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No More: Jean Vanier & the Epidemic of Violence Against Women
When I received the email, I was thrilled beyond words: Jean Vanier had agreed to write the foreword to my book, “Vulnerable Faith”. For over fifteen years the life and teachings of this Catholic philosopher and theologian had been pivotal in my own spiritual formation, especially with respect to the importance of community. So when he agreed to write the foreword to my book about the centrality of vulnerability in the formation of true community, it was the pinnacle of my writing career.
All of that changed early this morning when an internal report by l’Arche (the organization Vanier founded) concluded that he had sexually abused six women between 1970 and 2005. I will not recount the details here, as they are readily available in the media, but suffice to say that this much-revered man- a man considered a strong prospect for formal recognition as a saint- had exploited the vulnerability of women in his community for his own sexual gratification.
While it is hard to be surprised anymore when news such as this breaks about men we admire, Jean Vanier seemed like the least likely person to end up in this place. The founder of a renowned global collection of communities for people with intellectual disabilities, he was also an award-winning writer, theologian, and philosopher. His wisdom was rich and deep, impacting…