Perspectives on Taizé
On 24 February, Brother Michel, brother in charge of the group of Taizé brothers living in Alagoinhas, Brazil, died suddenly as the result of an accident while he was visiting Australia. He was 73. Of German origin, he was born in 1936 in Papua New Guinea where his parents were missionaries. He studied in Australia and in Germany.
He entered the Community of Taizé in 1959; he prepared a doctorate in sociology in Paris and at the same time acted as the Community’s link with Aktion Sühnezeichen, which built the church in Taizé in 1961-62 as a sign of reconciliation between Germany and France after the Second World War.
In 1966 Brother Michel went to South America and became brother in charge of the Taizé brothers living in Brazil: in Recife (1967-1972), Vitoria (1972-1978), then at Alagoinhas from 1978 till the present day. While living a simple gratuitous presence in the midst of the very poor, Brother Michel and the other brothers in Alagoinhas gave their support to projects that contributed concretely to bettering the life in their neighbourhood. The school for deaf and blind children, set up by Brother Michel, is well known in Brazil. Through the welcome offered by the brothers and through the meetings organised once a year in a different city of the country, Brother Michel was very well known and became a reference for many young adults in Brazil.
A prayer in memory of Brother Michel will be celebrated in Taizé on Saturday 14 March at 15.00.