Catholicism
The Catholic Experience in China
Notes from the US China Catholic Bureau Conference held August 11-13 in New York City.
“China Needs Priests”
When Father Ye Yaomin, a Catholic priest, returned to his parish in Foshan, Guangdong province in 1980 following years of persecution, his friends urged him to emigrate.
“China needs priests,” he replied.
A New “Quarterly” and a New Website
The winter issue of the ChinaSource Quarterly has just been published. In this issue we explore the spiritual journey of Chinese people who are finding Christ and growing in him through the ministry of the Catholic Church in China. Brent Fulton, editor of the Quarterly, writes in his introduction to “A Window into Catholicism in Today’s China:”
Supporting Article
Experiencing World Youth Day as a Chinese Catholic
A young, Chinese woman shares her thoughts and experiences from World Youth Day which she attended in Madrid, in 2011. Included in her account are her reflections on several places her group visited as pilgrims as they journeyed to Madrid. She also shares the life-changing impact this event had for her as she dealt with issues of sin and forgiveness.
Lead Article
Finding Faith and Purpose
The Search for Meaning for Young Adult Catholics in China
China’s young adults are searching for meaning in their lives. The Catholic Church is working to help them realize their God-given potential and allow them to discover their special calling in Christ. One obstacle to this is that many Catholics lack a strong belief in a personal God who loves them and created them for a special purpose. The author examines how the Catholic Church is dealing with these issues.
Supporting Article
A Place to Grow in Faith:
The Challenge of Developing Sustainable Faith Formation Programs in China
Often missing in China is a regular opportunity for Chinese Catholics to grow in the knowledge of their faith in a structured setting. In recent years, however, there has been a gradual rise of home-grown initiatives and program models adopted from overseas that are starting to change this situation. Nevertheless, challenges remain and the author looks at a number of reasons (beyond the more obvious political challenges) why the deepening of faith has been difficult.
Editorials
A Window into Catholicism in Today’s China
An introduction to the 2014 winter issue by the editor of the ChinaSource Quarterly.
View From the Wall
The Catholic Church in China and Evangelization through Social Media
The author begins by sharing his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ then continues by explaining his deep interest in the Catholic Church’s articulation of truth about Christ and the church as well as their relation to society. He looks at the current situation of the Catholic Church in China and concludes with the suggestion that the Internet can be used positively to bring church unity.
Book Reviews
Church Militant: Bishop Kung and Catholic Resistance in Communist Shanghai
A Book Review
Paul Mariani makes an essential contribution to the history of the Catholic Church in China during the twentieth-century when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeted religious organizations. Through research which includes previously unreleased classified documents and his multifaceted treatment of this turbulent period, he provides a gripping narrative of the gradual, but increasingly tension-filled, showdown between the CCP and the Catholic Church in Shanghai.