Brother Alain grew up where cathedrals are the only mountains and black bell towers of the cocagne masts. After studying art history at the University of Ghent, he went to England to write a doctorate on medieval manuscripts and taught at the University of London. It was during his stay in England that he met the Order of Preachers. After having participated in the mixed community of students and Dominican friars in Cambridge, he decided to enter the Order of Preachers in Belgium in 1993. His theological training took him to Strasbourg, Lille, Louvain-la-Neuve and London. Shortly after his ordination to the priesthood in 1999, Cardinal Danneels appointed him chaplain of the artists at Brussels Cathedral, a position he held until 2017. At the same time, he took part in the project of the International Community of Brussels, where he was prior from 2004 to 2010.
In May 2017, the Master of the Order appointed him socius for the provinces of Northwestern Europe and Canada. He was also in charge of following the preparations for the General Chapter of Bien Hòa. He is currently a member of the commission preparing the jubilee of the 8th centenary of the death of Saint Dominic. Since March 2019, he is also the vicar of the Master of the Order for the community of Santa Sabina.
Provinces accompanied by the socius for northwestern Europe and Canada :
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Province de Toulouse (France méridionale, Île de Le Réunion, Madagascar et Haïti) : www.dominicains.com.
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Province de France (France septentrionale, Vicariat provincial d’Afrique Equatoriale, Vicariat de Dacie-Scandinavie, Pays Baltes, Monde Arabe) : www.dominicains.fr.
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Province of Ireland (Irlande et Grenade et Tobago) : www.dominicans.ie.
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Province of England (Grande-Bretagne et Jamaïque) : www.english.op.org.
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Province du Canada (Canada, Japon, Rwanda et Burundi) : www.dominicains.ca.
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Province de Belgique (Belgique) : www.dominicains.be.
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Province de Suisse (Belgique) : www.dominicains.ch.
(november 2019)