--- title: "\"Will you be my friend?\"" description: Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C., recalls Jean Vanier's simple method of serving others. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/05/26/will-you-be-my-friend/#) # "Will you be my friend?" May 26, 2019 11:00:55 AM  |  by [Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/father-willy-raymond-c-s-c) [!["Will you be my friend?" by Fr. Willy Raymond, CSC (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jean-Vanier.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jean-Vanier.jpg) Image credit: ArcheFrance (2013), [Flickr.com](https://flic.kr/p/dUyWho), all rights reserved.[/caption] On May 7, Jean Vanier died at age 90. He was an impressive spiritual leader and pioneer in the enabling of people with various mental and physical challenges. In 1964, this French-Canadian philosopher, spiritual writer and navy veteran was searching for his calling when he visited an asylum near Paris for the mentally disabled. The overcrowding and filth appalled him. “Will you be my friend?” one of the residents, Raphael Simi, asked him. Mr. Vanier’s answer was to invite him to live with him in a small house in the village of Trosly, France. Soon they were joined by others. Soon the home, called L’Arche, after Noah’s Ark, was replicated 150 times in 38 countries providing joyful communal living for over 5000 members. Vanier said, “They taught me to be human, to accept my own weaknesses and vulnerability. I no longer had to pretend I am strong, or clever, or better than others.” A devout Catholic layman, Vanier was asked what others could do who were not able to devote themselves full-time to serving others. He said, ”Try and find somebody who is lonely. And when you go to see them, they will see you as the Messiah. Go and visit a little old lady who has no friends or family. Bring her flowers. People say, ‘But that is nothing.’ It is nothing — but it is everything.” Thank God for Jean Vanier and L’arche! **Each weekday, the homily from Daily Mass at Holy Cross Family Ministries is shared online. [Visit Family Rosary: World at Prayer](https://blog.familyrosary.org/) and sign up to receive notifications of each day's homily.** --- *Copyright 2019 Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C.* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F26%2Fwill-you-be-my-friend%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F26%2Fwill-you-be-my-friend%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F26%2Fwill-you-be-my-friend%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=%22Will%20you%20be%20my%20friend%3F%22) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F26%2Fwill-you-be-my-friend%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F26%2Fwill-you-be-my-friend%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Blog2017/2014FrWRaymond-896905-edited.jpg) ### [Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/father-willy-raymond-c-s-c) Father Wilfred J. Raymond, C.S.C. (Father Willy), a native of Old Town, Maine, is the eighth of 12 children. He joined the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1964 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1971. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Stonehill College in 1967 and a master’s in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1971. He served in ministry at Stonehill College (1979-1992), Holy Cross leadership (1994-2000), National Director of Family Theater Productions, Hollywood (2000-2014), and President of Holy Cross Family Ministries (2014-2022). In addition to English, he is conversant in French and Spanish. He remains a diehard fan of the Boston Red Sox, even though he has served as Chaplain for the Los Angeles Dodgers. ## Related Blog Articles [ Reflection for Good Shepherd Sunday Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/05/12/reflection-for-good-shepherd-sunday/) [ Love Your Enemies Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/02/24/love-your-enemies/) [ From Fr. Willy: A Favorite Pentecost Poem Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/05/13/from-fr-willy-a-favorite-pentecost-poem/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.