CNI Youth at Taize  

Two youth from the Church of North India recently went to Taize , France to attend an Intercontinental Meeting of Youth for three months.  They are back with lot of cross-cultural experiences and learning which they share below.  

Shitij Jacob from Jabalpur Diocese writes:  

I and Neelesh Sonawane from Diocese of Pune, CNI were delegates from Church of North India to visit Taize, France for three months.  Taize is a small village near Clunky & Macon Towns in France . There are about 80 Brothers in Taize Community, who work in the community and stay in Taize only, rest all are visitors who visit Taize for one week, two week, three months or one/two years.  

During our visit there were 90 boys and 90 girls from five different continents (Asia, Latin America, Africa , and Australia & Europe) who are invited by the Taize Community for 3 months they are called permanent.  Almost 5000 to 7000 new young people from different countries of Europe visit Taize Community every week. (They stay in tents or barracks, they eat their meal in field and they have to pay for their accommodation & food for the week).  Community provides a separate house for permanents boys (Tilleul) and for girls (N’tomi), in which we have our own laundry, dinning hall, refrigerator and all the toiletry materials.  

Three times in a day there are prayers in church, morning 8:15AM to 9:00AM, afternoon 12:30PM to 1:00PM and evening 8:30PM to 9:15PM. There is no devotion during the church service because people are from different parts of world who speak different languages.  So, during the church services there is silence for 10 minutes for individual/personal prayers. Every morning there is mass service, on Thursday there is meeting with Brother Alois after evening prayer for 20 mints, on Friday after the evening prayer people come to pray around the cross and on Saturday during the evening prayer there is candle light service. 

For one or two weeks we used to go for Bible reflection in morning form 10:00AM to 11:30AM and in afternoon from 3:00PM to 4:30PM for group discussion.  During these two weeks the brothers ask the permanents to also understand the life in Taize.  

On Wednesday and Saturday of every week the permanents belonging from various countries use to put up a workshop related with their countries depicting their social, cultural and spiritual aspects prevailing in their countries.  Though the permanents came from different countries yet they showed oneness among us. There was an immense bonding among us, in helping, taking care of each other and expressing their concern for the same.  The workshop conducted by us in the second turn Neelesh and I were left alone to discover the workshop on our country, we were very much tensed and puzzled how to deliver the workshop but all the permanents came forward unitedly and rendered their help and support to organize Indian Workshop by CNI.  

Before leaving Taize people go for silence for 3 days or for 1 week it is not compulsory but usually everyone goes for silence. When people go for silence they have to move in a different silence house, where they live and eat. During the silence week no one can talk except their contact brother.  

It was very hard for both of us to leave Taize after staying three months.  The three months we spent in Taize was the best moment of our lives. We learned many spiritual things, mental peace, made friends from different part of the world and also learned about different countries cultures. For us it was very difficult and sad to leave Taize. 

I wish that other members of the youth from different dioceses of Church of North India would also get such opportunities to go to different part of the world for their leadership development.  Once again we would like to thank the Taize Community for inviting us, the Church of North India for selecting and sending us and the Almighty for giving us this opportunity to visit such a peaceful place.

The experiences with I attained during my stay in Taize was of a great importance in my life. The Taize community helped me to grow more spiritually in the Lord. The experiences I acquired during my stay will be sourly implemented in the endower which will help me to become a fruitful person in the Lord and I can serve for my Pastorate, Diocese and the Church of North India .

Neelesh Sonawane from Pune Diocese writes:  

I along with Shitij Jacob of Jabalpur Diocese, CNI visited Taize , France for three months. Taize is a small village surrounded by other small villages such as bray, flaggy, chalon, cormatain, Macon and Cluny . At present there are about hundred brothers in Taize who handle the work of the community along with other permanent boys and girls who come as volunteers from different countries for couple of weeks or months. Almost 5000-7000 young people from different countries visit Taize every year. Lodging and boarding are made available in tents and they have to pay few Euros as a token money for registration and staying in Taize. The Taize community provides participation as volunteers from different countries. The house of boys is known as Tilluel and for girls is N’toumi.  

Prayer and worship – The brothers in taize live a monastic life and organize prayers thrice a day. The timings are 8.30AM to 9.15AM in morning, 12.30PM to 1.15PM in midday and 8.30PM to 9.15PM in evening.  In the evening, the prayer consists of songs or chants of Taize which are well known and simple songs, singing of psalms, Bible reading. It also gives time for every individual for personal prayer in isolation and to meditate the word of God.  

Every morning at point M in the church the brothers organize a mass at 7.15PM. Every Thursday, after the prayer brother Alois gives message which touches the heart of young youth. On Friday evening a prayer around the cross allows each person to ask down their burdens on to God. On Saturday evening, the prayers are celebrated as a festival of light representing the resurrection of Christ.  

As volunteers and representative from India , our work in Taize community was scheduled for three months that is 13 weeks along with Bible studies we had worked in different areas in the morning and afternoons.  

Ø    It was very hard to accept Taize in the beginning such that we counted days and weeks as had only Bible introduction and on work. Comparing the leaving it was quite hard to accept that it was time to leave Taize. The life of simplicity and brotherhood had come to an end but as brother Alois spoke in his message that life should continue along with prayers and meditation in our own countries along with challenges and difficulties. This gave a positive response to our lives. The spiritual and healthy environment helped us come closer to God and to serve our fellow friends. We wish all our friends and youth from different diocese of Church of North India would get such opportunity to be in Taize to serve and not to live a worldly life.  

Before leaving Taize the brothers gave us remembrances. I thank the Church of North India , who chose us for such a beautiful life time experience and I acknowledge Taize community for the love & care given to us.