The Saint Benedict Institute will host a screening of the film “{Summer in the Forest” on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. at Hope College in Winants Auditorium of Graves Hall.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
“Summer in the Forest” is a documentary film that explores the life and work of Jean Vanier, Catholic author, philosopher and founder of L’Arche communities, “where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together as peers, create inclusive communities of faith and friendship, and transform society through relationships that cross social boundaries.” The film traces Vanier’s activism and faith from wartime to present day and reveals us the universal need for love, community and companionship.
Like countless others, Philippe, Michel, Andre and Patrick were labeled “idiots,” and they were locked away and forgotten in violent asylums until the 1960s, when the young philosopher Jean Vanier took a stand and secured their release. Together they created L’Arche, a commune at the edge of a beautiful forest near Paris. Now in his 80s, Vanier is still at L’Arche.
The film will be followed by a short reflection from Dennis Feaster, a professor of sociology and social work at Hope. Feaster specializes in social work practice with people with disabilities, international social work, community mental health, and medical social work.
The screening is co-sponsored by the college’s Departments of Sociology and Social Work, Modern and Classical Languages, and Religion; the Peace and Justice program; the Markets and Morality, Hope Catholics, and Cherishing Life student organizations; the Emmaus Scholars Program; the Center for Diversity and Inclusion; and Disability and Accessibility Services; as well as by Western Theological Seminary.
The Saint Benedict Institute is a ministry of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Holland. It seeks to promote and nurture intellectual work done from the heart of the Catholic Church, to foster an ecumenical community of Catholic Christians and friends committed to the renewal of culture, and to aid in the formation of intellectually and spiritually mature Christians by making available the riches of the Catholic tradition to Hope College and the wider community. More information can be found at saintbenedictinstitute.org.
Graves Hall is located at 263 College Ave., between 10th and 12th streets.