On August 16th, Brother Roger of the Taize Community in France was murdered during a prayer service. I'm sure this terrible event is saddening and sickening to anyone who knows about Brother Roger and Taize.
Brother Roger did the danergous work of helping Jewish refugees during the Second World War. After the war, he focused on working for unity among Christians and on helping the poor around the world. He has been joined by many devoted brothers and sisters who choose to live in some of the poorest communities in the world.
Thousands of people, particularly young people, make pilgrimages to Taize every year. Because of the diverse nationalities represented, the brothers at Taize found it necessary to compose a type of music that would make reverent corporate worship possible. Many Taize songs consist of a simple phrase that anyone can learn, repeated numerous times. Added to this phrase are other texts sung by soloists in many languages, as well as instrumental lines.
I have added two links to this blog regarding Taize. One is to the Taize site and deals with music, prayer, and meditation. The other ("Sabbatical Journeys") is the blog of a friend who has recently visited Taize.
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