News & Events

March 14, 2020 - Diocese of Richmond's Asian Retreat will be held at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA. The theme of the retreat is Encountering Christ in Harmony with Creation and Ecology.

May 2020 - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

May 2, 2020 - The 18th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage will be held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. This annual event brings together many Asian and Pacific Islander Catholic communities to celebrate their heritage and Marian devotions. Most Rev. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, will be the main celebrant.

May 24, 2020 - Day of Prayer for the Church in China.

June 9, 2020 - Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs meeting will be held in Detroit, MI.

July 2-5, 2020 - The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement’s (VEYM-USA) 7th Coming to the Promised Land National Convention will be held at Glorieta Adventure Camps in Santa Fe, NM. The theme of the event is “Though many, are one body” (1 Cor. 12:12).

July 3-6, 2020 - The National Conference of Burmese-American Catholics (NCBAC) 11th Annual Gathering will be held at Willie Pigg Auditorium in Mansfield, TX.

July 23-26, 2020 - Journeying Together National Intercultural Encounter for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults will be held at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH.

September 12, 2020 - Asian and Pacific Island (API) Ministries with Young Adults and Youth Virtual Gathering

Panelists: 

1. Young Hoang, PhD- Vietnamese American
2. Pueo Domingo- Native Hawaiian
3. Wayne Wang- Chinese American
4. Oo Reh Sor- Karenni American 
5. Clara Pyo, Korean American 

September/October 2020 - 28th International Conference of the US-China Catholic Association (USCCA) will be held at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA.

October 27-30, 2020 - The 4th National Association of Filipino Priests in the USA (NAFP-USA) General Assembly will be held at the Hilton Meadowlands hotel in East Rutherford, NJ.

October 30-November 1, 2020 - The U.S. Catholic Mission Association's (USCMA) National Conference will be held in El Paso, TX. The theme of the conference is Angels Unawarission with People on the Move.

November 15, 2020 - Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs meeting will be held in Baltimore, MD.

December 2020 - Many archdioceses and dioceses celebrate Simbang Gabiilipino tradition of Novena Masses (nine consecutive days) celebrated in parishes across the country leading up to Christmas. It is "a privileged votive mass, i.e.ass that does not correspond to the liturgical calendar but hapecial intention" said Philippines Church historian Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon. Watch the Archdiocese of Washington's video explaining what Simbang Gabi is and check back foist of Simbang Gabi celebrations from various arch/dioceses.

ONGOING EVENTS

Ongoing - Shalom World hostumber of events periodically across the country. Check the website for dates and locations.

Read news pertaining to the Asian and Pacific Islander community. For more news, check out the e-newsletter archive, USCCB news releases, and the Catholic News Service (CNS) website.

Asian and Pacific Islander Unity Day - October 11, 2020

New podcast on evangelization and catechesis

Do you enjoy sharing your Catholic faith with others? Is God inviting you to serve in parish ministries of evangelization and faith formation? Join in an informative conversation by listening to a new podcast series exploring key themes in evangelization and catechesis today. Hosted by Dr. Jem Sullivan from the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC., the podcast features prominent guests such as Bishop Robert Barron, among others. Listen and be inspired in your faith and ministry as a missionary disciple to be an effective evangelist and catechist in your faith community. To listen and view the podcast find the speakers here - https://trs.catholic.edu/social-media/podcast.html

Encountering Christ in Harmonyastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters

• February 16, 2019 - Watch the video of the cultural celebration and Bishop Solis' keynote address at the Asian and Pacific Island Day at Mid-Atlantic Congress (API Day at MAC). The API Day at MAC brought together Asian and Pacific Island communities to learn more about Encountering Christ in Harmony.
• July 6, 2018 - Read the news release announcing the full text of Encountering Christ in Harmonyastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters.
• June 14, 2018 - Read Dennis Sadowski's (CNS) article about the U.S. bishops' approval of Encountering Christ in Harmony during their Spring General Assembly.
• June 13-14, 2018 - Watch the Spring General Assembly on-demand video to see Bishop Solis' presentation about Encountering Christ in Harmony to the body of bishops.
• May 11, 2018 - Read the news release about the U.S. bishops discussing and voting on Encountering Christ in Harmony during the Spring General Assembly.

Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage

• May 7, 2019 - Read Rhina Guidos' (CNS) article about the 17th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage.
• May 4, 2019 - Read His Excellency Archbishop Christophe Pierre's homily from the 17th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage.
• May 1, 2019 - Read the news release about the 17th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage
• May 5, 2018 - Read Rhina Guidos' (CNS) article about the 16th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage.
• May 6, 2017 - Read Cardinal Wuerl's homily and view pictures from the 15th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage.

Ordination of Asian and Pacific Island Priests in the U.S.

• June 5, 2018 - Read Mark Pattison's (CNS) article about the ordination of first U.S.-born Syro-Malabar priest.
• June 4, 2018 - Read Dave Hrbacek, Matthew Davis and Maria Wiering's (CNS) article about the ordination of first U.S.-born Hmong-American priest.

Response to Events in Asian & Pacific Island countries

• May 2019 - Read the news release by Cardinal DiNardo in response to the attacks in Sri Lanka
• October 2018 - Read the news release about Cardinal Daniel DiNardo's, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops letter of solidarity to Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Jakarta in light of the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Indonesia.
• October 2018 - Read the news updates by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and help donate to their efforts in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia.
• August 2018 - Read the news release by CRS and help donate to the relief efforts in response to the historic flooding in Kerala, India.

Papal Visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh November 27-December 2, 2017

• December 1, 2017 - Defend God's image by defending the Rohingya, pope urges by Cindy Wooden
• November 28, 2017 - Respect the rights of all groups, pope tells Myanmar's leaders by Cindy Wooden
• November 27, 2017 - Update: Pope meets generals after brief welcome by children in Myanmar by Cindy Wooden

National Assembly of Filipino Priests November 7-10, 2017

• November 27, 2017 - Filipino priests called to walk with fellow immigrant Catholics by James Ramos

News Releases

• August 31, 2020 -  Asian and Pacific Catholic Network Statement on Racism
• March 5, 2019 - Pope Francis Names Msgr. Alejandro Aclan as Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
• January 23, 2018 - Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton; Names Auxiliary Bishop Myron Cotta as Successor
• October 6, 2017 - Pope Francis Names Fr. Thanh Thai Nguyen as New Auxiliary Bishop of Orange, CA
• August 5, 2017 - New Bishop of Syro-Malankara Eparchy of St. Mary Queen of Peace of the U.S. and Canada is Named; First Bishop of New Eparchy in Parassala, India also Named
• January 10, 2017 - Pope Francis Names Auxiliary Bishop Oscar A. Solis, Chairman of the Subcommittee for Asian & Pacific Island Affairs, Bishop of Salt Lake City, UT

PAST EVENTS

February 23, 2020 - Casting the Net Far and Wide: Implementing the New Pastoral Response for Asian and Pacific Island Communities was presented by Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis, D.D.; Most Rev. Alex Aclan; Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP, Ph.D.; Jayne Ragasa Mondoy; and Eunice Park at LA Religious Education Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.

February 22, 2020 - The Eucharistic Celebration was sponsored by the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs (SCAPA) and the Asian and Pacific Island communities at LA Religious Education Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.

February 22, 2020 - The Concert at the Arena was sponsored by Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) at LA Religious Education Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.

February 21, 2020 - Encountering Christ in Harmony: Celebrating the New U.S. Bishops’ Response on Asian and Pacific Island Cultures and Ministries (Workshop) was presented by Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis, D.D. and Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP, Ph.D. at LA Religious Education Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.

February 1, 2020 - Buildinulture of Encountering Christ: Asian Pacific Catholic Perspectives presented by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. at the Hilton Baltimore hotel in Baltimore, MD.

January 30, 2020 - Asian Fusion: Going Beyond the Popular Culinary Trend to Build Strong Catholic Communities bootcamp at MAC presented by Corinne Monogue at the Hilton Baltimore hotel in Baltimore, MD.

January 30-February 1, 2020 - The Mid-Atlantic Congress (MAC) was held at the Hilton Baltimore hotel in Baltimore, MD.

January 25-28, 2020 - The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. The theme of event was Bearing Witness: Life and Justice for All. In conjunction with the CSMG, the Diversity Outreach Initiative (DOI) took place. The DOI seeks to develop leaders from diverse Catholic communities for ministry in the Church.

January 25, 2020 - 新年 Chinese New Year (鼠年 Year of the Rat)

January 25, 2020 - Vietnamese Tết (New Year) Chúc mừng năm mới!

December 8, 2019 - The 2019 International Cultural Festival was held at Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, VA. There were performers representing the following communities: Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Russian, Peruvian, Korean, Chinese, and more.

December 6-7, 2019 - The Encountering Christ in Harmony focus workshop was held at the California Catholic Ministry Conference in San Jose, CA.
November 16, 2019 - The Diocese of Richmond's Culture and Faith Celebrating Asian Catholics: One World Encounter was held at Church of the Resurrection in Portsmouth, VA.

November 10, 2019 - The Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs meeting was held in Baltimore, MD.

November 9, 2019 – The Filipino Council of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Faith & Leadership Assembly for Renewal and Empowerment (FLARE) event was held at St. Piuhurch in Baltimore, MD.

November 2-10, 2019 - The 27th International Week of Fasting and Praying was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Guest speakers included Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga, and Fr. Chris M. Alar, MIC.

October 20-28, 2019 - The Annual Solemn Novena in Honor of St. Jude Thaddeus was held at Shrine of St. Jude Catholic Church in Rockville, MD.

October 20, 2019 - The Archdiocese of San Francisco's 9th Annual Filipino Ministry Gala was held at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco, CA. The gala was belebration of Filipino culture and heritage.

October 14-17, 2019 - The Vietnamese Priest Convocation The Journey of Emmaus VIII was held at the Vietnamese Catholic Center in Santa Ana, CA and at the Christ Cathedral in Orange, CA witheme “Let Mutual Love Continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

October 6, 2019 - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee's Asian Pacific Unity Day celebration was held at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center in Milwaukee, WI. Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki was the main celebrant anight reception followed the Mass.

September 22, 2019 - The Filipino Council of the Archdiocese of Baltimore's 9th Archdiocesan Filipino Saints Fiesta Celebration honoring San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod was held at Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, MD. Most Rev. William E. Lori was the main celebrant. The Triduum was held on September 17-19, 2019 prior to the fiesta.

September 21, 2019 - The Archdiocese of Washington's Feast of St. Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila celebration was held at the Shrine of St. Jude in Rockville, MD. Most Rev. Mario E. Dorsonville was the main celebrantotluck reception followed the rosary and Mass.

September 21, 2019 - The Korean American Day of Prayer Vocations Conference was held at St. Paul Chung Korean Catholic Church in Fairfax, VA. The theme of the event was “Come And See” (John 1:39).

September 14, 2019 - The 2019 Marian Rosary Congress & Pilgrimage was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. His Excellency Most Rev. Bernardito C. Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and the Organization of American States, was the celebrant and homilist.

September 7, 2019 - The Indian American Catholic Association's (IACA) 22nd Annual Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Good Health was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
August 31-September 1, 2019 - The National Conference of Burmese-American Catholics (NCBAC) 10th Annual Gathering was held at Trinity High School in Camp Hill, PA.
August 11, 2019 - Annual observation of National Minorities Day in Pakistan which acknowledges the contributions of minority communities.

August 4, 2019 - The Archdiocese of Chicago's Asian Community Mass was held at St. Margaret Mary Church in Chicago, IL.
July 6, 2019 - Mass in celebration of Most Rev. Ignatius Wang’s 60th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood was held at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, CA. The Mass was livestreamed.

July 4-6, 2019 - The Laotian Catholic National Conference was held at St. George Catholic Church in Fort Worth, TX. The theme of this event was “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:1-21).

June 29, 2019 - The 22nd Annual National Filipino Pilgrimage in Honor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Most Reverend William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, was the main celebrant and there waeflection by Sr. Mary Regina T. Kuizon, RGS.

June 28-30, 2019 - The Hmong American National Catholic Association's (HANCA) 2019 Convention was held at Archbishop Cousins Catholic Center in Milwaukee, WIeadership Training was held on June 27, 2019 at St. Michael's Church in Milwaukee, WI.

June 26-30, 2019 - The National Conference of Burmese-American Catholics (NCBAC) Youth Camp was held at St. Felix Catholic Center in Huntington, IN.

June 24-28, 2019 - The Catholic Theological Union (CTU) offereummer course titled Encountering Christ in Harmony: An Asian-American Theology with Fr. Linh Hoang, OFM.

June 21, 2019 - The Diocese of Arlington's Annual Mass for Multicultural Communities was held at St. James Catholic Church in Falls Church, VA. The main celebrant was Most Rev. Michael Burbidge.

June 10, 2019 - The Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs meeting was held in Baltimore, MD.

May 31-June 1, 2019 - The Diocese of San Bernardino's seminar titled Encountering Christ in Harmoneing Disciples in Mission was held at Diocesan Pastoral Center in San Bernardino, CA.

May 25-27, 2019 - The Keluarga Katolik Indonesia-Houston's retreat was held at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. The theme of the retreat was Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, anill give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).

May 21, 2019 pecialized afternoon session titled Encountering Christ in Harmony: Celebrating the New Pastoral Response to API Catholics presented by Fr. Ricky Manalo, CSP was held at the 2019 National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) in Garden Grove, CA.

May 6-10, 2019 - The Korean American Priests Association's (KAPA) annual conference was held in Fairfax, VA.

May 4, 2019 - The 17th Annual Asian and Pacific Island Catholics Marian Pilgrimage was held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. This annual event brought together many Asian and Pacific Islander Catholic communities to celebrate their heritage and Marian devotions. His Excellency Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, was the main celebrant and homilist.

May 2019 - Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

March 24, 2019 - The Archdiocese of Seattle's Asian and Pacific American Catholics Gathering was held at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Tukwila, WA. The theme of the event was Encountering Christ in Harmony: Discpiles in Mission.

March 9, 2019 - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee's Encountering Christ in Harmonyay of Reflection for Asian Pacific Islander Catholics was held at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Franklin, WI. Guest speakers were Sr. Myrna Tordillo, mscs and Msgr. Joseph T. Trinh.