conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

more from brother roger

I don't mean to post so much about the death of brother Roger. But I cannot overstress the tremendous influence he has had on me and my understanding of this pastoral vocation. This came via Bruderhof today.

Brother Roger of Taizé

One of the first things Christ says in the Gospel is this: "Happy the simple-hearted!" Yes, happy those who head towards simplicity, simplicity of heart and simplicity of life.

A simple heart attempts to live in the present moment, to welcome each day as God’s today… Simplifying our life enables us to share with the least fortunate, in order to alleviate suffering where there is disease, poverty, famine…

Where can we find the simplicity indispensable for living out the Gospel? Some words of Christ enlighten us. One day he said to his disciples, "Let the little children come to me; the realities of God are for those who are like them."

And so we would like to say to God: "God, you love us: turn us into people who are humble; give us great simplicity in our prayer, in human relationships, in welcoming others." link

You can follow the extended link to read what the American Baptist Press published recently about the ecumenical monk.

Taizé founder Brother Roger

stabbed to death during worship

By Robert Marus

TAIZE, France (ABP) -- The legendary founder of a monastic community
that united Christians from Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic and evangelical
traditions was stabbed to death during a prayer service Aug. 16.

Brother Roger, leader of the Taizé Community in the French region of
Burgundy, was 90. According to a statement on the group's website, he
was attacked by a woman who was "probably mentally disturbed." She was
in a crowd of about 2,500 attending evening prayers in the monastery's
Church of Reconciliation.

The monks, including Brother Roger, regularly worship in a central
rectangular area of the sanctuary separated from other worshipers only
by a low hedge, which the knife-wielding woman reportedly crossed before
she slit Brother Roger's throat.

News reports said he died a few moments later, and that the suspect was
identified as a 36-year-old Romanian woman who had been trying to get in
contact with the monk. She is in custody, and French officials have
charged her and ordered that she receive a psychiatric evaluation.

Brother Roger was born Roger Schutz in 1915, in the small town of
Provence, Switzerland. His father was a Swiss Reformed pastor and his
mother was a French Protestant.

His father encouraged the mystical side of his son's faith. As World War
II was getting underway in 1940, the younger Schutz rode across the
French border on a bicycle and chose the town of Taizé to establish a
community designed to foster peace and reconciliation.

Brother Roger said he chose the location of the monastery to express
solidarity with the French, who at the time were subject to Nazi rule.
Due to his activities during that time -- which included sheltering Jews
in Taizé -- German officials expelled him from France for a time. He
sought refuge in his home country.

After the war, he returned to Taizé, and the monastic community gained
in notoriety. Its message of peace and reconciliation especially became
popular with young people beginning in the 1960s. While it only has
about 100 monks from 25 different nations, the community regularly
attracts 100,000 pilgrims a year who come to Taizé to meditate, pray and
learn. During the summer, the weekly retreat crowds can number 6,000,
mostly young adults who camp out in the tiny French town.

The Taizé monks' distinctive worship style -- mostly original,
meditative songs sung in repetitive fashion in many languages and
reflecting many Christian traditions -- has spread around the world. An
open-air service in Paris in 2003 drew 80,000 people. Many American
churches, including some Baptists, use Taizé style for contemplative
worship services.

Shortly after Brother Roger's death, the monastery announced that his
hand-picked successor, 51-year-old Brother Alois, had assumed duties as
the leader of the community.

Worldwide, a variety of Christian leaders expressed shock and sympathy
for the Taizé monks.

Pope Benedict XVI, during his weekly address at his summer villa south
of Rome Aug. 17, noted that he had only the day before received a "very
moving and very friendly" letter from Brother Roger about the Catholic
Church's World Youth Day. The event was being held Aug. 18 in Cologne,
Germany. Brother Roger, who had been a longtime supporter of the event,
had written the pontiff to say he regretted that his health would not
allow him to attend, according to Catholic News Service.

Benedict told his audience, "Brother Roger is in the hands of eternal
goodness and eternal love, and has arrived at eternal joy."

Bishop William Skylstad of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Wash., head
of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote to Brother
Alois to express the American Catholic Church's sympathy.

"We assure you and the community of our profoundest sentiments as we
share in your suffering and loss," he wrote. "One with Brother Roger and
the community in a firm faith in the Resurrection, we recommit ourselves
to the communion to which he bore witness in life and death."

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Church of England,
said that Brother Roger's death was an "indescribable shock." He added,
"the shock and trauma for the community at Taizé will be heavy -- and it
will be for all the young people who witnessed this event. All of them
are in our prayers."

Posted by tripp at August 19, 2005 05:41 AM