When L’Arche founder Jean Vanier died last year he was widely acclaimed as a saint. I wrote a memorial for my column in which, because of the long lead time, appears in print today. Sadly, in the meantime, there emerged new info about Vanier’s abuse of women.
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May the good work of L’Arche, which bravely uncovered V’s transgressions, continue; may all that was true and good in his life continue to bear fruit; may all who were hurt and betrayed by his misdeeds find healing; may all of us seek the truth and trust in the mercy of God.
I appreciate this nuance. I am also a huge fan of Jean Vanier’s. I even adopted my vocational goal after his book with Hauerwas ‘living gently in a violent world.’ (My vocation is to help people ‘lead gently in a violent world.’)
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Well said. As one who used his work and life as a spirituality for Gospel disciples with students and who loved L’Arche, these revelations hurt. Deep. The crossing of the saintly and the sinner in Jean is also a mirror.
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