L’Arche Cape Breton’s Newsletter October 2019 L’Arche Cape ...

Am Furan

L’Arche Cape BretonWhycocomagh, NS B0E 3M0 phone: (902) 756-3162 fax: (902) 756-3381

e-mail: [email protected] website: www.larchecapebreton.org

L’Arche is an International Federation of faith-based communities creating homes and day programs with people who havedevelopmental disabilities. Today there are over 100 communities throughout the world.

Our Mission Statement: L’Arche Cape Breton is an ecumenical,Christian community. At the heart of our community are peoplewith developmental disabilities and those who wish to share life with them. We are inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of

community, based on a life of simplicity, sustained by the work of our hands, and nourished by the mystery of God’s presence inall religions, races, and creeds. At the heart of our unity must be the poorest, the weakest, and those who suffer; those for whom

God’s preference is shown and with whom God identifies.

L’Arche Cape Breton’s Newsletter September 2016

Continued on page 2

L’Arche is an International Federation of faith-based communities creating homes and day programs with people who have intellectual disabilities. Today there are over 150 communities throughout the world.

Our Founding Mission Statement: L’Arche Cape Breton is an ecumenical,Christian community. At the heart of our community are people with developmental disabilities and those who wish to share life with them. We are inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision

of community based on a life of simplicity, sustained by the work of our hands, and nourished by the mystery of God’s presence in all religions, races, and creeds. At the heart of our community must be the poorest, the weakest, and those who suffer; those for

whom God’s preference is shown and with whom God identifies.

L’Arche Cape BretonIron Mines, NS B0E 2K0 phone: (902) 756-3162 fax: (902) 756-3381

e-mail: [email protected] website: www.larchecapebreton.org

L’Arche Cape Breton’s Newsletter October 2019

Jean Vanier: Messenger of Transformation Dear friends,

Welcome to the special edition of our newsletter in celebration of L’Arche founder, Jean Vanier. Jean passed away in May of this year. L’Arche communities all over the world were saddened by this great loss; however, the days following his death revealed something profoundly beautiful. Several members of L’Arche who encountered Jean, personally or through his writing, were awakened to rediscover L’Arche—our founding story, our mission, and the beautiful mystery of the shared lives of its members throughout the whole federation.

I am currently reading Anam Cara, a book of Celtic Wisdom by John O’ Donohue. In one striking passage, he said “Many of us made our world so familiar that we do not see it anymore.” In community, we can easily get wrapped up in our day-to-day lives and may sometimes miss the underlying beauty. Abraham Heschel once said “What is extraordinary appears to us a habit, the dawn a daily routine of nature.” Jean’s passing reminded us to once more go deeper, beyond the familiar routine, and rediscover what is at the core of our lives together.

Jean believed that when we are in relationship with one another, we are changed. That is the mission of L’Arche. Every member of L’Arche is called to a daily encounter, with another. We are called to enter into transformative relationships with those we’ve been invited to share life with. It’s not as easy as it sounds. No matter how strong we appear from the outside, we believe that we all have a deep inner weakness. And to truly encounter each other, we need to connect our own weaknesses with the weakness of another. This shared humanity is only possible because,

Mukthar and Maggie Rose, strolling along the L’Arche lanes.first of all, we constantly learn how to love and be loved.

My first meeting with Jean was during a desert retreat in Trosly-Breuil, in France. It was brief, but was a sacred and impactful encounter. It started with Jean’s tender thoughts of Cape Breton and the members of our community he fondly remembered. Then straightaway, we engaged in a deeper conversation about grief.

L’Arche Cape Breton’s Newletter

Continued from page 1Jean VanierIncidentally, I was in a fragile state. A friend in the community was at his last stage of dementia and was dying. Jean quoted from John 12:24: “If the grain of wheat dies, it produces much fruit.” It did not significantly mean anything to me at that moment, but following the passing of my friend, David Hatcher, those words provided comfort as I lived through the time of grief. As the scripture verse suggests, I was able to see that through his absence, he was becoming intimately present with me in a new way.

The impact of David’s passing on me was a reflection of my own transformation in L’Arche. David wasn’t an easy man. The saying “keeping me on my toes” is an understatement. He was quick to anger. Patience wasn’t his strong suit. People trembled around him. On one seemingly common morning, I was helping David get ready for work. One might say he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, as he started screaming and refusing my help. Typically, I would put on a brave face, resort to my usual defence mechanism of ignoring, and then carry on. However, something fired up inside me and I screamed back at him. That was the turning point of our relationship.

My response to David that morning was probably the most honest I had been with him since joining L’Arche. Perhaps I was tired of ignoring the behaviour. Maybe I was tired of pretending that everything was ok. I’m not exactly sure,

but in retrospect, I believe it was the first time I truly paid attention. I stopped thinking about myself, whether I’d fail to help him or not. I forgot about my own insecurity and began to notice the man in front of me—who he was and what his cries were about.

David would always ask the questions: “pack my bag?” or “back to work?” Because of the constant turnover of Assistants, trusting people wasn’t easy for David. When he insisted to pack his bag, he sought to see his family

who remained faithfully connected with him. When he asked to go back to work, he wanted to be surrounded by people that never left community and offered him stability. David’s cries were those of a longing to be secure in his relationships and to be assured that people will

love him, be present with him, and stay with him. When I paid attention to his cries, our relationship turned. We both opened our doors and recognized each other deeply.

Being in a mutually transformative relationship is being in an unspoken commitment to help others let their light shine and reveal their inner beauty, based on who they are and not on the expectations of others. This brings me to another story, and it’s about my friend, Maggie Rose.

Before L’Arche, Maggie lived in an institution. She was abandoned and rejected. Nevertheless, she was the first person to teach me how to authentically welcome others into my life. Whether in her home, at her work place or outside the community, Maggie invites people in and introduces them, one by one, to the people she loves. A few years ago, Maggie and I were with friends at a Granville Green concert in Port Hawkesbury, when it started to rain. Some people scurried back to their vehicles, but Maggie decided to invite me to jump and dance with her. As I did, Maggie bellowed out her loudest laughter, and the next thing we knew, people who stayed started dancing and singing with us. Maggie had experienced deep darkness in her life, but her wounds never stopped her from letting her light shine through.

Maggie’s story is an example of a beautiful transformation. Because Maggie is in relationship and is loved, she becomes free to be who she is and to show it without trepidation. Like Maggie, many Core Members in L’Arche teach me this valuable lesson. I believe Maggie’s dancing is a form of listening to her own truth by expressing who she is without needing to hammer her own life into any predetermined shape. Her worth and value do not depend on the standards of anyone else. Mukthar with Jean Vanier and L’Arche member Matt

Pain, during a visit to Trosly-Breuil, France in 2017.

“Jean believed that when we are in relationship with one another, we are

changed. That is the mission of L’Arche. Every member of L’Arche is called to a daily

encounter, with another.”

October 2019

“…Vanier’s lifelong proclamation of God’s love for all people and the affirmation that each one is “The Beloved of God”, gives me courage to continue to grow and to be open

to where I am being led.”

What the Message of Jean Vanier Means to MeAs a teenager, I read the early books of Jean Vanier – Tears of Silence, Followers of Jesus, and In Weakness, Strength. It was the late 1960s and Vanier’s message re-flected the spirit of the times - the desire of young people to work for peace, the belief that each person could do something to make the world a better place, and the long-ing for community. And it sure-ly was a blessing in my life, as a young person, to find a welcome at L’Arche. Through my relationships with folks at L’Arche Cape Breton and the message of Vanier, I have felt nourished, challenged and sus-tained throughout my life. Vanier’s invitation to touch our wounds and acknowledge our vulnerability, to embrace the gift of marginalized people, to experience the heart of community as found in forgiveness and celebration, to discover the possibility of transformation through mutual relationships, and to acknowledge the gift of a spiritual life given to each person - have all enriched my life.

Of particular note is the ef-fect Vanier’s message has had on my life as a priest. While still a university student, I felt a deep call by God to serve people as a priest. Through the joys and sorrows, the challenge and the grace of living as a priest, Jean Vanier has inspired me. A line from the Bishop’s Instruction during the Ordination Rite contin-ues to touch me deeply: “Remember you are set apart, but not separate from the People of God.” Vanier’s vision of the Christian life, and my relationships with friends at L’Arche, have helped me to live this call; to remember I have specific duties to perform as a priest, but I remain a member of the People of God, with all the challenges and joys of the hu-man condition.

My friendships with Angus and Ed, and so many others, continue to affirm the value of my priesthood at a time when the vision of spirituality and religion are in a state of mas-

sive change. I find strength in the knowledge that the inner life, the spiritual life of each person, is a treasure. It is a privilege for me to be of some assistance in helping people discover the beauty of grace to be found within. During those times when I feel discouraged or tired as I strive to

live the call of Jesus, Vani-er’s lifelong proclamation of God’s love for all people and the affirmation that each one is “The Beloved of God”, gives me courage to contin-ue to grow and to be open to where I am being led.

Last September, while I was in France for a retreat, I had a wonderful visit with Jean. We reminisced about many things: L’Arche in our region, the people we have known through the years, the problems in the world today and hope for the future. It is clear to me that, more than at any other time during my life, the mes-sage of Vanier is relevant and needed in the world today. May all who have been touched by the message of Jean Vanier continue to joyfully share the Good News that each person is beautiful.

(Father) Ray HuntleyPastoral MinisterL’Arche Cape Breton

Ray and Jean during a retreat in Trosly-Breuil, September 2018.


“I think what Jean Vanier means to me is security of found family. Knowing that

you matter just because you have courage enough to exist.”

– Maggie Morden

The morning I heard Jean Vanier died I also heard that Kevin and Kaitlyn got engaged. It was very early in the morning. When I woke up, everything seemed normal, but it wasn’t. In the weeks following Jean Vanier’s death, my Facebook feed was flooded with beautiful stories of simple but profound interactions with Jean. Storytelling is an

Journey Together with Respect

Maggie and Ian at the East Coast Credit Union in Baddeck, for their annual barbecue fundraiser in support of L’Arche Cape Breton.

important part of L’Arche. Each person was sharing how they had been touched or how they had seen his message touch people they were in relationship with.

I recently held Prayer with my friend, Ian. Ian is the sort of person who gets very excited about big things that take a lot of planning and is disappointed when he doesn’t get help to put them together,

or the whole house can’t go, because it means he doesn’t get to share his joy with the people he cares about. There are some times when Ian gets excited about a small thing and is able to help with putting it together. These things excite me because I am able to support him and I can see how much joy it brings him. But it’s clear that the little things bring me a lot of joy too because holding our prayer time put me in a good mood for the whole day and I spoke about it for most of the rest of the week.

In L’Arche we take time. Relationship does not happen quickly. We spend so much time with each other we know the sounds of each other’s feet on the stairs or how another prepares their coffee. Living life happens every day, developing routine and complacency. It’s the big events that push us forward into something new. I think what Jean Vanier means to me is security of found family. Knowing that you matter just because you have courage enough to exist. To me, Jean Vanier and L’Arche mean to live outside the norm and do something that not everyone is doing. But I am not alone; together we enjoy celebration and grieve loss, still knowing that life goes on.

When I was asked to write this article I was overcome with joy. Community is a place where I see and am seen. My gifts are supported and cared for. To be given this opportunity, to be asked to share my voice on a platform where others I respect, admire and desire to spend life with can hear me, makes me feel good. It also made my mind race. I have so much to share, my stories are memories that are paired so closely with emotions; I live them whenever I speak about them.

October 2019

“Through his words, Vanier had the gift of meeting his reader exactly where they were

and gently empowering them to live their best life, in acknowledgement of its pains and in

celebration of its joys.”

Jean Vanier’s Impact on Me– Matthew Pain

“True community implies a way of life, a way of living and seeing reality; it implies above all fidelity in the daily

round.”

– Jean Vanier, Community and Growth

It was in the fall of 2011, as a 20-year-old student at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick that I first heard of Jean Vanier. I’d decided to enroll in the Intercordia Canada program, for the chance to travel abroad as part of my degree. Hearing of the opportunity to work in a community setting while living with a “host family” in one of the African, Eastern European, or Central American partnered countries, I keenly attended the introductory seminar gatherings. As I learned more, the prospect of traveling to Rwanda and teaching classes in a local school grabbed my interest, as I knew there’d be much to learn, culturally, while gaining experience in a profession I was considering to pursue. While thoughts of travel and adventure danced in my mind, I was continually brought back to the philosophy of Jean Vanier – which formed the ideological backbone

of the Intercordia program. “To be with, not to do for.” This recurrent phrase underscored the meaning of this unique opportunity for engaged learning. It was Vanier’s conviction that for all the merits of doing jobs for others (which might be helpful and might make us feel affirmed), this is secondary to simply spending time with those who are different from us, when it comes to discovering our common human journeys. The following summer, I realized that for all the thrills of travel, it is through relationship-building that we are truly changed.

In the summer of 2014, after finishing my time at St. Thomas, I read Vanier’s Becoming Human. I was thinking of joining L’Arche and wanted to familiarize with Vanier’s writing. I remember that the book had a profound impact on me

and after having had a few years to grapple more with his writing, I’ve come to see why this was. Through his words, Vanier had the gift of meeting his reader exactly where they were and gently empowering them to live their best life, in acknowledgement of its pains and in celebration of its joys. Merging his philosophical wisdom with a tender concern for the wounded individual, Vanier conveyed a hopeful yet

realistic message for building human community, where the fundamental value of each person is emphasized. Later that summer, I joined the L’Arche Cape Breton community.

Five years have passed since then, and a few months since the passing of Jean. Today, I’m deeply grateful for the impact his writing has had on me as well as for the meaningful relationships I’ve been blessed with, in my L’Arche community. Reflecting on my time in Rwanda in 2012, I can see that seeds were planted in me that have found an environment for growth, at L’Arche Cape Breton. These were seeds of community-living, of simplicity, and of “fidelity in the daily round.” Valuing connection over individual heroism, Vanier has invited us to connect with our hearts, calling us to see the beauty in others as we, in turn, come home to ourselves.

Matt with L’Arche member Trevor Torrey. The two have been good friends for the past five years.


“The gift of vulnerability is a gift of truth and of healing. We all live better when we live authentically, when we acknowledge our

imperfections instead of trying to hide them.”

The Gift of Vulnerability– Silas Donham

I arrived at L’Arche twice – once on a summer break from university, and again for what was meant to be a second summer, but has become 22 years and counting. I often tell people that the first summer was like black and white but when I came back everything was in colour. The first taste of L’Arche had awakened something in me that had lain dormant until then, a language of the heart, that kept growing while I was away. It so happened that both of my first days, the whole community was packing up as I arrived and traveling to a multi-community gathering for a visit with Jean Vanier.

It was quite an introduction! I was suddenly in the midst of several dozen people with and without disabilities, people who all seemed to know and understand each other, and I had no idea what was going on. I remember a sense of joy and celebration, of gratitude and togetherness. I also remember feeling out of place and helpless. And I remember when Jean walked in.

In the Bible there are stories about Jesus calling the disciples from their fishing nets to follow him. They drop their nets immediately and walk off, which always struck me as implausible to the point of being ridiculous. But when Jean Vanier entered the room I could almost feel the air change. I was surrounded by people who, unlike me, had spent years at L’Arche waiting to meet the man who had founded our organization, and they were suddenly getting their celebrity moment. But beyond that excitement, there was something transformative about his presence. The gentleness of the message he offered the world, in his many

books and speeches, was in his voice and his face and his way of moving and reaching out to each person he met. He was steeped in authenticity. It made you feel different to be around him.

Without the organization Jean began, my life would be very different. That first summer planted a seed which eventually altered the course of my entire life, my occupation, my priorities, my ways of thinking about and connecting with other people. In a way I owe almost everything that is important to me now, to Jean Vanier. But he isn’t the one who called me here. The one who brought me to L’Arche

and has kept me here is Ed Johnson.

Ed is a little man who grew up in the Mi’kmaq community just down the road from L’Arche Cape Breton. I lived with Ed my first summer. He was my first and remains my

strongest connection at L’Arche.

Jean wrote a lot about the pain and weakness we carry inside us. He used strong words, with which I am not always comfortable: “woundedness”, “brokenness”, “anguish”. But those words certainly apply to my friend Ed. He grew up without family and spent years in an institution before he came to L’Arche. He feels that pain deeply and often shares it with those around him. Learning to dance with Ed in his pain, and to help him find peace, has always felt like the noblest thing I could do with my time.

Our schedules keep us apart most of the time now but he comes to my house for supper once a week, as he has for many years. He feels like a part of the family. After supper he demands a cup of decaf coffee from my oldest daughter, and in the evening he sits with me while I read my youngest her bedtime story. He gets long, loud hugs from my two boys.

Ed wears his wounds on his sleeve. A man who never knew his parents, he asks each person he meets about their mother and father. He frequently speaks about, and to, people who have died. He pushes people away, often quite literally, perhaps to avoid the risk of being rejected himself. Living with Ed, and his pain, I learned to recognize those same patterns in myself. Showing Ed that he was loved, with all his broken parts, I learned to live with and love myself better. The gift of vulnerability is a gift of truth and of healing. We all live better when we live authentically, when we acknowledge our imperfections instead of trying to hide them. This is what Jean Vanier and Ed Johnson have taught me, and it has changed my life. Nestled on the couch, after supper. Ed Johnson is a

faithful friend to Silas and his family.

October 2019

“When others saw limitations and problems, Jean saw the person with their gifts and

possibilities. When people were rejected, he embraced them and welcomed them.”

Reflections on Jean Vanier– Tom Gunn

I first met Jean Vanier in August, 1974. He was leading a retreat in Halifax in the old Saint Patrick’s school. On the first evening, the gymnasium was packed and there was a lot of excitement in the room as we waited for him to arrive. His flight from France was late and so he arrived directly from the airport and walked into the packed room. Jean was a giant of a man with an amazing smile, huge hands, a bad haircut and a wild laugh. He wore old baggy corduroy pants and a weathered blue jacket. He walked up to the mic, sat down and began to speak.

I had never seen or heard anyone like him before. He embodied simplicity and goodness. He seemed authentic and real, with a gentle message of loving kindness. I was fascinated by him and by the young people that were living and working with him in L’Arche. I wanted to change the world with them, and that week in the north end of Halifax changed my life.

I joined L’Arche in Stratford, Ontario in May, 1975 and discovered the beauty and the gifts of people with disabilities. Jean visited Canada a lot. In the next few months I was with Jean three times and we were starting to get to know each other. In August, 1975, he affirmed my desire to work with the poor and he encouraged me to go and live in L’Arche in Calcutta. I wasn’t sure where Calcutta was, but I was glad to go. Six months later, when Jean visited Calcutta, I was the one taking him around on the streets, trams and busses to meet with young people, with the poor, and with Mother Theresa and her Sisters. During my time at Asha Niketan, Jean came and spent several weeks with the communities in India each year, and so we got to know each other well and we really became friends. I have been blessed.

When Anne and I returned home and felt called to start Corinthian House, Jean was in close contact and he encouraged us to follow our hearts and create something unique. In 1986, together with Margaret Poulette, Ben and Marie Sylliboy and their families and friends, we organized a Mi’kmaq retreat with Jean Vanier. Hundreds of L’nu came to We’koqma’q and Malagawatch to meet him, pray with him and celebrate with him. We remember him doing a crazy dance where he fell on top of Nancy Cremo. It was an incredible time and the impact of his visit still lingers today. In 1997, we organized another visit for Jean Vanier to come to Glace Bay called Signs of Hope, and thousands of Nova Scotians came and spent three days with him. He spoke at the CBU convocation during that visit.

It is hard to write about someone you love dearly. Jean was my mentor and guide through good times and bad times. We were good friends, who didn’t always agree with each other, but he was always faithful in friendship and in love. Jean was totally dedicated to L’Arche, but his life journey was bigger than L’Arche. He was not a good planner or organizer, but he surrounded himself with good people. He inspired others to follow their hearts, to be innovative and creative in their faith. I think he enjoyed the chaos that followed. Jean was a devout Catholic and deeply spiritual, but he was open

to and inspired by other faith traditions. Jean was not rigid and even as he aged his faith kept evolving.

When Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy, the co-founder of

Mawita’mk Society, was dying last year, he said that the person who had the biggest impact on his life was Jean Vanier. When Ben died, Jean reached out to Marie and the family.

When Jean died, I was surprised by the world-wide media coverage on the passing of this 90-year-old man. I was surprised by my own emotions as I grieved this man we loved. Could it be that Jean Vanier, over his 50 years of service, really changed the world’s view of disabilities? When others saw limitations and problems, Jean saw the person with their gifts and possibilities. When people were rejected, he embraced them and welcomed them. In my life, I have been blessed to meet incredible leaders around the world. I have never met anyone like Jean Vanier.

Tom pictured with Jean Vanier, Mother Teresa, and members of L’Arche in Calcutta (today, Asha Niketan Kolkata).


Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia

· General Contracting· Equipment Rental· Sand and Gravel· Free Estimates

John Morrison

Contracting Ltd.

Ph: 902-756-3107 Fax: 902-756-2510


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Whycocomagh, N.S. Ph: 902-756-2314

Thank you to John Morrison Contractors Ltd. and MacKeigan’s Pharmacy for sponsoring our August newsletter.

We sincerely appreciate their continued generosity and support.

I want to help L’Arche Cape BretonPLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION ON HOW TO:

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Upcoming Events in support of L’Arche Cape Breton· On Sunday, September 25th at 2pm the lovely folks at St. Peter’s Lions Club will host the annual Variety Concert in support

of the day programs at L’Arche Cape Breton. The concert takes place at the Lion’s Club Hall in St. Peter’s and will featurelocal musicians. There will be a 50/50 draw and door prizes. Everyone Welcome!

· Our good friends at East Coast Credit Union are organizing the annual barbeque in support of L’Arche Cape Breton’s dayprograms on Thursday, September 29th beginning at 11am. The barbeque takes place at all 10 local East Coast Credit Unionbranches (Margaree, Baddeck, Mabou, Port Hood, Inverness, Port Hawkesbury, Havre Boucher, Louisdale, St. Peter’s andL’Ardoise). Delicious hotdogs and hamburgers will be available for sale. Come join us for lunch!

· Artists and would be artists mark your calendar for a fun “Art Night Out” taking place Saturday, October 1st at Mabou FireHall beginning at 7pm. Talented Cape Breton artist Lisa Harrison will lead the evening. Tickets are $35 pp and everythingyou need to create a beautiful painting will be supplied and there will be lots of delicious food and refreshments. A limitednumber of tickets are available at The Hope Chest, Mabou, The Ark Store, Iron Mines, East Coast Credit Union and The MullRestaurant, Mabou or by calling Josie or Deb at 902-945-2283.

· Our sincere gratitude to Bill Goldstone of Frameworks Cycle and Fitness, Sydney for the donation of a beautiful bicyclevalued at $599.00. Tickets on the “Escape2” bicycle are on sale now at all local branches of East Coast Credit Union, theMull Restaurant and The Hope Chest, Mabou and The Ark Store in Iron Mines.

All proceeds from these events go towards operational costs of the L’Arche Cape Breton day programs.

PLEASE MAIL TO: L’ARCHE CAPE BRETON, 3 L’ARCHE LANE, IRON MINES, NS B0E 2K0

John Morrison Contracting Limited


• General Contracting• Equipment Rental

• Free Estimates• Sand and

GravelPhone: 902-756-3107

Fax: 902-756-2510

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