Statement on the L’Arche Study Commission Report

Updated Jan 31, 2023: The Templeton philanthropies, organizers of the Templeton Prize, are appalled and saddened by the findings of the Study Commission assembled by L’Arche International to conduct investigation into allegations of abuse by Jean Vanier.

Jean Vanier was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2015 for founding L’Arche, the international network of communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together as peers.  

We endorse L’Arche’s willingness to confront the truth and we strongly condemn the actions and behaviors of Jean Vanier detailed in the report. We stand with L’Arche in recognizing the courage and suffering of the women who shared their testimony during the course of the investigation and express our deep sympathy for those who were harmed by Vanier’s actions.