Pope Francis and President Xi Jinping came into their present roles within a day of each other in 2013 – Pope Francis was elected March 13 and Xi became president March 14. However, they have each followed a completely different path in governing immense and cumbersome entities – the People's Republic of China and the universal church.

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican expressed "grave concern" over the situation of a bishop in mainland China who has been in government custody for almost 10 months and moved repeatedly in an apparent attempt to prevent him from assuming leadership of his diocese.

SHANGQIU – Local authorities in China’s Henan province reportedly destroyed a Christian church building last month, beating parishioners who tried to stop the demolition and detaining 40, the group China Aid says.

HONG KONG – A Chinese bishop who avoided government intervention in the affairs of his diocese died without having his Vatican-appointed successor officially ordained, illustrating some of the complications of the situation of bishops in China.

HONG KONG – Every evening, no matter how busy or tired she may be, Yiu reads the Bible at home to her 7-year-old granddaughter. Sometimes, parishioners from Changzhi Diocese in north-central China's Shanxi province, come and join her, reports ucanews.com.

WARSAW, Poland – A Czech bishop has accused his government of prioritizing trade ties over human rights after it delayed granting asylum to dozens of Chinese Christians seeking protection in the country.

HONG KONG – Bishop Vincent Guo Xijin of Mindong in China's eastern Fujian province has not returned after being forced to pay a visit to the religious affairs bureau in Fuan April 7, local sources told ucanews.com.

WASHINGTON – The chairman of the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee and other prominent pro-life leaders cheered the U.S. State Department's April 3 announcement that it would no longer contribute to the U.N. Population Fund because of the agency's involvement in China's Population and Family Planning Law, long known as the "one-child policy."

OTTAWA – Canada and the Holy See should hold China’s “feet to the fire” on human rights and be cautious about engaging with the Chinese government, warned Canada’s former Ambassador of Religious Freedom.

PARIS – A French Catholic priest working with North Korean refugees in China said conditions have worsened for surviving Christians under the dictatorship of Kim Jong Un and urged the Chinese government to give shelter to fugitives from the communist-ruled country.

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis greeted and blessed a group of pilgrims from China who broke protocol and approached him during the Wednesday general audience.

WASHINGTON – After several rounds of dialogue, China and the Vatican have reportedly reached a "preliminary consensus" regarding the appointment of bishops, said Hong Kong Cardinal John Tong.

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has defended its decision to invite China to an organ trafficking summit after an outcry from medical experts and ethicists about the country’s record of using executed prisoners as organ donors.

VATICAN CITY – After the recent unauthorized ordination of bishops in China, which falls just ahead of a major meeting for Chinese Catholic representatives, the Vatican has issued a statement reaffirming their position on the matter.

WARSAW, Poland – Catholic experts warned that new rules on religion in China could severely hamper the church's work by curbing its foreign contacts and imposing heavy penalties for unauthorized activity.