www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Ecumencial Monastery in France

On another thread, we had some confusion about Taize, which is not a person, but a wonderful, ecumencial monastery in France. The community was founded shortly after WWII from a group of Calvinists who had worked to save Jews from the Nazis. Under their leader, Brother Robert, they decided to found a ecumencial Protestant community to re-introduce monasticism to that tradition and later broadened theri community to include Catholics and Orthodox.

They have been favored by visits of leaders of all Christian communities -- Orthodox Metropolitans, the Archbishops of Canturbury and Uppsala, and by Pope John Paul II (who recalled John XXIII's comment "Taize, ah! That little springtime!")

The community was the inspriration for the Catholic Church's World Youth Days, and the brothers of Taize have been invited by the Pope to each WYD to help lead pilgrims in prayer groups.

To serve the large number of young people who visit Taize, two Catholic women's religious orders have set up houses at Taize to assist the ecumencial monastery of men.

While the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox members of the community each celebrate seperate Eucharists, the prayer and ministry in common binds them together.

I find it a wonderful example of striving for Christian unity.

Axios

Dear Axios,

Yes, thank you for sharing that beautiful post on Taize.

In Walsingham, England, there are Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Methodist shrines to honour the Mother of God there.

The Orthodox have a chapel where they've written a beautiful icon of the Walsingham Shrine - I gave a copy to an Anglican Catholic priest here who has enshrined it in his church.

The Methodists built a church there on the spot where John Wesley preached a sermon, asking forgiveness on behalf of Protestant iconoclasm that led to the destruction of that ancient Shrine way back when.

At Little Gidding in Huntingdonshire in the north, there is an ecumenical community that shares a life in common with Anglican, Catholic and Protestant members.

They follow the inspiration of Bl. Nicholas Ferrar who led his family in daily prayer (the Psalter recited twice daily!) at the chapel there.

They do have a common Eucharist, even though they travel to town to visit their respective Churches.

I wanted to get closer to that community, but I could not accept their view of a common Eucharist for Christians who are not yet fully united to each other.

Their prayerbook for their daily services is excellent.

Alex

Do the Orhtodox and Methodist shrines have websites?

I believe the Anglican and Catholic Shrines have a common website.

Call me nuts, call me a closeted anglo-catholic, call me whatever, but I think the Anglican image of Our Lady is much more beutiful than the Catholic image. I believe the Anglican statue is much more keeping with the tradition of western Catholicism, believe it or not.

I shall endeavor to find the website with the pictures this afternoon.

Alex:

Where can I get a copy of that Icon and has an Akathist been composed for The Theotokos of Walsingham, once the most visited shrine of northern Europe?

Joe Zollars

That was easier than I thought.

Here's the website for the Anglican and Roman Catholic Shrines at Walsingham in England:
http://www.walsingham.org.uk/

Here is a link to the Anglican Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham:
http://www.geocities.com/mhl7818/Image.html

Here is a link to the Roman Catholic Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham:
http://www.geocities.com/mhl7818/Image1.html

Both are beutiful, but I like the anglican one better.

Joe Zollars

[ 09-18-2002: Message edited by: Johanam ]

Dear Joe,

I have yet to find a website for the Methodist and Orthodox shrines, but sometimes travel sites to Walsingham show them. Perhaps someone at the Anglican Walsingham shrine would know.

Yes, the Anglican image of Our Lady of Walsingham is the most beautiful.

On the other hand, the original Catholic image was destroyed.

There was no trace of it left, except on an old episcopal seal of Walsingham that was found and then the image was carved on the basis of the image there.

The High Anglicans are much less reticent about ceremonial etc. than modern Latin Catholics for reasons we've discussed before.

I received my icon of Walsingham through the Rev. Fr. Stephen Walinski, the Western Rite Orthodox priest I told you about at Omaha, Nebraska.

He has a great devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham, and celebrates Her Mass during the last week of each and every month. He now has, I believe, a carved wooden statue of Our Lady of Walsingham in his Church which they carry in procession etc.

Contact him through the Antiochian Orthodox site directory and ask him for a copy of the Orthodox icon of Walsingham.

He also has Walsingham holy water.

Alex

Taize is a remarkable place. On several occasions I was able to visit there at the 'peak' of the summer gathering of young people for prayer. It is ecumenical and remarkable, but that aspect is not obvious or stressed there. It seemed they sought to welcome everyone as if we were already one Church, and found unity through study, work, and prayer. It all seemed very normal and acceptable. It was especially moving and important to the young people who visited on those occasions.

Dear Axios:

It was entirely my fault.
I tried to write "Max Thurian" (the protestant minister), not Taize.
I got confused.

I remember reading some years ago, that Max Thurian had actually converted to Catholicism. (But my memory is going the way of all things...)

Remie,

No problem, brother. It gave us a chance to talk about "that little springtime" Taize!

Axios

There's the wonderful monastery of Chevtogne in Belgium which has both a Roman and Byzantine congregation living on the same monastery grounds. The Byzantine congregation has produced some lovely Kyivan chant recordings.

Bless me a sinner, Father Elias!

Yes, Max Thurian is now a "Reformed Catholic in communion with Rome"

As you know, "Reformed Catholic" was the original name for the Protestants.

I love their dedication to their celebration of the Divine Praises in common.

So many people are finding a form of the monastic life "just what the doctor ordered" for a renewal of their spiritual life.

Don't you agree?

Alex