A worldwide assembly of young people in search of God and the desire to commit themselves in the Church and society called “Taize pilgrimage of trust on earth” will have its international meeting in Manila on February 3-7 next year.
Brother Alois, the Prior of Taize community in France has made the announcement during the 31st European meeting organized in Brussels from December 29, 2008 to January 2, 2009.
The brothers have asked the coordination of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to facilitate communication with the local bishops in organizing youth meetings in preparation for the 2010 gathering in Manila.
“Since last year, they have been visiting bishops, laying down the plans for the pilgrimage of trust. They have conducted retreats for the regions, engaging young people to a retreat. Part of that is to make them aware that there is a preparation for 2010, which would be in the first week of February,” said ECY executive secretary Fr. Conegondo Garganta.
At least, three brothers, Andreas, Andre and Ghislain were around sometime last year and have visited several dioceses and met with different youth groups. While they were around they led regular prayer meetings on Tuesday evenings at the chapel of the Little Sisters of Jesus in Mandaluyong and every Thursday noon at the CBCP chapel. On Monday evenings they joined the prayers led by a group of young people at the EDSA shrine.
The brothers are expected to come again at different times during the year to oversee the preparations, Garganta said.
He explained that the commission provides a linkage to the different youth ministries in schools and youth groups all over the country.
The executive secretary noted the positive effect of the brothers’ meeting with the youth.
“There are a lot of good things that are happening as a result of their contact with our young people, especially in terms of their activities in prayer. It gives our young people the opportunity to focus more on the significance of prayer, and from that our young people [develop] somehow a way of looking at life. If they are students [or] young professionals, they become more intimate with prayer,” said Garganta.
The response of the youth has been very good in terms of participation according to Garganta. Most of their stories after their retreat tell of their unique and life-changing experience. It helps them to focus and appreciate the value of prayer and to continue to do the habit of praying.
“Taize experience”
Filipino youth have been invited to Taize to participate in the international meetings and live with the community for a three-month period. The three-month “Taize experience” has been going on annually since the 1970s when the brothers first visited the country.
The commission facilitates and recommends the youth who will go to live in Taize for three months. The first batch of delegates goes before Lent. A second group leaves before Advent.
Garganta said it is a continuing program between the commission and the Taize community that every year at least two batches of 3-5 delegates are sent, or depending on the number of participants the brothers would want the commission to send.
“We prepare them, interview them, and give them orientation. We select those who will be sent to live there for three months,” the priest said.
Those who have lived in Taize come back to the country and continue to live in the community where they originated.
But they are not expected to start or build another community. Instead they are expected to give witness to their experience through a prayerful life and service rendered to the Church and society.
Taize is not a movement, explained Bro. Andreas, one of the brothers who visited the Philippines last year. He said Taize’s late founder, Brother Roger, was very precise in making it known that Taize is not a movement.
“The young people that we meet, we make sure to send them back to the local Churches,” said Brother Andreas.
“It is more of witnessing, group gathering together, doing the Taize prayer,” Garganta said.
The young priest is very optimistic of the forthcoming meeting. Noting that it will happen few months before the national mid-year elections, he expects the pilgrimage of trust will become a source of renewal for 2010 and even beyond.
“We look forward that this pilgrimage of trust will influence our young people in terms of becoming more mature, in making most of the opportunities especially now that we are preparing and looking forward to 2010 elections,” Garganta said.
“We expect our young people to contribute a lot in terms of living up their vocation as young Christians [adept in] selecting leaders capable of leading the country towards real transformation,” he added.
The Taize Community
Back in 1940, an international ecumenical community was born in a small French village named Taize. Founded by Bro. Roger, the community now with members comprising almost a hundred is composed of Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, from around 30 nations.
The ecumenical spirit behind Taize’s way of life has made it become a “parable of community”, a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and separated peoples in today’s modern world.
Through the years, young people all over the world have been going to Taize to take part in weekly meetings and experience the brothers’ way of life. They join the community for prayer three times a day and participate in group reflection and sharing on the word of God.
2010 Meeting in Manila
Next year’s meeting in Manila will be a new phase in the “Pilgrimage of trust on earth” began by Brother Roger. The pilgrimage has the over all theme of “inner life and human solidarity” and aims to support young people in their search for God and commitment to the Church and society.
In a letter to Brother Alois, ECY Chairman Joel Baylon conveyed his pleasure to have Manila host the 2010 meeting.
“We are grateful for this great blessing for the Church in the Philippines to welcome young pilgrims and to gather them for a week of reflection, silence, sharing and witnessing in faith. We believe that young people are called to bring the Good News of God’s love by living simple yet upright lives, by reaching out to be of service to others, by communal action on behalf of justice and truth,” the Masbate bishop said.
He extended his invitation to the pilgrim participants saying: “Affirming your struggles and your dreams as young people in your search for the truth and in your commitment to live the spirit of communion in the Church and in society, we invite you to journey with us and share your own stories of hope and reconciliation.”
The bishop said the Church in the Philippines looks forward to the auspicious event with eagerness.
“And we look forward to share with you our life, with all its joys and hopes, and especially those found in our treasure, the Filipino youth,” he added.
Arjen, a Mindanaon who is currently staying in the Taize community was delighted at the announcement of the venue of next year’s meeting. Addressing the thousands of participants gathered in the halls of Brussels Expo, she said:
"Like other young people, we too have dreams and struggles. And we want to search for the truth to be found in living in the spirit of Christ. The Pilgrimage of Trust will give us a boost. It will help us to deepen our faith and our commitment to live in communion, in the Church and in our society. It will also help us to unite not only Filipinos but other young people who are involved in their places. On this journey, we would also like to share with you our life, our joys and our hopes. We wish to share our faith with you and then open new paths of hope together. We need support from you young Europeans, and that is why we would like to invite you and to welcome you, the young people of Europe, for the Pilgrimage of trust in the Philippines."
Held annually, the recently concluded European gathering had assembled 40,000 young people all over Europe.
The upcoming meeting in Manila will be the 5th of its kind in Asia after gatherings held in Chennai, India in 1985 and 1988, Manila in 1991 and Kolkata, India in 2006.
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