What happens when more of us get to shape the conversation about faith?
Sacred Stories is a five-year project exploring faith & spiritual life by people with and without disabilities across the United States.
Whose experiences shape how we understand what is sacred?
People with disabilities have spiritual lives. They have questions and doubts, beliefs and practices, experiences and perspectives. Sometimes, they are leaders in their faith communities.
Yet religious and theological conversations have often left people with disabilities out. Even when included, people with disabilities aren’t always taken seriously as people who have something to contribute.
Sacred Stories is interested in what happens when we listen more closely. Not because people with disabilities have some special spiritual insight (though they might). But because their experiences are part of the human experience of faith. Too often, those experiences have been missing from the conversation.
Five years. 20+ communities. A lot of listening.
From 2025–2030, Sacred Stories is gathering and sharing stories from people with and without disabilities across L’Arche USA.
Grounding the project is a nationwide Listening Tour (zoom in on the East Coast tour below). Our partners at Everable are traveling by RV to more than 20 L’Arche communities. At each stop, they spend time in community, listening and documenting people as they share what they hold sacred.
Those conversations are helping shape films, audio prayers, accessible curriculum, retreats, and other resources to share well beyond L’Arche.
Map by Hatcher Design Office
What comes from all this listening?
Films
Audio Prayers
Retreats & Curriculum
So, where does GWDC fit in?
L’Arche GWDC is the implementation partner for Sacred Stories.
Our role in the project began before the grant itself: building on what we learned through storytelling projects like On Loneliness, GWDC brought the Lilly Endowment opportunity and the beginnings of an idea to L’Arche USA.
We bring more than 40 years of experience sharing life with people with and without disabilities, including what we continue to learn about relationships, communication, faith in ordinary life, accessibility, and meaningful participation.
Throughout the project, we’re helping turn what is heard and learned into storytelling, resources, retreats, and other experiences that work in real communities.
We do that alongside L’Arche USA, Everable, CARA, and L’Arche communities across the country, whose participation, contributions, and leadership are making Sacred Stories possible.
Follow the journey
Sacred Stories will unfold over five years, and we’ll share what happens along the way.
Follow stories from the Listening Tour, reflections from our community, things we’re learning, new resources, and questions we’re still asking.
Sacred Stories Listening Tour Comes to L’Arche GWDC
Earlier this month, the Everable film crew visited our community as part of Sacred Stories: a five-year project grounded in a nationwide listening tour exploring what people with and without disabilities hold sacred.
Learn more
L’Arche & Lilly Endowment Partner on Sacred Stories National Project
Our national organization, L’Arche USA, has received a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., and we’re honored to be a lead project partner.
Learn more
Curious?So are we.
Sacred Stories is still unfolding.
Want to learn more about the project?
Or talk about how this work connects with your community?
We’d love to hear from you.
info@larche-gwdc.org
Email us about Sacred Stories
Funding & Partners
Sacred Stories is a national initiative of L’Arche USA, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and brought to life in collaboration with partners and L’Arche communities across the country.
Explore Sacred Stories on L’Arche USA’s website
