Father of four ‘honoured’ by L’Arche appointment

Sydney
27 July 2003

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Father of four ‘honoured’ by L’Arche appointment

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Blessing at the centre of it all

Father of four ‘honoured’ by L’Arche appointment

John Coleman (pictured), the new head of the L’Arche community in Australia, was “profoundly touched” at his first encounter with L’Arche 17 years ago.

“The quality of the relationship between people with disabilities and their assistants and the simplicity and gentleness of their prayer together was very attractive,” he says.

The father of four children aged 13-23, who has been the Hobart community’s leader for the past seven years, will be regional co-ordinator of L’Arche Australia for the next three years.

L’Arche is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Jean Vanier in France in 1964 when he invited two men with intellectual disabilities to share his home.

Today there are more than 100 L’Arche communities worldwide, including three in Sydney - in Burwood, Merrylands and Campsie.

There are communities in Canberra and Hobart as well, plus fledgling projects in Brisbane and Melbourne.

The communities attract people from all over the world who volunteer as assistants to live in community with people with disabilities for six months, or one to two years, says Mr Coleman.

He says he is “excited and honoured” at being appointed regional coordinator.

“I believe L’Arche does important work in society,” he says. “From the government’s point of view we are a partly funded service provider for people with disabilities.

“At the personal level it is fantastic too.”

Ultimately, he says, it is the people with disabilities who teach the others how to live well, by enjoying each moment and letting go of life’s hurts.

“In L’Arche our belief is that every person is of unique and sacred value and that people with disabilities, far from being a burden, are a gift to society and to the lives of people who develop relationships with them,” he says.

Although the L’Arche movement comes out of the Catholic tradition, people come to live in the communities from various religious backgrounds.

Mr Coleman describes them as “groups of friends with people with disabilities at their centre”.

He has met Jean Vanier, whom he found to be an “incredibly compelling and Christ-like speaker”.