When a mighty tree falls, it falls heavily. The news report of the abuse carried out by Jean Vanier, the founder of the L'Arche, has truly hurt very many who looked up to him as a modern saint.
On the one hand, there is the importance and value we attach the person rather than the work one does. In that sense, Vanier's personality and credibility was one of the chief reasons for substantiating the work carried out through the L'Arche movement. On the other hand, there is the undeniable motivational impulse and ripple effect carried on through the works of L'Arche and its members. Can these two be disengaged from one another? Perhaps not!
So what's the option left: Reject and disassociate with everything related to Vanier? Or continue as before, discounting what Vanier actually did besides the good he initiated? Extol public virtues vs condemn private vices? (The roots of the latter lie in the ancient Greek philosophers who spoke of the unity of virtues - if a person has one, he'd have it all!).
I personally have read some of Vanier's writings and honestly recommended the same to others some formators in our Salesian houses. So I choose to look at the goodness, beauty and the truth of what is before me, rather than blot out everything out of anger and hatred for one, based purely on what he did to 6 people, in comparison to the thousands who did and continue to do amazing work, taking inspiration from the same source.
I choose to be inspired by the good and beautiful, rather than resist doing anything at all, out of anger and hatred. So what of Jean Vanier? I think his name descends from the list of inspirers and saints to being an anonymous footnote to the great works carried out in his name.
On the one hand, there is the importance and value we attach the person rather than the work one does. In that sense, Vanier's personality and credibility was one of the chief reasons for substantiating the work carried out through the L'Arche movement. On the other hand, there is the undeniable motivational impulse and ripple effect carried on through the works of L'Arche and its members. Can these two be disengaged from one another? Perhaps not!
So what's the option left: Reject and disassociate with everything related to Vanier? Or continue as before, discounting what Vanier actually did besides the good he initiated? Extol public virtues vs condemn private vices? (The roots of the latter lie in the ancient Greek philosophers who spoke of the unity of virtues - if a person has one, he'd have it all!).
I personally have read some of Vanier's writings and honestly recommended the same to others some formators in our Salesian houses. So I choose to look at the goodness, beauty and the truth of what is before me, rather than blot out everything out of anger and hatred for one, based purely on what he did to 6 people, in comparison to the thousands who did and continue to do amazing work, taking inspiration from the same source.
I choose to be inspired by the good and beautiful, rather than resist doing anything at all, out of anger and hatred. So what of Jean Vanier? I think his name descends from the list of inspirers and saints to being an anonymous footnote to the great works carried out in his name.
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