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History
Charter
Funding
Annual Report
Belfast
Cork
Dublin
Kilkenny
Worldwide Locations
Letters of L'Arche
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IF YOU CAN SPEAK ENGLISH,
COME AND JOIN US!
VENEZ NOUS REJOINDRE, SI VOUS POUVEZ PARLER ANGLAIS!
SI PUEDES HABLAR INGLES, TE INVITAMOS E ESTAR CON NOSOTROS!
L'Arche is a worldwide federation of faith communities where people with learning
disabilities and assistants share community life together. L'Arche, in most countries,
also provides a work situation, which is an intrinsic part of the life of the Community.
Assistants are what we call people who chose to live in community with our people
with disabilities. Assistants come from many different cultural backgrounds and vary
in age from 20 years up. These assistants are people who are searching for a deeper
meaning in their own lives and who are attracted by community life and the prospect
of living with people who have learning disabilities.
WHAT WILL ASSISTANTS FIND IN L'ARCHE?
You will find a community - where assistants and people with learning disabilities
live together like any family in a spirit of simplicity and sharing. Some assistants
care for the home, doing shopping, cleaning, cooking, laundry etc., while others
work in the workshop.
Home in L'Arche is very close to what "home" is for any family. It is distinct
from institutions, hospitals and other residential centres in that the assistants
live in the house and share life in all its aspects, with the residents. In the evenings
we relax together - listen to music, go for walks , maybe even visit the pub or the
cinema . Above all we take time to build relationship with each other. This can be
challenging - sharing life with people of different ages, cultures, faiths and intellectual
abilities.
IT IS HERE YOU WILL DISCOVER THE GIFT OF DIFFERENCE
In L'Arche we welcome an abundance of diversity - diversity of culture, of language,
of Church tradition, of personality and of ability. This diversity, while often presenting
challenges, adds a great richness to our Community life and we try to remain open
to all comers. As we build relationships of mutual trust and respect with each other
we discover the gift of the person with a disability and in the process our own value
is revealed. All this is lived in the spirit of the Gospel and prayer forms part
of daily life.
L'ARCHE CALLS US
- Into relationship with others,
To discover the gift of the person with a disability
To get to know ourselves
To build community
To question societyís values,
To be people of peace and reconciliation,
To discover the Gospel of Jesus.
COULD YOU BE AN ASSISTANT?
- Are you looking for something more?
Would you like to live in community?
Would you like to live with and support people with learning disabilities?
Could you take a year out from your present occupation?
Would you like to explore your own spirituality?
We particularly need Irish assistants in our communities, but we welcome
applications from anyone, anywhere in the world. We expect however that you will
be able to speak English with some confidence. (There are some visa restrictions).
If possible, we ask you to visit your nearest L'Arche Community so that you can experience
L'Arche in your own culture before considering coming to Ireland.
Some people join us for one or two years while others discover in LíArche
a way of life. Assistants receive pocket money for their own personal needs and of
course free board and lodging. There is free time each day, one day off per week
and a long weekend free per month.
But people do not come to L'Arche for the money or the time off.
Our life is simple and the emphasis is on things that money cannot buy - things of
the spirit - love, friendship, trust, respect, forgiveness and hope.
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
L'Arche communities in Ireland : - Kilkenny, Cork, Dublin and Belfast.
Each of our communities has a number of homes / workshops where assistants and
people with learning disabilities live and work in an atmosphere of friendship and
trust.
L'Arche Cork
L'Arche Kilkenny
L'Arche Dublin
L'Arche Belfast
L'ARCHE ALSO NEEDS
- Volunteers - to help out on a regular basis in our houses / workshop
Friends - to befriend our people with learning disabilities
Click here for our preliminary enquiry form
We give thanks for our friends.
Our dear friends.
We anger each other.
We share this sad earth, this tender life,
this precious time.
Such richness. Such wildness.
Together we are blown about.
Together we are dragged along.
All this delight.
All this suffering.
All this forgiving life.
We hold it together.
Amen
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