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  • Prayer
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      • Easter 2017: Prayer by Brother Alois
    • Bible readings for each day
    • Prayer for Each Day
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    • Podcasts
    • Young adults and prayer at Taizé
    • The value of silence
    • How to prepare a prayer service
      • Preparing a time of prayer
      • Autumn 2015: Prayer for the Protection of the Creation
      • Preparing a welcoming space for a meditative prayer
      • Icons in worship
  • Songs
    • Meditative singing
    • Learning the songs
  • Meditations and Reflections
    • A Way of the Gospel at St Stephen’s Source
    • “A very simple reality”
    • Feeling that we are not alone can strengthen our hope
    • Brotherhood begins by listening to others
    • Short meditation of the day
    • Commented Bible Passages
    • Questions on the Bible and the Christian Faith
      • Baptism
      • Children: What does it mean to “welcome God’s kingdom like a child”?
      • The Mystery of Christmas
      • The Church
      • Church and State: What does the Bible tell us about the attitude of believers towards the wider society?
      • The commandments
      • The Cosmos: The Cosmos: What is the place of human beings in the universe?
      • The Cross
      • Death: What enables us to say that Jesus died “for us”?
      • Dialogue: Religions and The Gospel
      • Eucharist
      • The Eucharist Seen by a Christian of the Second Century
      • What does it mean to evangelize?
      • Faith
      • Faith: How does the New Testament speak about faith?
      • Faith: What Is Distinctive About the Christian Faith?
      • Fear of the Lord
      • Forgiveness: If Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him, why did he keep him in the circle of his close companions until the end?
      • Forgiveness: Does forgiving mean forgetting?
      • Freedom: Am I still free if I obey a call from Christ?
      • Freedom: Is everything that happens decided by God in advance?
      • Happiness: Do we have the right to be happy when others are suffering?
      • Hell: Must a Christian believe in the existence of hell?
      • Christian hope
      • Judgment: Why did Jesus tell his disciples not to judge?
      • Love of enemies
      • Mercy
      • Mercy: If God is merciful, why does the Bible contain threats?
      • God’s presence: If God is present in everyone, what does faith add?
      • Reconciliation: What are the presuppositions for a true dialogue between Christians of different confessions?
      • Reconciliation: How can we bring together diversity and reconciliation?
      • Sin: Should we regret our sins?
      • The suffering of the innocent
      • Are the differences between Christians a problem or an asset?
      • The world : Can we really make the world better?
    • Portraits of witnesses to Christ
      • Saint Irenaeus of Lyons
      • Mother Teresa
      • Saint John Chrysostom (344 – 407): an astonishing modernity
      • Saint Augustine (354-430)
      • The Relevance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
      • A Path of Reconciliation : Brother Roger
      • Jeremiah
      • Dorotheus of Gaza (Sixth Century) Humility and Communion
      • Franz Stock (1904-1948), a Life Given for Reconciliation
      • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955): Taking the World Seriously
      • A prophet who comforts (Isaiah 40–55)
    • Short Writings from Taizé
      • 1. I Believe; Help My Unbelief
      • 2. Saved by the Cross of Christ?
      • 3. What Is Distinctive About the Christian Faith?
      • 4. Dialogue and Sharing with Believers of Other Religions
      • 5. Thrice Holy God
      • 6. Do We Need the Church?
      • 7. The Eucharist and the Early Christians
      • 8. It Is the Word That Is the Bread of Silence
      • 9. The Two Faces of the Cross
      • 10. Brother Roger, Founder of Taizé
      • 11. Blessed in Our Human Frailty
      • 12. Easter Voices
      • 13. Is Christ Divided?
      • 14. Pleasure, Happiness, Joy
      • 15. “Rooted and Built Up in Christ”
      • 16. Icons
      • 17. “Make the Unity of Christ’s Body Your Passionate Concern”
      • 18. “I Have Come That They May Have Life”
      • 19. The Rainbow After The Flood
      • 20. Does the Book of Revelation have something to say to us today?
      • 21. Toward God, in God
      • 22. Voices from the Beginning
      • 23. Should We Fear God?
      • 24. Unfailing Faith
      • 25. “Go, I am with you”
    • Weekly Meditations by Brother Alois
      • The Church of Reconciliation at 50
      • Christ brings us together beyond all borders
      • The Risen Christ Makes Us Passionate Seekers of Communion
      • The Wellspring of Hope
      • Visits to Keep Alive a Flame of Hope
      • Prayer with the Lakota in South Dakota
      • God’s Love, Source of Human Solidarity
      • The Courage to Be Peacemakers
      • In Memory of Brother Roger
      • In Communion with Eastern Christians
      • Christ is our hope, he is alive
      • When we share God gives us the joy of living
      • Close to Wounded Humanity
      • Promoting Universal Friendship
      • Committing Your Entire Life
      • Let us be peacemakers wherever we live
      • All of us can plant seeds of unity
      • A little parable of this universality of God’s love
      • By welcoming refugees, we receive more than we give
      • Looking towards the Light of Christ
      • Trust in God’s love was at the heart of Brother Roger’s life
      • The goodness of God will have the last word
      • Easter 2017 / Meditation by Brother Alois: Witnesses to the Risen Christ
      • Ascension 2017 / Meditation by Brother Alois: Let us set off toward new horizons
      • Find a source of hope
      • Stand firm in hope
      • Looking towards the light of the transfigured Christ
      • Simplify our lives in order to share
      • The friendship of Christ for each and every one of us
      • Allow friendship to grow in order to prepare peace
      • The Bible is the story of God’s faithfulness
      • Christ calls us to be, together, a sign of his peace among humans
    • Letter for the year
      • Brother Alois 2018: Inexhaustible Joy
      • Brother Alois 2017: Together, Opening Paths of Hope
      • Brother Alois 2017: A Call to Church Leaders for 2017
      • Brother Alois 2017: Towards the Unity of the European Continent
      • Brother Alois 2016: The Courage of Mercy
      • Taizé 2015
      • Brother Alois 2012-2015: Towards a New Solidarity
      • Brother Alois 2015: Four proposals in order to be “salt of the earth”.
      • Brother Alois 2014: Four Proposals for “seeking visible communion among all who love Christ”
      • Brother Alois 2013: Four Proposals to Uncover the Wellsprings of Trust in God
      • Brother Alois 2011: Letter from Chile
      • Brother Alois 2010: Letter from China
      • Brother Alois 2009: Letter from Kenya
      • For an open Europe, a land of solidarity
      • Brother Alois 2008: Letter from Cochabamba
      • Brother Alois: Letter to those who want to follow Christ
      • Brother Alois: A call for the reconciliation of Christians
      • Brother Alois 2007: Letter from Kolkata
      • 2006: Brother Roger’s unfinished letter
      • Brother Roger 2005: A future of peace
    • Letter from Taizé: Testimonies
      • Sharing what we have
      • What are you doing with your freedom?
      • For a Fraternal World
      • Opting for Joy
      • Unlimited Compassion
      • Desire for Forgiveness
    • Towards a new solidarity
      • "Towards a new solidarity": 2012-2015: Three Years of Searching
      • Reflection Group "Towards a New Solidarity": In Taizé, reflecting more deeply with young people
      • Themes
        • Leaping Over Walls of Separation
        • Solidarity with All Creation
        • Indignation, Passivity or Commitment
        • Peace to Those Who Are Near
      • Listening to young people...
        • Listening to the Young People of Asia
        • Listening to the Young People of Europe
        • Towards a new solidarity: Listening to the Youth of America
        • Listening to young people from Oceania
Message to the European Union
 

For an open Europe, a land of solidarity

Since the young adult meeting is taking place in Brussels, headquarters of numerous European institutions, it seemed important to address the following message to the European Union. On 15 December, Brother Alois delivered the message personally to Mr José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and he sent it to the heads of state and government of the 27 countries of the Union. Mr Barroso in turn addressed a message of welcome and friendship to the young people.

The search for peace and reconciliation in the human family is part and parcel of the vocation of the Taizé Community. For thirty years now the community has been animating a “pilgrimage of trust on earth” which has brought together several generations of young adults from every continent.

Together in Brussels for a stage in this pilgrimage, from December 29, 2008 to January 2, 2009, 40,000 young adults from throughout Europe would like to rekindle the intuition and the enthusiasm that marked the beginnings of the building of Europe: to make reconciliation among peoples a reality by setting in common their resources and their specific gifts.

The unprecedented adventure of building a united Europe

Europe has succeeded in initiating a period of peace without precedent in its history. The road already travelled has awakened tremendous hope in other regions of the world. After so much conflict between Europeans, peace is a priceless gift. And yet it is never attained once and for all; each generation still has to build it.

Do not give in to apathy

European institutions are sometimes viewed today with incomprehension and a certain degree of apathy. And yet they are indispensible to ensure continuity in building peace on the continent. They must not, however, be a substitute for taking on responsibility at every level of European society. [1] For their part, national leaders can contribute to a new outlook by refusing unfairly to designate European institutions as scapegoats when the time comes for hard decisions.

Solidarity on a worldwide scale

Building a united Europe acquires its full meaning only if it shows itself to be in solidarity with the poorest peoples on the earth. These peoples are evolving so quickly! The current situation requires a new effort of understanding to adapt European institutions and aid mechanisms.

Many young people are asking for the globalization of the economy to go hand in hand with a globalization of solidarity. Does not the goal of shared prosperity call upon the rich countries to show greater generosity, both by investments in favour of developing countries and by a considerate and responsible welcome offered to the immigrants coming from those countries?

By forming a great many personal relationships across their own continent, many young people have already acquired a European awareness. That does not mean abandoning the specific characteristics of each people or region, but rather undertaking a sharing of gifts while respecting diversity. Initiatives such as a European volunteer service will deepen mutual understanding between peoples and regions.

The current financial crisis

The current financial crisis makes it clear that, if the economy disregards ethical norms, it cannot develop in a lasting way. This crisis can become an opportunity if it leads us to question our priorities in building up world society: what kind of development are we interested in? What kind of development is possible that respects the limited resources of our planet?

The more complex the economic and financial system becomes, the more it has to be coordinated and regulated to promote the common good of the entire human family. Supranational bodies that set ground rules ensuring greater justice are henceforth indispensible. [2]

Two contributions of Christians

The Gospel encourages simplicity of life. It calls believers to bring their own desires under control in order to succeed in setting limits, not by constraint but by choice. [3]Freely chosen simplicity enables those who are privileged to resist the race to acquire what is superfluous and contributes to the struggle against the poverty imposed on those who are deprived.

Promoting steps toward forgiveness is another contribution of Christians. Such steps imply the refusal to pass on to the next generation rancour for still festering wounds—not to forget a painful past but to heal the memory by forgiveness, interrupting the chain reaction that causes resentment to endure. Without forgiveness, there is no future for societies. The powerful impetus that lies at the origin of the building of Europe arose to a great extent from this conviction. [4]

Everyone can take part in a civilization marked not by mistrust but by trust. At times, in the course of history, just a few people were enough to tip the scales towards peace. [5]

Last updated: 23 March 2009

Footnotes

[1] In order to go forward in deepening a sense of community, the principle of subsidiarity is essential. It allows the agencies of the Community to intervene in certain areas when the member-states are unable to do so, while at the same time respecting the proper jurisdictions of these states. Decisions should be taken at the level closest to the citizens of Europe. This principle encourages each one to assume their own responsibilities and should keep nations from making excessive demands.

[2] In 1963, in his encyclical Pacem in terris, Pope John XXIII had proposed the creation of a “public authority of universal competence.” That prophetic intuition is more relevant now than ever.

[3] Jesus said, “What good is it for a person to gain the whole world if he loses or ruins himself?” (Luke 9:25)

[4] That conviction was a stimulus for the coming together of France and Germany. It also lay at the origin of the mutual forgiveness between the Polish and German peoples at the initiative of the Polish bishops in 1965. Christians thus paved the way for political reconciliation.

[5] The founders of the European Union were only a few, but they had a brilliant intuition: to prevent another conflict by beginning to hold resources in common (coal and steel) which were used in the past to resupply the war machine.

Daily Bible Reading

Mon, 23 April
John writes: The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:1-18
more...

For the Diary

27 April - 1 May, Ukraine:
Lviv 2018
5 - 8 July, Taizé:
Weekend of friendship between young Christians and Muslims
8 - 12 August, Hong Kong SAR China:
2018 Meeting in Hong Kong
19 - 26 August, Taizé:
Reflection week for 18-35 year-olds
28 December 2018 - 1 January 2019, Spain:
At the end of 2018 in Madrid
 Search events

Podcasts

2018-04-11 : Confitemini Domino /Alleluia 7 + Psalm 104/ Matthew 11:28-30 / Kristus, din Ande / Prayer by Brother Alois / Gib mich ganz zu eigen Dir
IMG/mp3/taize_podcast_2018-04-11.mp3
11 April 2018
2018-04-05 Easter Day: Introduction / Prayer by Brother Alois / Lumen Christi / Maranatha / Exultet / John 20:1-9 / Christus resurrexit
IMG/mp3/taize_podcast_2018-04-05_easter_day.mp3
11 April 2018
more...

New CD: «LAUDAMUS TE»


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