L'Arche is a group of over 130 worldwide communities where people with
and without intellectual disabilities share life together in community.
L'Arche fosters an environment to celebrate the unique value of each and
every person in those communities and recognizes our need of one another.
We seek to be a sign of hope in a world that increasingly looks for
purpose and meaning in the pursuit of material success often at the expense of
deeper personal relationship.
Experience L'Arche
Why not take a look at our Video (below) and get a better
understanding of our purpose, our efforts and our communities. You can
also see individual Community Videos on our Community Pages.
Some quotations from people involved in L'Arche . . .
“Coming to L’Arche, I thought I was coming to DO service,
but I’ve learned that DOING is less important than just BEING,
being together in community.”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“We seek to be communities where people whatever their race,
religion, culture, abilities, or disabilities, can find a
place and reveal their gifts to the world.”
- Jean Vanier
“Life in L`Arche is good for me. Dóchas is a nice place to live
in, to make friends and relationships and peace and to be close
to friends outside of L`Arche too.”
- A Core Member
“Life is a succession of crises and moments when we have to
rediscover who we are and what we really want.”
- Jean Vanier
“Living in L’Arche has helped me to learn a lot about myself and
the world around me. I’ve had the chance to meet amazing people
and have formed many wonderful friendships here.”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness.”
- Jean Vanier
“But in another way, community is a terrible place. It is the place
where our limitations and our egoism are revealed to us. When we
begin to live full-time with others, we discover our poverty and
our weakness, our inability to get on with people, our mental and
emotional blocks….our seemingly insatiable desires, our frustrations
and jealousies, our hatred and our wish to destroy.”
- Jean Vanier
"L’Arche is my home"
- A Core Member
“The Word became flesh to communicate to us human beings caught in the
mud, the pain, the fears and the brokenness of existence, the life,
the joy, the communion, the ecstatic gift of love that is the source
of all love and life and unity in our universe and that is the very
life of God.”
- Jean Vanier
“We are not called to L'Arche because we are needed, we come to
receive what we need.”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“I would like to continue being involved, and as we get to
know one another more and as we become more involved, our
lives can only become richer from this experience.”
- A L'Arche Volunteer
“Coming to L’Arche, I thought I was coming to DO service,
but I’ve learned that DOING is less important than just
BEING, being together in community.”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“An Croí is my home. I have good friends in An Croí.
I like working in the L`Arche workshop, I do weaving.
I am going on a retreat in June.”
- A Core Member
“What I have learned from my experience could be summed up in
just one word; ‘simplicity’, the simple pleasures in life, the
enthusiasm the Core Members bring to each activity, the
interaction with one another, the great fun and the enjoyment
of music and dancing at all their various celebrations.”
- A L'Arche Volunteer
“L`Arche is my home forever. I love L`Arche, Suaimhneas
my house, the workshop and all my friends”
- A Core Member
“Just one look at Paddy’s big eyes and beautiful smile
and my day is made.”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“L’Arche is an amazing place where we can share our gifts with
each other, core members, assistants and community members.
Celebration is the heart of the community which brings out life
and joy in individuals. This is the place where people feel proud,
valued, and appreciated”
- A L'Arche Assistant
“I love working and living in L`Arche. I live in An Croi with
6 core members and 5 assistants. It`s my home. Living in L`Arche
is the best experience of my life. I love being part of the
pastoral team once a month. I love organizing the mass and
special events. I love helping people.”
- A Core Member