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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 28, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

Republican members of Congress have introduced a bill to protect parental rights "to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children." 

Introduced by U.S. Sens. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina; James Lankford, R-Oklahoma; and Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, the Families' Rights and Responsibilities Act seeks to prevent government intervention in parental decisions.

"Parents have a fundamental right to control the upbringing of their child, whether it's in the classroom or at home," Scott stated in a press release after the bill was introduced last Thursday. 

"Yet, far too often," he continued, "parents are being pushed out of their child's lives, and kids are paying the price. I will always fight to put parents back in the driver's seat and ensure they remain the lead decision-maker in their child's life."

If enacted, the bill would "affirm that parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children," block the federal government from interfering substantially with this "right," and allow parents to seek legal action for violations of the bill in legal or administrative proceedings at both state and federal levels. 

The bill makes an exception for instances where a parental action or decision "would result in physical injury to the child or that would end life."

"Parents deserve to raise their children without the looming threat of government infringement," Foxx said in the release. "The Families Rights and Responsibilities Act will shield parental rights while instituting a necessary, fundamental check against the government whenever it decides to enforce policies that fail to extend due deference to parental decision-making."

The release also notes that the bill would allow parents to seek legal recourse if schools fail to inform them of their child's "social transition" to another gender, as the Biden administration's proposed Title IX regulations would have allowed.

Biden's Title IX reinterpretation was blocked by a federal court in Kentucky earlier this month.

Had the rule been upheld, it would have expanded Title IX "sex" discrimination protections to include a ban on "gender identity" discrimination, even though the phrase "gender identity" does not appear anywhere in the 1972 law.

The bill is co-sponsored by Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyoming; Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota; as well as Reps. Randy Weber, R-Texas; John Rose, R-Tennessee; Mary Miller, R-Illinois; Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida; Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana; Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky; Brad Finstad, R-Minnesota; Barry Loudermilk, R-Georgia; Rich McCormick, R-Georgia; and Mike Haridopolos, R-Florida.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 28, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

The chairman of the bishops' pro-life committee commended President Donald Trump for his executive order to end Biden administration policies that used taxpayer dollars to fund abortions worldwide.

Bishop Daniel Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, also applauded a memorandum issued by the White House on Friday to reinstate the Mexico City policy to prevent the U.S. from funding foreign organizations that support or perform abortions.

"I am grateful for the strengthening of policies that protect us from being compelled to participate in a culture of death and that help us to restore a culture of life at home and abroad," Thomas said in a press release issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Sunday. 

Trump signed an executive order rescinding two of former president Biden's executive orders that, the White House said, violated the Hyde Amendment's ban on the use of taxpayer funds for abortion.

The new order limits the enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. On Thursday, Trump issued pardons for 23 pro-life activists imprisoned under the FACE Act, including several elderly people and a young mother.

"Pro-life Americans have a right to pray in public, to counsel women who are considering abortion, and to peacefully protest. We welcome support for men and women who are exercising these rights to witness to a culture of life and, at the same time, we absolutely reject resorting to force or?violence," Thomas said.

The executive order also cancels a Biden order that "recategorized abortion as 'health care' in order to provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions," the White House said.

Thomas reflected on the new orders and the United States' announcement that it will join the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a document focused on promoting women's health, protecting life, and strengthening the family.

"It is important and encouraging to see the United States again taking the leadership in affirming the right to life and fundamental place of the family on the global stage where many pressures can be arrayed against these values," Thomas said.

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Krakow, Poland, Jan 27, 2025 / 12:15 pm (CNA).

Jan. 27 marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Each year, the camp survivors are fewer in number, and as their testimony and witness remain, the importance of Auschwitz endures. In 2024, more than 1.8 million visitors passed through its gates.

What is it that brings people here? An obscene charnel of mass murder with all its evil, its inhumanity, its brutality: On the surface, it is a site devoid of hope. But among the ruins and the selection lines, beneath the Arbeit Macht Frei sign, in the preserved block houses, and amid the devastating exhibits of personal belongings lie pockets of resilience, humanity, and decency.

The testimonies of survivors and the accounts of the bravery of individuals bring a vestige of hope and lessons to inform generations to come. 

One such account among many is a supreme example of self-sacrifice. A prisoner was missing, and SS Officer Karl Fritsch had decided that 10 men were to be placed in a punishment cell to starve to death. One of the men selected, Franciszek Gajowniczek, a family man, pleaded for mercy in desperation.

Another prisoner stepped out of line, offering to take his place. He was a priest, he said; he had no family. Unexpectedly, this insubordinate intervention by inmate 16670 drew unexpected respect from Fritsch, the officer in charge. His response was not a blow to the head or a drawn pistol but, according to accounts, a change in tone of voice and manner. He agreed to prisoner 16670's illogical proposal. Yes, the priest would face starvation. His name was Father Maximilian Kolbe.

The consequences of Kolbe's actions are barely chronicled, the identity of his nine comrades is unknown, and eyewitness accounts are sparse. Reflecting on their slow physical deterioration raises the question of their experiences during those harrowing days of starvation. What thoughts filled their minds as they faced the grim reality of their fate? Most fascinating may be the consideration of the calm and consolation St. Maximilian Kolbe brought to the cell.

For visitors, the experience of descending into Block 11, the punishment block, can be overwhelming. The chilling reality of Cell 22, where prisoners stood in solitary confinement, evokes a visceral response. The scratched crosses on the wall, presumed to be the marks of fellow inmates, serve as haunting reminders of the lives lost and the suffering endured.

One survivor, block janitor Bruno Borgowiec, recounts how the prayers and hymns from within Kolbe's cell resonated through the confines of the camp, providing solace to fellow prisoners in adjoining cells. Their voices would also have been heard by victims in the execution yard above. In those moments, Kolbe's words and deeds were a testament to the power of community, even in the face of despair.

Father Piotr Wisniowski, EWTN Poland chaplain, told CNA that his grandfather Sebastian was one of the prisoners of the Auschwitz and Neuengamme concentration camps and perished under bombs dropped by RAF planes on May 3, 1945. His grandfather's testimony, Wisniowski said, offers a "ray of light."

"Sebastian Wisniowski, with camp No. 10823, whose greatest guilt was love for his Polish homeland and defending the values in which he raised his three children, sent his last letter nine months before his tragic death on Aug. 20, 1944, from Neuengamme concentration camp. Apart from a few sentences of greetings and assurances that he was healthy and feeling well (which was in accordance with the camp's strict Nazi censorship) he wrote one sentence that escaped the attention of the censors and can become a motto for all of us living after those tragic times: "I ASK YOU ONLY TO REMEMBER."

"Remembrance," Wisniowski said, is a task that we, as generations without the trauma of the Nazi death camps, must fulfill so that no one has to suffer all those inhuman horrors anymore.

"'I ask you only to remember' is a cry from the deep darkness of the cruel World War II, so that we do not forget what can happen when humanity and respect for the values that constitute it are missing."

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Vatican City, Jan 27, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed on Sunday the disciplinary measures that were taken in 2019 against Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, archbishop emeritus of Lima, Peru, as a result of "the accusations [of sexual abuse] formulated against him."

"I can confirm to you that as a result of the accusations made against him, and following the acceptance of his resignation as archbishop of Lima, a penal precept was imposed on the cardinal with certain disciplinary measures relating to his public activity, place of residence, and use of insignia, signed and accepted by His Eminence," Bruni confirmed on Jan. 26 to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

Bruni also said that "on specific occasions" he was granted "certain permissions to attend to requests due to the age and family situation of the cardinal." In any case, the Holy See Press Office director made it clear that "this precept is still in force today."

However, Cipriani stated that after an audience with Pope Francis in February 2020, he was allowed to resume his pastoral activities.

"This is demonstrated by my extensive pastoral activity carried out during these years, preaching spiritual retreats, administering sacraments, etc.," the prelate explained on Saturday, Jan. 25, in a letter published on the Medium platform.

However, the Holy See Press Office did not confirm that he had this permission regarding pastoral activities but limited it to exceptions having to do with "the age and family situation of the cardinal."

Cipriani broke his silence on Friday, Jan. 24, denying the accusations of sexual abuse against him published by the Spanish newspaper El País and revealing that the Vatican imposed sanctions on him in 2019, the same ones that the Vatican confirmed to ACI Prensa.

The accusations published by El País are based on the testimony of a 58-year-old man who said that Cipriani — who was an Opus Dei priest from 1977 to 1988, when he was named bishop by Pope John Paul II — abused him in 1983 when he was between 16 and 17 years old at an Opus Dei center.

Accusations denied

"In light of the accusations that the newspaper El País published today, Jan. 25, 2025, about me, I would like to clarify that the incidents they describe are completely false. I have not committed any crime nor have I sexually abused anyone, not in 1983, nor before or after," Cipriani stated in his letter.

The Peruvian cardinal revealed that in August 2018, the Holy See informally informed him of the existence of a complaint against him, without providing details.

Later, in December 2019, he was verbally informed of a series of sanctions, including the limitation of his priestly ministry, the requirement of stable residence outside of Peru, and a request to remain silent on the matter.

"Then, without having been heard, without having known more and without a [canonical] process being opened, on Dec. 18, 2019, the apostolic nuncio verbally informed me that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had imposed a series of penalties on me limiting my priestly ministry and asking me to have a stable residence outside Peru," Cipriani further explained.

Audience with Pope Francis and resumption of pastoral activity 

"On Feb. 4, 2020, I had an audience with Pope Francis," the cardinal continued, "and the Holy Father allowed me to continue my pastoral work."

"During these years outside Lima, I lived in Rome dedicated to my work as a cardinal member of the Dicastery for the Cause of Saints until I turned 80 and retired from all work in the Roman Curia and moved to Madrid," he said.

In the letter, Cipriani reiterated his "total rejection and repudiation of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable people" and his commitment "to the Church's struggle to eradicate this scourge, following the guidelines set by John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and the special leadership of Pope Francis, putting the victims at the center."

The reaction of Opus Dei in Peru

In response to the situation, the vicar of Opus Dei in Peru, Ángel Gómez-Hortigüela, issued a statement asking for forgiveness for not having adequately attended to a person in 2018 who accused Cipriani of sexual abuse. In any case, he did not clarify whether this was the same individual referred to by El País.

"I ask for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart for not having had the sense to warmly receive and attend to a person who wanted to be heard," Gómez-Hortigüela said. 

The vicar explained that in 2018 he could not interfere in a formal accusation already initiated with the Holy See against a cardinal but acknowledged that he could "have offered [the alleged victim] a personal, human, and spiritual welcome."

He also clarified that there is no record of any formal proceedings against Cipriani during his years as an Opus Dei priest, although he admitted that the protocols on abuse were updated in 2020.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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CNA Staff, Jan 27, 2025 / 10:35 am (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Sunday argued that its long-standing refugee program is a "work of mercy" after Vice President JD Vance criticized the bishops' positions on immigration issues.

Vance had made the remarks during an interview on Sunday with Margaret Brennan on CBS News' "Face the Nation."

Brennan had asked Vance, who is Catholic, about the USCCB's criticism last week of the Trump administration's various directives on immigration, specifically the government's rescinding of the policy that restricted immigration arrests at "sensitive locations" such as churches.

Vance responded that "as a practicing Catholic" he was "heartbroken" by the bishops' criticisms.

"And I think that the [USCCB] needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns?" Vance continued. "Or are they actually worried about their bottom line? We're going to enforce immigration law. We're going to protect the American people."

Asked if he believed the U.S. bishops are "actively hiding criminals from law enforcement," Vance argued that the USCCB has "not been a good partner in commonsense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, again, as a devout Catholic, that they'll do better."

Brennan also asked Vance about the Trump administration's rollback of U.S. refugee admissions. Vance told Brennan that not all the refugees have been "properly vetted."

"In fact, we know that there are cases of people who allegedly were properly vetted and then were literally planning terrorist attacks in our country," Vance argued. "So clearly, not all of these foreign nationals have been properly vetted."

Bishops: Refugee program is 'ministry of the Church'

The USCCB on Sunday argued that its own work with refugees is part of a "long history" of Catholic advocacy for vulnerable migrants.

"In 1980, the bishops of the United States began partnering with the federal government to carry out this service when Congress created the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)," the bishops said in the statement, which did not mention Vance.

"Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States," they said.

"In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs."

"Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church," the bishops said.

Though the U.S. bishops last week praised some of Trump's directives such as his order asserting the "biological reality of sex," USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio said in a statement last week that he took issue with other orders from the White House, such as the immigration directives and the White House's withdrawing from the Paris Agreement climate accord.

Those orders "are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us," Broglio argued.

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CNA Staff, Jan 27, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A group of Catholic scientists is hosting an event for Catholic high schoolers, parents, and teachers to showcase "the harmony between the Catholic faith and science."

The fourth annual St. Albert Initiative (SAI) will bring together 200-250 attendees as well as 13 scientists and three theologians to present talks at Bellarmine University on March 6 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Stephen Barr, president of the Society of Catholic Scientists and emeritus professor of physics at the University of Delaware, said the event is designed to show young adults the connection between faith and science.

"The St. Albert Initiatives were inspired by the belief that it is important to teach young Catholics that science and the Catholic faith are in harmony with each other and to give them an opportunity to meet, talk to, and hear talks by actual scientists who are believing Catholics," Barr told CNA. "Additionally, we hope to inspire young Catholics who might be interested in careers in science and answer their questions."

The St. Albert Initiatives began in 2021 as a joint project between the Society of Catholic Scientists (SCS) and the Science and Religion Initiative (SRI) at the University of Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life. The first initiative was held at CUA in 2021 and since then has been held throughout the United States.

Co-hosted by the two groups, the initiative brings in many scientists who are members of SCS, while SRI is connected with high school programs on science and faith. The two work together to bring scientists and youth together.

A pastoral problem

"Young people have a lot of questions about science and faith and are exposed to a lot of claims that they are incompatible, which causes many to lose their faith," Barr explained. "This has become in recent years a huge pastoral problem, which the bishops in the U.S. have become very concerned about."

The initiative is designed to address the issue by educating young people and giving them a forum to ask scientists their questions.

"The first thing is that Catholics have no reason to be afraid or defensive about science," Barr noted. "The Catholic Church has a spectacular record of achievement in supporting and contributing to science. Many important scientists have been Catholic believers."

Barr noted that "whereas many fear that the discoveries of modern science undermine the reasons for believing in God, in many ways they have actually strengthened those reasons, as many scientists, philosophers, and theologians have pointed out," Barr said. "The good news is that we have very strong arguments on the side of belief."

Kate Bulinski, associate professor of geosciences in the Department of Environmental Studies at Bellarmine University, noted that "our wider culture has embraced the idea that there is inherent conflict between faith and science."

Bulinksi is set to give a talk on "The History of Life in Deep Time" at the event.

"With the rise of misinformation and the influence of decentralized social media, it is harder than ever to discern what is true," Bulinski reflected. "It is no wonder that Catholics, especially young Catholics, are confused about what to think about the relationship between faith and science."

"The St. Albert Initiative is an effective way to counteract that misinformation. It is a powerful experience to hear directly from Catholic scientists who can personally demonstrate that faith and science are, in fact, compatible within the Catholic Church."

Barr said surveys show that the conferences are effective. Attendees at the 2022 St. Albert Initiative gave a 94.7% score to the statement "This event helped me realize that faith and science are not in conflict," he noted.

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Washington D.C., Jan 25, 2025 / 17:12 pm (CNA).

On Friday, Jan. 24, the 52nd annual March for Life took place in Washington D.C., with tens of thousands of pro-lifers gathering to march in defense of the unborn.

The theme of the pro-life movement's largest annual event was "Life: Why We March," which organizers said was meant to highlight the pro-life movement's core message to protect unborn children and support their mothers. 

Various speakers were featured at the March's rally stage, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune,, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former professional surfer Bethany Hamilton.

Here are some of the best photos from the march.

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CNA Newsroom, Jan 25, 2025 / 17:31 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis posed Jesus' profound question "Do you believe this?" to Christians worldwide during an ecumenical vespers service Saturday evening, as momentum builds for Catholics and Orthodox to consider celebrating Easter on the same date in this historic anniversary year.

Speaking at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls at the conclusion of the 58th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the pontiff reflected on Christ's encounter with Martha following the death of Lazarus, emphasizing that hope "rises from the ashes of death."

"This tender encounter between Jesus and Martha teaches us that even in times of deep desolation, we are not alone and we can continue to hope," the pope said during his homily, which centered on the week's theme "Do you believe this?" from John 11:26.

The celebration on Jan. 25 marked the solemn conclusion of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which the pope linked to the ongoing Jubilee Year.

"This message of hope is at the heart of the Jubilee we have begun," Francis said, citing the Apostle Paul's words to the Romans that "hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5).

Earlier on Saturday, the pope urged journalists at the Jubilee of the World of Communications to tell "stories of hope", echoing the strong appeal to hope in the papal message for the 59th World Day of Social Communications.

At the vesper service, the pope noted that this whole Jubilee Year's focus is on hope and "providentially" coincides with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

He emphasized that the council's profession of faith "transcends all the divisions that have riven the Body of Christ over the centuries."

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, addressed the Holy Father before the apostolic blessing. He recalled the pope's historic 2014 visit to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), where Francis had affirmed that "the Catholic Church does not intend to impose any requirements except the profession of common faith" for achieving full unity.

This hope for unity has gained momentum in recent months. Last November, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople confirmed ongoing conversations between Church representatives about establishing a common Easter date, potentially beginning in 2025.

"In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we can live the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea as a call to persevere on the path toward unity," the pope said on Saturday, renewing his appeal that Christians might take "a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter."

Highlighting the "providential" timing, Francis noted that Easter will fall on the same date in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars this year. "Let us rediscover the common roots of the faith," the pontiff urged. "Let us preserve unity!"

Representatives from various Christian Churches and ecclesial communities present in Rome participated in the evening celebration, including Metropolitan Polycarp representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Anglican Communion, who is concluding his service.

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Lima Newsroom, Jan 25, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

During this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a group of believers from different Christian denominations made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Akash Bashir, the young Pakistani Salesian who sacrificed his life in 2015 to prevent a terrorist attack at his church.

In Pakistan, a traditionally Islamic nation, everyone considers Servant of God Akash Bashir a martyr, according to the Vatican news agency Fides. His figure has become one "that unites Christians of all confessions." Muslims also venerate him.

"His sacrifice, giving his life to protect the innocent people praying in St. John Church in Lahore, transcends the boundaries of the Church and stands as a bridge for interreligious dialogue with the Muslim community," Fides noted.

As part of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity activities, an ecumenical prayer service took place at his burial place in which the participants "entrusted the lives of Christians in Pakistan to the intercession of this young man."

Among them were a Catholic priest, Father Lazar Aslam, and two Protestant pastors, I.B. Rocky and Samuel Ashan Khokhar. The latter recalled that fateful day of March 15, 2015, when Bashir saved many lives by bravely confronting a terrorist who intended to blow himself up inside the church.

"I was in charge of receiving the bodies, placing them in the morgue and making a list of those who had tragically lost their lives. I remember in particular writing the name of Akash Bashir on one of the body bags," Khokhar said.

"It was a moving moment when I saw the boy's face. Although lifeless, I was struck by his beauty, I was deeply touched by the smile and serenity that emanated from Akash's face. He radiated a luminous and sacred presence that recalled the first Christian martyrs," the pastor related.

Aslam highlighted the "powerful symbol of unity and interreligious communion" that the legacy of the young Pakistani represents. "His figure attracts people of different faiths and even non-Christians who come to visit and pray at his tomb," he said.

"It was a deeply spiritual experience, which created a deep sense of unity, recognizing each other as children of God and sharing humanity. With his sacrifice, Akash Bashir continues to inspire the Pakistani faithful to be in solidarity, to protect their faith, and to embody in daily life the values of love, peace, and dialogue with every person," the priest said.

Who was Akash Bashir?

Bashir was born in Pakistan on June 22, 1994, to a poor family. He studied at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Lahore, leading a simple family life and giving an important place to sports and prayer.

On March 15, 2015, the 20-year-old discovered that a person who wanted to enter the church was carrying explosives under his clothes. He tried to stop him from going inside but could not convince the terrorist to back off.

Bashir then locked his arms tightly around the terrorist and said: "I will die, but I will not let you enter the church." The attacker set off the explosives, killing himself, Bashir, and two others.  With his heroic act he prevented hundreds of people from perishing during the Mass.

Today, more than 800 Catholic baptisms are celebrated annually at St. John's Church in Lahore, and many young people have joined the active life of the parishes. Moreover, for religious minorities, Bashir is "a blessing."

In 2024, the diocesan phase of the cause for beatification and canonization of Bashir concluded, and he could become Pakistan's first martyr.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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London, England, Jan 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A leading Catholic religious order and charity is feeding hundreds of homeless people in London. The Companions of the Order of Malta open their Companions Café twice a week as they seek to put into practice their mission: "to practice our faith and to practice charity."

One of the ways they strive to do this is by working with the homeless and poor. The Companions Café is located in a prestigious part of central London at St. James' Catholic Church, Spanish Place.

The Order of Malta is an established lay religious order that has been operating in the Catholic Church since 1113, caring for people in need throughout the world. 

The café, which serves about 150 people a week, is currently more popular than ever, especially since the COVID lockdowns created an "epidemic of loneliness."

Kate MacKenzie, London coordinator for the Companions of the Order of Malta, told CNA: "Of course the food is important, but the Companions Café is about so much more — it is about sociability and people being together, especially after lockdown when they literally lost their voice from no social interaction."

MacKenzie explained that the philosophy of the café, which has opened twice a week at St. James' for the past decade, is a distinct one, based on the principles of Catholic social teaching: homeless people are treated as guests and, as important as the food is, free clothes, toiletries, and the companionship of others is of paramount importance. It is an opportunity to regain dignity, sit with friends, and listen to music while eating or read a book.

MacKenzie, a former nurse manager, gave the pre-service pep talk to over 30 volunteers who work throughout the evening — from kitchen staff to those on the door to volunteers who collect and stock donations of warm clothes. 

MacKenzie has known some of the guests for many years; others appeared after COVID and two years of isolation, during which she said some quite literally lost some of their ability to communicate. Others became newly homeless: a person may have been working in a pub and living in upstairs accommodation only to become homeless when the pub shut.

MacKenzie described the shelter's role as "providing dignity and companionship over dinner," adding: "The majority of people who come here are homeless; many are in difficult circumstances like small or cramped rooms with leaks and no cooking or washing facilities. We point people to other services."

During the evening, MacKenzie sat at a baby grand piano and played a selection of songs, such as Debussy, Abba, and the Sinatra anthem "My Way." All this took place as the grateful diners tucked into Polish potato and beef stew, with vegan sausage as a vegetarian option. Peaches and cream followed, along with refills of tea and coffee in the distinctive mugs branded with the Maltese cross.

The Companions Café is supported by the Catholic lord mayor of Westminster, Councillor Robert Rigby, who described the café as "an amazing project."

Rigby, who visited the cafe to help serve meals and talk to guests on Jan. 16, said through his press secretary: "There are amazing groups of volunteers helping our communities, and the Companions Café is a great example of that — giving dinner, dignity, and the chance to be treated as guests to a group of people who live in incredibly hard circumstances." 

Responding to Rigby's visit, the Companions said: "We were delighted to welcome the lord mayor of Westminster to visit and help at the Companions Café. The homeless guests were delighted to meet with him and spend time chatting about their worries and concerns."

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