The disturbing findings from an independent investigation by French academics have revealed that Canadian humanitarian and champion for adults with intellectual disabilities, Jean Vanier, allegedly sexually abused at least 25 women over nearly seven decades.
A commission inquiry by French scholars released the results of their two-year investigation, nearly 900 pages of information, on sexual and spiritual abuse by Jean Vanier, and his mentor Reverend Thomas Philippe.
Jean Vanier founded the L'Arche communities for adults with intellectual disabilities in 1964.
READ MORE - Young man dies after horror crash in Galway as gardai shut road and appeal for witnesses
The report includes historical, sociological, psychological, theological and religious analysis from over 200 hours of interviews.
Jean Vanier, who passed away in 2019, set up communities all over the globe where people with intellectual disabilities would live and share with volunteers who would come from countries like Ireland, and give a year of their lives to the cause.
He founded L'Arche in 1964 as an alternative living environment where those with developmental disabilities could be full-fledged participants in the community instead of patients.
There are 154 L’Arche communities in 38 countries around the world in the International Federation of L’Arche.
He was even deemed “a living saint” by Irish followers, and looked on as a godly figure.
The first L’Arche Community in Ireland was established in the Parish of Kilmoganny and Dunnamaggin.
Vanier, son of former governor general Georges Vanier, worked as a Canadian navy officer and professor before turning to Catholic-inspired charity work.
The new report builds upon an investigation launched by Paris-based L'Arche International in 2020.
It was around then that his parents introduced him to the Dominican priest Fr Thomas Philippe. The priest became Vanier's teacher and mentor.
As part of a sectarian group led by Vanier's spiritual mentor, Dominican Fr. Thomas Philippe, the charismatic Vanier identified people seeking spiritual guidance and exploited them for sexual purposes.
Several members of the L’Arche Communities featured on Tuesday’s RTE Liveline show, where Joe Duffy led a discussion about the findings of the damning report condemning Jean Vanier’s abuse of women.
Vanier allegedly used his interpretation of the gospel to abuse women on a nightly basis.
Speaking on Liveline, TD Cathal Crowe and primary school teacher revealed Jean Vanier was used as an example in school textbooks used to prepare children for their confirmation, he told Liveline:
"In our textbook every year was Jean Vanier, in many classrooms we would have read out the story of a lovely pious gentleman, we put him out as a walking saint to the children of Ireland. Part of the syllabus, we would teach children how we would feel about Mother Teresa, he was put up as an example of a good living life.
"The opposite of how he was presented in this book, I used this book up until 2020, the confirmation syllabus, I don’t think we should be using it, and should withdraw the book."
Joe put it to another caller named Ciaran that the victims were much younger than Jean Vanier and he was getting them to take a vow of celibacy, while abusing them at night.
The caller revealed he had attended a Jean Vanier retreat and spoke highly of the work he had done.
Ciaran told Liveline: "He was like a living Saint.
"I met him when he was working in Kilkenny, I did a retreat, I spoke with him, and he was charismatic. His books are wonderful, if you talk to the parents of children, that’s not to take away what he has done, all the victims were all adults without intellectual disabilities.
"I would see him in the same way that rockstars, and sports stars that use power, the one thing I would say, it would be a terrible shame if the work he did is tarnished by this, everyone has light and shade, I can tell you having met him he was a charismatic person, I was shocked to read about this commission."
Joe responded to the caller: "How do you reconcile this man was a saint, with women 56 years younger than him - going around saying one thing, and doing another?"
"These are people who are capable of doing a great deal of good, of course they can do a great deal of harm," he added.
One of the founding members of Cork L’Arche, Cathy Fowles, featured on the show and revealed her shock at the revelations in the report, and was devastated.
Cathy told Joe: "I was looking for a more meaningful life, a person of faith, I heard about L'Arche in scotland, I went in the 1970s, I was there two years and met my husband who was another volunteer, he was Canadian.
"L’Arche changed my life, we came back to Cork when I got married, we started a group in Cork, the second L’Arche community in Ireland, I continued teaching, we were supporting the community, the two of us were working on salary, I left teaching, two years in L’Arche in Canada.
"I only retired in 2015, continued as members until the pandemic, then the first report, we are devastated.
"I met Jean Vanier several times, we organised a public talk in the 80s in the dominican church in Cork, subsequently we hosted him twice in Maynooth, we had 300 people on that retreat, I was on retreats with him several times.
"I could never say I knew Jean Vanier, even though I met him several times, he was hugely inspiring, he opened up the scriptures, and it really came alive for a lot of us all.
"The abuse happened in France, I didn’t speak French, so I went to Scotland, we never could have imagined this.
"I spend my time going back over when I met him, I’m deeply hurt by it, he was a liar right to the end, even when he was confronted, I would say he inspired us, but it's the people in the communities who did the good work."
Joe Duffy asked Cathy, "What attracted you to L’Arche?"
Cathy replied: "I was in university, my brother was ordained as a priest, we were a family of faith, my brother died in an accident, Dominic died, I was searching for something meaningful, I met someone who was in L’Arche in France, it was because of community, it’s inspired by the christian gospel."
L’Arche Ireland was founded in 1978 and provides 11 residential dwellings, 2 Day projects services, social enterprise opportunities and outreach services and is part-funded through the HSE in the Republic of Ireland.
Each residential service run by L’Arche is registered and governed by "HIQA" as per the Health Act 2007.
Stephan Posner and Stacy Cates Carney, leaders of L’Arche International, wrote in a letter to the federation’s members that they were "appalled" by the report’s findings.
The leaders wrote that "we once again condemn, without reservation, the actions of Jean Vanier and Thomas Philippe which are in total contradiction with the elementary rules of respect and integrity of persons, and contrary to the fundamental principles of our communities."
READ NEXT:
Man who 'danced' on body after Mountjoy beating admits to brutal murder
Thousands of Irish motorists paying €300 too much for insurance amid new advice
Turkish barber in Ireland says family back home living in car after earthquakes
Warning to parents as sexual images end up in primary school kids Snapchat group
Former RTE star Mary Kennedy was 'shaking' ahead of date with boyfriend Tom
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
