We're ten people who gather occasionally with two children and two disabled adults, wanting to support each other and pray together. Can we call ourselves Faith and Light?
You already are, in a real sense. To develop your vision further, we suggest you contact the Faith and Light coordinator for your region (see addresses in the back pages), who can connect you with an established community for mutual exchange and visits. Or write to the main office.
Do I have to be a believer to participate in Faith and Light?
Faith and Light is a Catholic movement, but we understand that name in a "universal sense"—open to everyone. Many non-believers take part in Faith and Light, perhaps for the atmosphere of peace, friendship, and joy they find there. It's essential to maintain mutual respect.
Doesn't Faith and Light risk becoming just another ghetto?
Any group faces that risk. It may be sharper for Faith and Light, given the suffering many members carry. We must acknowledge the temptation to turn inward and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us past it. The best antidote to such barriers is to live and act in Jesus according to his Word: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled." (Luke 12:49)
Can someone who is isolated by age, distance, or illness belong to a Faith and Light community?
Yes. When traveling isn't possible, there are letters, visits, and prayer—especially Wednesday evening prayer. Faith and Light members who wish to do so have chosen that night each week to gather spiritually, to pray with one heart, to praise God, and to share one another's burdens across distance.
Where do people with physical disabilities fit in Faith and Light?
At the heart of every Faith and Light community is the mentally disabled person. Our charter made this clear from the beginning. As for those with physical disabilities, we've always encouraged viewing them as "companions," and they have a vital role to play—especially in supporting parents—as friends with much to offer.
Are there young parents in Faith and Light?
Yes, some very young indeed. At Lourdes, our youngest pilgrim was just fifteen months old. His parents hesitated for a long time before deciding to come, dreading the thought of seeing what their child might become as an adult. But afterward they said: "The experience was so full of joy that, despite the suffering we still carry, we came home filled with peace. And we've gained so many friends who now surround our little one." Still, it helps to welcome families with young disabled children into communities where older children are already present to help them feel at ease.
Should Faith and Light admit the "socially marginalized"?
We can only answer that case by case, after asking ourselves: Can this community help this person grow, find peace, and discover reasons to live? How might their presence affect the community's life and unity?
Does Faith and Light have legal status?
Yes. There is an international Faith and Light association, registered with the Paris prefecture in December 1972. National associations exist in many countries, including Italy, linked to the international association. The name "Faith and Light" and its emblem are registered and belong to the international association.
How does Faith and Light support itself financially?
There are no membership fees or dues. Each person contributes to the community's needs as they are able and when necessary. The costs of administration and emergency assistance are covered by donations from those who participate in Faith and Light. Donations are always welcome, and we would especially appreciate help supporting new communities in very poor countries.
Do you need money to start a Faith and Light community?
Money has never been necessary to build friendship. A Faith and Light community grows from solidarity, not from funds. Meeting spaces are sought for free—and somehow always found. For gatherings, parents and friends are happy to bring their own contribution for a meal or refreshments to share. Similarly, anyone can give toward small administrative costs, phone bills, printing, or a bus trip.
Since Faith and Light works to meet its members' needs, can it create and run reception centers or group homes?
Faith and Light must stay true to its essential purpose: encounter through friendship and prayer. If such initiatives become necessary, they will be entrusted to organizations created for that specific work, or separate associations will be formed.
What's the difference between L'Arche and Faith and Light?
Imagine a tree with two branches: the trunk is the spiritual inspiration of Vanier; the branches are L'Arche on one side, Faith and Light on the other. The inspiration is the same: the mentally disabled person stands at the center of both L'Arche and Faith and Light communities. Both call us to live the Gospel's Beatitudes and grow in love. But the reality differs. L'Arche communities are living communities where disabled people and assistants share daily life. Faith and Light communities are not living communities but communities of encounter. Members are "tripartite": disabled persons, families, and friends. L'Arche and Faith and Light are run by two separate associations.
A word on Katimavik (an Inuit word meaning "a place to gather"), also founded by Jean Vanier—a third branch of the tree. Katimavik is a kind of retreat, aimed especially at young people (of all ages). There one hears the Word of Jesus, sings, and prays.