to sophistication and complexity in our daily lives, several participants remarked upon the striking ability of people to develop the wisdom of simplicity in the right circumstances. 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 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 . ---------------------- 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 a recent post on the Beijinger website, author Katherine Zhang dives into the history of four churches in Beijing. In the article, entitled "Tracing the History of Four Beijing Churches," Zhang provides readers with brief histories of St. Joseph's Church, Church of the Saviour, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We invite you to read her article in The Beijinger . ---------------------- 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.