1

Shae Slaven

LIB 130 – Fr. Joensen

December 10, 2018

Final Integrated Paper

In Jean Vanier’s book Becoming Human, he writes this: “We human beings are all

fundamentally the same. We all belong to a common, broken humanity. We all have wounded,

vulnerable hearts. Each one of us needs to feel appreciated and understood; we all need help.”

This reflection on humanity that Vanier provides is something we have observed all throughout

this course. Thérèse showed us her vulnerable heart through her life as a young nun and her

manuscripts that contained such a vivid image of her relationship with God. Pope John Paul II

was a witness of hope to so many broken and wounded people, mentally and spiritually, as he

grew into a beacon of light for Poland and eventually the whole world. Jean Vanier provided us

with a profound sense of communion through his witness of promoting the dignity of all people.

While directly and indirectly, each of these witnesses help us to see God in everyday life and the

people we encounter. These things, along with the many other resources from class, are crucial in

developing the Catholic understanding of God, the human person, and ultimately, the entire

world. With all of those in mind, and with the understanding that each witness we have studied is

an excellent example, I believe that the most compelling witness to these is Jean Vanier,

especially through his life lived through the theme of communion.

The very first witness that we considered was the cloistered Carmelite nun, Thérèse of

Lisieux. In her short life, she managed the enter the convent as a teenager, which was a witness

of her intense spiritual maturity. For us and many others, Thérèse serves as a profound witness to
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heart because of her ability to deeply love others and through the practice of her “little way.”

This “little way” that Thérèse demonstrated is best described by Pope John Paul II in Divini

Amoris Scientia. He wrote: “She discovers and imparts to the novices entrusted to her care the

little way of spiritual childhood, by which she enters more and more deeply into the mystery of

the Church and, drawn by the love of Christ, feels growing within her the apostolic and

missionary vocation which spurs her to bring everyone with her to meet the divine Spouse.”1 Her

goal was to bring others to Christ, into communion with Him and the entire Trinity. While she

does intend for all people to come into communion, especially through the practice of the “little

way” of spirituality, Thérèse also expressed an intense pull towards personal communion with

God. As quoted in Heather King’s Shirt of Flame, Thérèse says this: “It doesn’t scare me to

suffer for You; I’m afraid of only one thing, and that is to hold onto my will. Take it, because ‘I

choose all,’ all that You want!”2 In the deepest part of herself and the part the world was later

able to see through her book, The Story of a Soul, Thérèse yearns for communion with God, and

for us to experience that as well.

Our second witness, Pope John Paul II, also called for communion, especially through his

example of hope for the people of God during a difficult period in history and through his

various teachings. As a native of Poland during the 20th century, Karol Wojtyła grew up amidst

intense turmoil and strife. He was forced to grow up fast and saw the world changing in front of

his eyes. As he developed as man of great faith, he entered the priesthood, became a bishop, and

then eventually the pope, where he was best able to share his hope and great wisdom with

humanity. With the ability to write and lead, Pope John Paul II’s papacy brought forth many

1
Pope John Paul II, Divini Amoris Scientia [The Science of Divine Love], Vatican Website, October 19, 1997,
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19101997_divini-
amoris.html
2
Heather King, Shirt of Flame, (Brewster: Paraclete Press, 2013), 5.
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fruits in regard to teaching. Notably, his messages concerning the human family have been a

great example of communion between God’s people. In his work he emphasized that at the

foundation of a family was the sacrament of marriage, and with that, a unique “bond of love.”

This bond of love in the institution of marriage is the true and very real symbol of the covenant

of love that God has with His people.3 Stemming from this love in marriage, children are brought

forth as a gift. Pope John Paul II reminds parents that their children “are a living reflection of

their love.”4 With all the love built into a family, it is the duty of a family to continue to foster

that love and growth so that their children may grow to participate in it as well. A family that is

rooted in love and in Christ is strong, and strong Christian families are essential to building to

Body of Christ. Being a member of the Body of Christ is the ultimate form of communion.

When we were first introduced to Jean Vanier towards the beginning of this course, I had

never heard of him. My conceptions of him changed as soon as we started to consider his life as

a witness to humanity through his work with L’Arche. In 1964, Jean Vanier founded what he

named L’Arche: a community where he and others would live with individuals with disabilities

in the hope that they could bring peace, stability, and love into the lives of those that would

likely be suffering in an institution. While our other two witnesses experienced communion in

various ways, Vanier seems to have fostered it in the nature that we commonly conceptualize it

in. A typical understanding of communion is “the mutual bond that exists among persons in

relation who entrust themselves to one another.”5 L’Arche is exemplary of this. The residents

develop bonds of trust that allow them to be completely vulnerable to one another and to help

each person grow. In his book, Becoming Human, Jean Vanier discusses how crucial this sense
3
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio [The Fellowship of the Family], Vatican Website, November 2, 1981,
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-
consortio.html, 12.
4
Ibid., 14.
5
Father William Joensen, Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms, Accessed December 10, 2018.
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of belonging is to a person’s well being and their communion with others. He notes that

belonging is definitive of a family and that communion “is the trust that bonds us together,

children with their parents, a sick person with a nurse, a child with a teacher, a husband with a

wife, friends together, people with a common task.”6 Jean Vanier sees no limits for communion,

it is all around us, but it is especially found through sharing one’s life with another.

While communion has been a common theme among our witnesses, it is still necessary to

call to mind the other themes we have encountered throughout this course. One theme that I have

found in many of our discussions is mediation. Basic understandings of mediation would be

something along the lines of what Father Joensen offers us in his Glossary of Witnesses, Themes,

and Terms. A definition may be along the lines of “one who stands in relation of multiple people,

acting on their behalf for their good.” While this is not very exact or clear, the characteristics of

mediators help us to recognize who they might be in our own lives. A mediator may be someone

we identify with that is always looking out for us or is someone that is willing to make sacrifices

on our behalf.7 In a personal reflection, I often see my mom as a mediator. As I transitioned out

of high school and into college, and soon enough, out of college into “real life,” my mom is the

one that I go to when I need something. Because she has experience, she is able to give me

insights I would have not otherwise known. My mom mediates for me by promoting my good

and bringing to my attention her knowledge.

Instead of mentioning how our witnesses exemplified this, which we know they did, I

would rather like to call attention to the ultimate mediator Himself, Jesus Christ. We have

already come to realize that the human person if the meeting point between the physical and

spiritual world. Despite this, that bridge is often broken and damaged because of our sin. But
6
Jean Vanier, Becoming Human, (Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1998), 43.
7
Joensen, Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms.
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because of the great love God has for humanity, He sought and succeeded in making that bridge

stable and permanent through the Incarnation, God becoming human in the nature of Jesus.

Human are then united to Christ by nature, giving him the power to create for us eternal life. This

is all done through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, otherwise known as the Paschal

Mystery.8 God sent His Son to be one of us in all things but sin. In looking to him and imitating

him, we are called into relationship with God. Christ mediates on our behalf, so this may be

possible.

If we are looking to recognize this in our lives, the most obvious place to look is worship,

especially the Mass. Every time the Mass is celebrated, we call to mind the sacrificial offering of

Jesus, we remember what he has done and continues to do on our behalf. We see this as well in

our veneration of the saints. We ask for their help in mediating to the Son and the Father because

they had a great awareness to the immensity of Christ’s sacrifice in their lives and they help us to

develop a better understanding for ourselves. Christ calls all people to be mediators for one

another, just as the saints have shown us.

Another theme we have encountered quite a bit is that of sacramentality. Sacramentality

is the idea that there is God is present in the unification of the material or physical world and the

spiritual. We are able to conceive of God’s grace through our senses and human understanding,

but there is also an aspect that transcends us, there is something greater than the reality that we

are able to experience.9 The sacramental worldview is our attempt at scratching the surface of

what God is like. Sacramentality helps us to recognize God’s creative power in everyday

circumstances and occurrences.

8
Thomas Joseph White, The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism, (Washington D.C.: The Catholic
University of America Press, 2017), 135-136.
9
Joensen, Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms.
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In Kathleen Berken’s book, Walking on a Rolling Deck, we see a touching example of

sacramentality. In a scenario where Kathy, the author, is mending an injury of a man named Bill,

she has a profound experience where she sees the vulnerable side of Bill through an action. Bill

was known to have a history of anger and violence, but when Kathy was helping him with his

injury, he asked for a plastic toy that was nearby. In that short interaction of Bill asking for the

toy, she was able to see past what she knew of him and was able to realize that he is like a child

and is a child of God, even though it may have been difficult to realize that previously.10

Sacramentality is a complex theme, but it is often found in the simplest of interactions.

The final theme that we focused on in class was communion, and it is the also the theme

that I feel has been most present in our discussion and the witnesses we have studied. While I

have already touched on communion, going into more depth can only enhance the understanding

of it. Father Joensen articulates that when someone knows communion, they set out to

communicate life and love to those they are in communion with.11 They are united to promote the

good of the human family, especially through the means of peace and justice.

What is so unique about communion is that it has the ability to encompass and explain

many concepts of the Catholic faith. One of these concepts is the Trinity. Just has the human

family is a communion, the Trinity is also a communion of persons, made up by the Father, the

Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our goal is to be in communion with the Trinity as well. Thomas

Joseph White writes this about communion with the Trinity: “Faith gives us a living participation

in this mystery, not merely a conceptual knowledge of it.” When knowing the Trinity, the human

10
Kathleen Berken, Walking on a Rolling Deck: Life on the Ark, (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2008), 53.
11
Joensen, Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms.
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person has a deeper intimacy with each of its members, therefore growing in relationship with

God.12

Communion also helps to develop our understanding of church. When someone first says

“church,” it is understandable that they think of physical place or of doing a specific activity

every Sunday. But an alternative notion of church is that it is defined by those being witness to

the presence of Christ.13 The Church is the communion of believers that recognize God’s work in

the world and gather together to partake in the glory of God. The mutual bond that members of a

church share is the belief in a God that loves them and is for their good. Communion is found

among believers in a unique and beautiful way.

In my reflection over the entirety of this course, the personality that stood out to me the

most was Jean Vanier. Perhaps it was because it was because he was a new face to me and I had

a lot to learn or maybe there is just something utterly unique about him that I cannot quite

describe. It is likely a combination of these two. I had heard of Saint Thérèse, but I knew only a

bit about her. I connected with her spirituality, but I struggled to attach to her life any more than

that. With Saint John Paul II, it is almost impossible to not know his name and the things he

accomplished. In no way do I think that he did not live up to this, I just might have been too

familiar with his story for it to have a profound impact on me. That is why I was taken aback by

the witness of Jean Vanier. I knew nothing of him, but with the little I have read and seen, I feel

as though I have a connection with him. His gentleness and care for the vulnerable of our

societies through the L’Arche organization warms my heart and speaks to my call of vocation. It

is hard to pinpoint exactly why, but Jean Vanier’s witness has spoken to me through the little I

have learned of him.

12
White, The Light of Christ, 75-76.
13
Joensen, Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms.
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While that is my personal opinion, I do believe that he is a great witness for everyone of

this time. A major reason for this is simply the fact that he is still alive. He has already done such

great things with his life, but we still have direct access to his work and philosophy. People have

the ability to have more than knowledge about him, they can actually know him personally. I

find that he also very compelling in the way that few know about him. How is it possible for him

to be the face of Christ to so many, yet the world hardly knows his name? This was true for

Thérèse as well, but she has since become a Catholic sensation. Pope John Paul II was always a

very popular guy, so his witness is already well known. Jean Vanier is so compelling because he

is so new to us and because he is leading such a unique life.

With such a great witness like Jean Vanier, in addition to understanding my own

strengths provided by the VIA Character Strengths inventory and the various resources we have

encountered on the Catholic Tradition, my sense of my own vocation has been enhanced.

Understanding that vocation is a calling form God, not just my mere career, I see how it will go

deeper than the job I end up in. My vocation is the deep seeded nature that will draw me one way

or another. My VIA strengths are characteristics that I hold to high esteem, so I am sure that they

will be critical contributors to my vocation. My spirituality helps me find meaning and guides me

out of earthly thinking into what God wants for me. My sense of gratitude helps me to recognize

all the blessings of my life and how in turn, I might use my gifts to then glorify God. With the

characteristic of love, I am able to be open to all those that cross my path; I hope to have a heart

for humanity. Each of my strengths are defining characteristics of my vocation. With extremely

unspecific at this time, I have come to realize that my vocation may be as simple as pursuing my

individual call to holiness. I want my life to my dedicated to God, His will to be accepted as my

will. I want to strengthen the Body of Christ, the whole human community with the gifts and
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talents that I have been blessed with. With that, I wish to help others recognize the universal call

to holiness. What better vocation is there to promote the good of others and to help them become

holy as well?

With this as my vocation and the newly discovered influence of Jean Vanier, I have come

to realize how I am able to be an instrumental component to building a civilization of love. Jean

Vanier did so by channeling his time, energy, and effort into living in an intentional community

with persons with mental disabilities to bring human dignity and love into a place it seemed to be

lacking. While not necessarily in the same manner, I hope to do something similar as well. I

recognize my gifts to relate to others and to love immensely, so I intend to find a way that I can

bring that out to the world. I want to build people up and show them that they are loved by God,

no matter the circumstance. Building a civilization of love does not have to change the entire

world, but it should change the entire world of the people you encounter. Though collectively, an

entire civilization of love is possible. If all of God’s people, those recognizing the call to

holiness, can participate in fostering love for one another, we can change the world.

Looking back at all we have encountered this semester, I am amazed by the people we

have learned from and the concepts that we have studied. Saint Thérèse, Saint John Paul II, and

Jean Vanier each brought unique perspectives on seeing the face of God and were a testament to

living a life dedicated to Him. They each exemplified what it means to live in communion, but

the also provided us with great examples of mediation and sacramentality. These witnesses have

brought our attention to the saving power of Christ through his Incarnation, the relationship we

should develop with the Trinity to be even more united with God, and how communion is

manifested in the Church.

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Bibliography

Berken, Kathleen. Walking on a Rolling Deck: Life on the Ark. Collegeville: Liturgical Press,

2008.

Joensen, Father William. Glossary of Witnesses Themes and Terms. Accessed December 10,

2018.

King, Heather. Shirt of Flame. Brewster: Paraclete Press, 2013.

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Pope John Paul II. Divini Amoris Scientia [The Science of Divine Love]. Vatican Website.

October 19, 1997, https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-

ii/en/apost_letters/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19101997_divini-amoris.html

______. Familiaris Consortio [The Fellowship of the Family]. Vatican Website. November 2,

1981, http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-

ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html

Vanier, Jean. Becoming Human. Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1998.

White, Thomas Joseph. The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism. Washington D.C.:

The Catholic University of America Press, 2017.