Kweiteh [Shangqiu], Diocese of

KWEITEH [SHANGQIU], Diocese of. - In the eastern extremity of the civil province of Honan, in central China. Erected as an apostolic prefecture on 19 June 1928, by division of the apostolic vicariate of Kaifeng, it was entrusted to the Recollects of St. Augustine of the regular province of St. Nicholas of Tolentino (Navarre, Spain), who had been working there since 1924; on 18 May 1937 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate and then to a diocese, suffragan of Kaifeng, on 11 April 1946 with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China.

It has an area of 8,000 sq km. As of 30 June 1947, out of a total population of about 2,000,000 inhabitants, Catholics numbered 11,245 and catechumens 830. Besides the bishop, there were 14 Recollect priests, of whom 3 were Chinese; 12 scholastics and 2 novices of the same Order; 6 minor seminarians; 19 sisters, of whom only 1 was foreign. There were 3 churches, 8 oratories, 125 chapels, 11 primary stations. Among the works were an orphanage with 17 children and a medical clinic. The 4 elementary schools had a total of 194 pupils, the 8 schools of first elements and of prayer had 353 listeners. The mission has shown a decline since 1937, because of the hostilities between Japan and China.

The vicissitudes of Christianity in this territory are the same as those of Kaifeng (v.). Evangelical preaching, although attempted several times, left no lasting traces: today's Christians date back to the beginnings of this century.