A Message from Sr. Anna Nguyen: Assistant Director, Asian Pacific Island Affairs

To realize the value of faith,
Ask the person who was persecuted for it.

Religious persecution is one of the main reasons for the people of Asia and Pacific Islands to immigrate to the United States.  Individuals who suffered persecution might be well positioned to answer the question on the value of faith.  Faith is our focus because our faith is rooted in the faith of our ancestors, many of whom have been proclaimed martyrs and saints.  We are proud to anticipate two more Asian and Pacific Islander Saints this fall. 

On October 21, 2012, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI will canonize seven new saints.  Among those being canonized are Blessed Pedro Calungsod, a Filipino youth catechist and martyr; and Blessed Marianne Cope, a religious Sister of Saint Francis, who cared for lepers in Molokai, Hawaii, following the footsteps of Saint Damien of Molokai.  

In addition to canonizing saints, Pope Benedict also has decreed a Year of Faith between October 11, 2012 and November 14, 2013 with the aim “to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope.” 

We would like to extend this call to all and in particular to our youth and young adults to  profess their faith through following church teaching, living the examples of our parents/grandparents or ancestors and Saints, and most importantly, taking leadership in the Church to help others realize the value of faith.  The symbol for this Year of Faith is a door.  Like these saints, we are called anew to be the door to faith in Christ, our King. We urge you to seize the chance and take charge.  Be the door that opens to believing in God’s kingdom on earth, the universal Church.

With this enthusiasm, we invite you to log onto the USCCB’s website and to frequent this Asian and Pacific homepage to link to friends, to events relating to our new Saints, and to educational resources on this Year of Faith.  We hope you will find our homepage a platform where people of Asia and Pacific Islands are connected in harmonious unity as one family of faith.

May Christ our King, through the intercession of our Mother Mary, bless you and yours with the very best.

Sister Anna Nguyen, SCC, LMSW
Assistant Director

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calungsod

http://saintmariannecope.com

http://usccbmedia.blogspot.com/2012/07/gospel-and-social-media.html

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/youth-ministry/

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/videos.cfm

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/rediscovering-the-faith/

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/disciples-called-to-witness/