Among the serried ranks of black cassocks with flashes of purple and scarlet at the Synod on the Family, there was one man in casual trousers and a jumper. He was Br Herve Janson, a Little Brother of Jesus, the French order founded by Charles de Foucauld. As such, Br Herve was the only non-priest with the right to vote. At last Saturday’s Vatican press conference, Thomas Reese SJ, a columnist at National Catholic Reporter, pointed out that theologically the only difference between the Little Brother and the women Religious superiors at the synod was the fact that he was male. “This proves that the difference is not between clergy and lay but men and women,” he went on. Br Herve said he had asked himself the same question, felt uncomfortable about having a vote and had e