Remembering Jean Vanier in Saint John

The legacy of L’Arche founder Jean Vanier being remembered in Saint John.

Vanier passed away on May 7th at the age of 90 after creating L’Arche in 1964 as a way to embrace people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were being institutionalized.

Zoel Breau of L’Arche Saint John remembers a conversation with Vanier about visiting the L’Arche sites in Honduras and Haiti.

“Every time I went to visit Jean in France in recent years he would say, ‘Come and talk to me,’ and ask, ‘How is Brenda?’” Breau said. “He was talking about people in L’Arche organizations in Haiti and the Ivory Coast. He still remembered their name.”

Breau was able to attend Vanier’s funeral in France which was attended by 800 people from all over the world.

“There was a sense of sadness and a kind of emptiness and at the same time a lot of gratitude and hope I would say,” Breau said.

A prayer service and a chance to tell stories about Jean Vanier will be held at Creative Connections, L’Arche Saint John’s art program and gallery at 95 Prince William Street at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

A memorial service was also held earlier on Tuesday at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Saint John.