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sarakomo 's review for:
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
by Gregory Boyle
2021: This has been on my TBR list for so long and it did not disappoint.
In my opinion, Fr Greg inhabits the best elements of Catholicism, and ignores the more problematic ones. You won't find any mention of sexual assault from priests in this book, and Fr Boyle keeps quiet on whether he's pro-choice or not, avoiding alienating any of the more conservative members of his faith. I felt this could have been made more clear in this memoir, but I look forward to checking out [b:Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship|34467028|Barking to the Choir The Power of Radical Kinship|Gregory Boyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510482422l/34467028._SY75_.jpg|55587073] and seeing what more is included there.
Don't get me wrong - Fr Greg is doing GREAT work, and really living one of the most influential and positive lives I've ever read about. Homeboy Industries is held up as the epitome of doing God's work within the Jesuits, and deservedly so - it's an incredible program, doing excellent work. I would have enjoyed a little more of the Homeboy origin story in this book, but Fr Greg makes it clear from the beginning that that's not the book's primary goal.
I'd recommend knowing a little bit about Jesuits or Fr Gregory Boyle before tackling this book. Fr Greg does a pretty good overview of the major tenants of Catholicism, but a little background on the Society of Jesus (a subset of Catholicism of which Fr Greg is a member) would benefit anyone checking out this book coming from an unfamiliar perspective.
This book is not preachy at all, and offers stories and lessons applicable to everyone, not just those within the Catholic faith. Occasionally, Fr Greg will slip into "we do this work because Jesus would have wanted us to", which lost me because I don't believe we need an old man in the sky to force us to be nice to one another. That being said, Fr Greg belongs in the same league as Dorothy Day, Fr James Martin, and Sister Helen Prejean, and I look forward to continuing to read and learn about his life and work.
In my opinion, Fr Greg inhabits the best elements of Catholicism, and ignores the more problematic ones. You won't find any mention of sexual assault from priests in this book, and Fr Boyle keeps quiet on whether he's pro-choice or not, avoiding alienating any of the more conservative members of his faith. I felt this could have been made more clear in this memoir, but I look forward to checking out [b:Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship|34467028|Barking to the Choir The Power of Radical Kinship|Gregory Boyle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510482422l/34467028._SY75_.jpg|55587073] and seeing what more is included there.
Don't get me wrong - Fr Greg is doing GREAT work, and really living one of the most influential and positive lives I've ever read about. Homeboy Industries is held up as the epitome of doing God's work within the Jesuits, and deservedly so - it's an incredible program, doing excellent work. I would have enjoyed a little more of the Homeboy origin story in this book, but Fr Greg makes it clear from the beginning that that's not the book's primary goal.
I'd recommend knowing a little bit about Jesuits or Fr Gregory Boyle before tackling this book. Fr Greg does a pretty good overview of the major tenants of Catholicism, but a little background on the Society of Jesus (a subset of Catholicism of which Fr Greg is a member) would benefit anyone checking out this book coming from an unfamiliar perspective.
This book is not preachy at all, and offers stories and lessons applicable to everyone, not just those within the Catholic faith. Occasionally, Fr Greg will slip into "we do this work because Jesus would have wanted us to", which lost me because I don't believe we need an old man in the sky to force us to be nice to one another. That being said, Fr Greg belongs in the same league as Dorothy Day, Fr James Martin, and Sister Helen Prejean, and I look forward to continuing to read and learn about his life and work.