L'Arche: Its History and Vision

Jean Vanier

ORIGIN AND GROWTH
I first really met people with a mental handicap when, in 1963, I visited Father Thomas Philippe, a Dominican priest whom I had known since I resigned from the navy in 1950. Father Thomas had been a chaplain for a home of 30 men in a small village called Trosly-Breuil, about 100 kms. northeast of Paris.

I was teaching philosophy then at St. Michael's college, Universi-ty of Toronto. My links with Father Thomas and the discovery of the beauty, anguish, and suffering of the handicapped men gently led me to leave teaching and to buy a small dilapidated house in this same village of Trosly-Breuil. There, on August 4th 1964, I welcomed Philippe and Raphael. I had met them both in a rather dismal institution: 80 men, more or less profoundly handicapped, living together; no work, locked doors, two big dormitories, a world of sadness, fear and despair. Both Raphael and Philippe had suffered from sickness during the early years of their lives which had caused some brain damage and physical disability. Both were without families; both were then particularly vulnerable, helpless, and at the mercy of administrations who could push and move them around.
We began living together, buying food, cooking, cleaning, work-ing in the garden, etc. I knew really nothing about the needs of han-dicapped people. All I wanted to do was to create community with them. Of course, I did have a tendency to tell them what to do; I or-ganized and planned the day without asking their opinion or desire. I suppose this was necessary in some ways for we did not know each other and they came from a very structured situation. But I had a lot to learn about listening to the needs of handicapped peo-ple; I had a lot to discover about their capacity to grow.

Before welcoming Raphael and Philippe, I had created a legal as-sociation with a Board of Directors and we had received permission from the local authorities to begin PArche. We also received financial help.

In 1964, the needs of handicapped men and women were im-mense; many were closed up in large, miserable institutions. Fami-lies were frequently encouraged to abandon them; there were few schools for children, and even fewer workshops. But, at the same time, under the impetus of parents' associations, things were begin-ning to change; governments were prepared to encourage and sup-port projects financially. Young people were looking for community, alternative ways of living. In the Church, with Vatican II, there was also a movement towards change; many religious orders were a bit confused; vocations started dropping off. So it was that young people started to be attracted to l'Arche, and that !'Arche grew quickly.

We grew in the initial village and in surrounding villages. Now, in 1982, in our area, we are two large communities, about 400 peo-ple living in about 25 different living situations, different types of homes and apartments, as well as "day workers," who continue to live at home. About 200 of our members are handicapped people and 200 are "assistants," as we call them. About half of the assis-tants are permanent; some are married, some are single, some are searching; the other half are assistants who come for periods which range from three months to two years.

We have also grown internationally. An Indian lady, Mira, came to help in May of 1965. Very quickly she played an important role in the community. When her father fell sick in 1969, she was torn between her desire to serve her father and her love and commitment for l'Arche. Eventually we resolved this tension and difficulty by planning to create a l'Arche community near l~er home in India. so it was that in 1970, after so many providential signs and much pro-vidential help, the first community of l'Arche was founded in In-dia. About the same time, the first community was founded in North America, in Toronto, Canada, by Steve and Ann Newroth who had come to join l'Arche in Trosley in 1967. Two other com-munities also started up in France. Then my sister, Therese, began the first l'Arche in England, in 1972.

Now, in 1982, there are about 60 communities around the world; in France, England, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Canada, the United States, Honduras, Haiti, the Ivory Coast, Up-per Volta, India, Australia, and soon there will be one in Mexico.

Some of our communities are quite large, like the initial one in Trosly-Breuil; others are quite small, like the one in Upper Volta where there are 8 people living together. But all have the same phi-losophy and vision of life; all are in little homes integrated (more or less well) into the surrounding area. The majority welcome men
and women.

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