The College of Emmanuel and St. Chad has signed a lease agreement with the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) that will lead to sharing the LTS building for the next three years. Emmanuel-St. Chad is the Anglican college in the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU), in partnership with LTS and St. Andrew's, the United Church college. For a number of years the colleges have been considering increased levels of sharing in programmes and facilities. The possibility of building a single shared facility for the three colleges has been actively considered by the STU. The recent financial woes of Emmanuel-St. Chad's have placed building plans on the back-burner until now.

This past spring it was widely reported that Emmanuel-St. Chad's was on the brink of closing its doors due to the financial crisis. Due to the generosity of two donors, the college has been able to avert closure. In addition, the University of Saskatchewan has returned to negotiations with the college on the purchase of the college buildings. If, or when, the university purchases the property, the funds will greatly assist Emmanuel-St. Chad's in replenishing its depleted endowment. The endowment is reported to be approximately $3 million currently. An estimated $8.5 million is required to maintain the college's current budget. A further capital campaign will be needed to reach this goal.

In April 2005 the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem issued A Call for Morally Responsible Investment: A Non-Violent Response to the Israeli Occupation [PDF]. An international conference under the same title will be held in Toronto from 26-29 October 2005. This international conference for CROs (Church Related Organizations) and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) seeks to explore the emerging non-violent economic strategies to achieve a just peace in Israel-Palestine, including shareholder initiatives, partial divestment and boycotts.

Conference speakers include: Dr Hanan Ashrawi, internationally recognized spokesperson for peace and Palestinian rights, professor at Birzeit University, first Commissioner General for the Independent Palestinian Commission for Citizens' Rights, and former member of the Cabinet of the Palestinian Authority; the Revd Dr Naim Ateek, Director, Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem; Farid Esack, theologian from South Africa; Amneh Badran, former Director, Jerusalem Centre for Women; Jeff Halper, Coordinator of the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD), Jerusalem; Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); and many more.

For registration information, program updates and a complete list of speakers, visit the Canadian Friends of Sabeel website. Registration deadline: 30 September 2005. Contact by mail: Conference Registrar, c/o KAIROS, 129 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4V 1N5; tel: (416) 463-5312 ext. 235.

A global gathering will be held in Montreal from 11-15 September 2006. The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, which convened the meeting of the latest Parliament in Barcelona in 2004, has officially recognized this global congress as a Post-Parliament event. For detailed information visit the website of the Global Congress or contact Sorelcomm, Congress Secretariat, 625 President Kennedy, Suite 1010, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3A 1K2. Telephone (514) 499-8920 or fax (514) 499-8921.

A delegation of church leaders will be visiting Armenia from August 24 to September 1, 2005. The delegation is the first such visit by the Canadian churches to Armenia. The delegation will be visiting His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The visit is organized by the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.

The delegation consists of:
Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church;
Archbishop Sotirios, Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Canada;
Archbishop Brendan O'Brien, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops;
Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada; and
Professor Richard Schneider, President of the Canadian Council of Churches.

News article: Anglican Primate to join a Canadian ecumenical delegation to Armenia

To the Brothers of the Community of Taizé
F-71250 Taizé, France

My dear brothers in Christ

We have just learned the sad news of the death of your beloved prior, Brother Roger, in such tragic circumstances, and we hasten to express our sincere and profound condolences. We assure you of our solidarity and our prayers in this time of mourning.

For many years, Brother Roger has inspired to believers in every continent, in every church, to work for the unity of witness which Jesus desired for his disciples. In this context, he always showed a kind interest in the work of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, and we will always be grateful for his faithful and constant support. We are especially happy to have the issue 124 of our magazine Ecumenism (December 1996), which he, along with several others among you, helped us to edit in order to enlighten our readers about ecumenical questions, especially your own programs and activities.

On behalf of all our colleagues on the Centre's Board of Directors and all our fellow-workers, who owe so much to Brother Roger's untiring inspiration, I beg you, dear brothers in Christ, to accept this modest expression of our sympathy.

Dr Stuart Brown
Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Ecumenism

Aux Frères de la Communauté de Taizé
F-71250 Taizé, France

Mes chers frères en Christ

Ayant appris la triste nouvelle du départ de votre prieur tant aimé, le Frère Roger, dans des circonstances si difficiles nous nous hâtons de vous exprimer nos condoléances sincères et profondes. Nous vous assurons de notre solidarité et de nos prières dans ce temps de deuil.

Depuis de longues années, le Frère Roger a inspiré les fidèles de tous les continents, de toutes les églises, à travailler pour l'unité de témoignage que Jésus a voulue pour ses disciples. Dans ce cadre, il a toujours montré un fort intérêt au travail du Centre canadien d'œcuménisme, et nous garderons toujours une grande reconnaissance de son soutien fidèle et constant. Nous sommes surtout heureux d'avoir le numéro 124 de notre revue œcuménisme, daté du mois de décembre 1996, qu'il nous a aidés à rédiger avec plusieurs d?entre vous pour édifier nos lecteurs des enjeux du mouvement ?cuménique et surtout de vos programmes et activités.

De la part de tous nos collègues au Conseil d'Administration du Centre, et tous nos collaborateurs dans ses programmes qui ont tant bénéficié de l'inspiration inépuisable du Frère Roger, je vous prie, chers frères en Christ, d'agréer cette expression modeste de notre sympathie.

Dr Stuart Brown
Directeur Général
Centre canadien d'œcuménisme

Bro. Roger was 90 years old. He had decided to step down as leader of the community this year, and the brothers had elected Bro. Alois, a German Roman Catholic, as the new prior of Taizé. Bro. Roger died on Tuesday during the evening prayer service after being attacked by a knife-wielding woman. 2,500 other worshippers witnessed the attack. The woman was taken into custody in nearby Maçon.

Letters of condolence have been sent from the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism and the World Council of Churches. Pope Benedict XVI expressed sadness following the terrifying news, and Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury called the news "an indescribable shock."Printer-friendly pageImprimable

Frère Roger avait 90 ans. Il avait décidé de prendre la retraite comme le dirigeant de la Communauté cette année, et les frères avaient élu Frère Alois, un catholique allemand, comme le nouveau prieur de Taizé. Frère Roger est mort mardi pendant le service de prière du soir après avoir étant attaqué par une femme avec un couteau. 2.500 autres fidèles ont observé l'assaut. La femme a été prise dans la garde à Maçon.

Les lettres de condoléances ont été envoyées du Centre Canadien d'œcuménisme et la Conseil œcuménique des Églises. Le pape Benoît XVI a exprimé la tristesse suivant les nouvelles terrifiant, et l'Archevêque Rowan Williams de Cantorbéry ont appelé les nouvelles « un choc indescriptible. »Printer-friendly pageImprimable

We will hold the Taizé community, and the world-wide community inspired by its example, in our prayers during this time of mourning and transition.

May Brother Roger rest in peace, and rise in glory.

Yours in the death and the resurrection of Christ,

Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard, Director for the staff and Board of the Prairie Centre for EcumenismPrinter-friendly pageImprimable