Br. Alois: 'the Synod is not finished!'

Brother Alois is the Prior of the Ecumenical Community of Taizé. In line with the tradition of the monastic reality founded by Brother Roger, he continues to work for and to preach communion, reconciliation and solidarity between all people.

He was invited to join the Synod Fathers in the Vatican for the month of October to participate in the Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.

“One month with bishops from all over the world was a wonderful experience!” he says.

Brother Alois points out that the Church’s universality is an enormous richness that, at the same time, is not always easy “because we are talking about concrete subjects, concrete questions that are very different in the different countries – even within Africa there are so many different situations”.

He said Synod participants heard from bishops from the four corners of the world and stresses that the presence of the young people was a great help.

”The main question was how those with responsibility in the Church can be closer to the young people” he explains, adding that he feels “the strong will to do that now”.

So, Brother Alois, continues, the Synod is not finished: it will continue with meetings in different countries, in the different bishops’ conferences, also with young people, taking the Final Document and working together to make sure the Church has the means and the tools to accompany young people more closely.

“We pray the Holy Spirit for that” he concludes.