The future of Catholic Christianity in China has often aroused concern throughout the centuries. But today, as this book reveals, a situation of unprecedented gravity is threatening the very nature of the Church. The State structures responsible for "managing" the Catholic minority, along with four other oflicially recognized religions, have in fact gone so far as to impose by physical force the ordination of some bishops against a clear papal prohibition. While legitimate bishops were pressured to perform such ceremonies, the presence of excommunicated ones was also imposed, causing suflering and division in the Catholic communities. Moreover, since July 2012, the authorities have detained and stripped Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin, the new auxiliary bishop of Shanghai, of his episcopal ministry for having declared his decision to disassociate himself from the Patriotic Association. Pope Benedict already in 2007 had invited all Catholics to especially pray for the Church in China. This need, confirmed by Pope Francis, appears even more urgent today.