188 PART TWO: AN EMPIRICAL ACCOUNT solution for lack of a better alternative. That implies that they dismiss two options: being separated at the altar and avoiding the Eucharistic liturgy altogether. Instead, they accept imperfect, ‘limping’ solutions as long as they safeguard the unity of the community; as long as it prevents the wounds of division to paralyze ecumenical progress; and as long as it enables the Eucharist to be their prime spiritual resource. The conviction that the current practice is a temporary way of coping with their specific, local situation makes the monastics very hesitant to present theirs as a solution for other contexts. I will discuss the reflections of the monastics regarding the place of these communities and their practice of Eucharistic sharing in the wider scheme of ecumenical relations in section 6.4. 6.3 A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE The struggle for a common Eucharist As indicated already in the previous sections, the monastics neither consider their ecumenical process to be completed nor their own Eucharistic practice as the final solution. They highly appreciate the possibility of sharing the Eucharist, but critically examine this practice at the same time. They also point towards the struggle that accompanied the introduction of Eucharistic hospitality in the communities. To start with the latter, I have already briefly mentioned the evolution of Taizé’s practice and the short episode in Bose’s history of Eucharistic hospitality in the Waldensian tradition. Brother TB recalls the decision of the ordained Reformed brothers of Taizé to give up presiding over the communal Eucharistic liturgy, hoping that temporary abstinence on their behalf would benefit the cause of ecumenism. He explains: A sort of, not, not seeing the whole thing as a negotiation, and sort of positions, strength, and of... theological agreement only, but that there was something else. There was readiness also to yield to the others, to, to... to... say, yes.... And it's in this context, and, and that was not so easy for everybody here.438 After the brief period of sharing the Eucharist presided over by Waldensian pastor Brother Daniel, public uproar forced the Bose community to find a newway. Similar to Taizé, the community found a solution by resorting 438 TB-1,4d.
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