New Taizé leader does not rule out female members

The Anglican Frere Matthew will take over the leadership of the ecumenical brotherhood of Taizé at the end of the year. How does he see the possibility of welcoming women? What is his attitude towards women priests? And does Taizé have an ecumenical model character?

The future prior of the ecumenical brotherhood of Taizé wants to remain open to the possibility of welcoming women in the future. "I think we have to leave our hearts open to this question here in Taizé and be attentive. It does not depend on us, but it depends on the persons who ask the question," said Frere Matthew in an interview with the internet portal "domradio.de" (Wednesday). He said he had been very impressed by encounters with members of another community who now have brothers as well as sisters. "Originally, they too were a purely male community and had never thought about taking in sisters," said the English Anglican. But then a woman came along, "and they asked themselves, 'Could it possibly work with this woman?'" he said.

Question of women as priests

Frere Matthew, who takes over at the end of the year, recalled that there have been religious sisters at Taizé for more than 50 years, but sisters from a different community. "We work very well with them. The fact that they are not Taizé sisters gives them a certain independence." The fact that each community has its own identity makes for special cooperation, he said. On the question of women as priests, the Anglican stressed that this was a decision for each individual church. His, the Anglican Church, had decided in favour of it. The Catholic Church must answer the question for itself: "What does the Spirit say about this?

The Taizé community is a symbol of the ecumenical movement. The place in southern Burgundy is the seat of a Christian community and has become a meeting place for young people from all over the world. The brotherhood includes about 100 men from about 30 countries, from Protestant churches and the Catholic Church. After 18 years as prior of the Taize community, the German Catholic Frere Alois (69) will pass on the leadership to Frere Matthew (58) at the end of the year. Taize founder Brother Roger (1915-2005) was a Calvinist from Switzerland.

Frere Matthew emphasised: "We all trust here that we are one in faith." Everyone carries "something of what we have experienced in our respective churches with us and into the community". For Brother Roger, he said, it has always been about reconciling his Reformed faith with the faith of the whole Church. "That is the way for all of us," the Anglican said. Frere Matthew rejected an ecumenical model character of Taizé. "But we are always on the way, there is always something new to learn." Christian unity and a reconciled human family are always the goal of Taizé, he said. So it is not a model or a model; but one wants to give signs. 

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