Many young people not only from Europe Many young people not only from Europe but also more and more from other but also more and more from other continents come to Taize with vital continents come to Taize with vital questions:questions:

How can I find meaning for my life?How can I find meaning for my life?

How is God calling me?How is God calling me?

We want to be for them people who We want to be for them people who listen, never spiritual masters.listen, never spiritual masters.

Words of Brother RogerWords of Brother Roger

Everything began in Everything began in 1940 when, 1940 when,

at the age of twenty-at the age of twenty-five, Brother Roger left five, Brother Roger left

Switzerland, Switzerland, the country where he the country where he

was born, to go and live was born, to go and live in France, where his in France, where his mother came from. mother came from.

About TaizéAbout TaizéIts beginningsIts beginnings

For years he had been an invalid, suffering from tuberculosis.

During that long illness, the call had taken shape in him

to create a community where

simplicity and kind-heartedness would

be lived out as essential Gospel

realities.

When the Second World War started,

he had the conviction that he

should begin at once to offer assistance to

people in difficult straits,

just as his grandmother had done during the First World War.

Brother Roger was able to buy a house in Taizé that had been uninhabited for

years, with the outlying buildings. Among the refugees they sheltered were

Jews.

In order not to put any pressure on those he In order not to put any pressure on those he was sheltering, Brother Roger would pray was sheltering, Brother Roger would pray

alone; he often would go into the woods near alone; he often would go into the woods near the house to sing. So that none of the the house to sing. So that none of the

refugees, refugees, in particular those who were Jews or agnostics, in particular those who were Jews or agnostics,

would feel ill-at-ease, would feel ill-at-ease, it was explained to each of them that it was it was explained to each of them that it was better for those who wished to pray to do so better for those who wished to pray to do so

alone in their rooms. alone in their rooms.

In 1942, they had been found out In 1942, they had been found out welcoming refugees and had to leave welcoming refugees and had to leave

Taize for a while. In 1944, Brother Taize for a while. In 1944, Brother Roger was able to come. This time he Roger was able to come. This time he was no longer alone: they were four was no longer alone: they were four

brothers.brothers.

Today, the Taizé Community is made up Today, the Taizé Community is made up of over a hundred brothers, Catholics of over a hundred brothers, Catholics

and from various Protestant and from various Protestant backgrounds, coming from more than backgrounds, coming from more than

twenty-five nations.twenty-five nations.

Brother Roger died on 16 August 2005, at the age of 90, killed during the evening

prayer. Brother Alois, a German Catholic member of whom Brother Roger had chosen many years

ago as his successor, is now the prior of the

Community.