Brother Alois is currently in Rome. On Monday 16 March Pope Francis received him for a private audience. It’s the second such occasion during his pontificate. The pope was particularly attentive to the the ecumenical vocation of the community and to the welcome extended to young people in Taizé. He assured brother Alois that he will be praying in communion with all those gathered in Taizé later this year, when on 16 August we will celebrate together the centenary of Brother Roger’s birth and the tenth anniversary of his death.
Brother Alois thanked the pope for his announcement last week of a Year of Mercy. He also talked about how close the words the pope himself used to speak about love and forgiveness reminded him of those of Brother Roger. For the pope, mercy is the heart of the Gospel.
