Lawrence Lam @ WYD2002

Taizé at Newman Centre

If anybody thinks that the only way Catholics worship is going to mass or saying the rosary, they are missing out. When I went to mass at St. Jerome's, I would periodically notice in the bulletin a notice of "Taizé" held at an Episcopal church. I used to always wonder why St. Jerome's was advertising a protestant event.

Well, Taizé turned out to be an ecumenical meditative style of prayer. Yesterday's (June 18) World Youth Day Cross event was at the Newman Centre and the surrounding area but I could only attend Taizé in the evening. I was able to bring two evangelical friends along: Joe and Isaac, who came late. None of us had been to Taizé before.

Joe and I sat outside the Newman and waited for the World Youth Day Cross to come down St. George. A small procession came down at around 7:50 and entered St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. Soon afterwards the Chapel was filled and Taizé began.

The prayer service basically consists of singing songs with Bible readings and silent prayer in between. It's quite a contrast from the previous WYD events where it was all full of unrestrained enthusiasm. Taizé was peaceful, hypnotic, tranquil.

For each song, a piano would play the chant-like melody and then everybody would sing the tune, following along with our Taizé hymnals, and accompanied by the musical ensemble. Some songs were in English, others in Latin. Some songs were canonical, so between me and Joe we would lag one section to achieve that effect. They say young people are very attracted to chant. I can see why. There's a sense of the spiritual found in meditative singing. The bars of the songs would repeat for several times and the effect is quite stunning. One can truly find in Taizé that spiritual *something* many others seek in New Age Spirituality.

At the end of it, Fr. O'Dea gave the final blessing. When he said "The Lord be with you" Isaac automatically responded "And also with you." After a moment he realized what just happened: he was being accustomed to Catholicism!

Joe and I beat the crowds to pray with the cross. Joe didn't touch the cross but knelt down on one knee before it. I knelt down with one hand on the Cross. I prayed hard for my friends to be led into the Church. I examined the scratches on the Cross and read the Pope's message on entrustment of the Cross to the Youth of the World which was engraved on a brass plaque on the Cross. This Cross always seems to fill me with awe as I realize what a big body I am part of- of how through the Cross I am united in Christ with millions of young Catholics pursuing Church renewal, with the billions of faithful over two thousand years. How can anyone not want to be a part of that?

As we left the church I noticed how much longer the line had gotten. Good thing we got there early. Both Isaac and Joseph enjoyed the experience. I look forward to future WYD Cross events in Toronto and for sure I will try to take part in a Taizé service during World Youth Days itself.

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It is not my intent to offend anyone here. What I wrote was straight from the heart: uncensored, uncut.