In hell is in charge of the church of sun and tone it parish in the heart of madrid is one of the most unusual in spain get there in the organ numbered positively where his faith shine through whenever he can the 81 year old starts his day with a walk around the church and how are you father until they get on a flight and you do you have sandwiches in the over the lot and over. Every day volunteers provide breakfast and lunch for Homeless People for impoverished pensioners and for others who cant afford to feed themselves. At an early years when you. Get there and tonight Something Sweet i. E. Very hungry. Yes. Most churches in spain open their doors only for services son anton never closes. There are 2. Lets baby changing facilities and drinking water. But i still had to fight long and hard for his 24 hour church in 2015 the bishop gave him permission to revamp the inside of son and tone hard were replaced with comfortable chairs now anyone can rest prayed for sleep here. Many Homeless People are happy to accept what the church offers. Yet keep their noses dusty these are ribbons in the cologne you can write your name and the name of your beloved on them. And then tie the 2 names together here. So your love also remains firm. And father and he doesnt care if the lovers are 2 men or 2 women there is a large gay scene here in the district of madrid. For leadership. And our church is fibrous that youre think its more about life than death. And we became priests to bless people not to curse them and get on the what if i meet a priest who refuses to bless 2 people of the same sex who are in love because the kitty i would tell him to go to the bishop and resign or the orcas are because that same person would be prepared to bless metals cars or even buildings as well in the day when theres a heap. In san antonio or the church of the poor as its called in madrid you can charge your cell phone theres also free y. 5 for people who cant afford an internet connection. To the chapel houses a telephone helpline this is another of the many social Services Provided by father and chose n. G. O. S in sahara still a pos or messengers of peace with the help of an army of volunteers. And really good morning how are you more place of peace. Talking to somebody ranged he just keeps saying i love you i love you boy and horses thats always nice is a bit. Of animal that was 80 volunteers working here in shifts from monday to friday from 9 am to 7 pm to engine alone we received 1105 calls 350 all these calls here are just from june but i must say i want us around the neighborhood. I. For subway stations down the line from sun and tone close to madrids main sites and shopping district is the robin hood restaurant. Its father and his latest project to restore dignity to the homeless and those in need. The idea is not to steal from the rich to feed the poor instead it gives those better off a chance to share their wealth the paying guests enable the restaurant to serve up the same fine food for free to people without money. The tables are laid with polish cutlery table cloths and napkins. Most people here dont want to be filmed theyre too ashamed of being recognized. I. The dishes prepared in this kitchen for the needy are far from the simple filling food youd see in the capital soup kitchens. There are now 2 more robinhood restaurants in the city the concept is proving successful paying customers like to dine out here food tastes even better when youre not just satisfying your own needs i mean theres going to be that for semester and im sitting here we can see the people gathering at easter the minute just like us. Say yes that was me and those that somehow i feel connected to them as a result the im missing daughter missing that im only. A need i guess mike murphy to see more because if we were just talking about the idea of this restaurant this effects some of the Homeless People might be completely on their own without any families to help them with something or something families but theyre all in a difficult situation thats true. But thats moving. Forces fischers you know can you think. I mean has been coming to robin hood for 6 months now the needy often wait months to get a place. A michigan ornament. Mischas my financial situation is like this each month and i have 100. 00 maybe 130. 00 euros locked after paying for all of my regular alcoa more Political Movement to me thats not enough to cover food for a month thats impossible. You know what he is an issue and its not just food that i need but also money for clothes to go out for a drink now and then. I cant afford it from tesco skills and the winter is coming soon does he. Know all good idea i wouldnt come here to eat if i didnt need to. I would give my place to someone in greater need government to keep the ship. To spain has an Unemployment Rate of 15 percent thats more than twice as high as the e. U. Average. 27 percent of the countrys population is classified as poor the number of needy in madrid continues to rise the economic crisis hit many people including the middle class is often the effects were rampant and on expected. I mean used to work as a technician digitalisation put him out of a job 8 years ago on top of that came a divorce and high Child Support payments lost everything. Anyhow they couldnt leave this here share back there takes a lot. Of. Time he has 5 years to go before he can draw a pension the 60 year old earns a few year owes by delivering newspapers. I have 2 children and he was 26 and me it was 19. Years well know if i see them around once a month looking at ok i dont want them to know how things really are with me that i dont tell them because i dont want them to suffer to. Share the when we see each other we have a nice time we go for a drink you know what part of me from the other coast members of my family dont know either 50. 00 and. My brothers are older than raise. A they have enough to do coping with everyday life for. The altar area in san antonio is separated from the rest of the church with a curtain because people arent praying in the navy theyre having breakfast. But her and her set up his n. G. O. S messengers of peace back in 1962. Since then the organization has started many projects to help needy children people with disabilities refugees and the lonely. In spain father until has become famous politicians and clerics appreciate the priest who works on behalf of the poor worldwide. I mean would also like to help out in san antonio. That afternoon he was beginning a 2 day induction course to work as a volunteer he hopes these new tasks will give him more structure in his daily life. But there are also some Homeless People like sarah keogh who are critical of father and his charity work. You just got if you will just but im grateful to the volunteer staff who come here and give their time for free but im opposed to the way the father instrumental lies and the need for his media appearances that theyre vulnerable it just doesnt matter whether theyre Homeless People the elderly the sick or the young its obvious and abusive. He never travels alone there is always a camera there somewhere recording it all. His prestige isnt just there to respond to interview requests. They have an agenda. They go knocking at every door on his behalf and whenever they can doesnt that but i mean that if people think that i will get on here we have the former spanish president. There they wish and here the pope is that i served under. All the 6 john paul the 2nd the thought of john the 23rd benedict the 16th and the current pope francis who have already had the honor of meeting several times. You know the vatican is on the line because. Hes always ringing another. Anyone who reads father and carol can easily see he loves an audience everyone recognizes his face. Many people attend his masses but there are some Homeless People who claim that theres a Large Organization behind san antonio that collects a lot of money but offers the homeless relatively little help. Its unclear whether theres any substance to these allegations. One thing is clear father and help provides on the spot help in san antonio and if anyone is looking for a new apartment or a new job the priest has many contacts who can help. With. The n. D. O. Is among the fathers critics its in favor of a strict separation between church and state. Lyricism in spain doesnt have a long tradition. It only dates back to 1975 the end of the franco dictatorship under franco church and state were closely interlinked. The head of a roper later Antonio Gomez said this is still not a thing of the past. He vented his criticism of father and hill on a talk show. Says. I would like to say hello to everyone including father on the shining hero of Church Charity work a man above criticism. And yet welfare is a normal business motivated by normal profit interests it is the enemy of on a solidarity and it makes the needy even needy or. The rich bend down to the poor and offer them a few bread crumbs. What is the result. Thank you 1000000 the poor and perpetuate their situation. A pretty clear statement. He is right the state has to take on responsibility for the safety and the health of the citizens. But Church Welfare isnt a curse those of us who do charitable work arent the bad guys whats to be done at the state doesnt take action take a look at the soup kitchens we jump in when the state fails to act. And the spanish welfare state has little to offer the fallout from the eurozone debt crisis has led to many cutbacks gomezs demand is that the church should not be allowed to replace the state when it comes to helping the poor. Their organizations both religious and nonreligious that use poverty to justify their actions but they are in the market to make money from those. Things and you think instrumentalists poverty to make money. They are interested in profit and as such these organizations dont solve a single cause of poverty. On the contrary also because their existence helps justify the state sitting back so that it no longer has to take any political measures to battle poverty for real. I was going to. Put on a couple of. Father tell recognizes the states responsibility but he doesnt want to see people going hungry but how exactly is his charity work funded and how big are his church one n. G. O. S profits those questions go unanswered. The start of the 2 day induction course for volunteers jaime was part of the cohort. And what a good day to you so youre the new intake or whatever so hes. There when you want to work his ball in tears. I mean jaime as a volunteer. To be able to do 3 things in this course 1st you have to be able to love the person secondly to help or thirdly impose a happy time for people you know its very important do you want to do that to yes of course. There must know she sees the father in jail is aware of what some people say about his projects many are suspicious of his proximity to power the country has been plagued with corruption scandals. Its our duty as priests to stand by the poor not just the poor the lauriston the more boring you know money its our duty just as its our duty to obey god. That is one of the fundamental ideas of our church. Going as long back as peter. You know and thats what the current pope believes. When the faithful say that it rares change the world its true but you have to go further. The world changes because of the deeds of good heads of state politicians and aid and Development Workers whose prayers alone are not enough but they also dont hurt anyone like. Father until he is known for always maintaining a Good Relationship with the government of the day could it be that hes only so tolerant towards homosexuals because he wants to get on the good side of politicians who will pursue liberal policies in this respect for years. Christopher street day is just around the corner its a big event in the 2 acre district attended by people from all over spain. Visitors to san antonio are impressed by father and his open church. But its a last minute the priest withdrew permission for us to film the blessing of a gay couple Church Doctrine forbids such blessings. Perhaps father and hill was afraid of getting on the wrong side of the bishop. Homicide but ive got a famous for coming here but its not good lets draw the curtains one of you at the front of you at the side and you at the other side. Of. You to cause problems. That were closing the curtains now because of the football match and i think there are those who are a little Spains National team was playing that evening in the game was going to be screened in san antonio time in the other volunteers had a lot to do then you might feel you do you have any more chairs. Because these ones arent as heavy. Thank you come on we can carry to. Look at the check of the can keep you or shall i realized that i was going to find it difficult at 1st because it isnt easy. If i think there but with time i mean im really beginning to enjoy ask him to working with others saying that i can help him i feel useful again but im doing something to help people in need thats good for me having to learn to shift the mission if i think. As far as father and hill is concerned the poor in the homeless should not be stopped from participating in big social events that means soccer loving spanish people should be able to watch matches. The. Soft drinks and snacks were supplied to add to the enjoyment of the evening. I. Was. Right. Maria was also planning to attend the public screening of the match in san anton. Her teammate bear had persuaded her to go this womens football tournaments was taking place to Mark Christopher street day. The 2 women play in one of the drills best teams. There are lesbians and theyre good friends too despite their differences there is a devout Catholic Maria has left the church like so many other young spaniards for her being a lesbian lose out being a catholic. Her coming out has left deep rift in her family. Me about it asked. Her about my stepfather is very religious that he would never accept my like on women and then when i told my mother that i was lesbian she had a crisis in the bus and she kept my coming out a secret service that she didnt like you or husband muscle money she didnt know. I should break it to him many people suffer because of the church because its not a place for coming together a place to face it excludes people. Kind of along the lines of if you dont follow our rules but we dont want you in our club as it increases. The big emotional stability. Grew up saying the rosary when she was 12 she was sure she wanted to become a nun. Today at the age of 34. 00 shes an active member of spains Womens Movement which has been very vocal in the country for many months thousands of women have been taking to the streets almost every week to protest against sexism Domestic Violence and gender discrimination is it ok lets get in on. This i think the church plays a very Important Role in maintaining the status quo. Is a pretty big you know is it its always the men occupy positions of power in the church. And women are always in the 2nd row. Even the bible states that menstruation was a punishment because eve had persuaded adam to eat the forbidden fruit and paradise. In the bible everyones always massacring each other but whos the evil one its. Not irrational theyre going to my life saver i mean they are almost part of being a christian and of helping others in a like that. When youre lonely or feeling bad or if you have a Health Problem you can find support and really from the church. You can be free here but its liberating. I mean really really. After the tournaments 2 women wanted to combine a walk through to a car with a visit to the public screening in san anton. Both of them have heard a lot about father and hill and his church into a car but theyve never been to santa. Maria hasnt been inside a church for many years. The churchs double standards its failure to address abuse and corruption scandals led more than half of spains young people to turn their backs on the church. And that in a country that was one of the bastions of catholicism in europe. Are churches like san antonio the right way to regain significance. Certainly many people have come to the public screening of the spain match and it has brought the districts inhabitants together was. That i. Was. During the match emotions run high 7. I was. Quite devout catholic there has mixed feelings about opening the church for these kinds of activities i in them i guess and the fact that theyre eating and drinking in a church as if it were abolished or its disrespect. Exactly yes the church is a place full prep for contemplation and for nothing else. After the final whistle jaime and the other volunteers hurried to turn san antonio back into a church they only had a few minutes to do it the matchplay into extra time. Mass will have to start a bit later. Father and hell was as usual on his cell phone until the very last minute. Jaime was accepted into the circle of volunteers now he too was wearing the yellow vest and with a certain amount of pride the last few weeks in the parish had visibly done him good his summer mood had lifted. But father in hell has not brought jaime closer to god the same goes for most of the other Homeless People here. Their experiences in san antonio dont have much effect on. Their faith or lack of it. But i mean i. Think it would feel that i dont feel closer to the church because of my volunteer work i believe in god just as i have always believed in him. But i am nevertheless incredibly grateful that people like father on trial exist for as long as there are no other people doing the social work. And i wish him all the best for his work. With. d the christopher street Day Festivities were in full swing now to waco was celebrating tolerance and diversity. What kind of impression had father unfair as open church made on bear and maria. So much else was i want to go to church and help that my faith is about helping your neighbor regardless of Sexual Orientation you know they dont get to say oh well you know i cant quite follow you. Why where is 40. Going to focus it because you can be a good person wit