Managing Monday with Henri Nouwen: Take 2
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch born Roman Catholic priest, academic, author and theologian. Nouwen reached the top of the academic ladder with posts at Notre Dame, Yale and Harvard, but made the surprising decision to leave academia and to work with physically and mentally handicapped people at the L’Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Here are some of his thoughts… Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the ‘beloved’ – Henri Nouwen The main question is not ‘How...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Henri Nouwen
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch born Roman Catholic priest, academic, author and theologian. Nouwen reached the top of the academic ladder with posts at Notre Dame, Yale and Harvard, but made the surprising (though liberating) decision to leave academia and to work with physically and mentally handicapped people at the L’Arche Daybreak community in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He introduced the concept of The Wounded Healer with his book of that title, and some of his other significant works (which have been published in more than 30 different languages) include In the Name of Jesus,...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Jean Vanier – take 4
Today we finish our focus on the insights of Jean Vanier (1928- ), founder of the L’Arche communities for people with developmental disabilities. Vanier is a theologian, philosopher and author. A champion for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, Vanier has done the truly remarkable – he has demonstrated the value and beauty of imperfection. A community that is growing rich and seeks only to defend its goods and its reputation is dying. It has ceased to grow in love. A community is alive when it is poor and its members feel they have to work together and remain...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Jean Vanier – take 3
Jean Vanier (1928- ), founder of the L’Arche communities for people with developmental disabilities, is a theologian, philosopher and author. A champion for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, Vanier has done the truly remarkable – he has demonstrated the value and beauty of imperfection. Here are some of his insights… Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness – Jean Vanier All of us have a secret desire to be seen as saints, heroes, martyrs. We are afraid to be children, to be ourselves – Jean Vanier We have to remind ourselves...
Read MoreManaging Monday with Jean Vanier – take 2
Jean Vanier (1928-) is a theologian and philosopher, known for transforming the way we think about intellectual disability. His work is deeply humane and challenging. Here are some of his thoughts… I am struck by how sharing our weaknesses and vulnerabilities is more nourishing to others that sharing our qualities and successes – Jean Vanier A society which discards those who are weak and non-productive risks exaggerating the development of reason, organisation, aggression and the desire to dominate. It becomes a society without a heart, without kindness – a rational and...
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