Brother Roger, founder of the ecumenical Taize’ community, was murdered Tuesday during a vespers service by a woman who is probably mentally disturbed. There’s not a lot of information, but it was a shocking, tragic end to a life of prayer and meditation and peace.
This is a terrible loss to Christians everywhere, as Brother Roger was working to reconcile different streams of Christianity and lend support to the disenfranchised.
The Taize’ community, founded in 1940 by Brother Roger when he was 25, became a safe haven for political refugees and people of all faiths, among them Jews fleeing the Holocaust. Since the late 1950s, thousands of young adults from many countries have come to Taize’ to take part in weekly meetings of prayer and reflection. More than 100 Taize’ brothers, committed to material and spiritual sharing, celibacy, and simplicity of life, make visits and lead meetings in Africa, North and South America, Asia, and in Europe, as part of what they call “a pilgrimage of trust on earth.” Eight years ago, Brother Roger designated Brother Alois to succeed him as the person in charge of the community.
On the morning after his death, the following prayer was read in the church:
“Christ of compassion, you enable us to be in communion with those who have gone before us, and who can remain so close to us. We confide into your hands our Brother Roger. He already contemplates the invisible. In his footsteps, you are preparing us to welcome a radiance of your brightness.”
We’ve done simple Taize’ services at Holy Moly before – Taize’ chant emphasises the meditative experience of sung prayer, and is an interactive rather than a passive performance.
I’m hoping that our local “cluster” of little Episcopal churches pulls together a Taize’ service in Brother Roger’s honor. Maybe for the joint All Saints’ service we’re doing?