VOICE OF TIFPEC

30.08.2005 um 21:11 Uhr

Der neue von Taizé, France

von: Fredericus

Worte von Frère Alois
--------------------------------------------
Frère Alois, der neue Prior der Communauté de Taizé, sprach zu Beginn
des Gottesdienstes: "Frère Roger hat einen Weg gebahnt und mit
außerordentlicher Energie und Lebensmut uns auf ihn mitgenommen.
Innerste Überzeugungen haben ihn bewegt, auf diesen Weg unermüdlich
weiter zu gehen. Erlauben Sie mir, nur zwei dieser Überzeugungen zu
nennen. Oft wiederholte Frère Roger die Worte: "Gott ist ohne
Ausnahme mit jedem Menschen vereint." Dieses Vertrauen trug und trägt
die ökumenische Berufung unserer Communauté. Mit der ganzen Kirche
wollen wir diese Wirklichkeit glauben und alles tun, damit sie durch
unser Leben zum Ausdruck kommt. Frère Roger hatte ein Herz für alle
Menschen aus allen Nationen, insbesondere für die Jugendlichen und
die Kinder. Wir möchten in seinem Sinn weiterleben.
Und die andere Überzeugung: Frère Roger bezog sich ständig auf einen
Wert des Evangeliums: die Güte des Herzens. Sie ist kein leeres Wort,
sondern eine Kraft, die die Erde umgestalten kann, weil durch sie
hindurch Gott am Werk ist. Angesichts des Bösen ist die Herzensgüte
etwas Verletzliches. Aber das hingegebene Leben Frère Rogers ist ein
Unterpfand dafür, dass für jeden Menschen auf der Erde der Frieden
Gottes das letzte Wort hat.
Da Frère Roger nicht wollte, dass in den Kirchen viele Worte gemacht
werden, möchte ich mit einem Gebet schließen: "Gütiger Gott, wir
vertrauen deinem Verzeihen Luminita Solcan an, die durch eine
krankhafte Tat dem Leben unseres Bruders Roger ein Ende bereitet hat.
Mit Christus am Kreuz sagen wir zu dir: Vater, verzeih ihr, sie
wusste nicht, was sie tat. Heiliger Geist, wir bitten dich für das
rumänische Volk und die jungen Rumänen, die uns in Taizé ans Herz
gewachsen sind..." "Worte von Frère Alois":

30.08.2005 um 11:52 Uhr

The late Frère Roger

von: Fredericus

frère Roger has entered into the life of eternity

During the evening prayer on Tuesday 16 August, in the midst of the crowd surrounding the Community in the Church of Reconciliation, a woman - probably mentally disturbed - struck Brother Roger violently with knife blows. He died a few moments later.

In its sorrow, the Taizé Community thanks all those who are supporting it by their affection and their prayer. On the morning of 17 August, after Brother Roger’s 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.”

“Costly in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his friends”

On Tuesday 16th August, after the death of Brother Roger, a prayer was celebrated at midnight in the Church of Reconciliation, a prayer of songs, Bible readings and silence. During this prayer, Brother François, one of the eldest of the brothers of the community, spoke briefly.

“In the Bible, we find these words: “Costly in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his friends.”

This death of Brother Roger is costly first of all for all of us, and terribly so. Death is like something being torn away, and a violent death even more so. And even when this death is caused by an unbalanced person, there is a feeling of unfairness, that can even lead to a sense of hopelessness.

In the face of violence, we can respond only by peace. Brother Roger never stopped insisting on this. Peace requires a commitment of our whole being, inwardly and outwardly. It demands our whole person. So this evening, let us communicate peace to one another, and do everything we can so that each person stays in hope.

These words from the Bible say that this death is costly not only to us. It is costly to God. God himself participates in our sorrow. He is suffering with us. This is how God feels “the death of his friends”, as the text says.

And Brother Roger was certainly a friend of God. From the beginning, he used all his strength so that we should understand that God loves us with a love that has no end, a love that excludes no-one, a love that accepts us as we are, a love that has no limits.

And if it is true that this death means a sorrow that touches God himself, we would like to do everything to express to him our gratitude, our thankfulness for all that Brother Roger has been among us.”

The funeral of Brother Roger took place on Tuesday 23 August at 14.00.

Each afternoon, from 15.00 to 19.00, his body was placed in the church of Taizé, so that all who wished could go and meditate close by him.

Eight years ago, Brother Roger designated Brother Alois to succeed him, as the person in charge of the community. Brother Alois has entered straight away into his ministry as servant of communion at the heart of the community.

"Funeral celebration for Brother Roger":
"Pictures of the funeral":
"Religious and civic leaders present":

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Last updated: 25 August 2005

26.08.2005 um 12:36 Uhr

Fictive letter from our late Brother Roger - Taizé

von: Fredericus

We have learned of the assassination of
† Brother Roger and send you a fictive letter from our late Brother...


My Dearest Friends,

I suppose it's fair to assume that by the time you're reading this, I'm no longer here with you.
I hope that you haven't cried and worried yourself to much upon my account, because it's a far, far better place I am in then where you are now. After 90 years, it was my time to go, and haven written this letter so far into the past, I, myself don't even know how I passed on, but I assure you that it was the way it had to be.

Bearing in mind, I might have been gone a long time before you've gotten a chance to read this letter, I pray this; I hope you remember me. The way I used to be, so long ago. Before I became heartless and evil, as many of you believed me to be. Remember me, in the best moment. Remember my laughter, my eyes, my voice, and remember each moment we spent together in which you knew I truly cared for you. I may not have shown how I felt to many of you, but I cared about you. My friends kept me sane and kept me alive through a lot of things. You all meant so much to me and sadly you'll never really know how much I may have loved you.

In life, I learned so many things from so many of you. Even when you thought I wasn't listening or didn't really pay attention, I remembered every word you said.

God bless you and support you under your heavy affliction.

+Horst - Karl, TIFPEC

Editor@online.ms