中共政權成立後，隨即展開對中國大陸天主教教會的改造與控制，割斷了中國大 陸天主教會與梵蒂岡羅馬教廷的政治、經濟關係，不受梵蒂岡的指揮。中共大量逮捕中國大 陸天主教的聖職人員，肅清羅馬教廷的勢力，並積極進行中國天主教友的「愛國運動」，強 制中國大陸天主教大步邁向自治、自傳、自養。一九五七年「中國天主教友愛國會」的成立 ，標誌著中共基本上完成對中國大陸天主教會的改造和控制，使中國大陸的天主教會脫離羅 馬教廷的掌控。「文革」結束後，為因應新的宗教統戰與教務的需要，於一九八○年成立「 中國天主教主教團」負責教務工作。中共通過中國天主教愛國會、中國天主教主教團來改造 和掌控中國大陸境內的天主教活動，自辦教會，自選自聖主教，發展出中國特色的天主教儀 式，斷然不容許梵蒂岡勢力重新介入；並經由中國天主教愛國會、中國天主教主教團定出相 當嚴格的教會管理體制，以避免中國大陸的天主教會出軌滑落為顛覆政府的基地；同時中共 又經由中國天主教愛國會、中國天主教主教團設置的神哲學院及修院，培養出一支熱愛祖國 、擁護共產黨領導與社會主義制度信念的神職人員，以鞏固並延續中國大陸天主教自辦教會 的命脈。中共還指示中國天主教愛國會、中國天主教主教團，在獨立自主的基礎上發展宗教 方面的對外友好關係，進行國際宗教統戰的工作。中共與梵蒂岡羅馬教廷已恢復對話，彼此 接觸，但中共堅持中國大陸天主教仍依獨立自主、自辦教會的方針發展教務，而羅馬教廷則 強調宗教信仰自由，想重回中國大陸，雙方無法突破僵局。

　　　　　After its establishment in 1949, the PRC government began to reform and control the Catholic Church in mainland China. It cut off the political and economic relations between mainland Chinese Catholics and the Vatican, not only arresting a large number of Catholic priests to clear away Papal influence, but also vigorously promoting among Chinese Catholics a "three-self patriotic movement" emphasizing self-government, self-propagation of religion, and self-support. The establishment of the China Patriotic Catholic Association in 1957 marked Beijing's basic success in accomplishing reform and control of the Catholic Church in mainland China, and in freeing it from the Pope's rule. A Chinese Catholic Bishops College was established in 1980 to meet the new needs of religious united front work and religious management. Since then, Beijing has controlled the activities of mainland Chinese Catholics through the China Patriotic Catholic Association and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College. To prevent the Vatican from spreading its influence into mainland China again, Beijing has these two organizations run Catholic activities, select and assign bishops, and develop Catholic rituals with Chinese characteristics. Through them, Beijing has established a rather vigorous system for the management of mainland Chinese Catholics to prevent them from engaging in subversive activities. Moreover, through establishing seminaries and monasteries, Beijing has raised a batch of patriotic priests and missionaries supporting the Chinese Communist Party's leadership and the socialist system so that the self-run Catholic Church in mainland China would be consolidated. Beijing has also instructed them to independently develop friendly relations, with the Vatican and perform international religious united front work. At present, "Beijing and the Vatican have already resumed dialogue and contacts. However, Beijing has stuck to the principle that the mainland Chinese Catholic church should be independent from the Vatican, while the Vatican continues to emphasize freedom of religious belief. It seems that the stalemate will not be brolen in the near future.