et tu, Vanier?

In June of 2019, I profiled Jean Vanier and his life of supporting people with disabilities in intentional communities, L’Arche.

This weekend, multiple news outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, the BBC, and Catholic Telegraph report, “Jean Vanier, founder of the ecumenical L’Arche communities that provide group homes and spiritual support for people with intellectual disabilities, used his status to have "manipulative" sexual relationships with at least six women, concludes an internal investigation commissioned by the organization.”  The report is explicit that the inquiry did not find evidence of sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities.

Starfire, like many organizations and groups who stand in support of people with developmental disabilities and their families, remain saddened by this news. As an organization that has shared Vanier’s work, we must now also reckon this complex history.

Et tu, Vanier?

What it reminds us and teaches us is a healthy skepticism of figurehead leaders, particularly of older men who seem to hold the sacred wisdom. To be aware of the allure of those who seem to know the answer to a complex, difficult question of “where do we belong?” and to resist elevating humans, systems, or programs towards sainthood, idolatry, and worship.

Instead, this unfortunate news reminds us that it is once again, the average, everyday work of people, families and communities that make a community whole. And, as an organization, we challenge ourselves to de-centralize Starfire as the authority, and instead, continue to work to center families’ voices, lived experiences and work at the forefront of this movement.