SVDP up and running in China

The Society of St Vincent de Paul has established 20 parish-based charity centres in China, but must operate under a different name to placate a government suspicious of the charity organisation’s ties to the Pope. The operations are the fruit of a year of planning before discussions with the Chinese government began three years ago, which Mr Thio said was receptive to the Society “so long as we followed the norms of the country – the (parish charities) must report to the parish community, which in turn reports to the local council”.