(LifeSiteNews) — As Chinese authorities continue to persecute Underground Catholics, the regime has now turned against a priest in the state-sponsored church who has reportedly failed in his required loyalty.

Underground Catholics in the Diocese of Wenzhou have once again faced renewed persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in recent weeks, as the regime has continued its push to enact control over the Church in the region.

For the CCP it seems that the steadfast position of Bishop Shao Zhumin, and his loyalty to Rome rather than submitting to the Beijing church, has been a problem they are unable to handle for many years.

As the underground bishop of Wenzhou, Shao is not recognized by Beijing, and local authorities have thus appointed Father Ma Xianshi of the state-approved church to be in charge of the Wenzhou diocese. Shao and his flock remain faithful to Rome and the Holy See rather than professing fidelity to the Communist Party ideals which are pushed through the state-approved church in China.

China has long practiced a process of “Sinicization” with regard to religions present in the nation, and China experts warn that Sinicization involves having “all religious communities be led by the [Communist] Party, controlled by the Party, and support the Party.”

Time and again, Shao has been arrested by the authorities for his loyalty to Rome. These arrests have been described by AsiaNews as “almost scientific,” as they “always occur on the eve of important periods in the life of the Catholic communities: Christmas, Easter, the Assumption, and now November, the month of prayer for the dead (in Chinese tradition, Qingming, the remembrance of the ancestors, is instead celebrated in spring).”

Often he is taken away without his associates knowing where he is, and for unspecified lengths of time. The most recent such occasion was in April.

Yet still he remains undaunted, loyal to the Catholic Church rather than conforming to the Communist ideologues enforced by Beijing.

Now it seems that not even those individuals in the state church are free from persecution.

Father Ma Xianshi – the CCP’s own representative in the diocese – was arrested last November and is still awaiting trial. The official reason: selling a hymn book in a different diocese. The hymn book in question is approved by the state church and is used in a variety of dioceses.

But this is obviously a trumped-up charge, as it seems that Ma has really been targeted for not adhering closely enough to the CCP’s ideals. AsiaNews reports that the priest was not supportive of the CCP placing a state church opponent to Bishop Shao in Wenzhou, and also that he apparently met with Vatican officials without Beijing’s approval. He now faces several years behind bars if found guilty.

Shao’s resilience in Wenzhou has prompted the CCP to try new tactics. AsiaNews reports that numerous clergy and laity have been arrested in recent weeks, in order to exert pressure on Shao to join the state church.

Arresting a priest, two nuns and two lay Catholics the CCP authorities charged them with “illegal migration” for having gone on an overseas pilgrimage last year – even though they have long since returned to their homes in China.

The priest and religious were reportedly told that “uf your Bishop Shao converts, they will all be released.”

This is only one example of what religious liberty magazine Bitter Winter described as a renewed crackdown which “has reached alarming proportions.”

A series of police raids on Underground Church places of worship has led to nearly all of them being closed this spring – an estimated 90 percent have been closed, as police have raided and arrested worshippers that they find.

Beijing’s persecution against Shao is indeed particularly intense this year as they look to leverage him into jointing the state church. A number of outlets report this has been notably increased following the death of Pope Francis, with the Chinese already documented as appearing to take swift advantage of the interregnum chaos to install two new bishops.

The faith of the Underground Church in the diocese of Wenzhou has increasingly become a thorn in the side of the CCP as the bishop has refused to cave, and now it seems that persecution has been raised to new levels. AsiaNews documents that the Underground Church is by no means an insignificant operation: there are around 180,000-200,000 Catholics in the diocese with 46 priests of the state church and more than 20 of the Underground Church. Additionally over 60 nuns belong to the Underground Church.

Speaking to Bitter Winter an Underground priest attested to the loyalty of Catholics to Rome rather than to Communism: “We endure suffering due to our unwavering loyalty to Rome and the Church and our refusal to submit to bishops who prioritize allegiance to the CCP over fidelity to the Pope.”

One priest quoted by AsiaNews appealed to Pope Leo XIV not to be silent on the Sino-Vatican deal nor on the plight of Chinese Catholics:

The Vatican is silent, but promotes opportunists from the official Church, who gain visibility and recognition in both religious circles and political circles. The faithful see these ‘successes’ and ask us: Does it still make sense to resist? However, we want to follow our conscience. We hope that the new Pope Leo XIV will recognise the value of our fidelity.

The highly controversial and secretive Sino-Vatican deal apparently grants the Pope veto power, although in practice it is the CCP that has control. It also allegedly allows for the removal of legitimate bishops to be replaced by CCP-approved bishops.

First signed in 2018 to the dismay of numerous China experts and freedom activists, it was renewed last year for a four-year term.

Leo XIV has so far not expressed any clear opinions, though in a recent address he prayed for China’s Catholics to be in “communion with the universal Church” in direct contradiction to the “Sinicization” aims of Communist China. His stance regarding Beijing remains a highly anticipated subject.