Two brothers from Taizé, and a consecrated laywoman who has lived for many years with the brothers of Taizé in Brazil, spent five weeks as a temporary community in Alta Gracia, in the province of Cordoba, Argentina. They were joined by three young volunteers, two of whom had previously served as volunteers in Taizé. Here is their account:

The fact that there were six of us, of different ages, genders, personalities, and church backgrounds, was a great source of richness. It provided a diversity of perspectives and varied viewpoints that broadened our understanding of our presence in Argentina. Five weeks are not enough to get to know everything, but they were enough to bring us closer to this particular church—a church that welcomed us with open doors and open hearts.

Welcomed by the local church

At first, we were a little worried about how the experience would go: six people living together in a place we didn’t know was a challenge. But the local church had prepared our arrival well. A group of people had gathered everything needed to set up a temporary community in two small apartments located in a small house adjacent to the parish house, in the center of town.

Alta Gracia, a modest-sized town situated about forty kilometers south of Cordoba, initially seemed to offer few opportunities for us to participate in activities. But as the days passed, we saw that many meaningful initiatives are taking place there.

The life of the small community

The joy of our small community was a precious gift. The warm welcome and respect for our differences fostered a sense of belonging in each of us, perceived by other people as a testimony.

At the end of each day, we gathered with the townspeople who wished to join us for prayer in the downtown parish church. Many people also participated in prayers held in other parishes in Alta Gracia, at the local shrine “La Gruta,” in Cordoba, and in other towns throughout the province.

We thought we were giving something, but in reality we were the ones receiving. On the way to church, a young man who was watching cars on the street greeted us with a hug and a smile, and sometimes a cup of mate…

Being with people and having the time to live alongside them helped us grow: our vulnerabilities converge and help us grow together. It is a gift, a welcome, a sharing, and a communion—a sign of God’s presence among us.

Hogar de Cristo : the church at the service of the most vulnerable

In Alta Gracia and Córdoba, we regularly visited the neighborhood centers that are part of the “Familia Grande – Hogar de Cristo” federation. Young people seeking to break free from drug addiction are welcomed there during the day. Two of us went there every morning to help out.

The young people who come there are often in very difficult situations, and the church’s involvement in this area is impressive: a church truly committed to the poor and those in need. The center´s motto—“live life as it comes”—aptly captures the spirit of these places.

"One ear turned towards the people and the other towards the Gospel"

(Bishop Enrique Angelelli of La Rioja)

This statement captures well the spirit we encountered in many places. A parish assembly we attended in Alta Gracia exemplified this same vitality: small discussion groups, conversations in the Spirit, and a sense of responsibility among the laity that was taken very seriously. It was beautiful and inspiring.

Trips to other provinces

In February, a brother visited Buenos Aires to lead prayer services with Taizé songs. One service took place in a Catholic parish and was organized by young people who had volunteered in Taizé in recent years. The next day, a service was held in a Protestant church in the city center, led by a group that regularly organizes Taizé-style prayer services there.

Later, a brother and a volunteer traveled to Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, and Salta. In each place, Taizé prayer services were led in packed churches. In Tucumán in particular, there is a strong presence of young people who have volunteered in Taizé—some as far back as the 1990s. Their warmth and willingness to help deeply moved us.

Towards the end of the experience, two other members of our community visited the province of Santa Fe. They were warmly welcomed at Rosario — in a working-class district — and at Venado Tuerto, where they also took part in a Taizé prayer.

Three examples of striking encounters

Among the most moving encounters were two women who, at the age of 18, were abducted, detained, and tortured for two years during the 1976 dictatorship. They are members of the Charles de Foucauld Lay Community and are fighting to preserve the memory of the 30,000 missing persons and to defend human rights.

We also met with a leader of the Comechingones indigenous people, who explained to us the difficult situation facing his people as well as the political process of erasing their culture and history.

A particularly memorable visit was to the diocesan seminary: these young men do not choose the seminary as a means of social advancement, but above all as a means of service.

The special quality of the archdiocese of Cordoba

The realization that it is possible to search together, in a synodal manner and by means of dialogue in the Spirit—during the parish assembly and the youth assembly—is something that particularly struck us. The fact that the archdiocese’s structure includes a vicariate for youth and another for the poor demonstrates a resolutely open pastoral approach.

What the Spirit inspired us to live

What the Spirit allowed us to experience was the presence of his caring love, which enabled us to become a temporary Taizé community of Taizé in Alta Gracia. From that silence and our shared prayer arose our focus on Christ, who unites us in him.

What we took away from this experience resonates with certain aspects of Brother Matthew’s 2026 Letter—“What are you seeking?”: the search for silence, joy, a world of justice and community. Together, the Taizé Community and the young people who took part in this experience had the joy of realizing that it was possible to put this vision into practice. 

In Argentina, and wherever the Taizé Community is present, prayer and silence lead us in the same direction: the search for life in a world of peace and meaning.