Jessica Hawthorne - Church Visit #1

Ascension Catholic Church

808 S. East Ave., Oak Park, IL 60304

April 1, 2016

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar or different from your regular context?
We attended the Taizé Prayer service that takes place on the first Friday of each month. Modeled after the practices of the Taizé monastic community in France, this service is intended to be a time to pray for and seek reconciliation among God's people. As we entered the building we were welcomed by the melody of a Taizé chant, "Christ, you are light for those who follow you. You come to bring to all the light of life." The chant was repeated continuously, occasionally rising and falling according to the priest's direction. Following the song, candle light was passed throughout the entire congregation, very much similar to a typical Christmas Eve service at my home church. Once completed, the priest sang a psalm and at certain points the congregation would join with "alleluias," raising our candles towards the ceiling. The sight and sound was beautiful. This service of light was followed by the reading of a passage from Colossians in both English and Spanish and another Taizé chant during which the congregation filed towards the front and placed the lighted candles in clay pots surrounding four icons of Jesus. Hundreds of candles then cast their glow upon the cross of Christ and created a spectacular atmosphere within the sanctuary. Following this processional came an extended period of silence broken as the congregation united together in prayers for the world and finally joined hands to speak the Lord's prayer. The service concluded with a hymn sharing the melody of "Come Thou Fount" though entitled "Sing a New Church." 

What aspects of Roman Catholic theology did you notice expressed in the service?
As intended, the Taizé service centered itself around prayer for church unity and peace. There was no point at which I noticed a significant difference between the theology expressed and the theology I hold to as an Evangelical Christian. As is typical of a Catholic service, the service was liturgical and the congregation participated at various points with communal singing and repetition of prayers together.
As Patrick expressed in his blog post, I was also reminded of Lumen Gentium and the Church's respectful consideration of Muslims and non-Catholic Christians. The final hymn we sung expressed a prayer for the Church to be brought together by "the gifts that differ and in splendid, varied ways." The final two stanzas went,

Bring the hopes of every nation;
bring the art of every race.
Weave a song of peace and justice;
let it sound through time and space.

Draw together at one table
all the human family;
shape a circle ever wider
and a people ever free.

While the song perhaps rang of universalist tendencies, I was impressed by the strong desire to unite as brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of our differences. This song expressed Brother Roger's (the founder of the Taizé community) desire to create a community "who would always try to understand one another and be reconciled, a community where kindness of heart and simplicity would be at the centre of everything." This dream is one I share and thus strongly respect this aspect of Catholic theology.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
As a whole, the service was significantly different from my regular context. The music was beautiful and intended to foster a reflective and spiritual experience as opposed to the contemporary worship music of my home church and the somber hymn singing of my church here in Wheaton. The melodies floated throughout the sanctuary and the repetition allowed the words to sink deep within my spirit. This service illumined a different style of spirituality than what I am used to and I greatly appreciated the intentionality of the liturgy. Along those same lines, I appreciated the combination of music, light, movement, and silence to involve the audience and unite us together in prayer. The repetitive actions and singing accompanied by the candle lighting and processional towards the front followed by a long period of silence penetrated my spirit and created a space to ponder the grace and peace of our God.