Part of God’s Life – Letter from Our New Executive Director

Dear Members,
 
During my first weekend on the job at USCMA, I had the privilege of joining the US-China Catholic Association (USCCA) in Chicago for their annual conference and 35^th anniversary celebration. In addition to a rich program featuring diverse perspectives from lay, ordained and religious experts from China, the United States and in between, the gathering itself felt, to me, very much like a homecoming. While I have greatly valued my six years serving the Archdiocese of Chicago, it was a genuine blessing to connect (and reconnect) with friends, colleagues and, most importantly, fellow missionaries engaged in witnessing the Gospel through global encounter, intercultural dialogue and solidarity with the poor and vulnerable. (Read more about the gathering here.)
 
When Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, celebrated Mass with us at the USCCA gathering, he noted that many people today struggle to make God a part of our very busy lives. “But,” he said, “the real transformation comes when realize that we are part of God’s life.” I believe wholeheartedly that USCMA and you, our members, are a vital part of what God is doing in our Church and world today. This October, we will gather outside St. Louis for our 2024 conference, reflecting together on the current moment for God’s mission and church, and how the sacramental Body of Christ nourishes and challenges us in our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel in today’s world. If you haven’t already, please consider joining us for this vital moment for our mission community and the broader US Church.

As every USCMA member knows, mission is no mere activity of the Church: it is the beating heart of faith in Christ. As a teenager, my own sense of missionary discipleship was first awakened by the prophetic witness and sacrifice of the Maryknoll, Ursuline and Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador, as well as that of Archbishop Oscar Romero. In my twenties, the Holy Spirit led me to seek and encounter a God and world much larger than myself, first as a volunteer teacher in the American South and along the Texas-Mexico border, and later as a companion to families of children with developmental delays and disabilities in the Seattle area. Following this, I ministered for seven years as a mission promoter and educator for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. It was here that I truly found a home and calling, accompanying ministers and educators as they encountered our siblings in Christ in places like Guatemala, Haiti, Bolivia and Mexico, and learned from the missionaries who live and minister alongside them.
 
Today, I see a similar fire being lit in the hearts of so many people of all ages. More attuned than ever to the suffering Christ at the margins of our global, social and economic structures, people today are longing—knowingly or not—to encounter and respond to Jesus in new and unexpected ways, inspired by the witness, faith and prophetic spirit of missionaries such as yourselves. As executive director of USCMA, I am energized, grateful and humbled to serve alongside you, helping to ensure that the association provides opportunities for its members and all the People of God to connect, grow and advocate as a community of missionary disciples.
 
Thank you so much for welcoming me to this committed and inspiring community and association. I am truly grateful to serve alongside you and look forward to seeing you in October.
 
Sincerely,
 
Kevin Foy
Executive Director