Pope Benedict said yesterday China's appointment of two Catholic bishops without his blessing was a "grave violation of religious freedom" as a stand-off with Beijing over control of church posts escalated.
The bishops were consecrated this week despite Vatican opposition in what was seen as a major setback for relations between the Holy See and China, which had appeared to be improving in recent years.
"The Holy Father learned the news with deep displeasure," the Vatican said in an unusually strongly worded statement.
It said the Vatican had information from China that bishops and priests there had come under "strong pressure and threats" to take part "contrary to their conscience" in the ordinations, which it branded as "illegitimate".
"The Holy See reiterates the need to respect the freedom of the Church and the autonomy of its institutions from any external interference," it said, adding that "such unacceptable acts of violent and intolerable constraint" should stop.
The statement noted that Church law prescribes automatic excommunication for the bishop consecrating the new prelate and the priest who agrees to be made a bishop without Vatican approval, meaning all four men would be punished.
But when asked if they were now shut out of the Church, Navarro-Valls told Reuters: "That is something that we will think (about) afterwards, not at this moment. We still don't have all the information."
He did not elaborate, but in Catholic moral teaching, someone who does not freely choose a certain course of action might not be fully responsible for it.
The Vatican said the appointments did not help ties with China, which had thawed in recent years, raising expectations that diplomatic relations cut off in 1951 could be restored.
Navarro-Valls said, however, the Vatican would continue to seek dialogue with Beijing.
"This is another obstacle but our style is, nevertheless, to improve the dialogue," he said, speaking in English.
China's 10 million or so Catholics are divided between an "underground" church loyal to the Holy See and the state-approved church that respects the Pope as a spiritual figurehead but rejects effective papal control.
Ma Yingling was ordained bishop in China's southwest Yunnan province on Sunday. Two days later Liu Xinhong was also elevated in the eastern province of Anhui.
China defended the appointments by its state-run Catholic Church, saying they strictly followed democratic processes and fully respected the wishes of a majority of worshippers.
"So the Vatican's condemnation makes no sense," China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday.
"We hold a sincere attitude towards improving Sino-Vatican relations and have made active efforts. We hope the Vatican side can support a good environment for improvement of the relationship," it said.
China and the Vatican severed ties after the 1949 Communist takeover and subsequent crackdown on religion.
The Vatican switched official recognition to Taiwan, the self-ruled island China says is a breakaway province.
Beijing has traditionally refused to allow the Vatican to appoint bishops or let Catholics recognise the authority of the Pope, saying this would be interference in its internal affairs.