FATHER FRANK’S LOG: 12th – 19th OCTOBER 2025
Last weekend, because of the works going on in the church, we had limited lighting for the Masses. This was especially challenging at the Vigil Mass at 6pm on Saturday, and even more so at the Sunday night 7pm Mass. For the Sunday night Mass, we put extra candles in and around the sanctuary area and, while it wasn’t ideal, still and all it created a nice, subdued, prayerful atmosphere. It reminded me of the times I have been blessed enough to go to Taize, the ecumenical pilgrimage centre at Burgundy in France, founded by Brother Roger Schutz during the 2nd World War with its focus on prayer, peace, and the unity of Christians. The beautiful prayer services in Taize, marked by chants, scripture, reflection and silence, typically take place with subdued lighting and many candles lit around the place.
My first trip to Taize was shortly after ordination when myself and Father Paul Francis accompanied a group of young people from St Mungo’s to make a week’s retreat there. The travel was tough, but it was a special trip with wonderful memories, and some of those young people still come to St Mungo’s, although they are not quite so young now, as this was forty years ago. My second pilgrimage was about 5 years later, when I took a group of our Passionist students from Mount Argus to also make a week’s retreat in Taize. Again, it was a very memorable trip. One of the things I will best remember from both occasions was how, after Compline, the night prayer of the church, Brother Roger would invite some of us up to a room where the brothers of Taize would provide us with hot chocolate and Brother Roger would speak a few inspiring words to us. I knew I was in the presence of real holiness.
My third visit to Taize was only as a day pilgrim, again accompanied by Father Paul Francis. He was based in Paris at the time, and I was based in Prestonpans. The only thing those two places have in common is that they both start with a P – P for Passionists, maybe. We had planned a driving holiday together, although the driving would be all down to me as Father Paul Francis didn’t drive at that time. I made my way to Paris from the Pans and we took the community car, a rather nice Renault 12. We drove down through France to Burgundy, where we visited a couple of vineyards, and some old Cistercian monasteries, staying mostly in farmhouse B&Bs along the way. As part of the trip, we went to Taize as day pilgrims, bringing back memories of the trip with the young people from St Mungo’s some 15 years or so previously. From there we drove through Switzerland and over the St Bernard Pass into Italy, meeting up with a fellow Italian Passionist in Turin, and staying a few days in a Passionist Monastery in the hills above Turin, before heading back to Paris by another route, this time over Mont Blanc, and taking in places like Ars (famous for the Cure of Ars), Annecy, where St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal lived and ministered, and Paray-le-Monial, the famous centre for devotion to the Sacred Heart, along the way.
My final visit was in August 2007. Brother Roger of Taize had been tragically stabbed to death during an evening prayer service in Taizé two years earlier, on August 16, 2005, by a young Romanian woman who was later deemed mentally ill. It was a sad and violent end for such a man of peace. I had it in my mind that I wanted to go back and say a prayer at his grave, and this was the first opportunity I had. Taize had changed in the intervening years with Eastern Europe opening up, and so there were pilgrims, and members of the community, from much further afield. This was reflected also in new chants. It was still very beautiful. As befitting for Brother Roger, it was a really simple grave in the local parish churchyard, with just one small garland of flowers placed on top of it, his name inscribed on a simple wooden cross. In these days, when we are praying for peace in the world, and especially in the Holy Land, Gaza and Israel, one of the people whose intercession I will seek is Brother Roger.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
Last weekend, because of the works going on in the church, we had limited lighting for the Masses. This was especially challenging at the Vigil Mass at 6pm on Saturday, and even more so at the Sunday night 7pm Mass. For the Sunday night Mass, we put extra candles in and around the sanctuary area and, while it wasn’t ideal, still and all it created a nice, subdued, prayerful atmosphere. It reminded me of the times I have been blessed enough to go to Taize, the ecumenical pilgrimage centre at Burgundy in France, founded by Brother Roger Schutz during the 2nd World War with its focus on prayer, peace, and the unity of Christians. The beautiful prayer services in Taize, marked by chants, scripture, reflection and silence, typically take place with subdued lighting and many candles lit around the place.
My first trip to Taize was shortly after ordination when myself and Father Paul Francis accompanied a group of young people from St Mungo’s to make a week’s retreat there. The travel was tough, but it was a special trip with wonderful memories, and some of those young people still come to St Mungo’s, although they are not quite so young now, as this was forty years ago. My second pilgrimage was about 5 years later, when I took a group of our Passionist students from Mount Argus to also make a week’s retreat in Taize. Again, it was a very memorable trip. One of the things I will best remember from both occasions was how, after Compline, the night prayer of the church, Brother Roger would invite some of us up to a room where the brothers of Taize would provide us with hot chocolate and Brother Roger would speak a few inspiring words to us. I knew I was in the presence of real holiness.
My third visit to Taize was only as a day pilgrim, again accompanied by Father Paul Francis. He was based in Paris at the time, and I was based in Prestonpans. The only thing those two places have in common is that they both start with a P – P for Passionists, maybe. We had planned a driving holiday together, although the driving would be all down to me as Father Paul Francis didn’t drive at that time. I made my way to Paris from the Pans and we took the community car, a rather nice Renault 12. We drove down through France to Burgundy, where we visited a couple of vineyards, and some old Cistercian monasteries, staying mostly in farmhouse B&Bs along the way. As part of the trip, we went to Taize as day pilgrims, bringing back memories of the trip with the young people from St Mungo’s some 15 years or so previously. From there we drove through Switzerland and over the St Bernard Pass into Italy, meeting up with a fellow Italian Passionist in Turin, and staying a few days in a Passionist Monastery in the hills above Turin, before heading back to Paris by another route, this time over Mont Blanc, and taking in places like Ars (famous for the Cure of Ars), Annecy, where St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal lived and ministered, and Paray-le-Monial, the famous centre for devotion to the Sacred Heart, along the way.
My final visit was in August 2007. Brother Roger of Taize had been tragically stabbed to death during an evening prayer service in Taizé two years earlier, on August 16, 2005, by a young Romanian woman who was later deemed mentally ill. It was a sad and violent end for such a man of peace. I had it in my mind that I wanted to go back and say a prayer at his grave, and this was the first opportunity I had. Taize had changed in the intervening years with Eastern Europe opening up, and so there were pilgrims, and members of the community, from much further afield. This was reflected also in new chants. It was still very beautiful. As befitting for Brother Roger, it was a really simple grave in the local parish churchyard, with just one small garland of flowers placed on top of it, his name inscribed on a simple wooden cross. In these days, when we are praying for peace in the world, and especially in the Holy Land, Gaza and Israel, one of the people whose intercession I will seek is Brother Roger.
As ever, protect yourself, your loved ones and others, and protect Christ in your lives.
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