There had to be a book in there somewhere, so Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., went ahead and wrote it up.
Boyle is renowned for his work with the youth of Los Angeles, which has included a decades-long effort to help gang members find a way of life beyond the cycles of violence that so often bring tragedies to our city's streets. The mission led the Jesuit priest to found Homeboy Industries, which includes a number of programs and enterprises intended to provide opportunities for youngsters, including the organization's restaurant at Alameda and Bruno streets on the edge of Chinatown just north of Downtown.
Boyle does a lot of listening as he seeks to help the youngsters — but he is a priest, so he some talking, too. His talks often weave recollections of everything from moments of heartbreak to stories of redemption into parables that he uses in sermons when he celebrates the Roman Catholic mass.
Boyle recently committed a collection of those stories to paper, gathering them into a book titled Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion, which has been published by the Free Press imprint of Simon & Schuster. The book offers a unique look at life in Los Angeles, told by a man who has engaged one of the city's great challenges, leading Publishers Weekly to exclaim that "Boyle creates a convincing and even joyful treatise on the sacredness of every life."
Tattoos on the Heart is currently on sale at bookstores and Amazon.com, and all proceeds will benefit Homeboy Industries.
Photo from L.A. Garment & Citizen.
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