Visit to Taize

Brother Roger founded the Taize Community. He believed in community life and started the order with a few brothers. Whenever he faced with discouragement and even doubt, he constantly found refreshment in returning again and again to the sources of faith and to community life. He was murdered in his old age by a visitor, mentally challenged, while he was participating in the worship service. Brother Alois is the leader now.

 

Taize

 

 

Now there are about 75 brothers in the Community, young and old, all celebates following the discipline of monks. The brothers of the Taize Community live entirely by their work. They do not accept any donation. If a brother inherits something from his family, the Community makes a gift of it for the very poor.

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The Community brings support to people in difficulty on the different continents, including children who are destitute or sick. The brothers volunteer to go and stay in such places as a vocation or brothers are sent by the group. The Community lives together, have common meal and meet once a week to discuss administrative matters. They have an annual meeting as well.

Taize2

 

 

 

 

Geevarghese Mar Theodosius, accompanied by Rev Feno M Thomas, visited and stayed with the Community from the evening of August 22 to the morning of August 25. They, as the delegates from the Mar Thoma Church, we’re welcomed and brother Patrick (from Chennai) assisted them. The day starts at 7.30am with Eucharist for the members and at 8.30 am with public worship for all. There are three worship Services each day, morning, noon and evening led by the brothers. It is mostly music enriched with some prayers, silence and a short devotion from the Word of God.  There were roughly 2000 members in the Church for regular worship, most of them squatting on the floor.

 

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Taize community welcomes, young people, young families, families with children and seniors to stay in the campus for about a week, one month or three months. Those who opt to stay longer can express their desire. Volunteers wanting to join the brotherhood are also taken. People can come from any continent, any Church, any religion and no-religion. Every year there are new members added to the brotherhood. Mar Theodosius and Rev Feno got the opportunity to meet Brother Alois and to have meal with the brothers.

Brothers do all sorts of work to run the life in the campus. Pottery, printing, cooking, farming etc are some of the works they engage in. They buy bread, food and dairy material etc from outside. Some Agricultural products are also given out to the poor people in the neighbourhood.

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Some of the bishops and members of the Mar Thoma Church have visited this place before. Dr Abraham Karickam keeps close connection with the Taize community.

 

 

 

The days with Taize community was an enriching and learning experience. It was a time of refreshment. It gave time to reflect upon the relevance and meaning of the Church today.

 

Mar Theodosius+