Chinese authorities tighten clamp on Shanghai's state-sanctioned Catholic churches

In Shanghai, the Chinese Communist Party has broadened its persecution of Catholics to include churches that were formerly recognized by the state. New directives prohibit funeral homes from conducting Catholic ceremonies, and the religious store at St. Ignatius Cathedral has stopped offering Bibles and other devotional texts. These actions build on recent legislation that confines online prayer and preaching to specific venues.

The campaign reflects a growing intolerance for religious practices that fall outside the Party’s prescribed worship of Xi Jinping and Marxist doctrine. While the crackdown on underground believers has long been documented, this latest wave targets even compliant congregations. The Vatican’s response remains uncertain, raising concerns among Chinese Catholics about their future freedom of worship.