Winnipeg author hopes new foreword will breathe new life into his book

Although Winnipeg writer Jamie Arpin-Ricci wants to sell as many copies of his books as possible, he is relieved that the first edition of his most recent work was recently shredded by his publisher.

To Avoid Further Suffering for Sexually Abused Women by L’Arche Founder Jean Vanier, Arpin-Ricci’s 2015 non-fiction book vulnerable faith, with a three-page foreword by Vanier, was recently reissued with a new cover and introduction by award-winning Winnipeg musician Steve Bell.

vulnerable faith

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vulnerable faith

“We did this out of respect for the possibility that one of his victims would see his name in a place of honor, ? explained the West End LGBTTQ+ writer, pastor and advocate.

“I didn’t want anything to do with anything that would hurt these women more. »

A 2020 report commissioned by L’Arche Internationale and carried out by independent consultants found that between 1970 and 2005, Vanier engaged in manipulative sexual relationships with at least six women in France who sought spiritual guidance from him. .

Vanier died in Paris in May 2019 at the age of 90. None of the women involved was a disabled person linked to L’Arche, an international federation of communities for people with intellectual disabilities and those who assist them.

After the Vanier revelations came to light, sales of Arpin-Ricci’s book dropped dramatically, prompting him to contact his publisher Paraclete Press to republish the 175-page Christian faithfulness-themed work. .

“I’ve been asking the question for a while since the findings against Vanier came out,? ” he says.

??Having it on the foreword is counter-intuitive.??

Authors or publishers often ask writers with established audiences to write an introductory message or cover to give credibility and exposure to emerging authors, says Jennifer Lynch, director of sales and marketing for the company. publisher of Christian music and books.

?? The whole point of a foreword is to introduce a new writer to a larger audience, ?? she says.

Lynch says the Brewster, Mass.-based publisher shredded more than 1,000 copies of Arpin-Ricci’s book and also pulped all remaining copies of a recent collection of Vanier’s sermons, published in l honoring his 90th birthday.

Publishers destroy books because they’re out of date or no longer sell, Lynch says, but in the case of vulnerable faith, the problem was only with Vanier’s words and not with the rest of the book, which mixes a discussion of the life and work of St. Patrick with the wisdom of the 12-step programs.

“As a small publisher, we really value our relationship with our authors and our readers and it was the best thing for both, ? Lynch said.

The new version, published in December 2021, features a new cover design and a five-page foreword from Bell, but otherwise the content is the same.

Writing the introduction to his friend’s book was a mixed blessing for Bell, who credits Vanier with having a huge influence on his own spiritual awakening, and who asked Vanier to write a short article for the Winnipegger’s short book series. on the Christian Liturgical Year.

When Bell was a teenager, Vanier once stayed at the Bell family home while on a lecture tour of Canadian prisons organized by Bell’s prison chaplain’s father.

??I was fascinated by this slow moving man of peace,?? Bell remembers meeting the Canadian-born Catholic social activist, philosopher and theologian.

“And when he looked at me, I felt so seen. »

Arpin-Ricci never met Vanier in person, but the Winnipegger was influenced by Vanier’s writings and the concept of community he modeled in L’Arche. But that work is now overshadowed by Vanier’s actions toward women for many decades, where he took advantage of their vulnerability even as they sought spiritual guidance from him.

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??vulnerable faith is a book that charts a course from isolated individualism to an engaged and mutual community, ?? said Arpin-Ricci.

??Vanier modeled the negative side of why this is true. Some vulnerability is risky and people take advantage of that vulnerability.??

Arpin-Ricci hopes people will give his book another shot, especially during the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, when people are weary of public health restrictions or fight over the effectiveness of vaccinations.

??I think the book is really timely because we find ourselves in a time of great division,?? he says.

??I think the book potentially presents another path to a better place.??

Brenda.suderman@freepress.mb.ca