Join Us for an Inspiring Luncheon with Father Greg Boyle!
We are excited to introduce our inspiring 2025 Spring Luncheon Fundraiser, “Practical Ways To Cultivate Boundless Compassion.” This year, we are honored to welcome the incredible Father Gregory Boyle as our keynote speaker. As a Jesuit priest and the visionary founder of Homeboy Industries, Father Boyle has devoted over 30 years to uplifting and transforming the lives of those facing the challenges of gang involvement and incarceration, all through the power of compassion and unconditional love.
Prepare to be awed by Father Boyle’s exuberant voice as an advocate for boundless compassion and our universal kinship. Enjoy connecting at our luncheon with others also eager to learn from Father Boyle’s vision and his deep and daily engagement in compassionate action and practical guidance.
DATE: Wednesday, May 21
TIME: 10:30 AM Pre-luncheon Meet and Greet social hour, including shopping Father Boyle’s books and connecting with community groups aligned with Father Boyle’s vision. 11:30 AM Luncheon begins
LOCATION: Junior League of Houston at 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, 77027 - Free covered parking provided
TICKETS: Individual ticket $125. Table Sponsor for 10 guests $2,500. Table Sponsor for 10 guests and 10 Tattoos on the Heart books by Father Boyle $5,000. Sponsor details under registration below.
About Father Boyle
Father Greg Boyle is a visionary leader who believes in the power of community and the potential of every individual. Through Homeboy Industries, he has dedicated his life to helping those affected by gang violence, providing them with opportunities for employment, education, and healing. His message is simple yet profound: “We belong to each other, there are no exceptions.”
A Jesuit priest and Los Angeles native, Father Boyle served as pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights during the late 1980s, a time marked by severe gang violence. In the face of law enforcement tactics and criminal justice policies of suppression and mass incarceration as the means to end gang violence, he and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings.
Here’s Father Boyle on The Calling of Delight Gangs, Service, and Kinship in an interview with Krista Tippett/On Being Project.
In 1988, he founded > Homeboy Industries to provide employment and services for former gang members as well as critical services to thousands of men and women who walk through its doors every year seeking a better life.
A bestselling author and advocate for compassion, Boyle has received numerous honors, including the California Peace Prize and been inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In 2014, President Obama named Father Boyle a Champion of Change. He received the University of Notre Dame’s 2017 Laetare Medal, the oldest honor given to American Catholics. In 2024, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work.
Tattoos on the Heart - The Power of Boundless Compassion
Father Boyle continues to champion rehabilitation and social justice initiatives. He is the author of several books, among them the 2010 New York Times-bestseller Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. His newest book, Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times, published in 2024, offers a transformative vision of community and compassion.
Inspired by reviews such as “One of the bravest, most humane, heartbreaking, brilliant, and hopeful stories I’ve read in ages (Jack Kornfield) and in anticipation of the luncheon, Compassionate Houston’s book study group is offering a free three week’s exploration of “Tattoos on the Heart” over three consecutive evenings prior to the luncheon (May 1,8,15).
Experience Father Boyle’s Magic - Cultivating the Good in Others and Ourselves!
Join us as Father Boyle shares his unique stories and transformative ideas, encouraging us to break down barriers and foster a community rooted in love, goodness and acceptance. His work exemplifies the importance of empathy and understanding, and we are excited to learn from his experiences and insights.
““You don’t go to the margins to make a difference. You go to the margins so the folks at the margins make you different.””
How to Participate? - Registration
Prepare to be deeply moved by Father Boyle’s passionate voice as a champion of limitless love and our shared humanity. Join a community of individuals also eager to hear his transformative vision, immersive practices and actionable wisdom. Whether you purchase an individual ticket, make a donation, or sponsor a table, we would love to have you join us!
** All table sponsors will be recognized in our printed program and on table signage and receive verbal appreciation from the stage. For more details, please refer to the registration form's comprehensive list of sponsor benefits. **
Individual tickets are $125 each. If you are not joining a sponsor table and wish to sit with others, tickets must be purchased in one transaction, with names stated, if known, to reserve seats at the same table. If you can’t attend the luncheon, you also have the option to make a donation.
Your generous support of $2,500 will provide an inspiring and educational experience for you and your guests, totaling 10 seats. Additionally, it will help fund Compassionate Houston’s essential programs aimed at promoting compassion and kindness within our community.
Enhance your impact with Compassionate Houston. With a $5,000 sponsorship, enjoy a spring luncheon for ten guests and receive 10 copies of Father Boyle’s inspiring book, Tattoos on the Heart. Together, let’s spread hope and transform our Greater Houston community.
““KINDNESS IS THE ONLY STRENGTH THERE IS.””