For those of us who love L'Arche - its promise, its imperfect reality, its love, its laughter, its tears, and even its pain - this is a hard day. The results of L'Arche International's independent inquiry into the community's origins - including the legacy of Fr. Thomas Phillipe, Jean Vanier's spiritual mentor; Vanier's history of complicity in the priest's sexual/spiritual abuse; and Vanier's own sexual/ spiritual abuse of six women - have been released and they are confounding, demoralizing, and unsettling. The findings of GCPS (https://gcps.consulting), an independent U.K. consultancy which specializes in improving procedures, are ugly:
The inquiry received credible and consistent testimonies from six adult women without disabilities, covering the period from 1970 to 2005. The women each report that Jean Vanier initiated sexual relations with them, usually in the context of spiritual accompaniment. Although they had no prior knowledge of each other’s experiences, these women reported similar facts associated with highly unusual spiritual or mystical explanations used to justify these behaviors. The relationships were found to be manipulative and emotionally abusive, and had a significant negative impact on their personal lives and subsequent relationships. These actions are indicative of a deep psychological and spiritual hold Jean Vanier had on these women and confirm his own adoption of some of Father Thomas Philippe’s deviant theories and practices.
It is with a mix of pain and resolve that I share with you the results of the independent inquiry that L’Arche International launched in the summer of 2019. Pain, because of the suffering of innocent lives. Pain, because of the hurt that it might create in you, members and friends. Resolve, because truth matters. Resolve, because the value of every person matters. Always. Unconditionally. Particularly when marginalized and silenced for many years. We believe it is critically important for L’Arche around the world to acknowledge the results, although none of the inquiry’s findings relate to L’Arche in the United States. As L’Arche International’s communication states, the inquiry found:
At least a decade before the founding of L’Arche, Jean Vanier was made aware of the fact that Father Thomas Philippe, his spiritual director, had emotionally and sexually abused adult women without disabilities. This abuse happened in the context of Philippe’s spiritual direction in 1951/1952. It is common knowledge that Philippe was banned from exercising any public or private ministry in a trial conducted by the Catholic Church in 1956. Jean Vanier repeatedly and publicly stated that he did not know why Philippe was convicted. We now know that Jean Vanier lied. He was aware of his mentor’s behaviors.
More so, as a member of a group of followers of Philippe, starting in the 1950s, Jean Vanier not only subscribed to Philippe’s theology, which the Catholic Church deemed heretical. He also shared sexual practices, similar to those of Philippe, with several women. The inquiry found no evidence that these specific relationships were not consensual. It is clear that Jean Vanier enabled Philippe to be involved in the L’Arche community in Trosly until his death in 1993, and thus potentially failed to prevent further abuse.
In 2015, the Catholic Church convicted Philippe a second time for 14 cases of emotional and sexual abuse of adult women without a disability in the 1970s and 1980s. Jean Vanier had heard from some of the survivors, but dismissed the pain and suffering of the women who confided in him. He did not pursue or report these allegations of sexual abuse. Jean Vanier was thus complicit in covering up Philippe’s abuse.
Lastly, the inquiry reveals that Jean Vanier himself has been accused of manipulative sexual relationships and emotional abuse between 1970 and 2005, usually within a relational context where he exercised significant power and a psychological hold over the alleged victims. These allegations have been brought forward by six courageous adult women. None of them had an intellectual disability. The inquiry has found the allegations to be credible. Independently from one another, the witnesses describe similar occurrences, which had a long-lasting and negative impact on their personal lives and subsequent relationships.
It goes without saying that these revelations are shocking and saddening. We strongly condemn any behavior that violates the emotional and physical integrity of others. At L’Arche, dignity matters: we believe in the inherent value of every human being. We are determined to reflect on what we believed to be true about L’Arche’s founder and L’Arche’s founding story. We remain committed, as always, to safeguarding all of our members, with and without intellectual disabilities, here in the U.S. today. A comprehensive safeguarding initiative is currently being implemented as part of our continuing commitment to these core values.
While we are unaware of similar allegations within L’Arche in the United
There is layer after layer of betrayal and deceit here. There are broken and wounded lives, violated bodies, and traumatized souls. There is grief and anger mixed with the choking silence of lament. Beyond supporting those who have been harmed - and caring for our core members and assistants - no one knows what happens next. I resonate with Ms. Bovermann's assertion that we must "reflect on what we believed to be true about L’Arche’s founder and L’Arche’s founding story" - and trust that God's light will be revealed in this staggering darkness.
Like the epidemic of clergy abuse of children within the Roman Catholic Church and the comparable abuse of vulnerable adults in other denominations: this will drive good people away from trusting religious and spiritual communities. Some will become trapped in betrayal. Others will insist on solving the community's problems under the illusion that stricter personnel rules and more human relations employment rubrics will make it all better. Still others will excuse Vanier and insist upon romantic innocence in place of a more humble and sobering wisdom. And many of us will ponder in sadness how Jean could simultaneously be so compassionate and insightful while emotionally and physically manipulating women seeking his spiritual guidance - and then lying about it for decades.
O God of Yesterday,
we knew you then;
your promises; your words;
your walking among us.
But yesterday is gone.
And so, today, we are in need of change.
Change and change us.
Help us see life now
not through yesterday's stories
but through the truth of today.
O God of Endings,
What we thought would not end
has ended.
And we find ourselves here
wondering where we are
and how we got here
and where to go
from here.
Be with us, here, at the end.
Help us place our feet on this ground
help us lick our wounds,
help us look up and around.
Help us believe
the story
of today.
Because you know all
about the endings
of today.
And you are not afraid.
O Changing God
You changed your mind.
And we, too, change our minds
about you.
We want to change
toward
the better.
Change with us
because
we know
you want to.
Amen.
(Pádraig Ó Tuama)
I head back to Ottawa on Monday for more prayer and conversation...
(Pádraig Ó Tuama)
I head back to Ottawa on Monday for more prayer and conversation...
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