By Josh Low
Founded by Catholic philosopher, theologian and Templeton prize recipient, Jean Vanier, in a small village in France in 1964, L’Arche has grown to be a worldwide federation of over 147 communities for those living with disability in 35+ countries.
Deputy National Leader for L’Arche Australia, Claire Lawler, was in Perth last month and spoke to The eRecord about the organisation here in Perth, which recently signed a lease on their first ‘House of Welcome’.
The local branch of L’Arche was originally established in Perth 10 years ago by a group of parents with children living with intellectual disabilities, who heard about L’Arche Communities elsewhere.
Having now signed a lease on the new ‘House of Welcome’, Ms Lawler said it will be used as the central point for L’Arche Community Gatherings, their Heart2Heart friendship program and their spiritual life group.
“In L’Arche in Australia, you begin as a seed group then have to apply to L’Arche International to apply to be a project.
“People in Perth gathered 10 years ago and have been really faithful on the journey to get to this stage.
They are now in the project stage and at a certain point, there will be another application to L’Arche International to be a probationary community,” she explained.
She added that the organisation was also now taking possible future members into consideration and discernment, to be a part of a ‘live in’ community at the house.
“We are in the process of discerning members with disability moving into the house.
“Discernment for us is really to reflect and pray about who the people are that we will welcome into the house and so it’s not just simply choosing someone but a discernment process,” she said.
“At this stage we have had four expressions of interest come through and now we need to, as a board, look at who the people are that can come in.
“The reality is that it also depends on funding and if a person is funded.”
She added that there was a need for a community leader who oversees the program on a local level, around funding and life in the community, as well as a co-ordinator for the first 12 months.
In building up the community, Ms Lawler expressed that different models across Australia will be looked at, due to varying circumstances of members of L’Arche.
“Some people don’t necessarily want to live with a group of people but would still like to come and be connected to the community by coming to community events such as gatherings and prayer nights.
“We will therefore have to consider a variety of models with which we can then discern would be the best model locally,” she said.
In her 32 years being involved with L’Arche, Ms Lawler said the relationships built in community have been a real highlight for her, along with the opportunity of growing together in faith.
“It’s enriching for everyone involved. Just because someone may have an intellectual disability doesn’t mean that they don’t have an element of faith that is there.
“Being in L’Arche all these years it has been a real blessing to have witnessed how people live their life in their faith,” she said.
“In the outer world in general, faith and a spiritual life are not usually included, whereas for us it defines who we are and because it encompasses life in community.”
Ms Lawler added that the desire of this Perth community is to build more connections where people come and be part of community gatherings.
“Building relationships is what L’Arche is all about. We build relationships together and Perth have done that over the years and have some really solid people involved.
“The plan is for people with disability living in the house along with assistants who come and live life in the community as well.
“That’s what L’Arche is about; people with and without disabilities sharing life together,” she concluded.