#fathergregboyle

[edru]

Abdula is such a beautiful soul, he’s suffered so much but thank God he’s with us at Homeboy Industries now. #criminaljusticereform #fathergregboyle https://www.instagram.com/p/BtTvP9GBufY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ivkceqo2udpo

[neillaolio48]

I’ll never forget the time I listened to, met @fathergregboyle had him pray for me, and blessed my book with his signature. His stories and words of wisdom exuded perseverance and impenetrable faith towards a vision. A Living Legend For Love. On the way out of the parking lot I asked the person driving to stop because I had observed an elderly woman crying. I felt so empowered by what I had just heard, I couldn’t just pass without doing something. I was moved to get out the car walk over to her and began to telling her everything was going to be ok and a few other things, the young lady with her translated. It was a brief, but uplifting for us both, gave her a hug, and then she said,”¿Eres un ángel?” “Are you an angel?” Took everything to hold back the tears. I told her,”no just doing what I’m supposed to do.” I guess, sometimes people just need to know some Random person actually cares. I cried in the car. Then, I got back to work. Now, I’m gonna get back to work. No. Let. Up. #Inspiration #Empowerment #Blessings #Perseverance #Humility #Reading #Books #UnumOlio #fbf https://www.instagram.com/p/B_o-RFwg7H-/?igshid=1wl4lmmfcl2t

[ladyleona]

What is success in the church?

I recently finished reading Tattoos on the Heart by Father Greg Boyle, a priest in Los Angeles who works with “homies” (i.e., gang members) to get them out of the strong pull of gangs, prison, and conflict, and guide them into being loving, working, and forgiving members of their communities. There are incredible stories of forgiveness and redemption within the pages of this book alongside stories of lives cut too short or those who cannot seem to accept God’s love for themselves.

A poignant chapter that stood out to me was about “success” – specifically how Fr. Boyle interprets and sees success in his work. Often, he is confronted with questions on numbers: “How many homies have jobs now?” or “What’s the success rate of your program?” All of these leave him wondering what success means in his context and ministry.

The Lutheran Center is often confronted with these questions, too. Having applied to a multitude of grants over the past couple of years, we’ve had to answer many ‘expectations and outcomes’ questions to “prove” that our project and ministry will make good use out of the money they give us.

This puts us in a weird place because we don’t measure our ministry’s success by numbers. We don’t do this work to get “x amount” of convert Lutherans or “y number” of Pastors. Those are outcomes, yes, and outcomes that we celebrate and will impact the world. But our real intention in this work is to walk alongside students - to create a welcoming church home and community for them to wrestle and question so they might find how God has called them to do God’s work in the world.

That isn’t measured in numbers. That can’t be explained in a grant as a measurable or predictable outcome. And that also means that there will be “failures.” There will be students, homies, and people who we walk with who will continue to deny God, be part of a gang, or lead lives of anger. But that should never stop us.

This work means we are called to walk with all people, not just the easy ones, not just the ones who will give us the outcomes we’re looking for. As Fr. Greg warns us, “If our primary concern is results, we will choose to work only with those who give us good ones.”

Having done over 150 funerals in 20 years of gang members and children he knew and loved, Fr. Greg knows what failure might look like to others. But this is not failure to him. This is presence – God’s presence – in even the most shocking, sad, and sometimes beautiful moments. To him, knowing these homies’ stories and being with them until and through death is success. Solidarity is success.

The LA homie priest says this: “Jesus stood with the outcasts until they were welcomed or until he was crucified – whichever came first.”

May we do the same: stand with the wandering student, the homeless, the gang member until they are welcomed or until we are put to death – whichever comes first.

[writeword61]

Really enjoyed community reception at #somoslaarte 3541 E. 1st Street. Great art, good people, good food. #homeboyindustries newest addition, the Homeboy Art Academy. Bravo to Fabian Debora, his wife Elizabeth and the whole team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Support for UTLA is support for teachers, counselors, social workers, librarians, nurses and public education. UTLA employees don’t get to pay into Social Security. We rely on districts and the state to keep their promises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #wearela #losangeles #utlastrong #red4ed #ournewdealfored #westchesterca #@wearecta @neatoday @hawkins.alumni @hawkins_hs @alumni_hawkins @hawkins.cheer @hawkins_alumni @hawkins_seniors2020 @hawkins_green @somos_la_arte #somoslaarte #blackfamily #blackfamilylove #black #onelove #onelove❤️ #mixedbabies #mixedboys #mixedgirls #mixedfamily #mixedfamilylove #latinxart #latina #latin #latinas #latinx #latino #latinos #exploringthearts #art #artsed #artist #artwork #artistsoninstagram #painting #paintings #canvaspainting #canvasart #canvaspaintings #eastla #fathergregboyle #fathergregoryboyle #fatherg #doloresmission #doloresmissionschool (at East Los Angeles, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B13_WMuB1K7uBmL_voU5MUWXaZIvrO17N4_zT00/?igshid=17v6reu1wf1dl

[movinghumor]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by You’re offended huh? 😂 (@youroffendedhuh)

Me:"My Father is really cool" . . . . follow @_moving_humor NoW!! . . . #fathers #fathersday #fatherlove #fatherly #fatherandbaby #afather #afatherslove #afatherfirst #afathersnightmare #fatherbrown #fatherbaby #fatherberchmans #fatherblackwood #fathercake #fathercaretees #fatherchallenge #fatherevil #fatherearth #fathereffect #fatherfigures #fatherfox #fatherfrost #fathergoals #fathergregboyle #fatherhoodfriday #fatherhoodfraternity #fatherinlaw #fatherjudge #fatherjack (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8y0rpcFmlo/?igshid=1y2ktycnhf6kl

[mrbigsleeps]

Stopped by @homeboyindustries To Say Hello To “FATHER G” @fathergregboyle 😊Good to see you after so many years 🙏🏼 (at Homeboy Industries) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdcINFBCpk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15yhy0blkm0xx

[charlesmolinajr]

Can’t heal other people’s wounds without accepting your own wounds. Instead of neglecting your wounds, welcome them.