Jean Vanier: How To Do Ordinary Things, Part 1
"Love doesn't mean doing extraordinary or heroic things. It means knowing how to do ordinary things with tenderness." In 1964, Jean Vanier bought a little house in northern France and invited two mentally disabled men to come and live with him. It was a radical approach to thinking about people on the fringe of society -- to live with them, and most importantly, learn from them, to look for their gifts. On the 50th anniversary of L'Arche, the now-international organization Jean Vanier started, a celebration of a Canadian humanitarian and visionary. Part 2 airs Tuesday, September 9.
Participants in the program:
- Jean Vanier - founder of L'Arche in 1964
- Jerome Gallois - supervisor of the workshops in L'Arche, Trosly
- George Durner - now retired, was a regional coordinator for L'Arche in France
- Gary Webb - workshop supervisor in L'Arche, Trosly
- Caroisa Kilcommons - Community Leader of L'Arche Chambèry in Savoie, France
Related books & websites:
- Signs of the Times: Seven Paths of Hope for a Troubled World by Jean Vanier, published by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd, 2013.
- Becoming Human by Jean Vanier (The 1998 CBC Massey Lectures) published by House of Anansi Press, 10th anniversary edition, 2009.
- Finding Peace by Jean Vanier, published by House of Anansi Press, 2003.
- Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (25th Anniversary Edition) by Robert K. Greenleaf, published by Paulist Press, 2013
Photographs of Jean Vanier & L'Arche Images courtesy of L'Arche Canada. To view more images of Jean Vanier & L'Arche visit the Jean Vanier website.
