Fr. John (Yongli) Chen completed his studies and defended his thesis this past spring. Dr. L. Gregory Bloomquist, his thesis mentor, not only praised his work but expressed “great joy because of what God has done in Christ to fully conform His child Yongli Chen into Father John.”

Dear Barnabas Almsgiving Fund and donors,

It is a grace-filled time for me to thank all of you, with the joy of Christ’s resurrection, at the completion of my doctoral studies at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. Your generosity and unwavering support and prayers have carried me through these years of study since 2016, and for this I always will be grateful. More importantly, your graciousness has helped me fully participate in God’s grace in the person of Christ, especially his suffering, death, and resurrection. Specifically, my study on the divine grace in Christ reflects how my faith has matured in that grace.

By your generous giving, you have lifted up a Catholic priest from the Christian families in China, who are currently suffering for Christ’s name. You have witnessed to Christ’s gracious giving of himself by supporting Christian brothers and sisters around the world in their times of need. You have spoken through your joyful faith, your loving care, and your generosity in the spirit of St. Barnabas, a “son of encouragement.”

I give thanks to our gracious God the Father, in his divine gift of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and with his blessings from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

A Servant of the Word of God, Yongli Chen

April 22, 2023