Two expert reports have revealed shocking revelations about Jean Vanier, the founder of the L'Arche federation, an international movement focused on community care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The reports revealed that Vanier perverted Catholic doctrine to justify his sexual compulsions and sexually abused women. The second report was even more damning, revealing that L'Arche was founded to hide a secret, mystical-sexual "sect" at its core and that the movement was created to hide the sect's deviant activities from church authorities.
L'Arche Catholic Community in Shock After Revelations of the Founder's Deception
These revelations had profoundly impacted L'Arche, particularly as the organization had commissioned independent scholars to investigate after receiving a complaint from a victim several years before Vanier died in 2019. According to Associated Press News, Vanier was considered a Catholic giant and living saint by his admirers and was dubbed a "great" Christian by Pope Francis. However, the reports have exposed how Vanier abused his power to exploit women under his spiritual influence sexually.
L'Arche, an international federation that provides homes and support services for people with intellectual disabilities, is reeling after revelations that its founder, Jean Vanier, sexually exploited women and created a secret, mystical-sexual "sect" at the organization's core.
Two independent reports commissioned by L'Arche revealed the abuse and deception, which has shaken the faith of many of L'Arche's staff and supporters.
Leaders of L'Arche have been meeting in Rome to chart a path forward for the organization in light of these revelations. Azucena Bustamante, who oversees five L'Arche communities in Honduras, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, expressed frustration at the damage Vanier's lies have caused those who believed in L'Arche's vision.
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Abuse Covered Up
The article in Sun Star says that the report on Vanier and L'Arche also exposes the role of Rev. Thomas Philippe, a French Dominican priest, in the abuse, with the organization's founder not only taking part in the sexual abuse but also actively covering it up.
The report notes that Philippe and Vanier used their influence over women in the L'Arche community to engage in sexual acts, with Philippe using his supposed mystical powers to convince them to participate. The report also highlights how Philippe created a culture of fear and secrecy, where those who spoke out against him were punished or ostracized.
The revelations about Vanier and L'Arche have raised serious questions about the role of the Catholic Church in enabling and covering up abuse. Critics have accused the church of ignoring warning signs and promoting Vanier as a saintly figure, despite evidence to the contrary. The scandal has also raised broader questions about the role of religious institutions in perpetuating abuse and the need for greater transparency and accountability in these organizations.
A study commission found that Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, had abused at least 25 women, all of whom were not intellectually disabled. According to The Denver Post, the commission concluded that Vanier's and Philippe's practices did not extend beyond the core "sect" at the original L'Arche community in northern France but called for vigilance in authority and power to be exercised in L'Arche's 150 communities worldwide. L'Arche's leaders have apologized to the victims and taken responsibility for not identifying the abuse earlier. They claim that they repeatedly questioned Vanier when the first victims came forward and his knowledge of Philippe's condemnation by the Holy Office in 1956, but that he lied to them.
Related Article: Pope Francis Includes Lay Leaders in 2019 Church Law Governing Clerical Sexual Abuse
