Jean Vanier restores my faith in Christianity

RELIGIONS seem to have the ability to attract the oddest and weirdest of people, or so it seems. Last week Gurmeet Ram Rahim, a self-styled ‘God Man’, was jailed for 10 years having been found guilty of raping two woman in his ashram. The Indian claims to have 60 million devotees and surrounds himself with 400 castrated bodyguards. Rahim claims castration brings his followers ‘closer to God’. The guilty verdict and subsequent prison sentence has caused a furore in India.

Elsewhere I read a report about a Catholic priest in the US who was found guilty of having images of child pornography on his computer. He argued that he was angry with God. Why? He lost money playing poker.

On Monday, August 28 the Joe Duffy Show aired the story of Marty Morrissey talking at Knock and the Paddy Power ad/image on the gable end of the basilica which featured the images of Sam Maguire and Our Lady. A great story for the Joe Duffy Show. All possible angles were discussed. The Paddy Power representative admitted he would not dare try such a stunt at a mosque.

Christianity, including Catholicism is a broad church, made up of so many different parts, customs and rituals. It’s a great mix but there is always the temptation or inclination to take refuge in ‘ border-line’ activity, placing it centre stage, when that is not its place.

Might it be that because of the fall-off in religious practice some sort of vacuum is being created and that that is being filled by a worrying zealotry? Observing the modus operandi of ‘pious groups’ one gets the impression that when they speak they are certain God agrees. They believe they are infallible. Or maybe it is that I am listening to and reading all the wrong material.

Just the other day a wise young woman told me to stay away from all the right-wing religious magazines that appear at the back of churches. I should take her advice. But my faith was restored. I came across an interview with Jean Vanier.

Vanier, who is 88, has given his life to helping people with special needs. He founded L’Arche. Today there are 143 of these communities around the world and he has spent his life living in L’Arche communities among people with special needs.

He sees prayer as being twinned with action. The interviewer, Maggie Ferguson, points out how after a day’s activity Vanier slips into the small candlelit chapel next to his house to end his day in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

In the interview there are nuggets of inspiration. He tells Ms Ferguson that to ‘ love people is to reveal to them that they are more beautiful than they dare believe’.

Elsewhere, he suggests that when you let people who are ‘no good’ into your life, you are transformed.

I needed that read because I’m at my wit’s end trying to have patience with so many sides of religion that I find difficult to take.

Vanier even has something to say on hell: ‘I can’t speak about hell, but wasn’t it John Paul II who said that, even if hell exists, it may be empty.’

There are many Jean Vaniers in the world. Thank God.