After spending the last three years at Saint Viator High School, the popular Taizé prayer service returns Nov. 8 to the Province Center chapel in Arlington Heights.
In staying with past tradition, the one hour prayer service will take place at 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month. Join with the Viatorians as they pray for their ministries, for peace and justice in the world — and especially for young people.
“Those that come, without exception, tell me they find a remarkable peace during the evening,” says Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, who first introduced the service to the Viatorian Community, back in 1999,
“It’s a wonderful way to connect with God,” he adds. “The music and the ritual seem to open people up so that they experience God’s love and peaceful presence.”
Taizé prayer originated with an ecumenical community of Christians in Taizé, France, who continue to gather daily to chant and meditate together. Its simple chants praise God and plea for God’s help.
During Taizé prayer evenings at the Province Center, liturgical musicians help the crowd to repeatedly sings each chant for several minutes — like a mantra. The repetition helps worshippers connect with God, while disconnecting them from life’s stress.