Following the 1992 Lost Angeles Riots, during what Fr. Boyle termed “the decade of death,” he began what would become Homeboy Industries in the Boyle Heights area, which had the highest concentration of gangs in the city. According to Fr. Boyle, the successes that the organization has had in transforming the lives of former felons and gang members there has a lesson for us in our own efforts to end the violence we see in Chicago.

The “secret sauce,” he said, was creating “a community of tenderness where people can find relief from chronic stress, and becoming the sanctuary they sought.”

He said that participants bring that spirit home with them, breaking cycles that give rise to violence.

Fr. Boyle wrote about his work and experiences in the New York Times best-seller Tattoos On The Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.

Fr. Scott and several coworkers who were in attendance were moved by the discussion, which included a number of emotionally powerful stories about individuals Fr. Boyle has met during the course of his ministry. “I’ve had the privilege of hearing Fr. Boyle speak on a number of occasions,” Fr. Scott said. “He has truly integrated the Gospel message to reach out and embrace those who live on the margins of society and recognizes all as brothers and sisters in this family that we call our human race.”