Date: 5/10/2019

Title: Founder of L'Arche Dies Leaving Legacy of Love and Compassion for People with Disabilities

We were sad to learn about the passing of Jean Vanier on Tuesday of this week. He was the inspiration behind the L'Arche movement, the model on which Friendship Ark is built, and a true friend to individuals with disabilities everywhere. We are thankful for his vision and his compassion.

“Our community life is beautiful and intense, a source of life for everyone. People with a disability experience a real transformation and discover confidence in themselves; they discover their capacity to make choices, and also find a certain liberty and above all their dignity as human beings.” - Jean Vanier /L'Arche USA Website

When looking back on his life Jean would often say with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes, “Wasn’t it fun? Didn’t we laugh?”. He wanted each person to discover, what he had discovered: how friendship with a person with intellectual disabilities can free us to truly live a life of celebration and hope and so build a better world. He believed that we can change the world, one heart at a time, the first heart being our own. - L’Arche Website

The 2017 movie, Summer in the Forrest, is about the life and work of Jean Vanier. You may view the trailer for the movie here.

You may also learn more about Jean Vanier at the L'Arche USA website.

Photo credit - Facebook L'Arche USA