Brother Roger, 90, founded the Taize community near Macon, France in 1940. Dedicated to reconciliation, particularly among Catholics and Protestants, Brother Roger and the Taie community have been symbols of hope in the roller coaster of ecumenism.

At prayers last night, surrounded by over 2500 mostly young people, Brother Roger was stabbed to death by a Romanian woman who is believed to be mentally ill.
Though doctors participating in worship tried to staunch the bleeding, the wounds in his neck and back were too deep and he bled to death very quickly.

The community held an all night prayer vigil.

I have yet to visit Taize, yet I look over at the shelf closest to my desk and almost a dozen books are there featuring music and liturgy authored by Brother Roger and the members of the Taize community. A number of us from my congregation attend a monthly Taize service at a church up in Oak Park attended by over 800 people--catholic, protestant, women, men, children, the disabled, gays, straights, people of all races and backgrounds...For many of my fellow clergy that service is the only regular chance we get to worship all month where we are not leaders. For all of us it is a time of peace and renewal and hope.

Brother Roger's influence and vision live on...in countless services like this one across the globe, and in the 100 member community that is Taize, which will be visited by many tens of thousands this year, mostly young people.

May his vision of a united church inspire us all.