[bd476]

ABC News and AP

Taize Religious Community Founder Slain

TAIZE, France Aug 17, 2005 — Brother Roger, the 90-year-old founder of an ecumenical religious community dedicated to peace and reconciliation, was knifed to death by a woman at an evening prayer service attended by 2,500 people, authorities said.

The slaying was deplored Wednesday by the pope and the head of the Anglican Church, who called the slain monk "one of the best-loved Christian leaders of our time."

An all-night prayer vigil was held following the fatal attack Tuesday night in the church at Taize, in Burgundy.

A Romanian woman wielding a knife killed silver-haired Brother Roger, witnesses said. A community spokesman, Brother Emile, said the monk's throat was cut and he died 15 minutes later.

Taize officials said the woman had arrived two days earlier among thousands of pilgrims who visit the site. Prosecutor Jean-Louis Coste said the woman, reportedly 36 years old, had bought the knife the day before.

"It would appear for now there is little doubt that this was premeditated since she bought a knife the day before and voluntary homicide is manifest," Coste told reporters without naming the woman.

Coste said the woman detained for questioning by police. He said she was not "unbalanced enough to justify psychiatric care."

People at the service grabbed the woman, who had sprung from the crowd, and turned her over to police.

Brother Roger founded the Taize religious community in 1940 emphasizing the need for all Christians to come together in peace, love and reconciliation. The Taize ecumenical community, which is near Macon, 240 miles southeast of Paris, draws tens of thousands of Christian youths from around the world each year for prayer and meditation.

Pope Benedict XVI said he had received a "very moving and very friendly letter" just Tuesday from Brother Roger. Benedict spoke of the "very sad and terrifying news."

"This is an indescribable shock," said Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the Church of England. "Brother Roger was one of the best-loved Christian leaders of our time and hundreds of thousands will be feeling his loss very personally, and remembering him in prayer and gratitude."

President Jacques Chirac praised Brother Roger as "one of the most remarkable servants of the values of respect and tolerance," while German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he regarded Brother Roger as one of the "great contemporary personalities of religious life."

Schroeder praised him for sheltering Jewish refugees during World War II and later fostering reconciliation in Europe.

Taize Religious Community Founder Slain

[livius]

Horrible! But what a bizarre thing. I wonder what her motivation was, if the police say she "wasn't unbalanced enough" for that to be the cause.

[brytlea]

Why on earth would someone do that? I hope we might find out why she did it. This is such a crazy world!
susie

[Mister Baredog]

Just curious, was she wearing a head scarve or burka?

[Alia]

FR Cross-link: Taizé Founder Stabbed to Death

[bd476]

Taizé Community

Taizé, in the south of Burgundy, France, is the home of an international, ecumenical community, founded there in 1940 by Brother Roger. The brothers are committed for their whole life to material and spiritual sharing, to celibacy, and to a great simplicity of life. Today, the community is made up of over a hundred brothers, Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, from more than twenty-five nations.

At the heart of daily life in Taizé are three times of prayer together. The brothers live by their own work. They do not accept gifts or donations for themselves. Some of the brothers are living in small groups – “fraternities” - among the very poor.

Since the late 1950s, many thousands of young adults from many countries have found their way to Taizé to take part in weekly meetings of prayer and reflection. In addition, Taizé brothers make visits and lead meetings, large and small, in Africa, North and South America, Asia, and in Europe, as part of a “pilgrimage of trust on earth”.

The 90-year-old founder of a Christian ecumenical community Brother Roger, seen in this Aug. 17. 1990 file photo, was stabbed to death in front of thousands of worshippers during an evening prayer service Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005, at the tranquil Taize community in Burgundy, central France. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)

Taizé Community

[johnb838]

This is bizarre. Very sad. But bizarre. The leader of a contemplative, non-denominational movement. Sign of the times? Or of the Religion of Peace^®? Or both?

[bd476]

Prayer Ping for Brother Roger, founder of Taizé ecumenical community.

[redgolum]

FYI ping.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I'm sorry this happened, but I am not impressed with Taize worship.

Liberals use "the values of respect and tolerance" as a way to remove the values of freedom of speech and thought. Move it to religion, and it is just one more road to universalism. Ah, but as long as you can reach your altered state of consciousness, these days I guess, who cares?

[SC DOC]

One of my favorite Taize Songs

[edcoil]

"Romanian woman wielding a knife"

Gotta ask, was this woman muslim?

[Steve_Seattle]

Is there any word about a motive?

[F-117A]

From another article.

Every week five buses from Romania arrive on Sunday afternoon."

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“One passes through Taizé as one passes close to a spring of water. The traveller stops, quenches his thirst and continues on his way.”

John Paul II

That little springtime! John Paul II in Taizé Pope John Paul II visited the Taizé Community on 5 October 1986. After a time of prayer with everyone present on the hill, the Pope met with the brothers of the Community

Dear Brothers, in the family-like intimacy of this brief meeting, I would like to express to you my affection and my trust with these simple words with which Pope John XXIII who loved you so much greeted Brother Roger one day: "Ah, Taizé, that little springtime!" My desire is that the Lord may keep you like a springtime that blossoms and that He keep you little, in the joy of the Gospel and the transparency of brotherly love.

Each of you came here to live in the mercy of God and the community of his brothers. In consecrating your whole being to Christ for love of him, you have found both of these.

But in addition, although you did not look for it, you have seen young people from everywhere come to you by the thousands, attracted by your prayer and your community life. How can we not think that these young people are the gift and the means that the Lord gives you to stimulate you to remain together, in the joy an the freshness of your gift, as a springtime for all who are searching for true life?

Throughout your days, work, rest, prayer, everything is enlivened by the Word of God that takes hold of you, that keeps you little, in other words children of the heavenly Father, brothers and servants of all in the joy of the Beatitudes.

I do not forget that in its unique, original and in a certain sense provisional vocation, your community can awaken astonishment and encounter incomprehension and suspicion. But because of your passion for the reconciliation of all Christians in a full communion, because of your love for the Church, you will be able to continue, I am sure, to be open to the will of the Lord.

By listening to the criticisms or suggestions of Christians of different Churches and Christian communities and keeping what is good, by remaining in dialogue with all but not hesitating to express your expectations and your projects, you will not disappoint the young, and you will be instrumental in making sure that the effort desired by Christ to recover the visible unity of his Body in the full communion of one same faith never slackens.

You know how much I personally consider ecumenism a necessity incumbent upon me, a pastoral priority in my ministry for which I count on your prayer.

By desiring to be yourselves a "parable of community", you will help all whom you meet to be faithful to their denominational ties, the fruit of their education and their choice in conscience, but also to enter more and more deeply into the mystery of communion that the Church is in God’s plan.

By his Gift to his Church, Christ liberates in every Christian forces of love and gives them a universal heart to be creators of justice and peace, able to unite to their contemplation a struggle along the lines of the Gospel for the integral liberation of human beings, of every human being and of the entire human being.

Dear Brothers, I thank you for having invited me and thus having given me the opportunity to return to Taizé. May the Lord bless you and keep you in his peace and his love!

That little springtime!

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Expatica Netherlands

Shock at murder of Brother Roger Schutz

17 August 2005

AMSTERDAM — Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has expressed his dismay at the murder of Brother Roger Schutz, the founder of the Taizé ecumenical community.

Balkenende did not know the 90-year-old cleric personally, but 20 years ago Balkenende — the leader of the Dutch Christian Democrat Party (CDA) — visited Taizé in France with friends.

Brother Roger was stabbed to death by a mentally unstable woman during a prayer service on Tuesday evening.

Since setting up the ecumenical community in 1940, Brother Roger had been a particular inspiration for young people, Balkenende said.

His community, the prime minister said, was set up as a
"sign of hope in a pitch-black period" and continued right up to today to contribute to reconciliation between religious movements.

PKN, the body representing many Protestant churches in the Netherlands, has also expressed sorrow and dismay at the cleric's death.

Shock at murder of Brother Roger Schutz

[bd476]

Guardian Unlimited UK

Taize Religious Community Founder Slain

Wednesday August 17, 2005 2:16 PM

TAIZE, France (AP) - Brother Roger, the 90-year-old founder of an ecumenical religious community dedicated to peace and reconciliation, was knifed to death by a woman at an evening prayer service attended by 2,500 people, authorities said.

The slaying was deplored Wednesday by the pope and the head of the Anglican Church, who called the slain monk ``one of the best-loved Christian leaders of our time.''

An all-night prayer vigil was held following the fatal attack Tuesday night in the church at Taize, in Burgundy.

A Romanian woman wielding a knife killed silver-haired Brother Roger, witnesses said. A community spokesman, Brother Emile, said the monk's throat was cut and he died 15 minutes later.

Taize officials said the woman had arrived two days earlier among thousands of pilgrims who visit the site. Prosecutor Jean-Louis Coste said the woman, reportedly 36 years old, had bought the knife the day before.

``It would appear for now there is little doubt that this was premeditated since she bought a knife the day before and voluntary homicide is manifest,'' Coste told reporters without naming the woman.

Coste said the woman detained for questioning by police. He said she was not ``unbalanced enough to justify psychiatric care.''

People at the service grabbed the woman, who had sprung from the crowd, and turned her over to police.

Brother Roger founded the Taize religious community in 1940 emphasizing the need for all Christians to come together in peace, love and reconciliation. The Taize ecumenical community, which is near Macon, 240 miles southeast of Paris, draws tens of thousands of Christian youths from around the world each year for prayer and meditation.

Pope Benedict XVI said he had received a ``very moving and very friendly letter'' just Tuesday from Brother Roger. Benedict spoke of the ``very sad and terrifying news.''

``This is an indescribable shock,'' said Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the Church of England. ``Brother Roger was one of the best-loved Christian leaders of our time and hundreds of thousands will be feeling his loss very personally, and remembering him in prayer and gratitude.''

President Jacques Chirac praised Brother Roger as ``one of the most remarkable servants of the values of respect and tolerance,'' while German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he regarded Brother Roger as one of the ``great contemporary personalities of religious life.''

Schroeder praised him for sheltering Jewish refugees during World War II and later fostering reconciliation in Europe.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5216022,00.html

[bd476]

AGI Online Agenzia Giornalistica Italia

FRERE ROGER OF TAIZE': SPOKE OF PEACE IN SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

(AGI) - Vatican City, Aug 16 - Frere Roger was one of the most authoritative members of the Christian religious community. In 1940 he reached Taize', close to Cluny, with the aim of establishing a religious community there; at the time he was 25 and protestant.

He was a theology graduate, and dedicated his whole existence to the reconciliation of different Christian faiths. He wrote numerous works on prayer and meditation, in which he urged the youth to trust and work in society, in 1988 he was given the UNESCO prize for Education and Peace; and thanks to his works there are now tens of thousands of youths who every year reach Taize' looking for inspiration for prayer and reflection on the spirit.

Radio Vaticana broadcasted a biography of the priest. Born 90 years ago in Provence, Switzerland, Roger Schutz was a young protestant shepherd when he reached Bourgogne in 1940.

In the remote village he bought an old home to offer shelter to victims of persecution, to the poor, to the oppressed by the madness of war which was current in Europe at the time.

Forced to flee in 1942 by the Gestapo, Frere Roger returned to Taize' in 1944; then there was finally peace, Europe had to be reconciled, and as the prior himself reminded: "We were in troubled times. Taize' was born 5 years before. Many ask themselves: what will become of Europe? The Christian's faith is being rocked. They can do more than they imagine, because they feed off of the body of Christ, i.e. from the reconciliation sources in view of peace for the whole human family".

In Taize' Catholics and Protestants wear the same white frock, and share the same common life. Some went on missions, to bring peace and charity in the poorest parts of South and North America, Asia and Africa". (AGI)

FRERE ROGER OF TAIZE': SPOKE OF PEACE IN SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

[Salvation]

Taizé Founder Stabbed to Death

[Salvation]

Prayers for Brother Roger and all of his relatives.

[StarfireIV]

The chorus of angels in Heaven has just gotten...interesting
Prayers for the family
Gratitude for making the worship services at my old Lutheran congregation a little more moving