Fr. Greg Boyle, the Jesuit founder of Homeboy Industries and a U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee, will be visiting the Philippines to deliver a talk on hope and healing on Sept. 6 in Hyundai Hall, Areté, at Ateneo de Manila University.
The talk, “Choosing Hope: Stories from Homeboy Industries,” will see Boyle share about his long-standing work in treating and rehabilitating gang members in Los Angeles, California.
Boyle established Homeboy Industries in 1988 during a fraught time when gang violence was rife in LA. Today, the organization is known as the biggest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the United States, and has supported more than 10,000 former gang members since its founding.
With Boyle at the helm, the organization helped ex-gang members re-enter society and rebuild their lives by providing services like counseling, legal assistance, job training, and even tattoo removal. At present, Homeboy Industries has 13 social businesses, including Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe, that serve the communities in LA.
Aside from the talk, Boyle will also facilitate “The Power of Boundless Compassion: A Spirituality of Radical Kinship” retreat from Sept. 6 to 8 at Rosary Hills Conference Center in Silang, Cavite.
His visit to the Philippines was organized by Integra Wellness Center following a meeting between its founder, Elaine Kahn, and Boyle at Homeboy Industries in LA.
According to Kahn, Boyle’s work in transforming communities resonates with the holistic healing center’s values and mission to promote emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being through various programs and therapies.
Those interested in Boyle’s talk may register through this link or visit his Facebook page for the talk’s livestream and retreat details.
Boyle was recently awarded the 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., by President Joseph Biden for his transformational work with Homeboy Industries. In 2014, he was named a Champion of Change by former President Barack Obama.
He is also a California Hall of Fame inductee, and a recipient of the California Peace Prize, the University of Notre Dame Laetare Medal, and the Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
The Los Angeles City Council has established May 19 as Father Greg Boyle Day in his honor.
— CDC, GMA Integrated News
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