2026 Cardinal Bernardin Lecture: Matthew Lai

The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Religious Studies welcome the Cardinal Bernardin Visiting Assistant Professor, Dr. Matthew Tsz Him Lai, who will deliver the 2026 Cardinal Bernardin Lecture on February 3, 2026. His lecture titled "Holding the Light: Political Mourning as Moral Witness in Hong Kong," will examine how Hong Kong’s decades-long candlelight vigils for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre illustrate political mourning as a form of moral witness and a catalyst for social transformation, even amid increasing repression.

What is political mourning? How does it function as moral witness and aim for social transformation? Why did the people of Hong Kong mourn the victims for over thirty years? This lecture explores how Hong Kong Christians and citizens organized annual candlelight vigils for the victims of state violence in the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. In addition to analyzing the ritual elements of the candlelight vigil, this lecture offers a theo-ethical account of mourning and remembrance. As these vigils have been banned since 2020, this lecture also reflects on the enduring significance of such acts in times of political repression.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. The program will begin promptly at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is suggested.

About the Speaker
Matthew Tsz Him Lai is the Cardinal Bernardin Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of South Carolina. He holds a PhD in Religion and Society from Drew University Theological School, a Master of Theological Studies from Boston University, and a Master of Divinity from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has presented papers at the American Academy of Religion, the Society of Christian Ethics, and other conferences. His articles and book chapters have been published in English and translated into German and Japanese.

About the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Lecture in Moral, Ethical and Religious Studies

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, and a former student of the University, Cardinal Bernardin, a distinguished leader in the Roman Catholic Church, left a profound legacy of service, social concern, and education. In his work as a priest, archbishop of Chicago, author, and public servant, he addressed some of the most profound social and ethical issues of our times.

To honor his many contributions to the greater good, the Department of Religious Studies at USC biannually hosts the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Visiting Assistant Professor, who will deliver a public lecture in Ethical, Moral, and Religious Studies

All attendees must adhere to the Carolinian Creed and the Gamecocks Code of Conduct.