Simplicity, Song, Silence
Taizé Prayer at St. Kate’s
By Meredith Toussaint
If you walked through the chapel last Wednesday night, you would have seen an array of candles and a group of people gathered in the first few rows of pews. You would have heard the same short refrains of songs being sung over and over again. This short Taizé prayer service happened on the evening of the Catholic feast of All Souls’ Day, a day dedicated to prayer for those who have died and for those who mourn. In addition to the traditional Catholic Mass that took place the day before, the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice held this ecumenical prayer service this year as an opportunity for contemplation and reflection.
Taizé prayer is a contemplative practice that began at a community in Taizé, France. While it comes from a Christian background, it is an ecumenical community, meaning it does not follow just one specific religion, and welcomes people of all faiths. It functions in a similar way to a monastery, where people live in community and devote their lives to prayer and contemplation. However, the group has also hosted many visitors over the years. It is a popular pilgrimage site, and many people go there to worship with others.
The purpose of this community, and of the prayer practice that comes from it, is to find God in simplicity. Rather than being saturated with lengthy readings, complex songs and particular rituals, these services usually have brief readings and simple, repetitive songs. The songs often have a short refrain that is repeated over and over again, so that those present can listen to the same words and see what new feelings arise each time. The other crucial part of the services is a period of deep silence. This allows everyone the time to contemplate their thoughts free of any distraction or unnecessary noise.
The chapel lit up with candles on All Souls Day.
Campus liturgist Katie Jonza knew she wanted to bring Taizé services to St. Kate’s when she was hired a year ago. She first encountered Taizé at her home church, and while getting her master’s degree in liturgical music, she had spent time studying the practice as a form of lament, as an outlet for people who are grieving. Additionally, she said, “It is a good opportunity for college students because it’s a type of prayer that forces you to slow down and think about other things. For people who don’t know how to pray or what to pray or what words to say, this is a very simple way to begin.” College is a time in life when people are often trying to figure out their spirituality, and this type of contemplative prayer is a place to come, listen and watch, and see what meaning you can find in the songs and readings.
Even if you missed the service on All Souls’ Day, there are more opportunities to experience Taizé prayer this year. For the Christian season of Advent, there will be a Taizé service each Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in Our Lady of Victory Chapel. All are invited to join on these nights, especially as the end of the semester draws near and everyone’s workload gets heavier. In Jonza’s words, “Everything is calm, everything is slower; it’s a good sabbatical.”
