Meditations

During this week when the temperatures have been so high, I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you for persevering with the meetings and times of prayer. You have been very patient with the simple conditions that we can offer and we need to think about how to improve things to take into account the changing weather. In a few moments, I would like Leon from Zimbabwe, who is volunteering in Taizé at the moment to share some thoughts with you. But before that, I would like to speak about two d

I returned on Monday to Taizé after spending the last week with five of my brothers in Rome where we were among the hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world who were taking part in the Catholic Jubilee of Youth. We had been asked to lead prayers during the week in a city centre church and also participate in an ecumenical prayer with two other communities on Friday evening. It was a festival of faith in Christ which showed us that Christianity is never a kind of monoculture.

This week, there are over 50 different countries represented in Taizé for our weekly meetings, from every part of the world except Antarctica. A very warm welcome to you all! Our diversity of backgrounds, languages, cultures and traditions brings challenges, but is it not also a wonderful sign in our world today? It is possible to live a visible sign of unity in our human family, what our community calls a “parable of communion” as we pray together, listen to the Word of God and build a common l

A warm welcome to all of you who have come to spend this week with us in Taizé! Many of you come from Germany, but among us are also groups coming from Austria, France, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and other countries as well. But I would especially like to express my joy for the presence of young Muslim believers together with three imams and also young Christians with priests and pastors who are taking part in our Muslim-Christian friendship meeting during these days. W

Thank you for being with us during this week of meetings in Taizé. Many of you are from Germany, but there are also groups here from Sweden, Ireland and the Netherlands, not forgetting the team of young volunteers who are with us from further afield. This past week, new volunteers arrived from Chile, Mexico, Chad, Indonesia and Vietnam. But a special welcome for the group from China that has been with us this week. It is for you that we have been singing “Bless the Lord” in Mandarin! In a few mo

So many of you have come from different parts of Germany to be with us during this week when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There are also young people with us from other countries. A special greeting to those who have come from Åland, the archipelago of islands between Finland and Sweden and also to the young people who arrived recently from further afield: from Nicaragua, Mexico, Peru, Kenya, Indonesia, India and Thailand. And we say goodbye to the Malaysians who have

Welcome to you all, whether you have been with us from the beginning of the week, or if you have just arrived as for the Pentecost weekend. We are happy to share this days of prayer, community life and reflection with you. In a moment, Abel (NL) and Christine (MY) are going to ask me a question, which I will try to reply to, but before that I would like to share a few thoughts about the Bible reading we heard from John’s Gospel this evening. Some of you might like to look again at the text on th

Brother Matthew was invited to speak at a meeting which brought together experts and practitioners from various European backgrounds who are involved in formation within the Catholic Church, for an in-depth reflection on pastoral and synodal formation in the future. It took place from May 11 to 14, 2025 at Villa Cagnola, near Milan (Italy). Here is the text of what he shared , in English and in French.

Christ is risen! What a joy it is to welcome you during this time when we are celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus together! You have come from Romania, Lithuania, Sweden, France and various parts of Germany to join us in Taizé for a week of prayer and sharing, an experience of human communion that is also an experience of the Church, this mystery of communion that is the Body of Christ. And this week we are marked by the death of Pope Francis. I've received so many messages over the last few d

Welcome to all of you who have come to Taizé this week, especially from France and Germany, but also from other countries. It’s a great joy to have volunteers with us from Indonesia, Colombia, China, Japan, USA.... Without perhaps realising it, you are a sign of a communion that knows no limits in Christ, that does not abolish our persons, our cultures and our languages, but that goes beyond them to make us understand that we are all loved by God. We are at the beginning of Holy Week, during whi