Welcome to L'Arche London

The 13th Anniversary Picnic

Saturday, September 11

Worship @ 11 am

Pot-luck Picnic Lunch @ 12 pm

Games, Music & more till 4 pm

Share the joy and bring a friend !

Family Services 125 Woodward Avenue, London
(click for map)

(one block south of Oxford St., west of Wharncliffe)
for info email events@larchelondon.org

Connection

Summer 2010

L’Arche? A story of relationships.

We live everyday life in our homes, sharing meals together, dirtying the house together and cleaning it together. We pray, we laugh, we cry... we support each other with and without apparent disabilities to discover that we are loved, precious, valued.

During these past few months, two moments stands out for me.

L'Arche Haiti

Dear Friends in L’Arche,

We have been receiving your words of encouragement since the earthquake which hit Haiti so hard, including our community of Carrefour. The telephone calls of Jean Vanier to Jacqueline have brought some much needed comfort to us, like a Eucharist, for the journey. Each person here appreciates this active solidarity, which is coming from all corners of the Federation. Thank you to all of you, from the bottom of our hearts.

The members of L'Arche at Carrefour, having slept several nights in the open air, are now sheltering in tents. Several of them have been welcomed by the community of Chantal, where they have been happily settling in. But with the rainy season almost upon us, our temporary shelter under canvas is raising new fears and problems. Please, keep L'Arche Haiti and its members in your prayers. The important task of reconstruction lies ahead.

I would also like to make you aware that within the last week, L'Arche Haiti has had some impact on the French media. The blog, ‘Mwen pa fou’, that I invite you to check out, if you haven’t already done so, was the subject of an article in the journal ‘La Croix’ in its internet edition of 11^th March.

I invite you to keep logging on to the blog of Jonathan, an assistant in L'Arche Chantal, in order to get a better understanding of our situation: http://larche.ca/reporters/jonathan/

You could also read the article in La Croix online, if you haven’t yet had the opportunity:

http://www.la-croix.com/Mwen-pa-fou--le-blog-pour-les-amis-d-Haiti/article/2417902/25041

Please continue to write to us. Your messages tell us that we are part of the same family. This feeling of belonging to a common humanity builds up our hopes in a new country, and in renewed communities carrying the mission of L'Arche.

Evelyne

Evelyne Bazin Verdier
Board President of L'Arche Haïti

Donations are being accepted
on line at
http://larchehaiti.org/
or
by phone or mail click here

JEAN VANIER: A TIME TO CELEBRATE

On September 10, 2008, Jean Vanier turns 80 years old. lt is hard to believe, given Jean's seemingly boundless energy, as he travels the world and continues to inspire us through his words and actions.
          What a gift and blessing he has been for so many! I regularly meet people who tell me that they attended a session with him back in 1979 and they still remember his words, the impact of his person, and his ability to bring life and hope to a broken and divided world. His history with L'Arche illustrates this gift and blessing.
          In 1964, the late Father Thomas Philippe, a Dominican priest, invited Jean Vanier to settle in Trosly, near Paris, to live with two men with developmental disabilities. The group chose a small broken-down home and called it L'Arche. "This later became the name of the International Federation of L'Arche, which today encompasses 130 communities in 30 countries around the globe.
          In 1968, Foi et Portage (Faith and Sharing) was born. This community provides a place where people meet monthly for a day of prayer and everyone is welcome. In 1971, with Marie-Helene Mathieu, Jean founded Foi et Lumiere (Faith and Light), a movement which gathers people with a handicap, their family and friends for sharing, celebration and prayer. There are currently more than 1000 Foi et Lumiere communities in the world.
          Over the years Jean has touched many through his numerous writings. Yet it is not what he has done that stands out—it is who he is, his faithfulness to the call he received, and his ability to remind us of God's love for each of us, particularly those who more readily accept and live with brokenness.
          Jean's greatest gift throughout his life has been his life-giving spirit. People feel drawn to him, want to be close to him and listen attentively to his stories. The themes of his stories remain constant: they are stories of broken people finding their worth in loving relationships that transform. His stories point to the truth that God loves each and every one of us, weak and strong, broken and whole.
          "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Jean Vanier decided to make his home with the rejected stone and today he continues to share his life with people with developmental disabilities. His gifts of welcome, openness and being young-at-heart are gifts he has received from those who have shared his life. In the midst of those on whom our society places little
value, Jean Vanier's gifts have flourished. Happy birthday Jean! Thank you for being a brother who walks with us and who has the courage to stay on the life-giving path.

Raphael Amato
L'Arche Ottawa, www.larche.ca

The Globe and Mail's Ian Brown visited Trosly-Breuil, the village in France where Jean Vanier lives, to begin a public and ongoing dialogue with the founder of L'Arche.

The Holy Family Parish newsletter has published an entire page on L'Arche London, it's an excellent read, click here to view it

	These videos are an entire talk given by community director Toinette Parisio to the Byron Community Church in June 2008. They are three continuous sections. Click on each photo for viewing.