A French priest has been forced to defend his church's charitable endeavours after local businesses accused him of stealing their customers.
The Saint-Pierre d'Arene church in Nice, southern France, opened a 'community restaurant' in December last year, where they offer a set menu for €11. A portion of this (€2) goes towards a meal for a homeless person, but local restaurants are now complaining that they are being driven out of business by the competition.
"They are killing us slowly," Joseph, the owner of one local eatery, told the Nice-Matin newspaper. "The priest offers a full menu at 11 euros. We cannot match these prices. They have volunteers, [and] do not pay rent...I pay 2,000 euros a month for my business."
He said the church presents unfair competition because "they welcome everyone, not just the poor".
Another restaurant owner named Patricia said she was forced to close after losing most of her customers. "I went from twenty to four meals a day, since the restaurant opened in the church," she said.
Some local businesses have now begun a petition, urging the church to only serve poor people who have been referred by the welfare centre. However, Father Gil Florini who set up the initiative, has so far refused to back down. He says it is the church's duty to support all those who are in need, and not to align with those who are only looking out for themselves. "I feed who I want," he told Nice-Matin.
He said he was saddened to hear that people are upset, but "it doesn't not stop me from sleeping".
"What do they want?" he asked. "That the church is content with only saying Mass?"
During his homily on 12 April, Father Florini apparently said it was the mission of Christians to provide bread for those who need it, not just a listening ear. "Nobody will make us change our minds!" he declared.
The priest will no doubt be seen by Catholics as following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who has made caring for the poor a hallmark of his papacy. Father Florini has previously made the news for blessing animals, motorcycles and even smartphones.
According to French news sites, he held a service in 2013 in which electronic gadgets were put under the protection of Archangel Gabriel, who was named the patron saint of transmissions by Pope Pius XII in 1951.
