Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
Fr Greg Boyle SJ
Date
24 June 2011 6:00 pm
Fr Greg Boyle SJ a Jesuit priest and director and founder of Homeboy Industries and former Pastor of the Dolores Mission Church. Fr Boyle is internationally known for his pastoral work with gang members in LA and prison ministry to them.
In 1988, Father Boyle began his work at Dolores Mission organising the parish around Christian base communities and following social justice principles. From 1992 onwards, as a response to the civil unrest in Los Angeles, Fr Greg launched Homeboy Bakery to provide training, work experience, and the opportunity for rival gang members to work side by side. The success of the bakery led to the creation of Homeboy Industries in 2001. With his support and guidance, the base communities began developing different programs to help the working poor in their community: a shelter for homeless immigrants; a cooperative daycare; a community organising program; a school; and a jobs program for gang members, the latter being the precursor of Homeboy Industries.