The beginnings of L’Arche (French for
“the Ark”) stirred in 1964, when Jean Vanier became aware of the
struggle of thousands of people with intellectual disabilities who
were institutionalized in France.
Through his friendship with a
Catholic priest, Father Thomas Philippe, he felt moved by God to
invite two men, Raphael Simi (pictured with Jean) and Philippe Seux, to leave the
institutions where they resided and share their lives with him in a
real home in Trosly-Breuil, France.
Having begun with that first home in
Trosly-Breuil, France, and through the support of many, L'Arche grew around the world.
Since that time, L’Arche has grown
exponentially…and is still growing! Throughout
nine zones (comprised of 35 countries), each of the 133 L’Arche
communities calls together persons with and without disabilities to
share their lives together in mutually transforming and spiritually
profound ways.
The first L'Arche community in the United States was founded in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1972. In 1997, L'Arche USA was established to support communities of L'Arche in the U.S. L’Arche USA is now one of the
nine zones of L’Arche, and as such belongs to L'Arche International, the federation of L’Arche communities around the world.
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