People Can Change

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Greg Boyle, SJ

I used to think that members of gangs and dope addicts were pretty much lost causes. After attending a  book review on "Tattoos on the Heart" by Father Greg Boyle, I changed my mind. The author, a Jesuit priest serving in the high crime district of  Los Angeles, has proven that tough love and job training can make a difference. He started Homeboy Industries which serves  high-risk, former gang members with a series of free services and programs and operates several social enterprises that serve as job-training sites.

Boyle has spoken to groups around the world about his ministry and brings along "homies" to tell their stories. The stories they tell are of abandonment, abuse, neglect, and violence that are shocking to most people. He has been interviewed by Anderson Cooper of CNN and other journalists  who are amazed at his success in turning young lives around.

Boyle is truly extraordinary. Not everybody could do what he does day in and day out. During the past 30 years he has presided at the the funerals of over 200 young people who have fallen through the cracks. He has gotten up in the middle of the night to assist someone in trouble or in need of a friend. He has visited hundreds in prison or in jail, and cried with those who have failed so many times they want to give up. His secret is compassion and taking time to listen to their stories as if these troubled men and women are the most important people in the world.

The "homies" affectionately call him G and respect him. They are proud of their accomplishments and have formed a kind of community that helps keep members on the right track. So whenever I hear of "hopeless cases" I think of Father Greg and his Homeboys and smile.



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