Taizé Community

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"Taizé" redirects here. For other uses, see Taizé (disambiguation).
Prayer in the Church of Reconciliation at Taizé.

The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of a little over 100 brothers who come from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. Over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early Years

The Taizé Community was founded by Roger Louis Schütz-Marsauche (later known simply as Frère Roger or Brother Roger), born on May 12, 1915 in the village of Provence, Switzerland, the son of Amélie Marsauche and Charles Schütz, a Swiss Reformed pastor. Brother Roger recalled that when he was twelve he saw his father go into a Roman Catholic church to pray. About a year later, when Roger needed to leave home to attend secondary school, his parents sent him to lodge in the home of a poor Catholic widow, who had several children. Although lodging with another Protestant family was possible, his father thought the extra money would help the Catholic family more, despite the fact that this family came from a different ecclesial tradition. Roger remained there until he began his university studies. In 1936, after a bout with education in literary studies, Roger entered his first year of theological education in Lausanne.

In the summer of 1940, after four years of theological studies and with only a short thesis to write to complete his academic degree, he decided to take a break from his education. Many surrounding countries had already been overrun by Nazi Germany, and Roger felt that his academic pursuits were too far removed from the war that persisted around him. He pondered what it really meant to live a life according to the Scriptures and began a quest for a different expression of the Christian life. A year after this decision Roger reflected, “‘The defeat of France awoke powerful sympathy. If a house could be found there, of the kind I had dreamed of, it would offer a possible way of assisting some of those most discouraged, those deprived of a livelihood; and it could become a place of silence and work.’” Because his Swiss homeland was neutral and thus less affected by the war, he felt as if France would be ideal for his vision. For Roger, France was a “land of poverty, a land of wartime suffering, but a land of inner freedom.” He eventually settled in Taizé, which was a small desolate village just north of Cluny, the birthplace of western monasticism.

In September 1940, Roger purchased a small house that would eventually become the home of the Taizé community. Only miles south of the separation line that divided a war-torn country in half, Roger’s home became a sanctuary to countless war refugees seeking shelter. On November 11, 1942, the Gestapo occupied Roger’s house while he was in Switzerland collecting funds to aid in his refuge ministry. Roger was not able to return to his home in Taizé until the autumn of 1944, when France was liberated.

In 1941, Roger had published a few small brochures outlining several facets of a Christ-centred communal life together. These brochures prompted two young men to knock on Roger’s door, soon followed by a third. They all lived in Switzerland in a flat owned by Roger’s family until after the war when they began a new life together in the French countryside. Over the next few years several other men would join the community that Brother Roger had started. On Easter day 1949, seven brothers committed themselves[1] to a life following Christ in simplicity, celibacy and community.[2]

[edit] Growth of the Community

In the years that followed, many new brothers joined this little community, and in 1969 a young Belgian doctor became the first Catholic brother to pledge his life to the community in Taizé. More Roman Catholics and eventually several Orthodox brothers joined the community. Soon the Brothers of Taizé were making trips out of their little village to bring aid to people in both rural and urban areas [3]. They began forming “fraternities” of brothers in other cities that sought to be “signs of the presence of Christ among men, and bearers of joy”. Since 1951, the brothers have lived in small fraternities among the poor of the world in Calcutta, Bangladesh and the Philippines to Algeria, Brazil and even Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.

[edit] Young People

As their work spread throughout Europe, their ecumenical community slowly became known. In the 1960s young people began to visit the Taizé community, and the first international young adults meeting was organized in Taizé in 1966 with 1400 participants from 30 countries.

Soon, the village church of Taizé, which had been used for the community's prayers, became too small to accommodate the pilgrims. A new church, the Church of Reconciliation, was built in the early 1960s with the help of volunteers, and expanded several times in the subsequent decades, first with tents, and then with simple wooden annexes.

In 1970, with the background of the student protests taking place all over Europe and the world, as well as the Second Vatican Council, Brother Roger announced a "Council of Youth"[4], whose main meeting took place in 1974.

At the end of the 1970s, the meetings and surrounding activities began to be referred to as a "Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth". Welcoming young people to Taizé and during European and international meetings is since the main focus of the Taizé Community.

[edit] Brother Roger's Death

On August 16 2005, Brother Roger was fatally stabbed by a mentally ill woman during the evening prayer service in Taizé. He was succeeded by Brother Alois, a German-born Catholic, who was appointed by Brother Roger to be his successor eight years earlier.

[edit] Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth

The Taizé Community emphasizes that they do not want to create a movement or organization centered on the community and/or the meetings. Rather they want to send the young pilgrims back from the youth meetings to their local churches, to their parishes, groups or communities, to undertake, with many others, a “Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth.”[5]

[edit] Music and Worship

The community, though Western European in origin, seeks to welcome people and traditions from across the globe. This is reflected in the music and prayers where songs are sung in many languages, and increasingly include chants and icons from the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The music emphasises simple phrases, usually lines from Psalms or other pieces of Scripture, repeated and sometimes also sung in canon. The repetition is intended to aid meditation and prayer.[6] Much of the earlier Taizé community music was conceived and composed by Jacques Berthier.[7] Later Joseph Gelineau became a major contributor to the music.[7]

In many places across the world, ecumenical prayers using music from Taizé are organised by people, young and old, who have been in touch with the community. The community's website provides reflections, prayers, and songs for use in local prayers.

[edit] Young Adult Meetings in Taizé

Small discussion groups.

Throughout the year, meetings for young adults between 17 and 30 years old (and, within certain limits, for adults and families with children) take place in Taizé. The number of visitors reaches more than 5000 during the summer and on Easter. Meetings usually last from Sunday to Sunday, though it is also possible to just come for a few days, or, for young volunteers, to stay for a longer time. These meetings are the community's priority.

Several sisters also help with running the meetings, though it should be noted that they are not "Taizé Sisters". These sisters come from various orders, most notably the Catholic order of St. Andrew from Belgium. The Sisters of St. Andrew currently live in the neighboring village Ameugny.

The schedule of a typical day in the youth meetings[8]:

  • Morning prayer
  • Breakfast
  • Large group "Bible Introductions" led by one of the brothers
  • Sharing group discussions
  • Mid-day prayer
  • Lunch
  • Optional song practice
  • Practical tasks
  • Theme workshops
  • Dinner
  • Evening prayer
  • Informal gathering at Oyak (a common area at Taizé)

The evening prayer is broadcast every Saturday at 22h (Central European time) by the German radio station Domradio and provided online as a podcast. [9]

[edit] European Young Adults Meeting

Every year around New Year (usually from 28 December to 1 January), a meeting in a large European city attracts several ten thousand young adults. It is organized by brothers of the Taizé Community, sisters of St. Andrew, and young volunteers from all over the Europe, and the from the host city.

The participants stay with local families or in very simple group accommodations. In the morning, they take part in a program organized by the parish closest to their accommodation. For their midday meal, all participants travel to a central location, usually the local exposition halls. The meal is followed by a common prayer, and the afternoon is spent in workshops covering faith, art, politics and social topics. In the evening, everyone meets again for the evening meal and an evening prayer.

[edit] List of host cities

European Meeting 2007 in Geneva.
European Meeting 2007 in Geneva.

[edit] International Young Adults Meeting

In his "Unfinished Letter"[10], published after his death, Brother Roger is quoted to have proposed to "widen" the "Pilgrimage of Trust" originating from the Taizé community. As a consequence, international meetings for young adults have begun to take place, beginning with Kolkata in 2006. The program closely resembles the European meetings, though some aspects, such as the songs, are often adapted to the local culture.

[edit] List of host cities

[edit] Trivia

In 1991, the asteroid 100033 Taizé was named in honour of the community.[11]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The beginnings, Official Taizé Community Website
  2. ^ A lifelong commitment, Official Taizé Community Website
  3. ^ "The Brothers of Taizé", TIME Magazine, September 5, 1960
  4. ^ "The Pilgrims of Taizé", TIME Magazine, April 29, 1974
  5. ^ "Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth", Official Taizé Community Website
  6. ^ Prayer and Song, Official Taizé Community Website
  7. ^ a b "Taize Worship". http://www.calvarydenver.org/taize/. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
  8. ^ "A typical day at Taizé", Official Taizé Community Website
  9. ^ Domradio
  10. ^ "Unfinished Letter", Official Taizé Community Website
  11. ^ 100033 Taizé in the NASA JPL Small-Body Database

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Taizé

Coordinates: 46°30′49″N 4°40′37″E / 46.51361°N 4.67694°E / 46.51361; 4.67694

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