A possible landmark deal that would see China and the Vatican come to an agreement on the appointment of bishops would be "betraying Jesus Christ", China's most senior Catholic cleric has said.
Pope Francis has concluded his Jubilee Year of Mercy with an extraordinary grant of permission to priests to continue absolving women who have had abortions.
Cardinal Raymond Burke has threatened to make a "formal act of correction" to Pope Francis' teaching in a highly controversial and unusual public spat.
Pope Francis is facing an unprecedented rebellion from conservative cardinals who are furious at his apparent attempts to relax the Catholic Church's ban on remarriage after divorce.