I would like to thank you for including articles about the passing of Jean Vanier, founder of Faith and Light and L’Arche, in the May 17 issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald. I first met Jean Vanier when I was working as an assistant in a L’Arche community in Seattle, Washington. At that time the community was in the process of becoming part of L’Arche as an emerging community. I worked as an assistant in that community from the fall of 1975 to the spring of 1979.
After leaving as a full-time assistant I continued working at particular communities as a short-term assistant until the summer of 2002. Because of my association with L’Arche I had an opportunity to take a tour of the founding community of L’Arche in Trosly-Breuil, France, while I was on pilgrimage in France in October 1995.
It was a personal tour which included a eucharistic celebration in the chapel of the community, an experience that I’ve never forgotten.
Debbie Fong
Kula, Maui
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