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 Ca

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 a

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 "Scienc

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 Perb

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.

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 c

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 navig

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, the

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

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.

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. S

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 conside

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 organiz

The US-China Catholic Association (USCCA) recognizes Cardinal Blase Cupich's leadership and his support in building bridges of friendship and dialogue, particularly between Chinese and American communities. We congratulate Cardinal Cupich on the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination, which was recognized during a celebratory Mass on August 16. The Archbishop's anniversary was highlighted in such media channels as CBS News , ABC 7 Eyewitness News , and Chicago's WGN 9 .

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

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 chapte

Are you a scholar of International Relations, Political Theory, Political Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, Religious Studies or Theology? If so, then we invite you to read more about an upcoming online workshop on Asian Catholics in International Relations ! Photo from Unsplash The workshop's description reads as follows: As Asia becomes an increasingly critical region for both global geopolitics and the future of the Catholic Church, this workshop will examine how Asian

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 p

by Fr. John Li, priest from a northern diocese in China Pilgrimage is not just about going somewhere, but about meeting God and oneself again. Pilgrimage is familiar to Catholics, and its origin can even be traced back to the earliest centuries of the Catholic Church. The etymology of the word "pilgrimage" is profound, and its meaning has hardly changed. The word comes from the Latin per ager , which means "through the field," and another meaning is "across the border." In th

On July 31, 2025, Dr. Stephanie Wong delivered a Free Virtual Public Lecture on the topic of "Christian-Confucian Dialogue in the Contemporary World." Drawing upon her work with two efforts of the Vatican's Dicastery of Interreligious Dialogue — the international "Women Building a Culture of Encounter Inter-religiously" network, and a project drafting a guidebook on Christian-Confucian relations — Dr. Wong shared insights on the prospects for Christian-Confucian Dialogue at t