Life be in your speech
Sense in what you say
The bloom of cherries on your lips
Till you come back again.
The love Christ Jesus gave
Be filling every heart for you,
The love Christ Jesus gave
Fill you for everyone.
Traversing corries, traversing forest,
Traversing valleys long and wild,
The fair white Mary still uphold you,
The Shepherd Jesus be your shield.
~ Celtic travelling blessing from the Scottish isles
What is Taizé?
- Taizé is a village in France, north of Lyon. It is the site of a unique ecumenical monastic community. There are 100 brothers from 30 different countries, Catholic and Protestant, living together as a vowed religious community.
- The community was founded by Br. Roger Schutz, from Switzerland. When he was 25, after a long struggle with TB, he felt called to form a community of reconciliation. He got on his bicycle and rode from Switzerland to France and set up in an abandoned farm. It was 1940 and he took in refugees and Jews, helped out by his sister. He had to return to Geneva in 1942 because the Gestapo wanted to arrest him, but he returned in 1944. After the war, he and his sister took in German POWs and war orphans. Other people began to gather with them for prayer and to help with the ministry.
- In 1949 seven brothers made religious profession. Besides the community in Taizé, some brothers live among the poor in Africa, Asia and South America. Their mission continues “to be a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and separated peoples.”
- Hospitality has also remained a central focus of the community. Today, that hospitality is primarily offered to young adults. Every week, hundreds to thousands of young Christians from around the world gather at Taizé for bible study, group discussions on social issues, and prayer three times a day with the brothers. There is also a youth meeting once a year in different countries.
- Music is at the heart of Taizé worship. The community has developed a distinctive style of music, consisting of short verses (often from scripture) set to simple tunes that are sung over and over in order to foster contemplation. Taizé music allows large numbers of participants from all over the world to join in worship (and not just observe it) because it is multi-lingual and easy to learn. You might be familiar with the song often used in Lent, which goes “Jesus, remember me / when you come into your kingdom.”
- For more information on Taizé, see their website: www.taize.fr/en.
___________________________
Karen Soos
Associate Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister
Davidson College
Campus Box 7196
Davidson NC 28035
704. 894. 2423
Associate Chaplain and Catholic Campus Minister
Davidson College
Campus Box 7196
Davidson NC 28035
704. 894. 2423
