Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

Tattoos on the Heart is Gregory Boyle’s memoir. The book is a personal, introspective narrative containing countless contemporary “parables” that Boyle has encountered in his many years of helping those on the margins of society. Boyle has a Master’s degree in English; his writing style is refined, descriptive, humorous, and serious all at once. The narrative makes it clear that Boyle’s experiences as a Jesuit priest inform the entirety of the narrative and emotional landscape of Tattoos on the Heart. Boyle’s early missionary work in Bolivia helped solidify his Spanish language skills, something that would later help him in his goal to reach the hearts and minds of the homies and homegirls that lived and feuded around Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles. During his time at Dolores Mission Church, Boyle does what no one else seems willing to do: talk to, interact with, and help out gang members. Boyle’s efforts to counsel local gang members blossomed into the prosperous enterprise of Homeboy Industries, a non-profit organization that helps gang members find employment, attain educations, and cut their former gang ties. Homeboy Industries has helped thousands of gang members change their lives for the better, though Boyle has also had to bury nearly 200 young men and women as a result of gang violence.