Read

Watch

Honoring the Life-Giving Mission of L'Arche

Published:
May 20, 2024
May 7, 2019
Learn more about L'arche, founded by Jean Vanier, has helped disabled individuals in more than 35 countries.|Learn more about Jean Vanier and how his organization has helped disabled individuals in more than 35 countries.|Learn more about Jean Vanier and how his organization has helped disabled individuals in more than 35 countries.

Editor’s note: In the spring of 2020, an investigation by the L'Arche organization founded by Jean Vanier found credible the allegations that Vanier sexually exploited six women. Grotto has revised this story to highlight the continuing work of L’Arche to build authentic community between differently abled people.

L’Arche is a network of almost 150 communities in 35 countries around the world where adults with mental disabilities live with caregivers. In the 1960s in France, Jean Vanier visited a government-run psychiatric hospital and was disheartened to see how those people were living. So he invited two men with intellectual disabilities who were institutionalized to come live with him in his home near Paris.

They shared life together, and the radical community they shared — where the disabled and caregivers live together as equals, each with their own essential contributions to common life — became a model for other homes. The program was named L’Arche, after Noah’s ark.

We now know that Jean Vanier was not a person of integrity, and while we mourn the loss of his witness, we haven’t lost the L’Arche community. Faithful people continue to carry out its life-giving mission around the world today. This video from L’Arche Atlanta decribes some of the relationships that are fostered in L’Arche.

 

 

 

Creators:
Grotto Shares
Published:
May 20, 2024
May 7, 2019
On a related note...
Using Portraiture to Highlight Immigrant Stories in the UK

Using Portraiture to Highlight Immigrant Stories in the UK

Grotto

Worried About Money? Offer Up This Prayer

Worried About Money? Offer Up This Prayer

Aldrin Nacu

Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Food is a Lot Like Love — Here’s Why

Grace Spiewak

Spend 9 Minutes, 29 Seconds With This Prayer for Racial Justice

Spend 9 Minutes, 29 Seconds With This Prayer for Racial Justice

Grotto

Dancing My Way Back to Me

Dancing My Way Back to Me

Jennon Bell Hoffmann

Slowing Down to Find Refuge in the Woods

Slowing Down to Find Refuge in the Woods

Lucy Cobble

"Chaff"

"Chaff"

Sarah Stovicek

5 Minutes

5 Minutes

Grotto

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Grotto

St. Vincent de Paul Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Vincent de Paul Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Planting Hope through Urban Gardening in this Pandemic

Planting Hope through Urban Gardening in this Pandemic

Grotto

Community Thrives at This Historically Black Catholic Parish

Community Thrives at This Historically Black Catholic Parish

Grotto

Jesus' Favorite Podcast EP 6: Feeding Faith with Kevin Gillespie

Jesus' Favorite Podcast EP 6: Feeding Faith with Kevin Gillespie

Ebony Moxey, Javi Zubizarreta

4 Mistakes We Make About Those with Down Syndrome

4 Mistakes We Make About Those with Down Syndrome

Kathryn O'Callaghan

Give Back During this Crisis Using Your Time and Talent

Give Back During this Crisis Using Your Time and Talent

Marye Colleen Larme

A Carnivore’s Guide to Lenten Fridays

A Carnivore’s Guide to Lenten Fridays

Kate Fowler

Lessons Learned at the Old Man Gym

Lessons Learned at the Old Man Gym

Javi Zubizarreta

Meatless Friday Recipe: Vegan Lasagna

Meatless Friday Recipe: Vegan Lasagna

Grotto

First-Hand Report of Humanitarian Crisis at the Border

First-Hand Report of Humanitarian Crisis at the Border

Grotto

This Lawyer is Advocating for Domestic Violence Survivors

This Lawyer is Advocating for Domestic Violence Survivors

Grotto

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.