The Homebuilder

In October, Bob Hannum, Nonotuck’s Director of Development, and film-maker Jamil Simon traveled to France to interview and film philosopher and L’Arche founder, Jean Vanier. The trip was the outcome of a four-year effort on this agency’s part to persuade Mr. Vanier to come to America to meet with Nonotuck and to participate in the annual Shared Living Conference.

Jean Vanier is the son of the late Governor General of Canada. He served in both the British and the Canadian Royal Navies, and in 1950 left the navy to study and teach philosophy in Paris, France. There through his friendship with a Dominican priest, Father Thomas Philippe, he became aware of the plight of thousands of people institutionalized with mental disabilities. Jean Vanier felt it his calling to do something about it, and invited two men to leave the institution where they were living and share their lives with him in a real home. That simple act was the beginning of an international movement called L’Arche, French for “The Ark”, a network of more than 100 faith-based communities in 30 countries. At L’Arche, men and women live together with their care-givers in loving and spirit filled homes.

As you read through this interview you will find that Vanier speaks from the wisdom of experience. He has made his life an open book exacted in a faith in God, in humanity, and through that, in himself. His words speak to a theme of community founded on relationship. Relationship, he tells us, is giving in mutuality, listening to and knowing a person, allowing oneself to be moved past conviction into a shared journey of discovery in equality.

Jean Vanier’s thinking about and work with people who happen to have disabilities was central to Nonotuck’s values development and radical move away from group care to shared living fourteen years ago. Our agency continues to refer to him for inspiration and guidance. Today we see our mission as the movement toward the intricate web of community building, of intertwining peoples’ lives with those of their community, of the give and take associated with membership in community, with the rights to participate and responsibility to give to community in a unique and personal manner. That message is clear in Vanier’s vision, as it is clear in our mission.

The following is the first part of the interview transcript with Mr. Vanier. The questions asked of him grew from a meeting between Bob, Richie Fournier and George H. Fleischner. The final part of the transcript will be published in our next newsletter.

For further information and copies of this transcript call 413-586-5256 ext. 15

Editorial Committee - George Fleischner, Shirley Plowucha, Lynne Struth, Lisa Tibert, Dan Zimmerman, Steve Christopher

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