Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs

Spring E-Newsletter 2023

To the Members of the Asian & Pacific Island Communities in the United States of America

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Peace be with you!

As we approach the celebration of the Paschal Triduum and the Easter Season, we prepare to celebrate the greatest event in the history of the world: the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. No other event has influenced so many people for so many centuries. It is no wonder we celebrate it with such joy!

Too often, however, we celebrate Easter as a past event that happened long ago, far away, and once upon a time. We believe that Jesus truly rose from the dead, but we may still confine him to the tomb of history or to his final resting place in our textbooks and catechisms. But Jesus is alive NOW, active NOW, and living among us NOW. The same Jesus who appeared to his Apostles the night of the Resurrection makes himself known to us to us under the appearances of bread and wine on every altar in the world, in the breaking of the bread. 

When the Scriptures are proclaimed to us in the liturgy, we hear the voice of the risen Christ. We are called into intimate and holy communion with Jesus, so that we can, together, be members of his living body, continuing his ministry of healing, casting out demons, teaching and proclaiming the good news to the poor and the oppressed. We may not see him, as the first Apostles did, but happy are we who have not seen yet believe! (See John 20:24-29.)

May the blessings of the risen Lord draw you into his divine life, so that in our diverse cultures and languages, we can proclaim in word and deed, “The Lord is truly risen!”

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Larry Silva

Bishop of Honolulu

Chairman, Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs

Certificate in Asian Pacific Islander Ministry

Certificate in Asian Pacific Islander Ministry, Franciscan School of Theology, University of San Diego, August 2023 - June 2024. Enroll now! For more information: APIcertificate@fst.edu

The online program aims to assist pastoral leaders who serve the increasing number of Asian and Pacific Island (API) communities across the United States. The program includes: Scripture, Catechesis, Immigration, Practical Theology, Pastoral Responses, etc. Attention will be given to the recently published pastoral response of the US bishops, Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters (USCCB, 2018) in order to unpack the pastoral and practical guidance offered. The topics will be taught by ministry professionals, theologians, and religious scholars who desire to enhance pastoral ministry among API communities. 

A Personal Reflection on Beyond East and West: A Christian Celebration of the Lunar Year

By: Lucy Lui, Ph.D.

On Sunday January 29, 2023, I had the privilege of hosting Beyond East and West, a Christian Celebration of the Lunar New Year at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. The idea was first inspired by Dr. John C. H. Wu’s autobiography Beyond East and West, where Dr. Wu explained that what was fundamentally human in Chinese culture can be taken up by the Church to be authentically Christian. See full article

The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement (VEYM)  

The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement (VEYM) invites you to watch the Wonders of the Mass, a video series in 2-3 minutes that run throughout 2023 “to help members grow in their love for the Eucharist through a deeper understanding of the Mass.” The VEYM is in union with the National Eucharistic Revival.

The Annual Cultural Heritage Mass

The Annual Cultural Heritage Mass of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was held on March 11, 2023. The celebration was featured in photos by Catholic Philly. https://catholicphilly.com/2023/03/photo-features/photo-feature-annual-cultural-heritage-mass-at-the-cathedral

• Holy Mass for the dedication and installation of the Shrine of St. Peter Chanel, April 28, 2023, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Tacoma, WA. Rev. David Mulholland and the Samoan Catholic Community joyfully invite everyone. See flyer

• Join us for the 20th Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC. Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington is the principal celebrant for Mass.  See flyer

• Please Save the Date. On Pentecost Sunday (May 28, 2023), a new podcast is launching called Go Forth… where you get to hear weekly from real missionaries about what they do. The missionaries will speak to the Sunday readings and how missionaries embody the Gospel message. For more information and questions, please contact Dr. Ben OuYang at benouyang@uscatholicmission.org or visit us at https://uscatholicmission.org.   Go Forth… is a service of the U.S. Catholic Mission Association funded in part, by the Catholic Communications Campaign.

• 26th Annual National Filipino Pilgrimage, Saturday, June 24, 2023. The Birhen ng Antipolo, Inc. welcomes all to the pilgrimage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Jose Palma of the Archdiocese of Cebu, Philippines. 

• The Laotian Catholics of USA and Canada Conference will be on July 6-8, 2023 at Saint David of Wales Roman Catholic Church, 5641 Esmond Ave, Richmond, CA 94805. See flyer

• Hmong American National Catholic Association (HANCA Convention and Youth Retreat, July 7-9, 2023, at St. Norbert College, Wisconsin. See flyer

• National Association of Filipino Priests (NAFP), 4th Assembly in New Jersey-New York, October 24-27, 2023. For registration information and other details, click the link- https://nafpusa.com/events/nafp-usa-2020-4th-general-assembly/

Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs

3211 Fourth Street, NE, Washington, DC 20017

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