Philocrites

Watching Brother Roger's funeral on the Web.

by Philocrites

Tomorrow's funeral for Taize founder Brother Roger will be broadcast on the Internet via radio and video broadcast from several European stations. Details are available here. The funeral takes place at 12:00 GMT, which is 8:00 a.m. here on the east coast. The audio broadcast will also be available to listen to over the Internet after the service.

See also Taize's obituary for Brother Roger, which includes a list of his books as well as a useful history of the community.

Updates 8.23.05: The BBC's first article about the funeral says 10,000 people attended Brother Roger's funeral ("Solemn Funeral for Taize Founder," 8.23.05). More funeral coverage: "10,000 at Funeral in France of Slain Taize Leader" (AFP, NYTimes.com 8.23.05, reg req'd); "Resurrection Eucharist for Brother Roger of Taize" (J.M. Rosenthal, Anglican Communion New Service 8.23.05).

And here's a wonderfully evocative story about a Concord, N.H., church youth group that had gone to Taize three years ago — "It put religion into the church youth group," says one teen, only somewhat tongue-in-cheek — and who mourned his death this week in their monthly Taize-style worship service. Of all the newspaper stories about Taize I've read in the past week, it does the best job of describing simply what the experience of being at Taize is like. My hat goes off to the reporter. ("For Youth Group, Brother Roger, 90, Inspired," Anne Ruderman, Concord Monitor 8.22.05)

Updates 8.24.05: The New York Times highlights a piece of Brother Roger's story that deserves much more reflection:

Brother Roger Schutz pursued many ecumenical dreams in his long life, but in death one of them came true: At a Eucharistic service celebrated Tuesday by a Roman Catholic cardinal for Brother Roger, a Swiss Protestant, communion wafers were given to the faithful indiscriminately, regardless of denomination. . . .

Petra Simmert, a schoolteacher from southern Germany, came with her husband and two children. She is Protestant, he Catholic; one child is Catholic, the other Protestant. "We're an ecumenical family," she said, with a laugh. Watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II on television, they saw Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, give communion to Brother Roger, even though he was not Catholic. "That struck us," she said.

("At His Funeral, Brother Roger Has an Ecumenical Dream Fulfilled," John Tagliabue, New York Times 8.24.05, reg req'd)

It struck me, too.

Copyright © 2005 by Philocrites | Posted 22 August 2005 at 10:47 PM

Previous: One reason I'm proud to be Unitarian Universalist.
Next: Why even liberals try not to hire prophets.