L'Arche Spirituality

L’Arche spirituality is rooted in finding the sacred in the ordinary stuff of life.  Relationships between all members of the community are formed through sharing time in daily activities – trips to the grocery store, preparing meals, getting ready for bed, celebrating birthdays and holidays, losing one’s temper and asking forgiveness.  The belief in L’Arche is that God’s love and presence are hidden in our most routine and mundane details of the day, when they are shared with each other.

A second grounding spiritual belief in L’Arche is that our weaknesses and vulnerabilities are not to be hidden from others, but welcomed and shared.  Our core members are less able to hide their weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and their need for support is clear.  Part of L’Arche spirituality is acknowledging that each of us has weaknesses and vulnerabilities for which we need the support of others.  These “disabilities” are seen as treasures that draw us into community, not shameful parts of our humanity that should be hidden.

Our community as a whole also has vulnerabilities, which compel us to root our communal life in prayer and trust in God.  Though L’Arche welcomes people from different faith traditions and spiritual paths, members of L’Arche share daily times of simple prayer together – often around a candle after the evening meal.  It is a time to express gratitude, listen to and hold what is present in the hearts of each person, sing, celebrate and remember the presence of God within and among us.  Each person in L’Arche is invited and encouraged to be attentive and committed to their personal spiritual journey and nourishment as well as sharing times of prayer together.

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