Edities: 20 February 2007 6 February 2007 19 January 2007 15 December 2006 28 November 2006 28 August 2006 28 July 2006 27 June 2006 13 June 2006 30 May 2006 15 May 2006 28 April 2006 16 April 2006 29 March 2006 14 March 2006 27 February 2006 13 February 2006 30 January 2006 16 January 2006
Taizé, Tuesday
20 February 2007
--------------------------------------------
* Lithuania: the depth of friendship
* Lebanon: "We continue on our way"
* Psalm 137
* November prayers: Bangkok and Hong Kong
* Visits in East Africa
* Mini libraries in Shaanxi Province
* Meeting in Cochabamba
* Prayer
Lithuania: the
depth of friendship
--------------------------------------------
"In all the places we visited, we were welcomed by young people and adults
who know Taizé well. When one recalls that the first Lithuanians to visit
Taizé came only in 1988 (a near miracle, considering the political situation
at the time) and that the first visits of brothers to Lithuania started only
five years later, the depth of friendship is astonishing.
Lithuanians have a great gift in making one feel welcome, like family",
writes one of the brothers who were in Lithuania recently. "The main reason
for our journey was to lead a "Day of Renewal" in Kaunas. Organized
by the "Living stones" community, with the local church in Kaunas
and held several times a year on the campus of Kaunas University, the renewal
days bring together large numbers of young and old from the city and surrounding
region, and indeed from all of Lithuania. The day began with a half-hour of
simple singing; it was cold out and people were happy first just to "warm
up". The two of us brothers then spoke about the theme we had proposed
for the day: joy, simplicity and mercy..."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4463.html
Lebanon: "We
continue on our way"
--------------------------------------------
The father of a young family writes: Like nearly everywhere else, here in Lebanon,
in spite of the tensions and the deceptions, in spite of the suffering and the
sadness, in spite of the evil done all around us on both sides, we continue
on our way. Everything indicates that a "coup d'état" of a
"form of coup d'état" is being prepared in Lebanon. Everything
indicates that evil has not finished separating and dividing this small country
and the people here, all confessions included. Wasting our time to know who
is right and who is wrong would be a shame.... There is nothing more "useless"
than spending your time trying to know whose fault it is or who is behind this
"uselessness"...Our concern is for the young people who are once again
in the midst of all this. Last week, four students were killed following incidents
that took place at the Arab University of Beirut. One of them died from blows
he had received from other students. We cannot believe that in the third millennium
someone can die in that way in a university....
Much of our energy goes in showing a word of reconciliation between the factions
that are killing each other, between those close to us and the students. Although
that appears difficult, we continue to believe that no effort will be useless.
We continue to believe that the hand of God will act, even if we find it hard
to realise...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4458.html
Psalm 137
--------------------------------------------
Israel's love for its God gave it the honesty to express everything, even the
most impassioned reactions at the situations of injustice often experienced
by that tiny nation surrounded by powerful neighbours. Has any other people
ever gone to such an extreme in its intimacy with God, to the point of daring
to express rebellion in the very midst of praise? Psalm 137 weaves these two
sentiments together with impressive intensity.... The psalm was most likely
composed by musicians exiled from the temple in Jerusalem.... Compelled to sing
nonetheless, they sang that they will never be able to sing in a foreign land.
When they were obliged to do what they did not want to do, their prayer, even
when forced from their lips, remained that final space of freedom where an inexorable
fate was overturned and where, to make the victors happy, they even succeeded
in singing threats to them! Their captors fell into a trap of their own making.
History will often attest to the subversive power of song. How many peoples
have begun to shake off their chains while singing!
- How can praise arise out of distress?
- How can prayer become a form of resistance in the face of what seems an inexorable
fate? http://www.taize.fr/en_article167.html
November prayers:
Bangkok and Hong Kong
--------------------------------------------
On Sunday 11 November 2007 in the Cathedral of Bangkok, there will be a prayer
to which Christians of different denominations are invited. Brother Alois and
other brothers of Taizé will be taking part. Preparation for this prayer
has already begun; each month there will be an activity leading up to the November
gathering. Two of the brothers have just visited Bangkok.
One of them writes: We had a prayer in St. Joseph's School; the young people
had arranged the chapel very beautifully. The meeting was attended not only
by young Thais but also by young people from France, Argentina, America, Korea,
Poland, Philippines, and also from Finland (who teach at the Lutheran Theology
Institute). A girl from America told us afterwards how important the prayer
had been for her that evening. She lives in a village in Thailand as a volunteer
for peace keeping. We began the evening with a short introduction on "Choosing
to love, choose to hope". The songs were sung mostly in Thai. The intercessions
were said in Thai but also in some of the other languages represented.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4455.html
A similar prayer will take place in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Hong Kong,
on Tuesday 13 November. One of the brothers will be visiting Hong Kong in March.
For details of his visit:
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4456.html
Visits in East
Africa
--------------------------------------------
Two brothers of the Community, one of whom hails from the Democratic Republic
of Congo, are at present making a series of visits in East Africa:
Here we are in Lubumbashi (DRC), the "capital of copper", situated
more than 2000 kilometres from Kinshasa, the political capital of the country.
At the airport, we did not expect such a welcome!.. We met people who told us
about their first contact with Taizé in the 1970s. It was from these
meetings that the local "youth ministry" was born, and which now forms
the nucleus of youth training here... On Saturday there was a day of reflection
centred on the call of Peter after the miraculous catch of fish, in the Gospel
of Luc (5, 1-11)... "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets
for a catch." This exchange was very important for the country as it writes
a new page of its history following the holding of free and democratic elections.
Many challenges have to be taken up in order to help people overcome the misery
of which they are victims.... We have been so warmly welcomed in Tanzania...
it was wonderful to meet young people we had already met in Taizé! Some
of them have now finished their studies and work as doctors, nurses.... It was
an enormous job for them to prepare this visit.... Tomorrow we leave for Nairobi.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4363.html
Mini libraries
in Shaanxi Province
--------------------------------------------
Recently, we heard from Father Stephen Chen, Shaanxi Province, China: "We
are very grateful for your support towards the Shaanxi Mini-Libraries Project.
This is the first time we develop on a so large scale a parish project in our
province. We established altogether 19 libraries in 19 parishes. In the countryside
area everybody expressed a very positive feedback." During the year 2006,
Operation Hope was able to help with the setting up of the libraries in six
dioceses. All the parishes selected were required to have a church, or a regular
place for church activities; priority was given to parishes which perform a
stable social service (taking care of the orphans and of lepers' children),
and where young students are in the majority. The mini-libraries are open to
the community.
Everyone is invited to come and consult the books, whether he/she is a Catholic
or not. They welcome especially women and children. In the countryside, nearly
all the men work on the farms, while the old people, women and children remain
at home. Many women have the time to consult the books they like, and are glad
to have this opportunity to increase their knowledge.
Operation Hope: http://www.taize.fr/en_article331.html
Meeting in Cochabamba
--------------------------------------------
Following the meetings in Kolkata and Zagreb last year, the international meeting
for young people in Cochabamba, from 10 to 14 October 2007, will be a new stage
in the pilgrimage of trust on earth. The aim is to support young people in their
search for God and in their desire to commit themselves in church and society.
Trust, peace and reconciliation will be central themes of the meeting. One of
the brothers is presently visiting various dioceses of Bolivia - La Paz, Oruro,
El Alto, San Ignacio, Santa Cruz, Sucre - in order to inform people about the
meeting and to invite them to take part. The daily program will consist of times
of prayer and of sharing: in the mornings in the parishes and religious communities
of the city, and in the afternoon at the Colegio Don Bosco, Parque Quitanilla.
The participants will be accommodated in families, local churches and religious
communities. http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, give us resolute hearts that seek tirelessly, in a simple prayer,
to discover a communion with God.
Taizé, Tuesday
6 February 2007
--------------------------------------------
* Continuity in Bangladesh
* Tabaski 2006 in Dakar
* "For Europe, opening ways of trust"
* Meeting in Stockholm
* In India: after Kolkata
* Meetings in Taizé in 2007
* New Books CDs and DVDs
* Prayer
Continuity in Bangladesh
--------------------------------------------
Friday 2 February saw the latest follow up meeting in Bangladesh, after the
Meeting in Kolkata, India, last October. In the Cathedral of Mymensingh, the
gathering brought together young Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Mennonites
and members of the Church of Bangladesh. The Mymensingh youth chaplain had taken
part in the Kolkata meeting.
In December, a prayer in the capital, Dhaka, brought together 150 young adults. Several young people who had been in Kolkata took part, and ten young adults from Mymensingh came to help with the singing. The long prayer, with songs from Taizé, was centred on the icon of friendship ("the icon of Kolkata"). Plans are afoot for prayers and meetings in a different diocese of the country every two months. Several young leaders of the "pilgrimages for the disabled" came from each diocese. Their presence at the Dhaka prayer demonstrated their strong desire for the spirit of the pilgrimage of trust on earth to continue to be at the heart of the pilgrimages for the disabled. In March they plan to have pilgrimages in each of the dioceses of Bangladesh.
Tabaski 2006 in Dakar
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers living in Senegal writes: During the weeks before the feast,
you can feel the tension mounting in the neighbourhood. As head of the household,
the fathers are losing sleep over how to find enough money to pay for a sheep,
costing a month's minimum salary, without mentioning all that goes with it:
all the new clothes that the entire family has to wear on the big day. Meanwhile,
the city is full of sheep, from the scrawniest to the biggest rams, arrayed
with ribbons and gris-gris, which only the "big ones" can afford...
Towards nine o'clock, the men, wearing large boubous (traditional gowns), often
accompanied by their sons, set off for the mosque, for the great prayer of the
day. The women remain at home: kindling the fire, preparing everything for what
is to follow... Strangely enough, the religious references of the feast are
difficult to grasp; there are even some who do not make the link with the sacrifice
of Abraham! But this is a day of sharing when no one will be forgotten, as the
beggars know very well, waiting their turn seated at the crossroads. It is also
a day when each one, in greeting his/her neighbour, asks for forgiveness...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4404.html
"For Europe, opening
ways of trust"
--------------------------------------------
Brother Alois and several brothers of the community led a one-day meeting at
Brussels, Belgium, on 30 January, in response to an invitation from the COMECE
(Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community).
During the evening prayer, in the Cathedral of Brussels, in presence of Cardinal
Godfried Daneels and representatives of other Christian denominations, Brother
Alois spoke to those present: If we are seeking to open ways of trust for Europe,
that is because we all know that the previous century knew too much violence.
The century that is beginning needs brave women and men who express by their
entire lives this call of the Gospel: "Let yourselves be reconciled!"...
As a result of the determination of a few, we are now experiencing in Europe
a time of peace.
So where is the Gospel of reconciliation leading us today? Is it not towards
sharing the fruits of the economic success of our societies? So many people,
in all the countries of Europe, are left at the door of prosperity, able only
to touch with their finger that to which they have no access. This leads many
young people to profound frustration...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4399.html
Meeting in Stockholm
--------------------------------------------
Brothers of the Community have just arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, where they
will be living as a small "fraternity" until early May. Young people
are invited to join them for prayer each day. At the end of their stay, there
will be a meeting for young adults from Sweden and the Nordic countries, from
Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 May 2007; the theme will be "Choosing to love, choosing
hope". The relationship between Taizé and Sweden goes back over
many years. Between 1990 and 2000, there were youth meetings in Linköping,
Lund and Uppsala. In 1994, the fourteen Lutheran bishops of Sweden came to Taizé
together for 5 days of prayer and reflection. Young people from Sweden have
been participating in the youth meetings in Taizé in large numbers, especially
at Ascension, early summer and during the All Saints' holidays.
For times and places of the daily prayers and information on preparing for the
3-6 May meeting: http://www.taize.fr/sv_article4255.html
http://www.taize.fr/no_article4388.html
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4400.html
In India: after Kolkata
--------------------------------------------
From 5 to 9 October 2006 a pilgrimage of trust meeting brought together some
6,000 young adults in Kolkata. They came from all over India and from many other
Asian countries and beyond. On Sunday 25 February, young people from Kolkata
and those who took an active part in the preparation of the October 2006 meeting
will gather for a day of reflection at Loreto House, Middleton Row, with brothers
from Taizé. Since last October, there has been a prayer in the city once
a month, each time in the church of a different denomination. Two of the Taizé
brothers who prepared the Kolkata meeting will be back in India during the second
half of February. In addition to Kolkata, their itinerary will include Mumbai
and Delhi.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4378.html
Meetings in Taizé
in 2007
--------------------------------------------
International meetings; week after week; going to the wellsprings of trust in
God and others. A week in Taizé can help us view our daily life in the
light of the Gospel: praying together three times a day, reflecting on the wellsprings
of the faith and working for others.
Each day brothers of the community introduce a Bible reflection, followed by
a time of silence and sharing in small groups. In the afternoon, workshops help
to deepen the relationship between faith and life in the areas of work, solidarity,
social questions, art and culture, and the search for world peace...
Young people who wish to do so can spend the week or the weekend in silence,
to take time to listen to how God speaks to each person in prayer, meditation
on the Bible or through the events of their life... It is also possible for
young people to stay in Taizé for several weeks, to be available to welcome
others and to deepen their searching, accompanied by a brother or a sister...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4315.html
New Books CDs and DVDs
--------------------------------------------
A translation of "Choisir d'aimer", a book recalling in gratitude
the life of Brother Roger, with many images, has been published in Slovenian:
Odlocitev za ljubezen Brat Roger iz Taizéja 1915-2005 (published
by Mohorjeva druzba Celje, 144 pages, ISBN: 9789612186401). (For further details,
see http://www.taize.fr/en_article1221.html
)
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Holy Spirit, our poor words manage so little to express the depths of our heart
and our thirst for your presence. But in prayer that is humble, you always wait
for us, you always listen to us.
Taizé, 19 January
2007
--------------------------------------------
* Echoes of Zagreb
* The icon of friendship
* Meeting in Brussels
* Visits in Africa
* Bangkok: 11 February
* Meeting in Montreal
* In Geneva and in Cochabamba
* Prayer
Echoes of Zagreb
--------------------------------------------
- "I was so touched and happy to follow the celebration of the Eucharist
in Zagreb, broadcast by RTP, here in Luanda (Angola). Marvelous! I wish all
the Taizé Community a good new year for 2007 and may the Lord, Prince
of peace, continue to bless abundantly all your service." The video of
the celebration is still available on the Jour du Seigneur web site:
http://www.lejourduseigneur.com/emissions/programme/messe_en_direct_de_zagreb_01/la_messe
- The 29th European young adults meeting brought together around 40,000 people.
All of the pilgrims, from some thirty countries, stayed with families... "The
welcome in the families touched us very much... Some of them have suffered in
the war. Others are refugees. All of them have made an extraordinary effort.
They have really opened the doors of their hearts and their homes. Cardinal
Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb, and his auxiliary bishops, have been with
us constantly and helped very much with the work of organisation. The same goes
for the municipality and the civil and political authorities. Even the Grand
Mufti of Croatia and the Rabbi of Zagreb wished to spend some time with us."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4330.html
- Each morning, in small group sessions in the parishes, the young people meditated
on and discussed the "Letter from Kolkata", written by Brother Alois
following the Asian meeting last October in India. In the afternoons, they took
part in theme workshops held in the Exhibition Centre or in town.
The "Letter from Kolkata" is now available for downloading in 18 languages;
other languages are in preparation. http://www.taize.fr/en_article82.html
The icon of friendship
--------------------------------------------
On the evening of 31 December in Zagreb, Brother Alois explained the meaning
of the gesture of the icon of friendship: "We would like to remember that
all of us are enabled to live a friendship with Christ. It is not for nothing
that he tells us in the Gospel: "I no longer call you servants; I call
you friends." ... There is an icon here that expresses that, the icon of
friendship. It comes from Egypt; it is from the sixth century. We see Christ
with his hand on the shoulder of his friend to walk with him, to accompany him.
We can all recognize ourselves in that friend of Christ's. This icon recalls
the heart of the Gospel: if the Risen Christ is invisible for our eyes, we can
nonetheless entrust ourselves to his presence. He walks alongside every human
being. Looking at that icon is already a prayer that unites us to God... We
have prepared several copies of the icon of friendship, one for each European
country represented here.
During the coming year, that icon will help you to undertake little pilgrimages
of trust in the places where young people meet, from one town to another, from
one parish to another, in a hospital or a home for abandoned children, in other
places where people are suffering. By this simple means, you can communicate
the good news of the Gospel."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4195.html
In several European countries, "little pilgrimages of trust" with
the icon of friendship have already begun. http://www.taize.fr/fr_article4344.html
Meeting in Brussels
--------------------------------------------
"For Europe, open the ways of trust". It is on this theme that Brother
Alois and several brothers will lead a one day meeting in Brussels on 30 January,
in response to an invitation from the COMECE (Commission of the Bishops' Conferences
of the European Community). According to the commission, the brothers "will
come to pray with those who are working for Europe in this city". Thus,
for one day, the spiritual dimension of Europe's path towards unity will be
more visible - even if the political and economic dimension is normally predominant.
"The work of European construction, which is a work of peace and freedom,
will grow together with the mutual trust of the Europeans. For believers trust
in themselves and in others and trust in the love of God go together. Praying
together can help us grow in trust." The brothers were asked to propose
three times of meeting: Morning prayer will take place at 8h00 in the Chapel
of the Resurrection. A meeting at 12h30, on the theme: "Your life counts
for Europe", will gather young Europeans working in the European institutions.
At 19h00, the evening prayer - open to all - will take place in the Cathedral
of Brussels, in presence of Cardinal Godfried Daneels, Archbishop of Malines-Brussels,
and representatives of other Christian denominations.
http://www.comece.org/comece.taf?_function=news_new&_sub=&id=2&language=en
Visits in Africa
--------------------------------------------
Two of the brothers of the Community, one of whom is from the Democratic Republic
of Congo, will be making a series of visits in Africa in February- March this
year. At the beginning of February, they will be in the Democratic Republic
of Congo, then in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The journey will be marked by
several meetings for young adults.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4363.html
Bangkok: 11 February
--------------------------------------------
At 17h30 on 11 February, there will be a prayer - open to all - in St Joseph's
School, Convent Road, Bangkok. Two of the Taizé brothers will be taking
part. This will be the first of a whole series of events in churches of different
denominations in the city, leading up to a large gathering in the Cathedral
of Bangkok on 24 November 2007. Brother Alois will be present for the November
prayer. Intended for young adults of the city and the surrounding region, the
theme will be "Choose to love, choose to hope".
Meeting in Montreal
--------------------------------------------
Two of the brothers are getting ready to set off for Canada at the end of January.
Their mission will be helping to prepare for the meeting that will take place
in Montreal from 27 to 29 April 2007. The theme is: Leaving behind discouragement:
finding new hope. A provisional programme of the weekend is available at: http://www.taizemontreal2007.ca
In Geneva and in Cochabamba
--------------------------------------------
During the meeting in Zagreb, Brother Alois announced that the next European
young adults meeting would be held in Geneva.
"A year from now, for the thirtieth European meeting, we will go to the
city where Brother Roger, when he was still young, lived for a time with the
first brothers, after preparing the creation of a community when he was alone
in Taizé. It will be in Switzerland, in the city of Geneva."
And he went on to announce, "Before that European meeting, we will go to
Latin America. In Europe we need very much to listen more carefully to that
continent where so many women and men are living the Gospel. The international
meeting in October will take place in Bolivia, in the city of Cochabamba."
Marcella, from Cochabamba, invited those present in Zagreb to take part in the
October meeting. "Our country needs reconciliation. That is why we are
happy to welcome the pilgrimage of trust in our city. I have been so warmly
welcomed in Europe. So I would like to invite you: come, cross the Atlantic!
We will welcome you with joy. And your presence will help us to seek peace and
reconciliation."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4195.html
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4322.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, in the Gospel you tell us not to dwell on what has wounded us.
And your forgiveness becomes a miracle in our lives.
Taizé, 15 December
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Meeting in Zagreb
* Many months of preparation
* Vietnam 2006
* Mission in Benin
* Prayer
Meeting in Zagreb
--------------------------------------------
The 29th European young adult meeting will take place in Zagreb from 28 December
to 1 January. For four days, young adults from the whole of Europe and representatives
from the other continents will be welcomed in the homes of families in Zagreb
and the region. They will spend the mornings in the 160 host parishes and will
come together at noon and in the evening at the Zagreb Exhibition Centre, which
will be turned into a huge space of prayer and reflection for the occasion.
Programme: http://www.taize.fr/en_article4191.html
- Each participant will receive upon arrival a letter from Brother Alois.
In this text, entitled "Letter from Kolkata" (following the Taizé
meeting held in Kolkata (Calcutta) in October 2006), Brother Alois writes, "The
huge problems of our societies can foster defeatism. By choosing to love, we
discover a space of freedom to create a future for ourselves and for those entrusted
to us." http://www.taize.fr/en_article4202.html
- In the afternoons, workshops for reflection will be held in the Centre as
well as in churches, museums, a mosque and elsewhere.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4193.html
- Brother Alois will speak to the participants during the evening prayer each day. http://www.taize.fr/en_article4195.html
- Pope Benedict XVI, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, as well as the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, have sent messages to the participants. http://www.taize.fr/en_article4203.html
- Following Lisbon, Milan, Kolkata... the Zagreb meeting will mark a new stage
of the "pilgrimage of trust on earth".
* A young adult meeting will be held in Latin America from October 10-14, 2007.
* The next young adult European meeting will take place from December 28, 2007
to January 1, 2008.
* The city will be announced on the evening of December 30 at Zagreb.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4206.html
- On December 31, from 10:55am to noon (08.55 to 10.00 GMT), a televised Eucharist with the Taizé Community and thousands of young people in Zagreb Cathedral will be broadcast on France 2, Croatian television HRT2 and on RTP in Portugal. http://www.taize.fr/en_article4197.html
- During the meeting we would be pleased to receive photos that you take and
which reflect the "welcome" and the sense of "pilgrimage of trust".
Send your photos: http://www.taize.fr/en_article2881.html
Many months of preparation
--------------------------------------------
During the months of preparation for Zagreb, countless visits have been made
in many European countries. In Germany alone, over a hundred "nights of
light" took place, with brothers of the community taking part in over thirty
of them. France, Belgium and the UK have had events large and small.
There have been visits in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo, and of course
many visits in Croatia itself. In Serbia, one of the brothers was in Vojvodina
in October; from 23 to 25 December, Brother Alois and two other brothers will
go to visit the Orthodox Church in Serbia.
- In Spain: "... a day of meetings prepared by the Youth Ministry of Grenada University, in different faculties and student halls of residence ... The day ended with two prayers open to everyone: one in the Church of Saint Francis, where students and young professionals have been leading a weekly prayer since 1983, and the other in the chapel of a hall of residence in the centre of town."
- In Romania: "... Returning there after spending the last two and a half years meeting people from Romania in Taize, learning the language, reading news from the country ... I thought I knew all about the place! But everywhere I went there was a surprise - in each of the 13 cities I visited: the warmth, the selflessness of the people welcoming me, the many meetings with people I knew and now know. Actually living with people is so different from reading about them or receiving their news by email..."
- In Slovenia: "One of the surprising things about Slovenia is the diversity
that exists within one small country. The population of two million speaks over
thirty different dialects; it is surrounded by mountains, the sea and by forests;
by Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Austria.
There is a very strong sense of dynamism, many new things are happening, and
much hope for the future. In the Church, there are three new dioceses, and much
work is being done with young people. One of the new bishops has announced that
he will come to Taizé next year with a group of young people, as part
of his efforts to launch a youth ministry in his diocese."
- In Bulgaria: During a visit in November, two of the brothers met with leaders of the different Churches, among them, Metropolitan Dometian of Vidin, a friend of the Community for many years. Among the young people there is a great desire to come to Zagreb. Yet in spite of being geographically so close, for many it is not easy to do so. For them the cost of travel is very high. So we shall rejoice even more to welcome the groups who do manage to come by car or by train.
- In Italy: "... over 300 young people from throughout Italy came to the
city of Arezzo, in Tuscany, for a time of preparation for the European meeting
in Zagreb. The meeting in Arezzo was the initiative of a group of young adults
who have been taking an active part in the "pilgrimage of trust on earth"
for a long time; they wanted to bring to their own city something of the experience
of prayer and sharing across borders that has been so important for them over
the years. They found families to offer hospitality to all the participants,
and prayers were held in the cathedral in the presence of the bishop, who warmly
supported the initiative...
Following this meeting, a Taizé brother traveled in Italy for two weeks,
especially in the Northeast (Trentino, Veneto, Friuli, Trieste) ..."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4235.html
Vietnam 2006
--------------------------------------------
The yearly visit that one of the brothers of the community has been making to
Vietnam for many years enables him to be a witness to the vitality and the creativity
of the Church there. Since the previous visit to Ho Chi Minh Ville, a pastoral
centre has been opened, making it possible for young lay people to come there
in the evenings to pursue a theological and spiritual formation. A "house
of the tradition" also opened in the grounds of St Joseph's Seminary. One
of the old buildings has been completely renovated and now shelters many objects
and documents that tell the story of the evangelization of the country.... On
the first floor, several rooms are devoted to religious art, not only ancient
but modern as well. Taken together, these works of value create an atmosphere
of great beauty and a climate which opens the viewer to God. In the completely
renovated chapel, 150 to 200 young people come together every Tuesday for a
meditative prayer inspired by Taizé....
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4265.html
Mission in Benin
--------------------------------------------
One of the Taizé brothers living in Dakar was invited to take part in
leading retreats for pastors and committed lay people of the Methodist Church
of Benin, the most important Protestant Church in the country. It proved to
be a fairly unique experience in African Protestantism, all the more so as the
days of silence and reflection were welcomed - and with what generosity! - in
a small monastery of Benedictine sisters. The country is at a turning point:
it has just lived through one of these successful democratic transitions that
are still so rare in Africa. Hopes are high, in spite of difficult economic
conditions, of seeing the country leave behind years of stagnation.
In addition, the Methodist Church has come through eight years of deep crisis
that eventually ended in a split. Churches were closed by the state and in some
cities two separate communities are living side by side with difficulty, with
wounds that remain all too apparent. But of signs of coming closer do exist....
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4241.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, in your Gospel we listen to the call you address to us:
"Follow me". And we understand that following you is above all taking
the risk of putting our trust in you.
Taizé, 28 November
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Bradford, London and Berlin
* Brazil: "The school to learn much"
* Images of Zagreb
* In Seattle, Portland and Denver
* Poland: "Her door open wide"
* Australia: Meetings in October - November
* From Nazareth
* Prayer
Bradford, London and Berlin
--------------------------------------------
Brother Alois and several other brothers of the community have recently taken
part in prayers the UK and in Germany: on 16 November, in Bradford Cathedral
and on 18 November in Westminster Abbey, London. In Bradford, local church leaders
were present, together with the Muslim mayor of the city and his wife, and young
people had come from all over the North of England.
In London, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Cardinal Cormac
Murphy-O'Connor were present for the prayer, and groups and individuals came
from all over Britain. Following theme workshops in the afternoon, the evening
in the Abbey was long enough for everyone to enter into a rhythm different to
that of everyday life in London.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4156.html
From London, Brother Alois went on to Berlin, for an evening prayer at the Berliner
Dom, with Dr Wolfgang Huber, Lutheran Bishop of Berlin and President of the
Evangelical Churches of Germany; and a bishop representing the Catholic Archbishop
of Berlin. The vast Berliner Dom was filled to overflowing for the event, which
took place within the context of the "evenings of light" held in many
parts of Germany throughout November.
http://www.jugendtreffen.info/
Brother Alois will also be in Lyons on Sunday 10 December, for the closing of
the Festival of Lights, meeting and prayer, from 4pm to 7pm, at the Cathedral
of Saint John (for young adults from 16 to 35 years) http://www.taize.fr/fr_article1046.html
Brazil: "The school
to learn much"
--------------------------------------------
On Saturday mornings in the poor district where the Taizé brothers live
in Brazil, the children do not go to school. All of them? Not quite! Some of
them come to the brothers' place, to a small special school whose aim is to
help them grow in a different way: "the school to learn much". The
school uses a system that combines enabling the children to become responsible
and giving a great deal of attention to each one of them. At the same time it
avoids the children hanging about on the street and functions whenever the normal
school is closed - Saturdays, public holidays and days when there is one of
the strikes that are so numerous in Brazil. The idea is simple:
after breakfast, distributed to them every morning under one of the covered
playgrounds of the community, the older children become the teachers of the
younger ones ... http://www.taize.fr/en_article4130.html
Images from Zagreb
--------------------------------------------
During the month of November, young people who regularly attend the daily payers
at the Church of Saint Mary of Dolacin in the centre of Zagreb were asked why
they came: what do they find in this prayer? What does it mean for them personally?
Tomislav replied: This prayer gives me peace and I like this chance to share
my faith with other people. I feel I am not alone; I can stay in touch with
the good side in myself. Or if the good side is asleep, I can wake it up. It's
more joyful than other prayers I know, more easy to take part in. All you need
is yourself and an open heart. There are no obligations. It is so simple and
I think prayer should be simple. The prayer in the old church of Maria na Dolcu
is good...
- Images of Zagreb: November: http://www.taize.fr/en_article4150.html
- Meeting in Zagreb: Thursday 28 December 2006 to Monday 1 January 2007:
Practical Information: http://www.taize.fr/en_article3289.html
In Seattle, Denver and
Portland
--------------------------------------------
During the month of October, two brothers spent time in the West of the United
States for visits in the cities of Seattle, Portland and Denver. One of them
writes: Europe and its concerns seem quite far away when you travel in the Far
West! In a city like Denver, Colorado, everything looks disproportionate: the
roads, the houses, and especially the distances. In this kind of situation a
feeling of communion between people, not to mention with the rest of the world,
is quite problematic. It is all the more impressive, then, to see how thirsty
people are for a more meditative prayer that touches the inner being. What is
also striking is the diversity of denominational belonging of those who come
to our prayers and meetings, from the Catholics to the Baptists, including Quakers,
Episcopalians and the Assembly of God. It seems that the desire for a more profound
spirituality, in a world threatened more and more by superficiality, goes beyond
all the traditional categories. We also met young people who give their time
to remain alongside the unfortunate ...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3647.html
Poland: "Her door
open wide"
--------------------------------------------
During these last weeks three of the brothers have been travelling throughout
Poland, visiting young adults who are getting ready to take part in the European
meeting in Zagreb at the end of the year. In each of the thirty cities visited,
the young people meet regularly for prayer and interaction. All through the
journey, the brothers aimed to help these "preparation points", but
above all to encourage the young people to discern, in and through this process
of getting under way for Zagreb, the presence of Christ among them. On each
stage of our "Tour de Pologne", we were welcomed by one of the parishes
of the city for a meeting and prayer.
In a different place each day, we prayed around the "icon of friendship"
... Even today, this icon enables us to remember that by his resurrection Christ
is at our side; he accompanies us in our daily life. How do we perceive signs
of the presence of God in our lives? How do we meet Christ today? http://www.taize.fr/en_article4143.html
Australia: Meetings in
October - November
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers is a regular visitor to Australia. This time, his visits
took him to New South Wales and Victoria. This series of visits began the Armenian
Church in Chastwood, near Sydney, where Archbishop Baliozian gave a great welcome
to the members of NSW Ecumenical Council who had come there for a day of prayer
and reflection. Taizé had been invited to lead the three times of prayer
that gave the day its rhythm. Next day, a trip to Melbourne where many people
gathered at "Wellspring", a centre linked to Ashburton Baptist Church.
Two days later, at Neale Street Uniting Church in Bendigo, two hours by car
from Melbourne. The big surprise there was to discover that ever since the previous
visit, ten years ago, a small group meets regularly to pray with songs from
Taizé. Then came a real
pilgrimage: at 7am, in the chapel of St John's Lutheran Church, South Gate,
the pilgrims arrived with their candles and their song sheets. These were mainly
students, some of whom had been to Taizé, before going off to their classes
at the nearby university. Someone had taken the day off in order to be able
to go to all the prayer stops...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3973.html
From Nazareth
--------------------------------------------
We received this email recently: I just want to let you know that we have begun
prayers with the songs from Taizé here in Nazareth, in the house of the
Little Sisters of Jesus. Yesterday we met for the second time and we shall continue
once a month. The sisters are happy with this arrangement, so we are glad to
have "Taizé" in our city. I do the music and the others all
join in. Just like Taizé! At the first meeting we had nine people and
at the second thirteen. So I'm glad to see that we are increasing!
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
God of consolation, even were we to feel nothing of your presence, you are there.
Your presence is invisible, but your Holy Spirit is always within us.
Taizé, 28 August
2006
--------------------------------------------
* August 2006 in Taizé
* Sunday 3 September: Eucharist on TV
* Preparing for Kolkata: "I had nothing but trust"!
* Meeting in Zagreb
* New books, CDs and DVDs
* Prayer
August 2006 in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
*** On the 16th, the first anniversary of Brother Roger's death was observed
very simply. At 8.15pm, the brothers gathered around the grave in the village
cemetery and sang one of the songs Brother Roger loved most:
"Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us. Let not my doubts and
my darkness speak to me. Let my heart always welcome your love." There
followed a celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of Reconciliation. Mgr
Gérard Daucourt, Bishop of Nanterre, a longstanding friend, presided.
At Castelgandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI, recalling Brother Roger's death, said:
"Let us ask the Lord that the sacrifice of his life may contribute to consolidate
the commitment to peace and solidarity of those who have at heart the future
of humanity." http://www.taize.fr/en_article3742.html
*** The Feast of the Transfiguration, on the 6th, is always a very special moment
in Taizé. "When we look in prayer to the light of the transfigured
Christ, little by little it becomes an inner light; it comes to live in our
hearts. The mystery of Christ becomes also the mystery of our life... So, even
our fragilities and imperfections can become a door through which God enters
into our life... And that gives us the courage to follow Christ ..."
This year, the celebration was given an extra note of joy when the brothers
welcomed a new brother into the community: he comes from El Alto, in Bolivia.
*** Each Thursday evening, the young people are invited to stay on in church
after prayer for a short meeting with Brother Alois. One of the burning issues
he has referred to week by week is the situation in the Middle East. "These
last weeks, we have often prayed for the Middle East; for those who are suffering
from the violence. We have been able to keep in touch with a few of those who
are close to us in Lebanon and in Israel. What we are able to do is very little,
but we must do this little."
"Meeting with Brother Alois": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3814.html
*** The weekly meetings in August were among the "big weeks" of the
summer, with upwards of 4 000 / 5 000 young adults arriving every Sunday, from
some 60 different countries; notable among them were groups from Romania and
Albania. The last weekend of the month saw Mgr Roland Minnerath, Archbishop
of Dijon, preside at the Sunday morning Eucharist. Other church leaders present
in August included Anglican bishops Tony Robinson of Pontefract, Nigel McCulloch
of Manchester and Tim Stevens of Leicester; Mgr Benoît Rivière
of Autun, Mgr Clemens, Secretary of the Council for the Laity in Rome, Father
Vsevolod Chaplin, of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow and The Venerable Colin
Williams, General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches. Other guests
included Michel Camdessus, former chairman of the World Monetary Fund "Young
adult meetings": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Photos of the youth meetings: http://www.taize.fr/en_article2785.html
Sunday 3 September: Eucharist
on TV
--------------------------------------------
*** 10.55am on Sunday 3 September 2006, the morning Eucharist will be televised
from the Church of Reconciliation in Taizé: Le Jour du Seigneur / France
2.
For details of Sunday's program:
http://www.lejourduseigneur.com/programmesDuMois.do?dateProgramme=03/09/2006
To find the broadcast in the archives: http://www.lejourduseigneur.com
*** "Frère Roger, un silence révolutionnaire": To view
the video version of this documentary (in French) that was broadcast on Sunday
20 August on France 2 / Le Jour du Seigneur:
http://www.lejourduseigneur.com/detail.do?noArticle=5148&id_key=21
Preparing for Kolkata:
"I had nothing but trust"
--------------------------------------------
As part of the preparation for the meeting in Kolkata, young people from Poland,
Portugal, Korea and France have been making visits in different parts of India.
Bartek, from Poland, shares some of his discoveries in Gujarat: "When the
Taize Brothers asked me to come to India to help them with preparations for
the meeting in Kolkata I had no idea what kind of experience lay ahead of me.
I had never even thought about visiting India. I thought it was too far away
from Poland. But I said yes and five weeks later I was in Mumbai! I arrived
on the evening of 11 July, day of the bomb blasts. And that is how my own pilgrimage
of trust started. Yes, I had nothing but trust... We try to use Gujarati and
Hindi songs, so that everyone can enjoy our simple prayer and sharing. Only
a few people know English, but the moment of silence is clear for everyone!
I know that for many of these girls and young men it is not possible to come
to Taize. Even going to the meeting in Kolkata is not easy because of school
and financial problems. But there is a great sense of "meeting": through
my presence (I don't mean that I'm a celebrity, it is just because I have come
from far away specially to meet them) and by praying together we can get a first
taste of the communion that Kolkata will be all about; and this is what the
Church is! ..." http://www.taize.fr/en_article3835.html
Meeting in Kolkata: 5 to 9 October 2006: http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
Meeting in Zagreb
--------------------------------------------
When it was announced in Milan that the Croatian capital, Zagreb, had been chosen
as the place where the 2006 European meeting would be held, the first reaction
of the Croatians was one of real joy, and a very down to earth sense of "disbelief"!
"But we do not even have a metro!" Much reflection has gone on throughout
the summer in Taizé, and the first brothers, Sisters of Saint Andrew
and volunteers will be arriving in Zagreb in September. Much is expected of
the meeting, and many have been hoping for just such an event for a very long
time. Renato says, "Twenty years ago, a group of young people from Zagreb
took part regularly in the meetings in Taizé and the European meetings
at the end of each year. They longed to see their fellow citizens share the
same joy, the singing, the prayer and communion that they themselves experienced
in these meetings. This was why they kept asked the brothers, 'When will here
be a European meeting in Zagreb?" It was very bold question at that time,
for the political circumstances did not permit such a thing. These young people
did not know that their wish was a dream that would become a reality this year.
We cannot truly measure this dream, nor can we grasp what this event means for
the city of Zagreb and for our little country. But more than ever our hearts
are filled with joy and enthusiasm, and we shall be taking part in this year's
meeting in our city as adults in their forties, with our families and our children."
Meeting in Zagreb: 28 December 2006 to 1 January 2007: http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique45.html
New Books CDs and DVDs
--------------------------------------------
Several new publications are available this summer:
*** "Choisir d'aimer", a book by the brothers of Taizé expressing
the limitless gratitude of the Community for the given life of Brother Roger,
through images, the testimony of young and old, and through Brother Roger's
own words. Les Presses de Taizé, distributed by Le Seuil (144 pages,
ISBN: 2850403211). (In French; translations will be announced as they are
released.)
*** Sixteen of the most recent songs of Taizé are recorded on the latest
CD from Taizé, "Christe Lux Mundi". ref: T568
ENG: Distribution in the UK and Ireland: Select Music and Video Distribution
Ltd. cds@selectmusic.co.uk Available
from record shops and from: The Distribution Company, Alphonsus House, Chawton,
GU3 3HQ. Tel: 01420 88222 Fax: 01420 88805 sales@redempt.org
The North American and Australian publication dates will be announced later.
FR: distribution: Naïve, Paris. Disponible dans les librairies religieuses,
les librairies La Procure et Siloë ou à La Procure VPC (tous pays),
tél.: 33 (0)3 44 67 38 00 - fax: 33 (0)3 44 67 38 58
D Über den Fachhandel oder bei: Heribert Schöllhorn, Franz Schubert
Str. 24, 76829 Landau, 06341/ 897 807, Fax: 06341/ 87 396, e-mail: shop@made-by-taize.de
, http://www.made-by- taize.de
*** Brother Roger's "Praying in Silence of Heart - 100 prayers" has
been published in Polish by Wydawnictwo Ksiezy Marianów MIC under the
title "Modlic sie w ciszy serca Sto modlitw" (128 pages, ISBN
8375020362), http://tinyurl.com/h87nm
And the same book is now available in a Dutch translation from Ten Have:
"Bidden in de stilte van je hart 100 gebeden" (122 pages, ISBN
9025956971), http://tinyurl.com/ery9x
*** Brother Roger's book "Pressens-tu un bonheur" has been translated
into Czech, and is available from Karmelitánské Nakladatelstvi:
"Netusena Radost" (80 pages, ISBN 071950750) http://tinyurl.com/z5po5
*** Olivier Clément's "A meaning to life" is now available
in Portuguese in Brazil from Editora Cidade Nova, São Paulo (104 págs,
ISBN 8589736431), http://tinyurl.com/kkfmw
*** "Oração Frescura de uma fonte", Portuguese
translation of the book "Prayer - seeking the heart of God", written
together by Brother Roger and Mother Theresa of Calcutta, has been published
by Paulus Editora, Apelação, Portugal, (104 pages, ISBN 9723011905).
*** And an anthology of Brother Roger's writing has been published in Slovak
in the series "Vlastnymi Slovami" by Dobra Kniha (168 pages, ISBN
8071415332) http://tinyurl.com/l7mbx
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Jesus our peace, in a world where we can be taken aback by the incomprehensible
suffering of the innocent, enable us to make visible, through our lives, a reflection
of your compassion.
Taizé, 28 July
2006
--------------------------------------------
* First anniversary of Brother Roger's death
* Bangladesh: "Lord, who lives in us, widen our hearts."
* In Brazil: the "brincadeira"
* The summer meetings in Taizé
* Monthly Bible meditation
* Kolkata: Walking together for five days
* From Haiti: "Nothing is more responsible"
* Prayer
The first anniversary
of Brother Roger's death
--------------------------------------------
The first anniversary of Brother Roger's death will be observed in a very simple
way, with a celebration of the Eucharist at 8.30pm on the evening of
16 August, in the Church of Reconciliation. Several thousand young adults from
over sixty countries, in Taizé that week, will take part.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3742.html
Bangladesh: "Lord,
who lives in us, widen our hearts."
--------------------------------------------
A Taizé brother writes from Bangladesh: "One of the last words Brother
Roger left us was about "broadening out"; in Bangladesh we have paraphrased
this with the first line of a song by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.
In December 2005, we experienced a beautiful example of this "widening"
of our hearts and our lives. A pilgrimage of trust in Dhaka brought together
some 1200 disabled people and volunteers. They came from all over the country
and from various religious backgrounds: Christian, Muslim, Hindu and in some
cases Buddhist. We prayed together and sang hymns of the different religious
traditions. We listened to readings from the Bible, the Koran and the Gita,
and we experienced how the source of our harmony and solidarity lies in our
common service of the weak, of the poor and of each other. It was the first
time that such an "interreligious pilgrimage of trust" with disabled
people has taken place. Widening our hearts and our lives to welcome in our
hearts and in our midst the neighbour who may be so different is opening a way
towards peace. And when we discover the unknown riches of another religious
tradition and another culture we ourselves are renewed within. The pilgrimage
was a thanksgiving to the Lord of all, who wants to give us each day anew this
widening heart, so that our lives deepen and become richer." "An inter-religious
pilgrimage with the disabled": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3042.html
In Brazil: the "brincadeira"
--------------------------------------------
A young volunteer working with the brothers in Brazil writes: "Keeping
two hours of childhood a day for the children. That is the idea behind the daily
meetings for children at the small fraternity of the Taizé brothers at
Alagoinhas in the North East of Brazil. These hours are a simple as the name
indicates: "brincadiera", which means "play and joy". The
rules are equally simple: It is forbidden to fight and to throw stones, but
there are no barriers for fantasy! At the entrance to the play ground, the harshness
of daily life and sometimes even veritable arms (scissors and knives) are exchanged
for balls, used tyres, soapy bubbles, and, according to the season, fresh mangoes.
It is striking to see how the same idea that is used in the meetings in Taizé
seems to function here too: each young person is given a share of responsibility
he or she can carry. Thus, Anna Lila (11 years old) is the referee for the ball
games area, and Moses (13 years) does the same thing in the case of minor disputes
among his friends... No "brincadeira" resembles another: the number
and the faces of the guests big and small change daily. Some come regularly,
others appear for a few days then disappear in the same way. In all, some 500
children come from time to time. Each brings not only their ideas for games,
but their own personal story too..." http://www.taize.fr/en_article3749.html
The summer meetings in
Taizé
--------------------------------------------
Ten o'clock on Wednesday morning. Quietness descends on the hill of Taizé
after the busy hum of breakfast time. It is estimated that by the end of this
week, the number of people taking part will reach the 4,500 mark. Most of the
European countries are represented, and the active presence of young people
from Africa, Asia and South America - here for three months - can be quite clearly
felt. The day began with Morning Prayer and now people are making their way
to their morning Bible introductions. In Room 10, one of the brothers is getting
ready to continue the theme of "Jacob" to some 160 young adults. People
of different languages group together for the translations. First of all, announcements
for the rest of the day: singing in the church after lunch, theme workshops
at 17.45, meetings for particular languages after supper, brothers will remain
in church after the evening prayer for personal conversations. "Genesis
27.41 - 28.22 tells of a new stage in Jacob's life. A new stage can be difficult,
because we have left the old and not yet found the new. But it can also be good,
since Jacob discovers his own personal way of meeting with God. 'Have there
been moments in your life of which you could say afterwards: God was there and
I did not know it?' 'In what way could we say that Jacob's life really begins
now?'" The group will continue their reflection in small group sessions
in the afternoon. Elsewhere, several groups of 15-18 year olds are busy on "Good
News"; there are groups reflecting on Brother Roger's "Unfinished
Letter", on the theme "God comes to us", and there is a special
group for the 25 to 35 year olds. Some have chosen to spend their week in Taizé
in silence. http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique9.html
Monthly Bible Meditation
--------------------------------------------
Matthew 16: 24-26: In contemporary society where "self-realization"
is encouraged and glorified, Jesus' teaching of "self-denial" is a
real challenge. Some may ask: Is denying oneself not losing oneself? What remains
if one denies oneself? Is taking up the cross really necessary? Are there no
other effective ways of being disciples of Jesus? But Jesus' words are so clear.
He warns sharply against the danger of losing what is most precious for immediate
gain. Should we not understand the perplexing word "to deny oneself"
as meaning to give the priority to God's will and plan instead of our own? ...
Far from being a form of blackmail, these words are a promise of life to everyone
who has decided to follow Christ by giving their life in various forms in the
Church. Those who forget themselves for the sake of Christ and Gospel in the
service of others will receive a hundred times more! Freed from worry and fear
for the future, they will be able to live the present moment more intensively
with trust in God, knowing that their past is buried in Christ and that He will
take care of their future. Finding a true meaning of their life in the service
of God and neighbours, hence finding inner joy and peace - that is what it means
to find life.
- What can help free me from worries and fears to be a follower of Jesus?
- When was I able to forget myself in the joyful service of others? What did
I learn from that experience?
- In a world where the logic of competition and success prevails, how can we
live better the challenge of Jesus' teaching?
http://www.taize.fr/en_article167.html
Kolkata: Walking together
for five days
--------------------------------------------
Fredrik is a volunteer from Sweden, and is at present part of the team preparing
the pilgrimage of trust meeting in Kolkata: To follow Christ is not something
reserved for a small group of spiritual masters. He calls us all, not to do
wonders, but to take one small step at a time, with him leading the way. I took
one such step when I asked if I could help the brothers of Taizé to prepare
the pilgrimage of trust meeting in Kolkata. It was easy to ask the question,
but I have found that following through is much more difficult - especially
for someone used to life in rural Sweden who finds himself in the middle of
the pulsating city of Kolkata... Here people from every corner of the subcontinent
live side by side. As I scurry around on buses, trams and auto-rickshaws, going
from a parish to a school to another parish, meeting with priests, presbyters,
deacons, students and youth groups, I am developing a real affection for this
city. Just before setting out on my pilgrimage I felt that maybe it was not
such a good idea after all, but now I know that my time here is rewarding beyond
anything I could ever have expected. I trusted in God and he surprised me with
being much more "trust worthy" than I ever imagined! ... We are all
pilgrims, and the one leading the way is Christ. In October the paths of several
thousand young pilgrims will meet in the incredible crossroad that is Kolkata.
There we will walk together for five days on our journey towards the kingdom.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3740.html
"Kolkata: Visits in India":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3739.html
"Meeting in Kolkata, 5 to 9 October 2006": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
From Haiti: Nothing is
more responsible
--------------------------------------------
A young man writes from Haiti: "From 3 May, I have taken the initiative
to lead a prayer each evening at my home. Upstairs, there is an empty room where
I have arranged a small altar with an icon of the Virgin Mary, a Cross, a candle
and some flowers. My mother, my older cousin, a close friend of the family,
my uncle and children from the house and friends from the neighbourhood come
too, and I live in hope that this will continue to grow! I know that Christ
will transform each person who takes part. For prayer makes us responsible.
There is a poor woman who lives in the neighbourhood. She lives in a poor house
with four of her children. She is sick. Thanks to the Sisters of Mother Teresa,
she has found a place in a hospital. The children remain alone and sometimes
go to bed hungry. My cousin who takes part in the prayer has bought food for
the family. I know she has been touched by the writings of Brother Roger that
I read to them each evening, above all she is touched by the Christ who calls
us through other people. "Prayer does not make us less involved in the
world. On the contrary, nothing is more responsible than to pray" Brother
Roger's phrase is a reality.
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
God of mercy, you enlighten our souls with an unexpected light. So we discover,
even if a share of darkness can remain within us, that above all there is the
mystery of your presence.
Taizé, 27 June
2006
--------------------------------------------
* From Yogyakarta
* In Georgia, Alabama and the Gulf Coast
* Montreal 2007
* The Cosmos: What is the place of human beings in the universe?
* Zagreb: Widen the space in your tent!
* Summer meetings in Taizé
* New Books, CDs and DVDs
* Prayer
* Our next mailing
From Yogyakarta
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers is currently visiting his family in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
On 27 May, the city was struck by a massive earthquake whose epicentre was in
Bantul, on the city outskirts. Here, he shares some of his impressions: Slowly,
aid has been reaching the victims, and daily life has gone from the emergency
level to the reconstruction phase. In Bantul and Gantiwarno, thousands of families
are living in tents. They are still afraid of staying in their houses. Work
has begun on clearing the ruins. As the aftershocks of the earthquake become
less frequent - people can now feel around six of them a day - they are starting
to repair their homes.
Many severely damaged houses have been demolished for safety reasons. So people
set up their tents where their houses used to be. Because of lack of finance,
this situation will continue for a long time... Mgr Suharyo, Catholic Bishop
of Semarang Diocese, has said that priority for reconstruction in the diocese
will be for public buildings, such as schools or clinics. Damaged churches will
be repaired after people have been able to repair their homes. He sends his
warm greetings to all the brothers. He underlines the spirit of sharing and
thanks the community for what it is giving. ... We need the support of prayer
in order keep on hoping for the future; for strength to rebuild, and to show
solidarity with others. And, in spite of what some have said, it is very important
to understand that this earthquake is not a punishment from God. http://www.taize.fr/en_article3667.html
In Georgia, Alabama and
the Gulf Coast
--------------------------------------------
Recently, two of the brothers were visiting in the south of the United States.
Their journey took them to Atlanta, Alabama, Mississippi and New Orleans. "Our
stay in Atlanta began with the parents and children of an international school
set up by a couple who have made several visits to Taizé. In fact the
idea for the school arose during one of these visits.
There are 250 children, Americans and refugees, from the Balkans to Central
Africa. They welcomed us with a song in 18 languages! Later, we made a kind
of pilgrimage together, through the city of Atlanta, with evening prayers in
Episcopal and Lutheran parishes and Catholic celebrations. ... Then, in the
neighbouring state of Alabama, we took part in a clergy conference of the Episcopalian
Diocese. The two bishops had invited us as chaplains.
These were days of great mutual trust. It was so impressive to share the joys
and the difficulties of a local church, both in the general sessions and in
many of the one to one exchanges. The sharing sessions were nourished by Bible
introductions, and everything was brought together in the three prayers each
day, with singing and silence. A good number of young adults from Alabama have
been to Taizé, accompanied by their auxiliary bishop. Another journey
to Taizé, strongly supported by the parishes, is planned for next year..."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3647.html
The Cosmos: What is the
place of human beings in the universe?
--------------------------------------------
The ancient world saw the universe as a three-story house. Upstairs was heaven,
where God and his angels lived. Underneath there was the kingdom of the dead,
and in the middle was the earth, inhabited by plants, animals and human beings.
In such a universe, the importance of human beings was self- evident. Situated
between the world of the divine and the created world, they were called to be
mediators between the two. Modern science has radically transformed this way
of seeing. Lost as we are on a tiny planet revolving around one star among billions,
in an average-sized galaxy in a constantly expanding universe, the belief that
we have a central role in the scheme of things seems an absurd and pretentious
claim. And yet people in the Bible could have the same experience. In Psalm
8, someone looks at the vast night sky, filled with stars, and a cry comes spontaneously
to his lips: "What are mortals that you think of them, the children of
Adam that you care for them?" (v. 4). Even for that person long ago, the
immensity of the universe had something unsettling about it. In the following
verse, however, the psalmist regains his composure thanks to a conviction that
comes from his faith: "Yet you have made them a little lower than a god."
The place of human beings in the universe comes in the final analysis from a
relationship with the Wellspring of all life...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3645.html
Montreal 2007
--------------------------------------------
A number of Canadians who have been to Taize or taken part in a Taize weekend
in Canada have been asking: "Would it be possible to organize a weekend
in Canada that would bring together young adults from various parts of the country
and the U.S.?" It is a great joy for us to announce that such a weekend
is being planned for next year. It will take place in Montreal from the 27th
to the 29th April 2007. Churches in Montreal of various denominations, Catholic
and Protestant, have expressed their desire to welcome such an event. Brother
Alois will be in Montreal for the meeting. The weekend will be part of our "pilgrimage
of trust on earth"
which Brother Roger initiated many years ago as a way of stimulating young adults
to become bearers of peace, trust and reconciliation in the places where they
live... On this pilgrimage we have had many opportunities to experience how
coming together with many others in order to go to the wellsprings of trust
and hope is a way of leaving discouragement behind, coming out of isolation,
and creating lasting bonds of communion and friendship.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3607.html
http://www.taizemontreal2007.ca
Zagreb: Widen the space
in your tent!
--------------------------------------------
From 28 December 2006 until 1 January 2007, Zagreb, capital of Croatia, is being
called, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, to "widen" the space in
which it lives, in order to welcome thousands of young people from the whole
of Europe and beyond. One of the brothers has recently made several journeys
through Croatia: The train leaves the tunnel passing through the Southern Alps.
The brand-new locomotive and the restaurant car are only just coupled up and
already the barman comes past: "Kava, kava...". The aroma of Turkish
coffee wafts through the air, a legacy of the Ottoman presence in the region
for several centuries. In less than three hours we have crossed Slovenia and
we arrive at what is still, for the moment a least, the external border of the
European Union. "Welcome to Croatia!"
What is waiting for us on the other side? I may not be the only person to remember
those wonderful stories of holidays on the Adriatic coast, in a country then
called Yugoslavia, the name of which is no longer to be found on any of today's
maps. "Of course, most often it is because of tourism that you hear about
our little country. This money is very important for our economy. But beyond
the economic aspect there is an old tradition of welcoming strangers that can
still be felt today." ... But, unfortunately, these holiday stories were
replaced one day by other news. Suddenly the television started to show pictures
of bombed-out villages and destroyed historic monuments. And this wasn't somewhere
far off, but a few hours away from us. We didn't really understand: who is against
whom and why? ...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3644.html
Summer meetings in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
In Taizé, the 2006 summer meetings are beginning: "Sunday to Sunday,
everyone is invited to enter into the rhythm of community life for the week;
gathering with the brothers three times a day for prayer, joining with people
from other countries for meetings, meals, small group discussions and practical
jobs." The times of reflection, with Bible introductions by the brothers,
are centred on Brother Roger's "Unfinished Letter"; "Good News"
(for the 15-16 year olds); "God comes to us". Young adults from countries
of Africa, Asia and Latin America are arriving. They will stay for three months
and will take part in the meetings; sharing how the faith is lived in their
countries.
"Young adult meetings": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
"Photos of the youth meetings": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2785.html
"Online registration": http://register.taize.fr/TaizePublic/showIntroduction.do
New Books CDs and DVDs
--------------------------------------------
"Soyons l'âme du monde", a selection of texts by Christians
of the first centuries made by the Taizé community, has been published
in Chinese by Kuangchi Cultural Group, Taiwan: http://www.kcg.org.tw/pub/205/205280.htm
"Seek and you will Find - Questions on the Christian Faith and the Bible"
is now available in an American edition, from GIA Publications, Chicago
(152 pages, ISBN 1579995926): http://www.giamusic.com/scstore/P-6879.html
.
A Danish edition of Brother Roger's "God is Love Alone" has been
published by Unitas Forlag: "Gud elsker - ganske enkelt" (88 pages,
ISBN 8775177412)
http://www.unitasforlag.dk/bog.php?id=1546&kategori_id=13
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Risen Christ, whatever our hesitations or even our
doubts, you are always there, and you say to each one of us: surrender yourself
quite simply to the presence of God.
Our next mailing
--------------------------------------------
The next number of News from Taizé by email will appear during the last
week of July.
Taizé 13 June 2006
--------------------------------------------
* Brother Alois in Moscow
* Travel to Taizé organised by young people - summer
2006
* Monthly Bible meditation
* A pilgrimage of prayer in South East Asia
* Two new workshops on art
* "Places of hope" in Kolkata
* Prayer
Brother Alois in Moscow
--------------------------------------------
*** Brother Alois, accompanied by two other brothers, was in Moscow from 28
May to 2 June. He was eager to go there to express to Patriarch Alexis II the
Taizé Community's desire to continue on its way in great closeness and
in deep trust with the Russian Orthodox Church. He expressed it, "Brother
Roger opened up a way and we want to continue in his footsteps. The Russian
Orthodox Church had a special place in his heart. He had infinite respect for
it because of all the trials it has come through, and he recalled how much so
many Orthodox Christians have known how to love and to forgive."
*** The three brothers were touched by the warm welcome they received from the
Patriarch himself, from Metropolitan Kirill, president of the External Relations
Department of the Patriarchate of Moscow and from others in charge of this department.
The Patriarch underlined the good relations that existed between the Russian
Orthodox Church and the Community of Taizé. He recalled that he had himself
visited Taizé and that he had met Brother Roger several times.
*** This was the fourth visit Brother Alois has made over recent months, and
it followed his visits to Pope Benedict XVI, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,
and to the World Council of Churches meeting at Porto Alegre, Brazil. "Through
these visits I wanted to show that the brothers and I are seeking passionately
for communion among all Christians. In this search for communion, we discover
more and more the treasures the different traditions have kept through their
history. In Taizé, we want to contribute to a true exchange of gifts
taking place between the great Christian traditions": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3586.html
"Taizé's gratefulness for the Russian Orthodox Church": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3590.html
Travel to Taizé
organised by young people - summer 2006
--------------------------------------------
The summer in Taizé is very international. The presence of young French
people is important as a witness to the life of the Church in France, to be
a sign of welcome to those who come from abroad, and to help in the work teams.
In order to invite French people to spend more than a few hours or a weekend
on the hill, young people and youth ministry leaders are preparing buses to
come to Taizé for one week this summer, Sunday to Sunday, and even in
some cases from Saturday till the following Sunday, in order to help welcome
the big numbers on the Sunday afternoon.
From Paris and Ile-de-France: four shuttles: From Saturday 15 July to Sunday
23 July; Saturday 22 July to Sunday 30 July; Saturday 12 August to Sunday 20
August; Saturday 19 August to Sunday 27 August.
For fuller information as well as dates of departures from other regions: http://www.taize.fr/fr_article3310.html
For regular bus services to Taizé from a dozen other countries in Europe,
and on travelling to Taizé by train, road and air: "Travel to Taizé":
http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique18.html
Monthly Bible meditation
--------------------------------------------
Hebrews 1: 1-4: Some think that the introduction to the Letter to the Hebrews,
which is in fact one long Greek sentence, is the best constructed text in the
entire New Testament. The author centres his reflections on the mystery of Christ,
the Son of God and the culmination of God's self- revelation. But if Christ
is the high-point of revelation, this does not disqualify all the other ways
in which God has communicated throughout the ages. For his part the author has
in mind the history of the people of Israel recounted in Scripture, but could
we not widen our outlook and say:
while God has manifested himself in so many different ways to each nation and
to each individual, the touchstone for us is the figure of Christ Jesus. Every
revelation acquires its definitive importance by its link with the mystery of
the Son ... The entire New Testament affirms that Christ reveals God fully.
Here this is expressed by two images: the Son is the radiance and the imprint
or effigy of the Father. And, as in the other books of the New Testament, this
communication occurs above all in his passion and resurrection ...
Does God still speak to our world, to each person, to me? How? What aspects
of Jesus' life help me to understand who God is? Who is Christ for me?
http://www.taize.fr/en_article167.html
A pilgrimage of prayer
in South East Asia
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers writes: "I have been asked several times over the last
few months, "What is it that you actually do? You were in Thailand. What
did you do there?"
"I was praying with young people. This time, it was in an Orthodox Church".
"And when you were in Vientiane?"
"Well, basically, we prayed together; one evening in the cathedral, and
there too it was with young adults."
In the way they looked at me I could see that those who were asking me these
questions were wondering...
"So, in Myanmar?" I was almost embarrassed to say again, "We
prayed with young people from all the parishes in the Archdiocese of Yangoon"!
"And in Cambodia?"
This time I did not have reply for they supplied the answer themselves, slightly
amused. "No doubt you were praying"!
This made me think quite a bit, for it is quite true to say that "praying
with" is almost the only thing I do during these visits. And I remembered
some words Brother Roger said and wrote in one of his last letters:
"Nothing is more responsible than praying" ... http://www.taize.fr/en_article3573.html
Two new workshops on art
--------------------------------------------
*** In the program of the international youth meetings time is given over each
day to workshops on various topics: "Discovering the joy of Easter",
"Easing the pain of those who are far away", "What sort of lifestyle
can keep us from wasting the world's resources?" ...
*** Admiration, indifference, fear ... Artists look at the natural world.
And how do we see it? From the beginnings of humanity, artists have explored
the mysterious relationship that we have with nature. In this workshop, we will
try to examine the way we look at the world. Four works are taken into consideration.
Among the earliest works of art, painted and sculpted images on the walls of
the prehistoric caves in Roucadour show flocks of animals ... Thousands of years
later, about the year 200 AD, in Egypt, a delicate blue tapestry with coloured
fish witnesses to the astonishing human capacity to observe nature ... Still
later, in the nineteenth century, the German painter Caspar David Friedrich
expresses with his brush the tragic fate of a naval expedition to the North
Pole ...
Even closer to us today, the work of the photographer Raymond Sauvaire draws
the spectator into a nature which is full of harmony through serene and peopled
landscapes. How do these artists help us better to perceive the place and the
responsibility that we have in the midst of the world today?
"Young adult meetings in Taizé": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
"Two new workshops on art":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3559.html
"Places of hope"
in Kolkata
--------------------------------------------
Preparation for the meeting in Kolkata continues on several different levels.
A program of visits to many parts of India will begin early in July. Meanwhile
in Taizé, there are meetings every week for people interested in going
to India to take part. In the city itself, the school and college vacations
are over and preparation meetings in the parishes and among young people of
Kolkata are now being greatly increased in number.
*** One of the important parts of the 5 to 9 October program will be the "places
of hope". Brothers and helpers are out visiting a number of such places
with a view to offering the participants different possibilities for experiencing
at first hand what is being done to transform situations of human suffering
into hope. Last week, there was a prayer at St Joseph's Rehabilitation Centre,
Keorapukur, which cares for former alcoholics and people with a drug dependency.
In Liluah, the Don Bosco Community provide training schemes in sewing, mechanics,
electricity, etc, for out of work young people. They also maintain "Asya
Layam" (House of Hope) for street children. Ankur Kala is a centre for
women who are victims of oppression and exploitation, forced to shoulder on
their own the needs of their families. "They come seeking the centre's
support to break free of the chains of poverty and oppression and to lead lives
of dignity and hope."
Ankur Kala provides training - and economic and social empowerment - through
teaching various vocational skills, functional literacy, small business management
and alternative marketing of various items produced by the centre. Started in
1982 "with Mother Teresa's blessing and the inspiration of Brother Roger
of Taizé", the centre is the work of a woman, a social worker, who
had spent two long periods as a volunteer in Taizé.
"Meeting in Kolkata: 5 to 9 October 2006": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
"Photos Kolkata": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3425.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, in the silence of our hearts a song rises up: your Holy Spirit
will never leave us on our own; he is a support and a comforter; through his
presence you dwell within us forever.
Taizé,
30 May 2006
--------------------------------------------
* Croatia: an invitation
* Japan: the colours of the bay
* In Pärnu at the beginning of May
* Africa locked and barred?
* Preparing for the meeting in Kolkata
* In Austria
* Prayer
Croatia: an invitation
--------------------------------------------
*** During the first two weeks of May a series of prayers and information meetings
took place in several parishes in the city of Zagreb and the surrounding district,
as well as in other cites. "We are such a small country and our capital
cannot be compared with the great European metropolises... we don't even have
a metro!" You hear this kind of reaction again and again. People are somewhat
astonished that Zagreb could have been chosen to host the European meeting.
But above all they are proud to be able to show just how pleased they will be
to welcome other people to their city. "After so many years of large numbers
of young people going off to take part in European meetings elsewhere, it is
like a dream come true.
This time it will be us who will be receiving all these thousands of young people!"
says Renato.
*** As far as the practical organization goes, more and more things are falling
into place. The municipal and national bodies are unanimous; "We will be
making available everything that is necessary", said the mayor of Zagreb.
*** The real question is quite different: During the period leading up to the
meeting, how do we avoid concentrating only on the practical questions?
How do we grasp the fact that this preparation time is an opportunity offered
to each one of us, with the youth in the parishes and in the city, to find a
new lease of life? The coming of so many strangers is a chance to go and find
all those who are on the margins of our communities or who are no longer in
touch with the Church.
*** Croatia, with less than 5 million inhabitants, is a country that is not
well known. The first challenge for the young Croatians will be to invite young
adults from other countries to visit their country at the end of this year.
They will be able to start doing this by taking part in the summer meetings
in Taizé.
*** "Meeting in Zagreb: 28 December 06 to 1 January 07": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3289.html
"Young adult meetings in Taizé":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Japan: the colours of
the bay
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers writes about his recent visit to Japan: "Arriving in
Japan via Shimonoseki is always a privilege. Leaving Pusan at sunset, in a few
hours the colours of the mountains surrounding the important South Korean port
give way to the colours of the bay of Shimonoseki with its great bridge leading
to Kyushu. This time, things were a little less romantic, for there was a strong
wind carrying the "yellow dust" from Mongolia and the night crossing
was rough. Less than two hours from Shimonoseki, the first stop was Hiroshima.
Last year, a group of young Japanese visited Taizé on their way to Cologne
for the World Youth Days.
They were still able to meet Brother Roger. Students from the Elizabeth Music
University were part of the group. When they heard that one of the brothers
was coming from Taizé this year, they expressed the wish to pray together.
Prepared by students from a music university, the singing could only be of high
quality, but the young people understood that in Taizé we are not looking
for concert perfection but the simplicity of a prayer that is accessible to
everyone. Some of them brought their instruments, but they had no problem in
not using them in order to keep things very simple. After the prayer, they served
a typical Hiroshima meal and they asked for another time of prayer the next
morning, before going to classes. ... "
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3527.html
In Pärnu at the beginning
of May
--------------------------------------------
In the years since independence, many young Estonians have visited Taizé
or have taken part in the end of the year European meetings. Visits from Taizé
to Estonia have likewise been numerous, with brothers and young people spending
time going from parish to parish throughout the country, usually in the depths
of winter. The call to "widen our steps", in Brother Roger's "Unfinished
Letter", encouraged some of the young Estonians to suggest a weekend meeting
where people from all over the country and further afield could come together
for prayer and sharing. The first of its kind in Estonia, the meeting took place
in Pärnu, close to the Latvian border, from
4 to 6 May. Pärnu was chosen because young people have been coming to Taizé
from the Elizabeth Parish for many years. Around 250 young people signed on
for the weekend, from all over Estonia and from Latvia as well. The members
of a Finnish church choir also took part.... On the Saturday, the day began
with prayer. Then a brother from Taizé introduced the morning's reflection
based on the first part of the Unfinished Letter - "What is the peace that
God gives us?" The day continued with small group sessions, workshops,
visits to discover "signs of hope". One young woman commented after
a visit to an old people's home, "The way the old people welcomed us was
a bit like the way God welcomes us! The fact that we all spoke different languages
or the way we looked outwardly didn't matter. They were simply happy to see
us and that joy was visible." ... http://www.taize.fr/en_article3530.html
Africa locked and barred?
--------------------------------------------
The "Welcome Point for Refugees and Immigrants" in Dakar, Senegal,
was set up at the initiative of the brothers from Taizé some twelve years
ago in collaboration with the parishes and religious communities of the city.
"Dramatic events occurred last October in Ceuta and Melilla. Since then,
the migratory flows of would-be emigrants from sub-Saharan Africa have changed
rapidly. They no longer go northward across the desert, a route that turned
the urban centers of Tamanrasset (Algeria) or Agadès (Niger) into lively
departure points. Over the past few years, an alternative route had begun to
be exploited, through the Western Sahara. Huddled among the dunes along the
coast, people would wait for calm in the ocean waves, then with a bit of luck
in two days they might arrive in the Canary Islands, which are Spanish, part
of Europe! ... Never before has the Welcome Point for Refugees and Immigrants
run by the Dakar Caritas Organization had to look after people from within Senegal.
But now there is a new category of people asking for help, those who have been
deported or forced back. Driven out of Morocco or Mauritania, they end up in
Dakar, utterly at a loss. In order to attempt the journey to Europe, they had
to take out a loan or were financed by their family or village; they set off
bearing the hopes of a whole group. Now they have failed, they have lost everything,
they are crushed by shame. There can be no return to their village, where they
would be confronted by their creditors, and how could they repay them? To say
nothing of seeing the attitude of others toward their failure. So here they
are, refugees in their own country, without resources or family. And with hearts
full of an insatiable desire for revenge on Fate. They will do anything as they
try to get across the barriers that are being made higher and higher."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3521.html
Preparing for the meeting
in Kolkata
--------------------------------------------
The brothers preparing the meeting in Kolkata have a crowded schedule of meetings
of very different kinds. Over these recent days they have led a prayer with
the volunteers working with the Missionaries of Charity, in the sisters' chapel
where Mother Teresa is buried. They have had an excellent meeting with young
people of the neighbouring diocese of Asanol taking part in a summer camp near
Shantiniketan whose university was founded by Rabindranath Tagore; many of the
participants were Santals. Saturday 27
May: a meeting with youth from the diocese of Baruipur, to the South of Kolkata.
Meanwhile they continue their meetings with young people in the
parishes: St.Thomas (Church of North India) Free School Street, 27 May Our Lady
of Fatima Parish, and Sunday 28 in Kestopur Parish. On the 1 June there will
be a prayer of adoration at the Kolkata Carmel, Outram Street, where the sisters
are elderly and wish to welcome the young people. Sunday
4 June, Pentecost, there will be meetings at Behala, to the South of the city,
and at Dum-Dum, to the North...
"Meeting in Kolkata; 5 - 9 October 2006": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
In Austria
--------------------------------------------
At the end of April a brother of the community made visits to young people in
Austria. After a prayer in Salzburg, Brigit writes, "From time to time
there are days when I lose sight of the essential, either because of my studies,
or because of what other people expect of me, or because of other trials that
life can bring. And in spite of all my efforts, the moment comes when I run
out of steam. Everything becomes too much. When we celebrated together with
one of the brothers that marvellous prayer in Salzburg, for a few hours I was
able to leave my daily life behind me. I was able to live an experience of communion
and to discover that I am not going on my way all alone. Praying and singing
together, with the conversations that followed, brought me the strength and
courage to keep me on course, however rocky the path may be. Even if the meeting
only lasted a few hours, it will remain in my heart for a long time.... "
The journey had started in Vienna. Every year, since the European meeting in
Vienna nine years ago, young people prepare an afternoon meeting, with Bible
introductions and sharing in small groups. ...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3533.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, as you sent out your disciples to the whole world, so you call
us to communicate a mystery of faith to those around us. Enable us to become,
through our lives, witnesses to peace on earth.
Taizé,
15 May 2006
--------------------------------------------
* Four freedoms in Middelburg
* At the Katholikentag in Sarrebruck
* "Preparation points" in Poland
* Staying longer in Taizé
* Monthly Bible Meditation
* Meetings and visits in May-June
* Prayer
Four freedoms in Middelburg
--------------------------------------------
Saturday 13 May young adults from many parts of the Netherlands came together
for the day in the city of Middelburg. The program began the moment they arrived
in the station where they were welcomed by young people of Middelburg. Their
day included prayer together, the midday meal in common and an opportunity to
discover the spiritual roots of Middelburg. At 17.00, there was a time of prayer
in the Nieuwe Kerk with Brother Alois and several brothers of the community
who had come especially for the day. The occasion was the presentation of the
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms medals for 2006. "The Trustees of the
Award believe the Taizé Community exemplifies the commitment to freedom
of religion and conscience which President Roosevelt declared as an essential
condition for a better world ... We note the extraordinary life of your founder,
Brother Roger ... His conviction that God is united to every human being without
exception and that the true value of the Gospel is enhanced by kind-heartedness
is a message that none should forget". The other 2006 recipients of the
award were Dr. Mohamed El Baradei of Egypt, the Director General of the I.A.E.A.,
"for his pioneering role in the development of international governance
mechanisms for the control and restraint of nuclear weapons". Carlos Fuentes
of Mexico, "is above all a committed defender of the right to freedom of
speech". Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, "whose leadership in establishing
the Grameen Bank and in the field of micro-financing has enabled millions in
developing nations to live a better life" (Freedom from Want), and Aung
San Suu Kyi of Myanmar, "who has kept alive the hope of freedom, justice
and democracy for her people" (Freedom from Fear).
At the Katholikentag in
Sarrebruck
--------------------------------------------
The 96th German Katholikentag will be held from 24 to 28 May in Sarrebruck.
The Community has been invited and two of the brothers will take part. On Friday
26 May, from 9 to 11pm, in the E-Werk (Dr-Tietz-Str.1), there will be evening
prayer "night of lights", prepared in collaboration with young adults
of the city and the surrounding district. The same day, from 1 to 2pm, there
will be an hour of songs from Taizé, in the Congresshalle, hall west
(Hafenstrasse) for all those who want to sing. Those who want to help prepare
the prayer are invited to come at the same time. Last year in May, the brothers
were in Hanover to take part in the Kirchentag that brings together the Protestant
Churches of Germany every two years.
"Preparation points"
in Poland
--------------------------------------------
Every year in May, brothers are in Poland for two weekend meetings with young
adults from the "preparation points" - groups of young people in many
cities throughout the country who take responsibility for helping others prepare
to take part in the summer meetings in Taizé, in the end of the year
"European meeting" - in 2006, in Zagreb - and this year in the 5-9
October Meeting in Kolkata, India. In all there some 220 of them at present.
This year the weekend meetings took place from 28 to 30 April in Kielce, in
the South East, and from 5 to 7 May in Szczecin, in the North West. During the
weekends, the accent was not on questions of organization, but on living a time
of prayer and reflection together. ... In Kielce, some of those who prepared
the meeting were very young indeed; there were even children who lent a hand,
helping to guide people to their host families.
On the Friday and Saturday, the auxiliary bishop of Kielce spent the entire
evening with the young people. During the final sharing session some expressed
how the meeting had helped them to discover their place in the Church. In Szczecin,
the meeting was prepared by students who displayed tremendous creativity! The
meeting was hosted by the Dominicans, in the very dynamic parish they care for.
"Europe": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3499.html
"Meeting in Zagreb: 28 Dec 2006 - 1 Jan 2007": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique45.html
"Meeting in Kolkata: 5-9 October 2006": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
Staying longer in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
Apart from those who come for one week there is also a number of young people,
18-27 years old, who live alongside the community for a longer time - anything
from a few weeks to a year. Their stay is a way to take a step back from their
everyday life - to reflect, to share with others and to search inwardly. Those
who stay longer than a week share the different practical responsibilities necessary
for welcoming people in Taizé.
Young people who stay longer are accompanied by one of the sisters, for women,
or one of the brothers, for men. A weekly meeting offers the opportunity to
talk over the ideas and questions that arise during their stay. If you are interested
in this, please contact the welcome team before coming to Taizé. There
are also special meetings at the end of the week in Taizé for those interested
in staying longer.
"Meetings", The Taizé Community, 71250 Taizé, France.
meetings@taize.fr "Young adult meetings
in Taizé": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Monthly Bible Meditation
--------------------------------------------
Jeremiah 1: 4-10: Who is the prophet Jeremiah? A man who, one day, when he was
very young, discovered a call from God deep in his heart. That call turned his
life upside down. In it Jeremiah found the meaning of his life.
He constantly returned to it to face the trials of his existence and to go forward.
Although God called other prophets through a vision, like Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-3)
or Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1), in the case of Jeremiah it was different. God spoke
a "word" (v. 4) to him, an inner word set in his heart, in the depths
of his being, even before he was aware of it (v. 5).
That word was the imprint of the mystery of God in Jeremiah's life. In this
sense, Jeremiah is very close to us. Most often, we understand what God wants
from us not by means of an extraordinary event, but through something like an
"inner voice" that gradually rises up from our depths. Will we manage
to take the time to listen to it? Will we dare to let it question us? When confronted
with such a call, in us there are often resistances.
Jeremiah immediately recognized his limits (v. 6). This resistance is not negative
in itself. If Jeremiah resisted, it is because he was touched to the quick.
He was not indifferent to the call. For him the challenge was to recognize his
frailties but not to get stuck there - to go beyond them. ...
What words of the Bible express a kind of inner call for me?
How does God's call reach me (family, friends, important events, words...)?
What resistances to this call do I discover in me? ...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article167.html
Meetings and visits in
May-June
--------------------------------------------
Over the coming weeks, brothers will be taking part in meetings in several countries:
Preparation for the meeting in Kolkata: http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
10 to 15 May: Denmark: http://www.taize.fr/da_article991.html
12 to 29 May: United States:
http://www.taize.fr/en_article2273.html
13 to 20 May: Greece, contact: community@taize.fr
19 May to 09 June: Italy: http://www.taize.fr/it_article3498.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, by your continual presence as the Risen One, you offer us a source
at which to draw ever and again the meaning of our existence.
Taizé, 28 April
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Jubilate coeli
* "Confessor of the faith"
* "How can we face up to fear for the future?"
* End of Lent in Dakar
* In Brazil: a very joyful celebration
* MP3 and audio: Easter Sunday in Taizé
* New Books CDs and DVDs
* Prayer
Jubilate coeli
--------------------------------------------
"Jubilate coeli, jubilate mundi, Christus Jesus surrexit vere". (Heavens
sing with gladness; earth, sing out rejoicing: Jesus Christ is risen from the
dead) The prayers throughout Easter week form one single celebration of the
resurrection of Christ. The joy of the resurrection was certainly apparent among
the thousands of young adults who had gathered from many nations, and the glorious
weather added to the festive atmosphere. The French were here in number, most
of them staying for the whole week. A strong German participation ensured that
the singing during the prayers in the church was of a very high order! There
were also Romanians, both Orthodox and Greek Catholics. This year, the Eastern
Churches celebrated Easter one week after the Western. Wishing to express their
communion with Eastern Christians, the brothers introduced some of the prayers
of Holy Week into the prayers for Easter Week. Among many very familiar faces,
the brothers were particularly touched by the visits of two bishops, one from
the Czech Republic and one from France. "Young adult meetings":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
"Confessor of the
faith"
--------------------------------------------
Bishop Otcenacek, now 87, was a "confessor of the faith" during the
difficult period in the history of Czechoslovakia. Made bishop in 1950, without
the agreement of the communist government, he was arrested and spent eleven
years in prison. When he was released, he was allowed only to serve as parish
priest in a small village, where brothers of the community went to see him.
During his visit to Czechoslovakia in 1981, Brother Roger met the illegal bishop
in memorable circumstances. He visited Cardinal Tomasek at the archbishop's
residence in Prague. All the rooms were bugged except for one vaulted room in
the basement. The cardinal led Brother Roger down to that room and it was there
that he introduced the bishop for a brief conversation. After the fall of the
Berlin Wall, the bishop took part in the young adult European meetings that
took place in Poland in 1989 and in Prague in 1990. Now retired, and in spite
of his age, he had wished to come to Taizé to pray at Brother Roger's
grave.
How can we face up to
fear for the future?
--------------------------------------------
Mgr Gérard Daucourt, Bishop of Nanterre, in the Paris region, has visited
Taizé many times and has accompanied the community in many stages of
its life. During this visit he led a workshop on the question: how can we face
up to fear for the future? The young French people wanted to think together
about the meaning of the riots that occurred in many neighbourhoods last November,
and of the big demonstrations against the new work contracts for young people
in March-April.
Some of those present said that, rather than specific demands, these two events
in France were an expression of the fear for the future that paralyses certain
young people and which they express with such intensity.
The workshop was attended by many French young people, but also by Germans,
Australians, Americans, and a Colombian. The non-French listened very carefully
to what the French tried to express about these events. Mgr Daucourt underlined
the fact that he was there to listen and not to analyse. Nevertheless he gave
us four lines of reflection:
- Could fear of the future not be first of all a fear of not being recognised?
Many demands are first of all appeals to be loved. Many of the young seem to
be saying, "Love us!"
- Fear of the future can come from suspicion of the words of certain adults.
"You say this, but we don't believe you!" How can we rediscover coherence
between what we say and what we do? "Do what you say and say what you do."
- Fear of the future can also be first of all fear of ourselves. In the resurrection,
there is the possibility to say yes to all that is in me, to all that I am.
On the morning of the resurrection, how can we reformulate this great yes to
life?
- It is this yes that will enable us to get out of the artificial securities
of a society obsessed with zero risk. How can we rediscover the taste of adventure,
and adventure of non-calculated generosity?
End of Lent in Dakar
--------------------------------------------
The season of Lent is always very intense in Senegal. In just a few particularly
dense weeks, a host of efforts, retreats and meetings are concentrated. This
year, the Taizé brothers in Dakar received many invitations. Two Sundays
in a row, they led times of prayer around the cross for young people in two
large parishes. Hundreds of young people gathered at 3pm, obviously not the
best time for prayer, and yet all entered into the meditation with a lot of
seriousness and fervour. ... The high point was the Easter Morning Prayer on
Sunday morning at 6am: the children, barely awake, came stumbling to the house
in the dark. In the chapel the liturgy of light began; a large paschal candle
was lit and everyone held a candle. After the singing of the Exultet everybody
went up on the terrace where the second part of the prayer was held. The first
Passover was recounted - the exodus from Egypt, the promise of our own liberation.
Then, still singing, we went down into the courtyard for the reading of the
Gospel and the Easter greeting. The celebration continued with a festive breakfast,
a large table filled the courtyard; the Muslim children who normally come to
visit joined us then, and even a few old friends, faithful Muslims, were all
delighted to share in the feast.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3463.html
In Brazil: a very joyful
celebration
--------------------------------------------
"For the Easter celebrations this year, there were seven of us brothers.
On Friday, like every year, the young people from the neighbourhood enacted
the Passion of Christ. On Saturday, we had the baptism of twenty adults, adolescents
and some children. On Sunday morning, after an hour of singing, early in the
morning we made visits in the neighbourhood, then breakfast, with many children,
and then a beautiful celebration of the resurrection that was very joyful".
MP3 and audio: Easter
Sunday in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
- "Sleeper awake, rise from the dead...", the Exutet, the Gospel reading,
songs and the closing benediction by Brother Alois from the Easter Sunday morning
celebration. Twelve minutes in RealAudio and in Windows Media Player.
- Saturday evening prayer broadcast from Taizé: every Saturday at 22:00
Central European Time (20:00 GMT Apr.-Oct.; 21:00 GMT Nov.-Mar.) on Domradio.
- A new selection of song clips, from recent recordings: In manus tuas, Pater,
Mon âme se repose, The Kingdom of God...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article681.html
New Books CDs and DVDs
--------------------------------------------
An anthology of Brother Roger's writings with a biographical introduction has
been published in the United States by Orbis Books: "Brother Roger of Taizé
Essential Writings" (128 pages, ISBN: 1570756392)
http://www.maryknollmall.org/description.cfm?ISBN=1-57075-639-2
Kathryn Spink's biography of Brother Roger, "A Universal Heart" has been re- issued in Britain by SPCK Publishing (ISBN: 0281057990) http://www.spck.org.uk/cat/show.php?0281057990 . It is also now available in the USA from GIA Publications, Chicago http://www.giamusic.com/scstore/P-6773.html Marianów MIC, Warszawa, with the title "Czy widzisz przed soba szczescie?". ISBN: 8375020044 http://www.wydawnictwo.pl/ksiegarnia/sklep.php?s=karta&id=343
There are two new books in Finland: A book of the songs of Taizé with
Finnish translations is now available from Kirjapaja Oy, Helsinki. Title:
"Taizé - Rukouslauluja", ISBN: 9516071716. And "Missä
rakkaus, siellä Jumala", Finnish translation of Brother Roger's "God
is love alone", from the same publisher, ISBN: 9516072828 http://www.kirjapaja.fi/
A DVD about the European Meeting in Milan is now available at Taizé (in Italian, English, German, and French): "Taizé-Milano 2005: La nostra lettera siete voi".
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Risen Jesus, your Spirit rests upon each one of us, and, as the almond tree
starts to blossom in springtime, you bring to flower even our interior deserts.
Taizé, 16 April
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Easter at Taizé
* Meeting in Kolkata
* Norway: a visit in March
* Chapecó: the next «Jornada da Confiança»
* On the Hungarian-Slovak frontier
* East Africa
* Meetings and visits in April-May
* The web site
* Prayer
Easter at Taizé
--------------------------------------------
*** Prominent among the songs during Holy Week this year was "Cantarei
ao Senhor": a sign of the presence of so many young people from Portugal,
some of whom had travelled all the way from the Azores. They were joined by
French, Italians, Spanish, British, Germans, Polish, Scandinavians, South Africans...
a few days earlier, the first group had arrived from India, to stay for three
months; a young Brazilian was the first arrival from Latin America.
*** The times of reflection, with Bible introductions by the brothers, were
centred on Brother Roger's "Unfinished Letter"; "Good News"
(for the 15-16 year olds); "God comes to us"; "The Easter Mystery,
the heart of our faith". Everyone comes together for the times of prayer:
Thursday evening, the Eucharist and the feet washing; Friday, the prayer around
the Cross; on Saturday evening one of the brothers - from Hungary - made his
life-long commitment in the community.
*** Later that evening, Brother Alois commented: Our brother Andras has just
pronounced the "yes" to God for the whole of his life in our community.
His "yes" leads us onwards. For to follow Christ we all need to be
led onwards by others, in the communion of the Church. ... Tomorrow morning,
the Gospel we shall read will tell us about the first person to believe that
the love of God was stronger than hatred or death. It is a woman, Mary Magdalene.
She is weeping at the tomb of Jesus. ... Jesus says a word to her that is going
to change everything; he calls her by her name:
"Mary". ... Christ calls us too by our name and says to us, "Go!
Pass on my love through your life." Mary Magdalene's courage spurs us on.
A woman, quite alone, she dared to go to the disciples to tell them the incredible,
"Christ is risen!"
*** Sunday morning "Lumen Christi": the Easter Celebration overflowed
with joy as everyone exchanged the Easter morning greeting: Christ is Risen!,
Kristus vstal z mrtvých!, Cristo ha Resucitado!, Le Christ est ressuscité!,
Kristus Sudah Bangit!, Christus ist auferstanden!, and the church bells rang
out over the valley. Well over 4000 had registered in advance to take part in
the meeting, and for Sunday morning they were joined by many people from the
region.
*** The Easter week meeting, exceptionally, begins on Monday, with the welcome
team surpassing themselves in accommodating the nearly 5000 people who have
registered to take part. "Young adults meetings": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Meeting in Kolkata
--------------------------------------------
Recently, four young people and a bishop were asked to give their views on life
in India at the present time and on their hopes for the October meeting:
"As far as you can see, what characterizes India most strongly at present?
What are the most important questions that young Indians have?"
Ashrita: For the last few years India's pluralistic, cultural and religious
diversity has been under serious threat due to political, fanatical fundamentalism
on the one hand and the impact of Western culture on the other. ... Poverty
and unemployment are the greatest hurdles for our Indian youth. Around 50% of
the youth fall under these categories. This social and economic issue is preventing
them from spiritual practices. I think the most important questions that young
Indians have are: Where and how far will religious faith lead them today? When
and how are they going to experience a deep satisfaction? Who and what will
bring them out of their depressed and insecure situation? Where is faith going
to lead us? A new nation of trust, peace and hope can be built up only by recognizing
one's faith, and the recognition of faith is possible only through deepening
oneself to recognize the God within each one of us. We will come to Kolkata
to experience and inculcate this process of deepening one's faith through silence
and chants. http://www.taize.fr/en_article3366.html
Norway: A visit in March
--------------------------------------------
Following his visit to Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen in 2005, one of the brothers
has been back in Norway in March this year: In Oslo, among other meetings and
prayers, one afternoon a "seminar" was held. Everyone came to the
"Bymisjon", the city mission where those on the edges of society are
welcomed - the homeless, immigrants, addicts. The afternoon began with a prayer
in a chapel under the roof of the house. Then everyone came downstairs for an
introduction on Brother Roger's "Unfinished Letter". ...
After a time of preparation, we gathered with many others for a large prayer
with the songs of Taizé in the cathedral. It was open to all, and the
bishop took part as well. Those who wished could then attend a discussion in
the crypt between representatives of different Christian denominations. The
topic was: "widening the roads to reconciliation". The discussion
turned rather quickly to the question of how Muslims and Christians could live
together. Coming after the riots about the cartoons, the subject was of concern
to many people. ...
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3370.html
Chapecó: the next
"Jornada da Confiança"
--------------------------------------------
The city of Chapecó is situated in the State of Santa Catarina, in the
South of Brazil. It is there that from July onwards the Taizé brothers
in Brazil will be preparing the next "Jornada da confiança",
which will take place from 12 to 15 October 2006. One of the brothers was there
recently:
The Diocese of Chapecó is located near the frontier with Argentina. It
is an agricultural region with many multinational agro-industries. Most of the
people are descendents of Italian, German and Polish immigrants. There is also
an important Indian population, especially Kaingang and Guarani. What is special
about this diocese is that it was here that "The Movement of Landless Peasants"
(Movimento Sem Terra) began. The young people involved in the youth ministry
are very politically and socially aware: It was very interesting to hear directly
from them about their activities. They really care for the future of simple
people, the future of indigenous tribes, and for the environment. The bishop
is very open and listens very much. There are many young people involved in
the life of diocese. The idea of having a meeting in Chapeco began almost three
years ago, when a bishop and some priests visited our home in Alagoinhas. Some
of the young people participated in Jornada in Goias in 2004 and nearly 50 of
them came to the meeting at Santo André last year. http://www.taize.fr/en_article2273.html
On the Hungarian-Slovak
frontier
--------------------------------------------
There is a bridge in Esztergom, linking the opposite banks of the Danube, which
marks the frontier between Slovakia and Hungary. From 24 to 26 March 2006, the
ancient city of Esztergom was host to a stage of the "pilgrimage of trust"
and several hundred young adults from all over Hungary and Slovakia, together
with some from Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Austria and Germany came to take part.
Young people from Hungary and Slovakia have been meeting in Taizé and
during the yearly European meetings for years now. As Petra recalls, "I
grew up only a few kilometres away from the Slovak border, but I had to travel
to Taizé in order to speak with a Slovak for the first time in my life!"
... The program of the three days: Bible introductions by the brothers, small
sharing groups, workshops and discussions on different topics found their rhythm
in the times of prayer together. ... Some people say the Esztergom bridge is
a parable of this old and complex neighbourhood. It was built at the time when
the countries on both sides of the river belonged to what was then the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. World War I turned the bridge into a frontier post between two different
states. World War II left the bridge destroyed. Then for almost 60 years the
two countries could not agree on reconstructing the bridge. It was only in 2000
that it was rebuilt with the help of the European Union.
"During the last 15 years, both of us, Slovaks and Hungarians, were looking
westwards first of all", says László from Budapest. "Somehow
we forgot that there is a neighbour so close by. It seems to be more difficult
to look at one another. But the bridge is here, every day...."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3382.html
East Africa
--------------------------------------------
In February-March this year, one of the brothers spent several weeks in East
Africa: A wonderful discovery was the vitality that exists in the local communities,
due especially to the small neighbourhood Christian communities set up around
15 years ago, at the time of the Synod on Africa.
Around thirty people gather once a week under an awning, in a courtyard, or
in somebody's home for a time of prayer, Bible sharing, and looking at the questions
that crop up in the neighbourhood, especially concerning care for the sick.
These communities are "self-led"; and they choose a small committee
with a president and delegate one of their members to each "service team",
one of which watches over the sick, another over the preparation of catechumens,
another over the preparation of funerals, on catechism.... The delegates also
take part in a meeting for the Church in the wider neighbourhood, which brings
together thirty or more delegates from the small communities. It is a wonderful
way of learning to take on responsibilities, to listen and to work with others.
One of the most moving of these communities is a recycling cooperative at the
huge rubbish dump at Nairobi. A thousand people are living off sorting rubbish.
Forty of them have come together as a small community and cooperative, assisted
by an Italian NGO, which recently provided them with a machine for destroying
plastic.
Meetings and visits in
April-May
--------------------------------------------
Over the coming weeks, brothers will be taking part in meetings in several countries:
23 to 26 April: Austria: http://www.taize.fr/de_article275.html
27 April to 4 May: Germany: http://www.taize.fr/de_article272.html
23 April to 11 May: Poland: http://www.taize.fr/pl_article3422.html
29 April to 12 May: Croatia: http://www.taize.fr/hr_article3302.html
20 to 30 April: Japan: http://www.taize.fr/en_article3177.html
12 to 29 May: United States: http://www.taize.fr/en_article2273.html
The web site
--------------------------------------------
The Taizé web site has two new languages: Serbian and Tamil, bringing
the total number of languages to twenty-nine. http://www.taize.fr/sr
and http://www.taize.fr/ta
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, from the morning of your resurrection you knock at the door of
our hearts and you remain close to each one through your mysterious presence.
Without imposing yourself upon anyone, through your Holy Spirit you pray within
us always.
Taizé, 29 March 2006
--------------------------------------------
* Prayers in Rome
* In Austria and North Germany
* Meetings in Canada
* In Kolkata: preparing for the meeting
* Portugal: making these experiences last
* Meeting in Zagreb: the first steps
* A visit to Nicaragua
* Prayer
Prayers in Rome
--------------------------------------------
As they do every year, brothers will be leading a prayer in Rome, in preparation
for the World Youth Day, which this year is celebrated in the dioceses on Palm
Sunday. The prayer will take place the Friday before Palm Sunday, 7 April, at
8.30pm, in the Church of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore, Piazza Navona. Brother
Alois will be present - along with the young brothers of the community, on pilgrimage
to Rome for several days - and he will give a meditation.
Previously, one of the brothers is having meetings in four of the parishes of
Rome, to pray together and, following the meeting in Milan, to reflect on ways
of continuing the pilgrimage of trust at home, where each person is living.
A monthly prayer, with songs from Taizé, led by young adults from various
parishes and universities in Rome: one Sunday a month, at 7.30pm, at the Church
of S. Maria in Campitelli, Piazza Campitelli.
http://www.taize.fr/it_article3303.html
In Austria and Northern
Germany
--------------------------------------------
At the end of April and the beginning of May, one of the brothers will be travelling
in Austria and Northern Germany. For the occasion, young people are preparing
prayers in a dozen cities. In the two capitals, Vienna and Berlin, young adults
who come to Taizé every year have chosen to organise a whole afternoon,
with prayer, a Bible meditation given by the brother, and sharing in small groups.
Young people in Greifswald and in Flensburg are preparing their meetings in
the hope of being able to welcome others from the neighbouring countries of
Poland and Denmark, whose frontiers are close by. These meeting provide an excellent
opportunity for going together to "the sources of faith". On a practical
note, they give a chance to meet others from the same region, meet people to
travel with to Taizé this summer or to the European meeting in Zagreb
at the end of the year.
23 26 April Austria:
http://www.taize.fr/de_article275.html
27 April - 4 May: Germany: http://www.taize.fr/de_article272.html
Meetings in Canada
--------------------------------------------
In February and the beginning of March, young adults met with one of the brothers
in several cities in Canada, for prayer and to reflect together on the last
words of Brother Roger: a call to "widen" or "broaden out".
In my life with God and with others, what would I like to broaden? How can we
widen the space we give to hope? Other questions came with the Bible meditations
and the times of sharing in small groups. Many people recognized themselves
in the person of Jonah, who also was called to take part in a broadening out
through bringing forgiveness to others. Yet how much resistance there was in
his life before he responded to this call.
Just like the letter in which it is written, Brother Roger's sentence containing
the call to "broaden" remains unfinished. This was perceived in itself
as a call: "It is for each one of us to search how to give life to this
call", observed a young man from Quebec. In Montreal, the Church of the
Dominicans with its neighbouring halls at Saint Albert made an ideal setting
for a weekend of prayer and reflection. The quality of the singing and the instrumental
accompaniment were extraordinary. ...
"Canada: A call to broaden out": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3314.html
"For 2006: Unfinished Letter": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2964.html
Kolkata: preparation for
the meeting
--------------------------------------------
While one of the brothers has just set off for meetings in Hyderabad, Vijayawada,
Chennai and Madurai, the others remain in Kolkata. The exams are over and the
young people are free to join in "outside" activities: so it is possible
to announce the meeting to many groups. At the parish of Bandel - one of the
best known Marian pilgrimage centres in India - the young people had a parish
weekend and the priest in charge was happy to introduce the October meeting.
Representatives of all the parishes of the Diocese of Baruipur had come together
with their chaplain and their bishop ... a meeting with the "Diocesan Exco":
young people elected to take on responsibilities in the diocesan youth commission
... in Barrackpore, to join in a meeting of youth from the parish ... Sunday
morning, youth teams of the Christian Life Community: a touching detail - each
sharing group bore the names of two "witnesses", like "Peter
and Paul", "Mary and Mother
Teresa": and what a surprise to discover that group 12 was called "Ignatius
and Roger", after Ignatius of Loyola and Brother Roger! ... Also on Sunday,
a meeting at Morning Star Major Seminary, and still another with the youth fellowship
of Saint George's CNI Parish.
"Meeting in Kolkata: 5 - 9 October 2006": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
Portugal: making these
experiences last
--------------------------------------------
There were five meetings in the region of Lisbon, bringing together over a thousand
young people. Inspired by the intense experience of prayer in preparation for
and during the European meeting held in Lisbon just over a year ago, a number
of groups started to organize regular prayers in their parishes. It is not always
easy to make these experiences last, since the number of people taking part
may not be stable, but the perseverance of a few makes it possible to offer
these moments that are so important and much appreciated. In some parishes,
prayers are held every week, in others every other week, or once a month. Each
group tries to adapt the times of prayer to the needs of the local community.
Some families that hosted young people during the meeting at the end of 2004
told how the "pilgrimage of trust"
had helped them preserve an attitude that was more marked by solidarity, more
open to others; others said that the European meeting had helped them discover
their local parish community ... A group of pupils in one school decided to
hold a weekly prayer using the songs from Taizé. Since the parish church
is directly opposite the school, they take advantage of the lunch break to gather
there for twenty minutes of prayer every Monday.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3319.html
Meeting in Zagreb: the
first steps
--------------------------------------------
Two of the brothers will take part in the National Catholic Youth meeting to
be held from 29 to 30 April at Pula, county town of Istria, in north- west Croatia.
This meeting takes place every two years, at the same time, in a different city
of the country. Then, from 2 to 12 May will follow the first series of preparation
meetings for young adults in the parishes of Zagreb and the surrounding region,
in view of the European meeting at the end of this year. The series will end
with a prayer in the Cathedral of Zagreb on Friday 12 May, at 7pm.
Sunday 5 May, there will be a prayer at Osijek, in the north-east of the country.
The brothers present in Croatia at that point will be present.
"Prvi pripremni susreti u Zagrebu": http://www.taize.fr/hr_article3302.html
"Meeting in Zagreb: 28 December 2006 to 1 January 2007": http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique45.html
A visit to Nicaragua
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers has been visiting several countries in Central America.
Here are some of his impressions as he went along: I have been here since Monday.
My first impression is of a country that seems to have been abandoned. After
50 years of the Somoza dictatorship, the Sandinista revolution represented a
new future for many people. But after many years of armed conflict against the
Somoza dictatorship, the violence continued.
The Contras appeared, and the war between the Contras and the Sandinistas divided
the people of Nicaragua on every level. Even the Christians were deeply divided.
Every act, every word was politicized. You were either in favour of the revolution
or you were against it. These divisions also affected the relationship between
the different churches. They are still present deep in the hearts of many people.
Reconciliation and forgiveness are an urgent need. ... Yesterday, I met with
the new Archbishop of Managua, Mgr Leonardo Brenes. He was very open and friendly,
expressing interest in the idea of sending young people to Taize. He felt that
this could be a good way of preparing for a meeting at some point in the future.
... http://www.taize.fr/en_article2273.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Jesus our peace, through your Gospel you enable us always anew to live in hope
and in love.
* Tribute to Brother Roger
* Meeting in Kolkata: How to prepare
* Visits in Bolivia
* Monthly Bible meditation
* A big hello from Kampala!
* Everyone can take part
* Meetings and visits in several countries
* Prayer
Tribute to Brother Roger
--------------------------------------------
Since Brother Roger's death, a great many prayers and meetings have been held
around the world in order to express gratitude for his life. One of these meetings
will shortly take place in Paris. In tribute to Brother Roger, a round table
will be held at 7pm on 27 March, at l'Espace Bernanos, 4 Place du Havre, and
will bring together Marguerite Lena, philosopher, of the Institut Saint François
Xavier, Jean Vanier, founder of l'Arche, and Robert Masson, journalist, with
the participation of Brother Alois, prior of Taizé. http://www.taize.fr/fr_article3263.html
Meeting in Kolkata: How
to prepare
--------------------------------------------
Kolkata (Calcutta) has a very special place in the hearts of many of the Taizé
brothers. In autumn 2006, it will be 30 years since Brother Roger first came
and lived for a time close by Mother Teresa ... it was in late 1976 that he
came, with a group of brothers and a team of young adults representing all the
continents: it was there that he wrote one of the first of what was to become
the yearly "letters of Brother Roger" addressed to young people ...Brother
Roger was back again in 1997 for the funeral of Mother Teresa, and, in spite
of the sadness of the occasion, he was filled with joy at being able to visit
India and Calcutta once again. He stayed in the same place as his previous visit,
and was able to discover the neighbourhood again and meet some of the people
he had met all these years before. He stayed with the same family; and each
evening there was prayer at the house. For the 5 to 9 October 2006 meeting in
Kolkata, Brother Alois will be present, together with several of the brothers.
This meeting will be an important new stage in the pilgrimage of trust in India.
To participate in the meeting in Kolkata means taking a step forward spiritually,
by finding simple ways to grow in faith and in our commitments.
"If you are from Kolkata": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3247.html
"If you are from India": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3248.html
"If you are from South Asia": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3250.html
"If you are from East Asia": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3249.html
"If you are from an English speaking country": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3251.html
Visits in Bolivia
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers has just spent ten days in Bolivia: On Saturday, March 4th,
a meeting with 250 young adults of the Diocese of El Alto ... a city which is
considered to be one of the poorest in Bolivia. Many of its inhabitants are
of Aymaran and Quechen descent. In October 2003, the people of El Alto and the
peasants from the mountains started a popular revolt that led to a change of
president. When Evo Morales became president, for the people of El Alto, even
for those who do not agree with all of his ideas, it was a sign of great change.
For the first time in the history of Bolivia, there is a president of Indian
origin. After centuries of being exploited, the Indian peoples can finally be
heard. Or at least they can now say that they are "someone". They
are no longer just "the poor". ... We had a beautiful prayer. At 4100
meters above sea level the songs of Taize are known and sung by so many young
people. Afterwards, the young people took part in traditional Indian dances.
At the end, each parish and chapel received a cross of Taizé so that
the prayer can continue there during the time of Lent and as a way of preparing
for a meeting at some point in the future.
"Among the Aymara and Quechen": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2273.html
Monthly Bible meditation
--------------------------------------------
(Numbers 11:24-30) In the course their long journey in the wilderness, Moses
and the people of Israel passed through many different stages and crises. Chapter
11 of the book of Numbers recounts one of the most important of these. Having
to deal with the complaints of the people, which are becoming more and more
strident, Moses realizes that his responsibilities have become too heavy for
him. So he gathers together a group of seventy respected men to help him. He
asks God to support them in their task by giving them the Spirit. But two of
the men chosen do not come, although Moses is unaware of this. Nonetheless,
the Spirit of God comes down upon them all, even on the two who remained apart.
Worried about this division and the new difficulties it could cause, Joshua,
Moses' faithful assistant, rushes up to him and expresses his concern. But Moses
does not share Joshua's reservations. "Are you jealous because of me?"
he asks him. Moses is not worried about himself; he continues to trust in the
presence of God and invites Joshua to do the same. Moses also says, "If
only all the Lord's people would receive the Spirit from the Lord and become
prophets!"
- When tensions appear in situations where we have a responsibility, what helps
us to keep on trusting and not to be worried about ourselves? How does the example
of Moses inspire and challenge us?
- Going forward all together, even in the midst of crises: what does that mean
for me, for us today? http://www.taize.fr/en_article167.html
A big hello from Kampala!
--------------------------------------------
Boniface, from Uganda, has been in Taizé for two long periods. He has
just welcomed to Kampala one of the brothers who is travelling in East Africa:
Two weeks ago, we were in the middle of the elections in Uganda. One of the
Taizé brothers arrived in Kampala on the afternoon they announced that
the president had been re-elected. Thankfully, things were much more peaceful
than had been anticipated. Then today we took advantage of the holiday - because
of the municipal elections - to accompany the brother back to the airport, as
he went on to Tanzania. As I came back from the airport, I thought how much
his visit had given us new momentum for continuing the pilgrimage of trust on
earth here in Uganda: meetings, exchanges, prayers, reflections, personal testimonies
of different young people; all this helped the other young people to reflect
on how they can live these Gospel realities, overcome challenges and be signs
of hope. Most people are beginning to understand that the essential begins right
there where we live or where we work, with the people that we meet each day.
We are already thinking about the topics for sharing at our next meeting on
2 April 2006, following our monthly prayer. Many of the young people would have
liked the visit to continue in other parts of the country but the short duration
of the visit did not allow this. But we hope that in a not too distant future
we can organize a meeting with the participation of several brothers.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3258.html
Everyone can take part
--------------------------------------------
Young people have responded to the appeal for solidarity with North Korea that
was launched by the community just before the meeting in Milan: they brought
the medical equipment that was asked for.
"Operation Hope" has been helping religious sisters in Ethiopia for
the last fifteen years. They take care of AIDS orphans in Addis Ababa and also
families of people with leprosy.
This year, we are supporting an association in Tanzania that takes care of children
orphaned because of AIDS, or who themselves are HIV-positive.
We are also supporting an educational project in Uganda where young people receive
training better integrated into the local reality and linked to the needs of
people, in order to help eradicate poverty.
Everyone can take part in these acts of solidarity: http://www.taize.fr/en_article331.html
Meetings and visits in
several countries
--------------------------------------------
*** 28 February - 30 March: In Bolivia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras: http://www.taize.fr/es_article3114.html
*** 3 to 20 March: In Ukraine: community@taize.fr
*** 9 - 19 March: In Norway: http://www.taize.fr/no_article1721.html
*** 10 - 20 March: In Portugal: http://www.taize.fr/pt_article3181.html
*** 13 - 26 March: In Spain: http://www.taize.fr/es_article3079.html
*** 15 - 28 March: Hungary: http://www.taize.fr/hu_article1570.html
*** 16 - 30 March: Slovakia: http://www.taize.fr/sk_article205.html#marec2006
*** 20 - 26 March: In Finland: http://www.taize.fr/fi_article3218.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Christ Jesus, like the apostles, it is hard for us to grasp your offer of being
transfigured with you. But as we look towards your light and listen to the voice
from heaven, a transformation in us has already begun.
Taizé, 27 February
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Taizé in February
* Two brothers in Algeria
* Meetings in Spain
* Visits in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
* Kolkata: preparing for the October meeting
* Senegal: a week-end at Saint Louis
* Brothers in several countries
* Prayer
February in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
In Taizé, the "February vacations" bring to an end the quiet
weeks of January. Between 4 February and 6 March, all the high schools in France
have mid term vacations. Many groups and chaplaincies from the three zones into
which the country is divided take advantage of the break to spend some days
in Taizé. This year was no exception. The group of 85 young adults from
Cambrai came with their archbishop, Mgr François Garnier. Saturday 28
saw the arrival of "the first Regenbogen" for this year: the weekly
shuttle service of buses from Germany. At the very end of the month, a very
international week, with French, Polish, German, Czech, Dutch, and Portuguese
(as the most numerous nationality present), brought a foretaste of the meetings
at Easter and in summer.
"Young adult meetings": http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Two brothers in Algeria
--------------------------------------------
Early in January, two of the brothers went to Algeria to meet the students from
Sub-Saharan Africa who come to Taizé, and to discover the tiny Christian
community with which the students share their life-journey while they are living
there. One of the brothers writes: "Over the past twenty years, hundreds
of students from Sub-Saharan Africa who are studying in Algeria have been invited
to spend a few weeks taking part in the summer meetings at Taizé. Thanks
to them, we are able to benefit from a kind of doorway opening on to the African
continent. They come from a variety of countries-Congo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon,
and many others. Their presence in Taizé encourages us all to search
together how to build toward a peaceful future, how to accept responsibilities
in order to transform our societies, how to give our faith a place in our commitments.
Those are questions that frequently come up as we are talking with them, it
is fascinating to discuss together and listen to their personal experiences.
It was because we wanted to go more deeply into such questions that we went
to meet them where they are living. Our journey began in Algiers, and then we
went to the western region before finally returning to Algiers. We were struck
by so many very simple encounters, and by the joy of meeting old acquaintances.
... "
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3209.html
Meetings in Spain
--------------------------------------------
Barcelona is a well-known stop on the pilgrimage of trust. In 1979, 1985 and
2000 European Meetings gathering thousands of young people were held there.
A year and a half ago, Barcelona, one of the biggest dioceses in the world,
was divided into three separate dioceses. One of the brothers has just been
visiting all three, to meet and pray with those who come to Taizé and
who participate in the European Meetings. The first meeting was held in Sant
Feliu de Llobregat, where young people, adults and families gathered to pray
in the Cathedral of St. Llorenc. ...
The second meeting and prayer took place in the Diocese of Terrassa, in the
parish of Mare de Deu de Carme, where since the year 2000, a group of young
people has been praying regularly on a weekly basis. The third meeting was in
the city of Barcelona itself ... What is so striking is the fidelity of these
groups; the numbers are not important. In a country where, as in many other
European countries, young people sometimes seem to have made a distance between
themselves and the church, it is astonishing to discover small groups of young
people and adults who gather together to renew their communion in God. Next
there came a visit to Saragossa, in Aragon, where for years a group of young
people has been meeting every Sunday for prayer. ... And the present series
of visits concluded with a stop in Avila ... A prayer, with songs from Taizé
was held in the Church of Saint Ignatius. It was a simple and beautiful prayer.
"Nada te turbe, nada te espante: solo Dios basta"; the beauty of the
singing filling the church. ... A new series of visits in Spain is planned for
13 to 27 March.
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3188.html
«Peregrinación de confianza en España»:
http://www.taize.fr/es_article3079.html
Visits in Kenya, Uganda
and Tanzania
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers is at present making visits in East Africa. He has just
completed nearly two weeks in Kenya. He writes, "The pilgrimage of trust
in Africa has plunged me into the impressive reality of the shanty town of Kariobangi,
with its 350,000 inhabitants. How amazing to discover Christian communities
who live from and witness to the Source! The Gospel gives back their dignity
and their capacity to build to the very poorest". ... From Nairobi, friends
write, "On Sunday evening, we were at the prayer at Kariobangi. The young
people seemed very comfortable with the prayer, which was a mixture of songs
from Taizé and songs of local origin. It was a wonderful occasion, with
about 200 present. Afterward there was a time of sharing, during which several
foreigners were invited to share a bit of their experience."
The relationship between Taizé and Kenya dates back to the late seventies
when some of the brothers of Taizé lived in Mathare Valley, Nairobi.
Brother Roger himself lived there for some time. Many youth from different parts
of the country have visited Taizé as a result of the presence of the
brothers.
The present series of visits to East Africa continues: 24 February to 5 March:
Kampala and Mbarara, Uganda. From 6 to 16 March: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania http://www.taize.fr/en_article3170.html
Kolkata: preparing for
the October meeting
--------------------------------------------
The first regular prayers, which will be at the heart of all the months of preparation
for the meeting in Calcutta, have now begun, and many visits have already been
made to schools and institutions where the young people will be staying. These
visits often provide an opportunity to discover places that could well serve
as "signs of hope" during the meeting. For example, in several schools,
like the Loreto day schools at Bowbazar and Sealdah, there are boarding facilities
for street children. The generosity of the sisters is outstanding: often they
are responsible for the school during the day, then in the evenings they care
full time for 70, 100, sometimes 150 children who, because of their past, have
special need of attention. The sisters are in touch with the families of all
the children. At Sacred Heart Parish, Darhamtala, where one of the regular prayers
takes place, the basement of the church serves as a health centre, the Goethals
Health Centre, where the patients pay only cost price, with no extra charge.
The first meetings with the young people at Don Bosco, Park Circus have taken
place. They are the ones who will welcome all the young people who come for
the pilgrimage. "Meeting in Kolkata":
http://www.taize.fr/en_rubrique846.html
Senegal: a week-end at
Saint Louis
--------------------------------------------
The 4 and 5 February, the brothers living in Dakar were invited to Saint Louis,
a city 260 kilometers to the North of the capital. The invitation came from
the parish priest of Notre Dame de Lourdes ... This time round, it was the patronal
festival of the parish that provided the opportunity to make a repeat visit
to the old capital of the former "French Africa". Three brothers accompanied
by three young adults made the trip to lead an evening prayer. Saint Louis is
a place where Christians are much less numerous than elsewhere in Senegal. Nevertheless
the parishioners were out in force for the occasion. The members of the youth
choir spent Saturday afternoon rehearsing Taizé songs with one of the
brothers. Meanwhile, the other brothers and some of the young people were decorating
the church for the prayer. At 6pm, the church began to fill up with young people,
some children, and older people, and after half an hour, the prayer began. For
most of the people there, this was the first time to take part in this kind
of prayer. The high point of the evening was the prayer around the Cross, with
even the grandmothers going up to the Cross. The prayer drew to a close with
the liturgy of light, with hundreds of candles lighting up the
interior of the church. ... http://www.taize.fr/en_article3170.html
Brothers in several countries
--------------------------------------------
At the present time, brothers are undertaking visits in a number of countries.
As well in East Africa and Spain, mentioned above, these include:
*** 23 February - 13 March: Around Britain: "Three years ago, a few students
who had been to Taize began to pray every week in a small Methodist Church opposite
King's Cross station. Very gradually it has grown and yesterday, there were
thirty of us. The plain cross of the church was illuminated by several dozen
handmade candles. We sang in parts, but without musical instruments, and this
made the invitation to enter into prayer particularly personal. As we paused
to pray in silence we heard other young people in the room next door beginning
to prepare food for homeless people. The church has joined with several other
churches in the area to provide shelter during the winter months. One of the
homeless men came to pray with us. What better way to start my journey around
Britain than in this place where young people from several different countries
had gathered for a prayer which comes from the heart, and also to undertake
a humble service of the poor?" http://www.taize.fr/en_article2774.html
*** 8 February - 9 March: in Canada:
http://www.taize.fr/en_article2735.html
*** 28 February - 30 March: In Bolivia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras: http://www.taize.fr/es_article3114.html
*** 3 to 20 March: In Ukraine: community@taize.fr
*** 9 - 19 March: In Norway: http://www.taize.fr/no_article1721.html
*** 10 - 20 March: In Portugal: http://www.taize.fr/pt_article3181.html
*** 20 - 26 March: In Finland: http://www.taize.fr/fi_article3218.html
*** 15 - 28 March: Hungary: http://www.taize.fr/hu_article1570.html
*** 16 - 30 March: Slovakia:
http://www.taize.fr/sk_article205.html#marec2006
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Jesus, joy of our hearts, you pour out your Holy Spirit within us. He comes
to rekindle trust. Through him we understand that the simple desire for God
brings our soul back to life.
Taizé, 13 February
2006
--------------------------------------------
* Brother Alois at Porto Alegre
* Meeting in Portugal
* "Days of trust" at Esztergom
* India, Thailand and the Philippines
* Visits in Ukraine
* "Continuing our pilgrimages locally"
* New Books CDs and videos
* Prayer
Brother Alois at Porto Alegre
--------------------------------------------
Brother Alois and another brother are at present in Brazil, to take part in
the 9th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, which takes place
at Porto Alegre from 14 to 23 February. The community was represented at nearly
all the previous Assemblies, held every seven or eight years.
Brother Roger was present at the first, in Amsterdam in 1948, and at two others.
Brother Alois will go afterwards to the North East of the country, to visit
the fraternity of Taizé brothers who have been living in a very poor
neighbourhood of Alagoinhas for over thirty years.
Meetings in Portugal
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers will be in Portugal in March. After the European meeting
in Lisbon last year, young people at Porto, in the North of the country, started
a monthly prayer at the diocesan youth secretariat. The brother will be with
them for their March prayer and will help them prepare a journey to Taizé.
In the Algarve region in the South, there are plans for a meeting with young
people who took part in the recent European meeting in Milan. In the Lisbon
area, there will be prayers in four parishes where regular prayers started after
the 2004 meeting. This will be the first time a brother leads meetings in the
Azores, in the middle of the Atlantic, about 1500 kilometres West of Lisbon.
Two groups from Portugal are planning to be in Taizé for the Carnival
vacation and several others, including one group from the Azores, will celebrate
Holy Week in Taizé.
«Encontros em Portugal»: http://www.taize.fr/pt_article3181.html
"Days of trust"
at Esztergom
--------------------------------------------
From 24 to 26 March 2006, the small but ancient town of Esztergom, on the banks
of the Danube, will be host to a stage of the "pilgrimage of trust on earth".
Many young Hungarians and Slovaks meet one another other every year during the
meetings in Taizé and at the European meetings at the end of each year.
"Days of Trust" will express their desire to look without delay for
community between peoples, and to share the gifts between nations.
"Days of Trust" will be days marked by meeting, prayer, common reflection
and simple hospitality. All the participants will stay with families. Those
invited are young adults between 17 and 30 years. The program is arranged around
times of prayer together in the morning, at noon and in the evening.
A Bible introduction by a brother from Taizé, followed by small sharing
groups. In the afternoon: workshops, visits, discussions on different topics,
song practice. Similar cross-border meetings have taken place in November 2005,
at Frankfurt-an-der-Oder on the Polish-German border, and in April 2005 at Levice,
on the Slovakian side of the Hungarian border http://www.taize.fr/hu_article689.html
& http://www.taize.fr/sk_article205.html
India, Thailand and the
Philippines
--------------------------------------------
*** In view of the meeting that will take place in Kolkata, India, from 5 to
9 October 2006, brothers are at present visiting Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai
and Goa. In the city of Kolkata itself, part of the preparation will take the
form of twice weekly meetings, from mid February till October, at Bishop's College
and at Sacred Heart Parish.
*** A few months ago, a "pilgrimage of trust" began in Bangkok. Prayers in churches of different denominations during the different liturgical seasons of the year form a kind of pilgrimage. The first was held in the Chapel of the Lutheran Theological College. The next will be on March 11 in the Chapel of Mater Dei, Ploenchit Road.
*** A retreat for youth leaders is planned for Friday 17 to Sunday 19 March
noon, at Tay Tay, near Manila. Other prayers will take place at UCM Union Church
of Manila, at the East Asian Pastoral Institute. One of the Taizé brothers
will be present for these prayers.
"Asia Pacific: October 2006 Meeting in Kolkata": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3177.html
Visits en Ukraine
--------------------------------------------
From 3 to 20 March a brother will visit Ukraine, beginning in Kiev and then
going to some of the bigger towns in western Ukraine like Lviv and Ternopil.
Some 900 Ukrainians participated in the meeting in Milan and the visit will
be an opportunity to reflect on what some of them experienced there as well
as to begin to prepare groups who plan to visit Taizé in summer. Sunday
5 March is the eve of the Orthodox Lent and is known as "Forgiveness Sunday".
There is a special prayer in the evening during which the priest asks forgiveness
of his congregation and they in turn ask forgiveness of each other.
"Continuing our pilgrimages
locally"
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers living in Bangladesh writes: The big meeting in Dhaka last
December was an unforgettable event. From all around, we hear many expressions
of gratitude and astonishment. How was it possible for us, all together - Muslims,
Christians, Hindus and Buddhists - to experience such joy and happiness? A gift
of God, I believe, which says that this is his profound desire for all of us
in the human family. A Christian woman from Noakhali, mother of a handicapped
daughter, said to me as she was leaving, "It was the happiest Christmas
of my life". Now we are searching to find out how to continue. Mgr Theotonius,
from Dhaka, who showed so much support for the December meeting, said, "Now
we have to continue our pilgrimages locally among Christians." ... At mid-January,
at a meeting of the group who had prepared the December meeting, there was still
a great deal of happiness about what we had discovered and much enthusiasm for
following it up. The theme for our pilgrimages for 2006 will be "widening
our hearts", as expressed in the beautiful song of Rabindranath Tagore.
To this we are adding the theme of Isaiah: "Widen the space of your tent".
(Is.54.2)
"Bangladesh: An inter-religious pilgrimage with the handicapped":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3042.html
New Books CDs and videos
--------------------------------------------
Brother Roger's last books, "Pressens-tu un bonheur?" (which resumes
some of the stages of Brother Roger's life and his thinking) and "Prier
dans le silence du coeur" (which brings together 100 of the prayers that
he wrote for the midday prayer at Taizé) are being translated into different
languages. As these translations are published over the next months, they will
be announced in the "News by email" as well as on the Taizé
website http://www.taize.fr/en_article1221.html
The two books have been published in German by Herder Verlag, Freiburg, http://www.herder.de "Aus der Stille des Herzens - Gebete" (ISBN: 3451290391) "Eine Ahnung von Glück - Erfahrungen und Begegnungen" (ISBN: 3451289776)
The first of the two has come out in Italian: "Avverti una felicità?", published by Elledici, Torino, http://www.elledici.org (ISBN: 8801034121).
The following were published in Italy by Elledici before the European Meeting
in Milan:
"Chiamati alla fiducia", a collection of Bible meditations each with
the music for one of the songs of Taizé and a prayer by Brother Roger.
(ISBN: 880103346X)
"Canti di Taizé", a new complete songbook with full Italian
translations (ISBN: 8801034113).
Prayer
---------------------------------------------
Holy Spirit, through your mysterious presence in us, you wish to bring to each
one of us a healing of the soul. And for this, you set us free from what darkens
our way.
Taizé, 30 January 2006
--------------------------------------------
* In Milan: after the meeting
* Young adults and prayer at Taizé
* In Brazil: welcoming children
* Meetings in Taizé
* Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Kolkata
* February visits
* Prayer
In Milan: after the meeting
--------------------------------------------
3pm on Saturday 21 January: a meeting in the S Ambrogio Basilica for those who
had taken part in the preparation and the European meeting in Milan. The church
is full to overflowing, with young people and less young filling the seats,
sitting on the floor, and in the side aisles. There is a beautiful prayer of
thanksgiving, with soloists who had helped with the prayers at the Fiera during
the big meeting. A message from the cardinal is read out. Then several personal
accounts of what had been experienced during the meeting.
Among the numerous accounts from Milan received over the last few days:
*** I received so much from the 90 young people we welcomed in our parish.
At certain moments a simple smile was enough to take the place of more complex
communication. That was how we resolved all the "problems" due to
language ... Beginning each day, and opening the New Year celebration, with
a time of prayer together was truly the salt that gave its savour to daily life.
And even more significant was that fact of having people of different nationalities
from your own: each person expressed in his/her own language the same thanks
and the same requests for help. But the most surprising thing of all is that
welcoming young adults from several thousand kilometres from Italy has in fact
enabled me to get to know people just a few kilometres from my home! The excellent
collaboration that was created enabled me to live these days in serenity, welcoming
each of the deeper aspects of this exchange between cultures.
*** We are a family from Milan. For 24 hours, our house has been empty; the
three young Frenchmen who took part in the meeting have gone home. We did not
know them, we were unaware of their existence, but now they are in our hearts.
They entered our lives "by force" and they filled it with joy.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to live this experience in our city,
"carried" by an immense desire for love and hope ... We will never
forget this unique and astonishing experience and we want to express our thanks
for it to the Lord who, like you, made all this possible. We have three sons,
the oldest is 16; he took part intensely in the organisation, and now in his
heart he has one single desire, which is called Zagreb. And we will be very
happy if he manages to achieve it.
*** Our family welcomed three young Polish women. We had previously had this experience in 1998 and I must say that everything was repeated with perhaps even more intensity. After their departure, at first we were a little melancholy. Now we are full of hope because of the witness, even elusive, of all these young people whose behaviour and vitality touch even those who are not prepared for them.
Young adults and prayer
at Taizé
--------------------------------------------
One of the brothers considers how young people take part in the prayer; he underlines
three dimensions of prayer in Taizé which seem to him to echo the searching
of the young.
"Three times each day, everything stops on the hill of Taizé: the
work, the Bible studies, the small-group discussions. The bells call everyone
to the church for prayer. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of young adults from
many different countries across the world pray and sing with the brothers of
the community. Short songs sung over and over again that, in a few words, express
a basic reality, quickly grasped by the mind. Then the Bible is read in several
languages. At the center of every prayer service, a long moment of silence offers
an irreplaceable opportunity to encounter God. We brothers are often impressed
by the ability of the young people to remain in our church, sometimes for hours
on end, in silence or supported by meditative singing. They themselves are sometimes
astonished to discover how much they have prayed in Taizé. When we ask
the groups we meet at the end of their stay what has struck them the most, the
reply comes quickly, without hesitation: "the prayer!" And yet how
many of those who speak so enthusiastically about their experience of prayer
seem at first sight hardly to be "experts"! That is all the more touching.
We ourselves, once again, remain surprised by this. ..."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article3148.html
In Brazil: welcoming children
--------------------------------------------
A brother writes: "For many years, for four successive weeks at the beginning
of the year, the fraternity has welcomed children from our neighbourhood, most
of them from poor, divided families, where unfortunately alcohol, drugs, violence
and prostitution are often facts of daily life. The first week is reserved for
children of 7 to 9 years. The first day was a particularly rude shock. I have
never seen as much violence, gratuitous provocation, and refusal to accept the
slightest proposal as among these 80 children. There was a contagious aggressiveness.
The first challenge was to remind yourself that, in spite of the hardness in
their eyes, they were only children. We are not there first of all to pass on
to them new codes of behaviour (even the best), we are there to love them in
their reality, to enable them to live a little happiness, of which the good
memory will remain with them when they go home, and which perhaps will help
them later in their adult choices. All through the week, we were happy to see
their faces opening up, their hands catching ours, and between them and us a
relationship growing up in which trust, and mutual affection arise. Often it
takes very little to discover that a communion is possible even in the most
unfavourable circumstances. I remember moments when I sat down in midst of shouts
and punches and started to sing one of the songs from the prayer. Little by
little things calmed down naturally and to my great surprise there were always
a few who sat down beside me and sang along with me...
Meetings in Taizé
--------------------------------------------
During the meeting in Milan, Brother Alois said, "In the 'Unfinished Letter'
you read that, the afternoon of the day he died, Brother Roger spoke of 'widening'.
For us all, that means first of all: opening ourselves more to God's presence.
In this way we can make more perceptible the love God has for all human beings
without exception, for all peoples.
Yes, 'widening' begins within ourselves. Our heart becomes wider when we have
deep kindness towards those around us. Then we dare to go towards those who
are suffering nearby and far away, and we set out to look for the road of true
solidarity."
The Meetings in Taizé throughout the year make it possible to go to the
wellsprings of faith, in prayer, listening to Scripture and sharing among young
people from many different countries. "Taizé 2006: Young Adult Meetings":
http://www.taize.fr/en_article7.html
Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity in Kolkata (Calcutta)
--------------------------------------------
The meeting in Milan was scarcely over when two of the brothers set off for
Kolkata to begin the preparation for the meeting to be held there in October
2006. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity offered an excellent opportunity
to take part in the life of the church in Kolkata. The brothers were invited
to lead three moments of ecumenical prayer, one at Sacred Heart Church, Dharamtala,
with young people from seven different schools.
The young pastor of Union Church, who had been invited to speak to the young
people, expressed his surprise and pleasure at hearing the songs from Taizé
that he had learned when he was still a student. One evening was spent at St
Mary's, Ripon Street, decorated with the help of students from the parish school,
and on the final day of the week, the prayer took place at St James's Church
of North India Parish. A group of students from Bishop's College took care of
the singing. For several years, students from this theological college have
spent several months in Taizé. Mgr Lucas Sarkar, Archbishop of Kolkata,
was present at this final prayer.
February visits
--------------------------------------------
Brothers of the community will shortly be starting a series of visits and meetings
in different countries, among them:
*** Spain, including Barcelona, Avila and Saragossa: from 8 to 15 February.
"Peregrinación de confianza en España" http://www.taize.fr/es_article3079.html
*** Britain, including London, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol: from 23 February to 12 March. "Meetings and prayers with brothers of the community": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2774.html
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
God of peace, you welcome us with our gifts and our wounds. And through your
Holy Spirit you set us free, you forgive us and you lead us to give our life
through love.
Taizé, 16 January 2006
--------------------------------------------
* The meeting in Milan
* "Widening the pilgrimage of trust on earth"
* Brother Alois received by Pope Benedict XVI
* After Milan, a relief shipment for North Korea
* A visit to Patriarch Bartholomeos of Constantinople
* Meditation
* On BBC radio
* Prayer
The meeting in Milan
--------------------------------------------
The many thousands of young adults arriving in Milan on 28 December for the
European meeting were greeted throughout most of the day by a steady snowfall.
They came from all over Europe and far beyond; many from Eastern Europe: Polish,
Lithuanian, Romanians, and Ukrainians... Perhaps the longest journeys to get
to Milan were those of the Koreans and the Japanese. The snow caused delays
for some: the Irish group had to spend the night in the airport; some of the
buses had difficulties. Finally everyone was safely welcomed in the parishes
where they were to stay throughout the meeting. "Our 'oratorio' at Casciago
was open from 9 in the morning... Will they ever arrive? Around midday, there
is still no news... At 3pm, comes a telephone call from the station: they have
arrived!" Mornings were spent in the parishes: prayer, followed by sharing
on the "Unfinished Letter" of Brother Roger. Then off to the Fiera,
the Milan exhibition park, where halls had been specially decorated for the
midday and evening prayers: "The atmosphere is one of contemplation: in
the evening the silence of the prayer envelopes the immense exhibition park",
noted one journalist. The afternoons were taken up by "workshops",
with 28 topics to choose from: "God trusts us so much that he has a call
for each one", "What can we live with the believers of Islam?",
"Prayer: finding a way of communion with God"...Each evening, during
the prayer, Brother Alois gave a short meditation.
"Milan filled with the spirit of Brother Roger": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3067.html
"The welcome in the parishes": http://www.taize.fr/en_article3080.html
"For 2006: Unfinished Letter": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2964.html
"Photos: The meeting in Milan": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2973.html
"Widening the
pilgrimage of trust on earth"
--------------------------------------------
During the evening prayer on 29 December, Brother Alois remarked, "In the
'Unfinished Letter' you read that, the afternoon of the day he died, Brother
Roger spoke of 'widening'. For us all, that means first of all: opening ourselves
more to God's presence. In this way we can make more perceptible the love God
has for all human beings without exception, for all peoples..." He continued,
"In the coming years, we are also going to widen the 'pilgrimage of trust
on earth'."
*** In Zagreb
"The European meetings will continue each year. The next one will be held
a year from now, from December 28th, 2006 to January 1st, 2007, in Central Europe.
We are happy to be welcomed in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb."
*** In Kolkata
"These last years, young people from different continents have been coming
to Taize in ever greater numbers. They too call us to widen our pilgrimage.
How can we respond to their expectations? How can we express that all together
we are looking for communion? To listen to one another and to support a hope,
next year we will hold a meeting in India, from October 5th- 9th, 2006. It will
bring together young adults from throughout India, as well as from other Asian
and even European countries. It will take place in Kolkata."
Two of the brothers have already arrived in Kolkata to begin the preparation
for the October meeting. They will be leading prayers in city churches during
the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: 24 January, 6.30pm, St Mary's Church,
Ripon Street, Kokata 16, and 25 January, 6.30pm, St James's CNI Church, A.J.C.
Bose Road, Kokata 16.
*** In Latin America and in Africa
"In the following years, we will prepare meetings in Latin America and
also in Africa. Through these meetings we will support one another. They will
be a humble sign of that unique communion which is the Church."
Between 28 February and 30 March this year, one of the brothers will be making
visits in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
Meanwhile, another brother will shortly be visiting East Africa: 10 to 23 February:
Nairobi, Kenya. 24 February to 5 March: Kampala and Mbarara, Uganda. 6 to 16
March: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
"Meditations by Brother Alois": http://www.taize.fr/en_article2982.html
Brother Alois received
by Pope Benedict XVI
--------------------------------------------
Brother Alois was received for the first time in private audience by Pope Benedict
XVI in Rome on Thursday 5 January. From John XXIII in 1958 to John Paul II in
2004, Brother Roger was received each year by the pope. Brother Alois continues
this long-standing tradition. He particularly thanked the pope for his words
on Brother Roger, in Cologne, the day after his death:
"He is now visiting us and speaking to us from on high. I think that we
must listen to him, from within we must listen to his spiritually lived ecumenism
and allow ourselves to be led by his witness towards an interiorized and spiritualized
ecumenism."
After Milan, a relief
shipment for North Korea
--------------------------------------------
Young people have responded to the appeal for solidarity with North Korea that
was launched by the community just before the meeting in Milan: they brought
the medical equipment that was asked for, 98 stethoscopes, 52 tensiometers,
10 reflex hammers, 188 thermometers. Some brought medicines, syringes, and even
an electrocardiogram apparatus. Medicines for sick children and for the elderly,
very vulnerable in this period of intense cold, and a large quantity of milk
and cereal for children will be added to the first dispatch which will arrive
at Pyongyang at the end of January. A person who works closely with Taizé
will accompany this dispatch and will ensure its distribution to a Red Cross
hospital and to district clinics in Pyongyang, in particular the clinic in Soshin,
a village of 1800 inhabitants, which one of the brothers visited in May 2002.
A second dispatch is planned for the spring: powdered milk for children and
computers for hospitals and schools.
A visit to Patriarch
Bartholomeos of Constantinople
--------------------------------------------
Accompanied by two other brothers of the community, Brother Alois travelled
to Istanbul on 21 December to celebrate Christmas with Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomeos
of Constantinople. On four occasions during their stay, the patriarch invited
the brothers to eat with him. He was touched to receive as a gift the white
shawl which Brother Roger often wore for the prayer.
Brother Alois had previously visited Istanbul in 1981, accompanying Brother
Roger, to visit the former patriarch Dimitrios.
Meditation
--------------------------------------------
Writing to the Romans (4:1-12), Saint Paul takes up the question "what
makes us just?" in other words what makes us people who have a right relationship
with God and consequently with others. He insists that we do not have a good
relationship with God because of anything we have done.
This relationship is not a reward we earn for work well done. It is a gift,
freely offered by God to all, independently of their achievements. To support
his argument, Paul uses the example of Abraham, considered by the Jews as their
forefather and a model of justice. Was Abraham just because he followed God's
Law? ... No, says Paul ... Abraham's justice was based on his trusting response
to God's word... Basing himself on another text ...
(Psalm 32:1-2), Paul uses the example of forgiveness to demonstrate how God
gives without our deserving it. We may find it surprising that he speaks about
forgiveness in the case of Abraham, who is not presented as a sinner in the
Bible. In fact, forgiveness is not conditioned by our sins; it is God's antecedent
choice to look beyond our faults and see us as beings destined from all eternity
to live in fellowship with him. This allows us to understand the remark of Saint
Theresa of Lisieux when she said that she had no merits but that God "forgave
her in advance by keeping her from falling." - In what ways am I tempted
to want to "earn" God's love? How can I not lose sight of the fact
that God loves me first? - How does the example of Abraham shed light on my
own faith?
On BBC radio
--------------------------------------------
BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting "Sunday worship" from Taizé to
mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. As well as being broadcast on the
radio in the UK at 08.10 on Sunday 22nd January, it will also be live on the
internet and will remain in the BBC Radio 4 archives for future listening.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/sunday_worship/index.shtml
Prayer
--------------------------------------------
Holy Spirit, through your mysterious presence, you come to sweep away the shadows
and to enable us to discover the actual signs of God in our lives.
---
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