Where

We hold our Taizé worship in our beautiful Chapel of Holy Ghost Parish. The doors are located at the right side of the parking lot (off Pritchard Ave)

Holy Ghost Taizé meetings begin at 7 pm, usually on the last Sunday of the month. As there is Eucharist at 6:00 pm at the main church, the chapel doors are open after the Mass is over at the church. The service itself is approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Please also check the posters and our website

Why Taizé

In the busy world, we need more and more to feed ourselves on the spiritual rock, which is Christ himself. The prayer tradition of Taizé, based on the monastic hours of prayer each day, can help us let to go of our own preoccupations and get in touch with spiritual realities.

What Can I Expect

People may kneel or sit, taking whatever posture is most comfortable for them. Taizé at Holy Ghost Parish combines candlelight, silence and Scripture with these simple chants to help build awareness of God’s presence in ourselves and in community. As the psalmist wrote:

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvellous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a child quieted at its mothers breast; like a child that is quieted is my soul, O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and for evermore

Who is invited

Everyone is invited. You do not have to be Catholic to come to this worship gathering. We welcome those who may want to experience Taizé for the first time.

What does one Wear

We try to follow the Spirit of Taizé so the dress code is casual. Some people are more comfortable sitting on the floor.

                                          What is Taizé   

In 1940, a 25-year-old man from Switzerland, Brother Roger, came to the small village of Taizé in the Burgundy Region of France with the dream of starting an ecumenical community for contemplation and for the reconciliation of Christians of all faiths. Today the community is made up of brothers from several continents and various denominations, draws tens of thousands of people from all parts of the world. They come as part of their search for trust and communication in their lives. Three times each day they join with the brothers for prayer in the Church of Reconciliation. An important part of the Taizé experience is the singing of simple meditative songs that were developed for the prayer service. Singing is one of the most important forms of prayer. A few words over and over again reinforce the meditative quality of the prayer. These simple chants also provide a way of praying when one is alone, during the day or at night, or even in the silence of one is heart while one is working.

What is Taizé  Prayer

The prayer is flexible and has no real beginning or end. Songs are repeated over and over again to help us enter into the contemplation of the presence of God. The simple phrases are easily memorized so that books are not necessary. In the music and prayer of Taizé many different languages are used to reflect both the international and ecumenical nature of the community. It is appropriate, whenever possible, that different languages be heard in the prayer as a reminder that we are all part of one, universal Church of Christ, which is for all peoples, and exists in all times and ages. People often ask why Latin is used in many of the chants. The brothers found that with so many people gathering together who did not understand each other’s language, a common language of unity needed to be found. Although a dead language, the Latin phrases are able to bring people together. The Latin phrases are easy to pick up and understand.