Dear Friends:

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we express our gratitude to God for the courage and perseverance of the Pilgrims who came to this country in search of religious freedom. In the same spirit, we thank God for the courage and perseverance of the many faithful in China who continue to embrace their Catholic faith in the face of severe persecution. It is as a result of their persistence that the underground Roman Catholic in China has continued to grow in numbers and strength. This pattern of suffering and growth, of course, began with the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through His victory, we can look forward to continued growth, as we have witnessed from the early years of the Church. The blood of the martyrs contains the future life of the Church.

This remains true in spite of the most recent news reported by AsiaNews, namely, that Bishop Francis An Shuxin, "coadjutor bishop of Baoding (Hebei), a stronghold of the underground Church, after 10 years in prison and forced isolation in police custody, has decided to be recognized as the official bishop. For this, he had to agree to join the Patriotic Association…. The Letter of Benedict XVI to Chinese Catholics defines the Patriotic Association and its ideal as 'incompatible with Catholic doctrine.'…."

The Boading Diocese has a history of courageous fidelity to the Holy See, even under the most difficult conditions. Among the 120 Chinese martyr-saints canonized by Pope John Paul II in year 2000, 40 were from the Boading Diocese. Bishop Su, Bishop of Boading, was arrested in 1997 and is now missing. We do not know if he is still alive. While we are saddened by Bishop An's decision, we must remind ourselves of the treacherous tactics used by the Chinese communist government and the severe physical and mental pressure placed on these religious prisoners. As the late Cardinal Kung once said, "I would not have survived even one day in the lonely prison cell without the prayers of the universal Church." We must double up our prayers for those underground bishops and priests who are still in the Chinese prisons and detention centers. I also ask for your prayers and sacrifices for those underground clergy who continue their ministry in severe poverty and constant risk of persecution. If you wish to be a Prayer Sponsor for a designated underground clergy, please contact us. They cannot continue their work without your prayers, sacrifice and financial support.

Nevertheless, we must never forget that suffering of every kind can only "complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church" as St. Paul notes in his Letter to the Colossians (1:24).

Therefore, it is with gratitude, hope, and courage that we move forward and proclaim that the future of the Roman Catholic Church in China is part of the redemptive mission of Christ. There is no stopping that future. The continued persecution guarantees it.

Right Rev. Monsignor John V. Horgan-Kung, a founding Director of the Board of the Cardinal Kung Foundation, retired pastor, missionary, and archivist of the Catholic diocese of Bridgeport, passed away on October 16 at the Queen of Peace Residence in Queens Village, NY. He was 94.

Monsignor Horgan-Kung was born on April 5, 1915, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He entered Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield in 1933. Upon graduation, he headed to France to study philosophy and theology at Saint Suplice Seminary in Paris (1937-38), and did a final year of theology in Limoges, France (1939-40).

Monsignor Horgan-Kung was ordained to the priesthood on August 10, 1940. In 1963, Bishop Walter Curtis, the late Bishop of Bridgeport, invited Father Horgan to become the first superior of a new mission established by the Diocese of Bridgeport in Chiclayo, Peru. There he served for three years with two other Bridgeport diocesan priests. Father Horgan returned to the diocese in 1966 and was named a Prelate of Honor in the same year, with the title of Monsignor, by Pope Paul VI.

Msgr. Horgan suffered a heart attack in 1968 and convalesced at St. Joseph's Manor in Trumbull, CT, which would become his new ministry, serving as chaplain to the residents for the next seven years. In 1975, he was appointed archivist of the Diocese of Bridgeport. In 1986, Msgr. Horgan retired early at the age of 71 on account of poor health. Little did he realize that he would have lived for another 23 years. God merely changed Monsignor Horgan's assignment from that of an Archivist to assisting Cardinal Kung, who continued his ministry in exile in America for the persecuted, underground Roman Catholic Church in China.

Two years after his retirement, Msgr. Horgan welcomed a new resident to his retirement house - Ignatius Cardinal Kung Pin-Mei, released after 33 years in a Chinese prison and exiled to the United States to live in Stamford, CT. The two clerics communicated in French, and for 12 years shared a special relationship. He was always at the side of Cardinal Kung during the Cardinal's many visits to churches, monasteries or while receiving important visitors. The most memorable occasion was when he accompanied Cardinal Kung to meet Pope John Paul II at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City on October 7, 1995. Monsignor Horgan-Kung was the only priest among a group of more than a dozen cardinals sitting in the sanctuary waiting for His Holiness' arrival to recite the rosary. When Pope John Paul II noticed Cardinal Kung and went immediately over to greet and embrace Cardinal Kung, Monsignor Horgan-Kung wasted no time to announce to Pope John Paul II that it was Cardinal Kung's 46th anniversary as a Bishop.

Msgr. Horgan was the confessor to Cardinal Kung also for 12 years from 1988 until Cardinal's death in 2000. Upon his friend's death, Msgr. Horgan added KUNG to his own last name as a final tribute. His new name became Horgan-Kung.

In June 2006, because of his failing health, he moved to the Queen of Peace Residence in Queens Village, New York which is under the supervision of the Little Sisters of the Poor, whose founder, St. Marie de la Croix Jugan, was just canonized in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI. Among the many choices that the Monsignor had for a nursing home, he chose the one supervised by the Little Sisters of the Poor, because as the Monsignor said: "The Little Sisters of the Poor have the reputation of praying for the dying at the patient's bedside."

Monsignor had two consecutive strokes and was hospitalized for two weeks. When it became apparent that the monsignor was dying, I decided, as his health-care proxy, with the agreement of his attending physicians and of the supervisors at the Queen of Peace Residence, that he should be transferred back to his residence to die among the Little Sisters of the Poor. He returned home in the late morning of the 16th of October, and died in the same afternoon few hours later. He was anointed by the Resident's chaplain and received the Precious Blood from the good Sisters. He was visited and blessed by his good friend, Father Charles Repole, O.F.M.Cap., who is also a resident at the same nursing home, 3 minutes before the Monsignor died. It is interesting to note that when Msgr. Horgan-Kung's good friend, Cardinal Kung, died, the cardinal was the oldest cardinal in the College of Cardinals. When Msgr. Horgan-Kung died, he was the oldest priest in his Diocese of Bridgeport.

The body of the Monsignor was received at the Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist in Stamford, CT on Wednesday, October 21. A wake was held at The Basilica on the same day. A Mass of Christian Burial in Extraordinary Form was celebrated at noon Thursday October 22 at the same Basilica with Very Rev. John Bevins, pastor of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, CT, as the principal celebrant. Bishop William Lori, the Bishop of Bridgeport, presided and preached. Monsignor Bevins, a long time friend of Monsignor Horgan-Kung, also officiated the interment at the Calvary Cemetery, Waterbury, CT. I was privileged and thankful for having accompanied the Monsignor on his last journey on earth. God love you, Monsignor. Rest in peace. 

Next year, March 12, 2010, is the tenth anniversary of Cardinal Kung going home to the Lord. We will have a Thanksgiving Mass for the life and ministry of the late Cardinal at 12 o'clock noon on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford, Connecticut. Bishop William Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport, has kindly offered to be the main celebrant. We hope that you will join us at this Mass. More details will be forthcoming on our website and in our newsletter.

As supporting the formation of the religious and clerical personnel is one of our principle missions, we have a project to support a Novice Nun’s living expenses in China while she is under formation.  For $100 6 months or $200 a year, you can adopt a novice nun to pray for you everyday for your intentions.  We will send your name and your intentions to the novice superior and will also send the novice name to you. We started this program in July 2005, and have approximately 180 novice nuns registered.  At present, we have 30 novices anxiously waiting for sponsors.  Would you be able to do so?

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Joseph Kung
President