sadly i have to tell you the news ,on the day the world youth day in cologne started,that the founder of the taize church community,frere roger ,is not alife any longer .
he died ina knife attack in the evening prayer in france ,shortly after he was attacked.
he died in the respectable age of 90 years .
he founded the international multi confessional church community in taize ,this community changed the church in many countries .
taize is and was a great inspiration for music ,prayers and life in the church communities in europe and other parts of the world .
many were fascinated by frere roger when he went on tour outside of france to show this fascination to the world .
i had the enjoyment of frere rogers appearance sometimes when i was in taize , and i even play sometimes taize spirituals in concerts .
rest in peace,old frere roger,rest in peace
sad and mourning ,Julian
How terrible it is when people do such violent things. This poor woman must be very, very disturbed. I had not heard of Brother Roger so I read a little bit about him on the Internet. It sounds as though he was a very fine and devoted man. I am very sorry this happened and I can understand why you are very sad. I do feel that Brother Roger is at peace, even if we may understand that in different ways.
the church i used to attend would sometimes do Taizé-style services, and i always found it really moving to sing the hymns. such a beautiful expression of faith and devotion.
i’m sure Taizé will live on and with it some of Bro. Roger as well.
may he rest in peace and may G-d bless and keep him.
i thought that hes probably not so well known in this (mainly) american forum ,but its good to hear that you think positive of this wiseful men ,too.
i was often even in music writing inspired by the taize music ,and i will return soon to taize ,maybe to his furneral ,on the World youth day will probably memorials for him too ,i m there next day .
he was a weak and peaceful men maybe,but that made him sympathic ,like john paul the second too . weak mens ,that change very much .
… by a 36-year-old woman who said she “didn’t want to kill him” but just call some attention to herself.
Frere Roger settled in 1940 in Taize, and started out by hiding Jews from the Nazi occupants in France, btw. After the war he cared for German POWs, and then built perhaps the most significant ecumenical movement in the Europe. Some of my friends went to Taize as teenagers, and all loved it. Roger will be succeeded by a German Catholic, btw, Bruder Alois.
Julian, it may be that our languages do not translate exact meanings. I believe I do understand what you are saying but I, and I think many others, would call him a very strong man because of his devotion to others and peaceful life. If he was not exceptionally physically strong that is of no importance whatsoever because the ideas people live by are so much more important. A physically strong man could be a very weak person if he used his muscles for bad reasons. This applies to women too.
