Frère Roger Shutz of Taizé is assassinated
Taizé (AsiaNews/Agencies) Ninety-year-old Frère Roger Shutz, founder and prior of the Community of Taizé (Saône-et-Loire), was mortally stabbed by a Romanian woman last night. The attack took place at 8.45pm during vespers in the Reconciliation Church when more than 2,500 youths were present. According to an initial reconstruction of the crime, the woman managed to gain access to the brothers' choir; she approached Frère Roger and knifed him in the neck and in the back. At first, no one noticed anything: the victim remained seated and it was only after a while that people became aware of the pouring blood. Frère Roger was taken home where efforts by a doctor from among the crowd to assist him proved useless. Frère Roger died at 9pm. Straight after, members of his community asked all the youths many of them shaken to remain in church to pray for the soul of Frère Roger.
The perpetrator of the murder has been apprehended by the police. According to the French gendarmerie, she is a 36-year-old Romanian woman who is unbalanced.
A Protestant graduate in theology, Roger Schultz consecrated his life to reconciliation among Christians, especially the encounter between Protestants and Catholics. He went to Taizé, near Cluny, in 1940, and founded a monastic community, leading many Protestant youths to dedication and to religious vows.
For decades, Taizé has been a centre for the spiritual renewal of tens of thousands of youths from across the world.
His old age prompted Frère Roger to decide to give up his role as prior. Recently, he was always very tired and would move around in a wheelchair.
The Taizé community today counts around 100 members from diverse Christian faiths coming from 30 countries. Frère Roger, 1988 UNESCO prize winner, authored many writings of prayer and reflection. Although traditionally a Protestant, he always strove for reconciliation between churches around the Petrine ministry of the pope. Frère Roger remains one of the main protagonists of the religious renewal among youths, flanking founders of movements like Chiara Lubich and don Giussani and personalities like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, to whom he was linked in a strong spiritual friendship.
By Frère Roger's will, it will be Frère Aloïs, a 51-year-old German Catholic, who will replace him as prior. Frère Aloïs heard the news while in Cologne to participate in the World Youth Day. The news of Frère Roger's death has caused widespread sorrow and consternation among youths.
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