Mar. 19, 2014:  Every year in February, the Episcopal Youth Community of Christ Church in Bronxville travels to the monastery at Taizé, France. This year is no exception. The monastery is an international community to which Christians of all ages go to encounter a unique blend of worship, communal living, and silence.  

This year, Christ Church's EYC traveled first to Paris to tour the city and then to the monastery, where they spent a week. At the monastery, the teenagers ate mass-produced meals of varied taste, slept in institutional bunk beds, and cleaned toilets. They also helped the community prepare for thousands of visitors by erecting tents used for food distribution and meetings.

EYC members from Bronxville, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle met students from Paris, Germany, Sweden, and Australia. When asked, most students responded that the singing and silence of the monastery helped restore their sense of self and of God's constant presence.

Brother Roger Schutz founded the monastic community in the Burgundy region of France in 1940. Known for his hospitality and belief in reconciliation, Brother Roger began sheltering refugees and orphans during World War II. Today, the community hosts over 100,000 annual visitors who come to join the brothers in prayer. Daily life at Taizé includes three church services, morning, midday, and evening prayer, three meals, and group work sessions. 

Owen Jones, a senior at Bronxville High School, said about the trip: "Each year, friends ask why I want to spend my winter break in worship all day, not understanding the true meaning of Taizé. It's not a place where we devote an entire week only to God and cleaning bathrooms. Taizé is much more. It is a place where you can find yourself and learn more about who you are as a person. It's where you meet new people from all over the world. It's where you make long-lasting friendships that carry you through tough times in high school because, let's face it, we all have them. The insight and friendships I have made on this trip have helped to smooth the rocky road of high school and make me a better friend and family member." 

Pictured here:  The group that traveled to Taizé.

Photo by Katherine Gojkovich