By Olivia Enos, The Stream - The Chinese government’s grip on religious institutions means that, in order for the Catholic Church to appoint bishops there in the future, it must receive the Chinese Communist Party’s blessing... Toward that end, the Vatican is currently engaged in negotiations with the Chinese government to expand its influence over the Catholic Church there... In most other countries, the pope exercises sole authority to appoint bishops. Yet in China, bishops are appointed by the Communist Party.