Taize Brothers to visit Wellington

February 4, 2015

Taize Brothers to visit Wellington

The Taizé Brothers from France are visiting Wellington for two days next week and will lead worship in the city’s two cathedrals after a welcome in Otaki.

The Taizé community is made up of more than one hundred brothers, Catholic and from various Protestant backgrounds, coming from around thirty nations.

The community strives, through a monastic life, to live a sign of reconciliation and unity among Christians and in the human family.

Each year, during the northern hemisphere summer, the community welcomes more than 100,000 young people. They gather to take part in the daily prayer of the brothers and share in the community life. There is prayer, singing, silence, Bible study, and time for personal mediation.

The brothers will be welcomed to New Zealand on Monday night February 8th in Otaki at the Rangiatea Church. They will then stay overnight at Ngatiawa River Monastery before travelling to Wellington the next day. In the city they will meet with students from Anglican and Roman Catholic secondary schools in the afternoon. In the evening there will be a workshop at Sacred Heart Cathedral and then worship in Wellington Cathedral of St Paul.

The visit to New Zealand, with time in Wellington and Christchurch, is part of the brothers’ first pilgrimage to New Zealand. Between 2012 and 2015, Taizé has been leading youth meetings on every continent in the run-up to August 2015, when a large gathering will be held at the Taizé village in southern France. That gathering will mark 75 years since the beginning of the community, 100 years since the birth of its founder Brother Roger, and 10 years since his death by a random act of violence at the beginning of a service.

The Bishop of Wellington, Bishop Justin Duckworth, has been to Taizé and says it is humbling to be able to host the brothers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

"In a world torn apart by conflict, the Taizé ministry of reconciliation is as important as ever. Taizé gather young people from around the world to build bridges of understanding and strengthen faith, creating a space where young people can deepen their relationship with God and freely engage in wrestling with their real questions.”

The beginnings of Taizé came from a time of conflict. Shortly after World War 2, Brother Roger the founder of Taizé, began to invite young people from the countries that had been at war, with each other, to come to visit and pray with him and others for reconciliation and peace. Hundreds and then thousands came and now more than 5000 young people can visit in a week.

Brother Alois is now the Senior Brother of the Community and he with Brothers Ghislain and Matthew will visit Wellington then Christchurch.

The brothers will lead a workshop at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 7pm and then a service at 8:30 pm in Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. All are welcome to attend.

ENDS

© Scoop Media