Is Taize Prayer Catholic or is it one of those New Age things going on in the Church like Centering Prayer and the Enneagram?
An argument can be made either way, both for and against Taize. The “for” camp says that it is contemplative, and not new-agey. The “against” camp says that, but its very nature, it is ecumenical and therefore a threat to the Faith. However, in the CAL archives, Fr. Trigillio said there was nothing wrong with it.
This article fom Catholic World News might help:
Pope urges Taize community to follow founder’s vision
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The Taizé service is a meditative, ecumenical Christian experience of prayer that includes silence and chanting. It is not “centering prayer” as it is directed and focused. In fact, Pope Benedict gave them a blessing:
Entrusting you to the prayer of Mary, Mother of the Lord and of all those who have become his brothers and sisters, the Holy Father grants you with all his heart an affectionate apostolic blessing, as well as to the Taizé brothers, to the communities and the families who are welcoming you. (from here: taize.fr/en_article2970.html)
That’s good enough endorsement for me!
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Taize is not any of those things.
it is sung or chanted Christian.prayer, sometimes with musical accompaniment, sometimes not, in groups, sometimes with part harmony, sometimes not, in Latin and other modern languages, using simple repetetive words, refrains and melodies. The group in France where this style of prayer-- which incorporates Gregorian chant but is not the same thing–originate, was founded by a non-Catholic but is ecumenical, and includes many Catholics in its membership. Its purpose is to provide a setting where beautiful traditional prayer cand be offered in an ecumenical group, without violating the norms of formal worship of Catholics or any other Christian group.
Taize for me is very Catholic, it is a given piece of Sacred Scripture sung over and over again in repetition which is no different from Lectio Divina.
I was wondering how to post some Taize music but gave up, if anyone can direct and teach me how to do it I’ll whip on and post it!
’ Gloria Deo’
‘Jubilate Deo, jubliate Deo’
‘Laudate omnes gentes’
‘Jesus remember me’
‘Christus Ressurexit’
‘Adoramus te Christe’
‘Veni Lumen’
‘Ubi Caritas’
and many others are well know Taize hymns and I find them very edifiying.
We must remember that Brother Roger the founder of Taize, before his brutal murder,wheel chair bound received Holy Communion from our Pontiff, Pope Benedict the 16th. I believe Taize is very Catholic.
In the Living Prayer of my life
It is the product of protestants who mimick Catholics.
merciful heavens we don’t want “those” folks running round singing Gregorian chant and praising God together, heaven forbid. you have no evidence for this so why not give it a pass.
Woah there tiger!
It is a good enough mimick to be used within Catholicism. Aren’t we all seeking to mimick the Lord Jesus Christ? Ok the Catholic Church holds the fullness of Truth, absolute fact, but in Taize we find a very good mimick indeed and nothing of conflict with the Catholic Church.
Brother Roger gave good service to God and the Pope did not refuse him Holy Communion. I would say Brother Roger was very Catholic indeed and sought to bring union in faith in Jesus.
Don’t knock it until you have done as much or superceded him.
There is nothing wrong with Taize and any catholic may use their hymns and praise to God as it is Catholic in nature.
In the Living Prayer of my life
This is not intended to be a mass, right? Assuming the theology is correct and that it is not trying to replicate mass, and that there is no confusion on that point, I don’t see how any prayer or prayer service can be in violation of Catholic teaching, not matter how different it is, and those three caveats are all very important
Mabuhay, Bruce! Welcome to CAF!
God bless,
Dan
Taize is AWESOME!!! :extrahappy::love:
Jaw hits floor… Did you know the current Prior is a Catholic Priest in good standing? And please show some respect and if you must use Protestant in the way you do, capitalise it/i
Taize chants held me through some terrible years. NB See their web site for some music online.
Brother Roger was a saintly man. A martyr …His one huge regret and sense of “failure” was that they could not hold communion /Mass together.
He founded Taize during the war to save and rescue Jews from the Nazis… a true Chrisian risking his life for that love.
A great man
And so much work with young folk…
I’ve found several articles from various sources that suggest the same problematic ambiguity. I’m genuinely trying to understand as the hymns have recently appeared on my radar…they’re not something I would choose as they say very little and feel like a cheap version of Gregorian chant etc. I’m just trying to understand the origins.
Taize chants carried me through a terrible time of my life. So terrible that now I cannot pray them…
they saved my faith and my sanity. Gentle repetition.
They are unique and inspired by a great and holy man. who was if you dd not know this, assassinated in the chapel
The way I will explain what really does not need to be quantified is that there are great and holy people to whom the differences between the denoms do not "register’and have no validity or reality in their faith or how they live that faith. .
The faith, the knowledge and love of God negates and transcends the “differences”.
PopeJohn Paul had deep respect for him … gave him Communion.
I know how this is as at base I am the same. Simply God, Jesus.
They are pure Scripture. Need no analysis .They say … everything.
And “cheap”?They do not set out to be Gregorian, Taize is unique and simple.
It seems that it was Cardinal Ratzinger who gave him Holy Communion, I haven’t seen actual evidence of this…I’m not sure what that proves.
Jesus turned water into wine, just as our weak and watery prayers said with the right intention can be made great, it does not follow that we should only offer weak prayers with great intention. Routinely using prayers that are broad enough to be routinely used by non Catholics simply seems problematic to me.
Also, the Catholic Church is fully immersed in scripture already so there is no need to look elsewhere.
I know quite a few people who have found their way to the one true faith through Protestant churches. It doesn’t follow that if someone is interested in learning more about God that I should point them to a Protestant church, rather I should encourage them toward the church Christ founded and prayers that directly follow from our traditions.
It also appears that his death was a tragedy at the hands of a mentally unstable woman. I didn’t find any other version. His death was a tragedy,but, again, I’m not sure how that justifies a Catholics use of it over other prayers.