ecumenism" "
50,000 youth from all over Europe Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox took part in the 28th European Youth Meeting promoted by the Taizé Community in Milan from 28 December to 1st January. The meeting was a real “Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth” (the title given to it). For three intensive days the young prayed together, debated the great issues and problems of our time from peace to Islam, from immigration to solidarity -, and, above all, communed together in silence. “We wished to propose an outlook of hope explains Frère Alois, the present prior of the Community and successor of the charismatic founder, Frère Roger – ‘for’ and ‘with’ the youth of our time, even if there are so many problems, so many forms of violence and suffering that traverse the roads of the world, so many difficulties we encounter in building a really united Europe”. The keyword for the whole meeting was the verb “enlarge”. That’s the word that ends the letter left unfinished by Frère Roger and written shortly before his death in August last year. “We consider this word says frère Alois a ‘call’ and we would like ‘enlarging’ to become the ‘key’ to opening the doors to the Spirit. This theme, so close to the heart of frère Roger, demonstrates that nothing must be left untried to give more space to souls: we ourselves must begin this process first and then reach out, with our message, to the whole world”. Some 13,000 families in Milan provided hospitality to the young visitors; 500 parishes were mobilised; and 42 artistic, cultural and religious events open to everyone enlivened the meeting. Ecumenism was one of the key themes – as frère Alois explains, pointing out that “we can only live the Gospel together and it’s senseless to remain separated”. Ecumenism needs to be promoted throughout the world, from north to south, from east to west, ideally passing the witness to Zagreb, where the traditional prayer meeting will be held in 2006, and also to Calcutta, for a pilgrimage from 5 to 9 October this year.
