The founder of the world’s largest gang-intervention program shares how the world can learn compassion and care from Filipinos. During his inaugural visit to the Philippines, Fr. Greg Boyle, U.S. Medal of Freedom Awardee and founder of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest and most successful gang-intervention program, expressed his admiration for Filipinos’ exceptional warmth and unwavering care.
Elaine Kahn, founder of Integra Wellness Center, a leading holistic healing and well-being center, brought Fr. Boyle to the Philippines after witnessing firsthand the profound impact of his approach to transforming individuals through compassion. While in the country, he delivered a talk in partnership with the Ateneo De Manila University and facilitated a retreat focused on the transformative power of kinship, compassion, and healing.
Compassion as a superpower
Renowned for his teachings on healing and compassion, Fr. Boyle highlighted that the culture of care and mutual support found within Filipino communities are transformative forces that could foster significant positive change. He described this deep sense of caring as the “superpower” of Filipinos. “Filipinos’ ability to care deeply for one another is a powerful force that, if harnessed and shared globally, could help us create a better world,” Fr. Boyle said. He further noted that by embracing and amplifying this compassion, individuals and communities around the world can address pressing social challenges, foster deeper connections, and cultivate a more empathetic and supportive society.
We are not problems to fix but persons to love
While in the Philippines, Fr. Boyle was deeply impressed by the nation’s culture of love and compassion. He observed that Filipinos embody a profound understanding of human connection. “Filipinos love being loving. They let love live through them. They seem to have an understanding that people are not problems to fix but persons to love.” He noted that instead of approaching individuals with the mindset of correcting or solving their perceived issues, we should view them as persons needing unconditional love and acceptance.
Love ventilates the place where you are stuck
“When people get stuck, the only thing that helps is love. Love is the thing that will constantly ventilate the place where people are stuck,” Fr. Boyle said, highlighting how love facilitates progress. He shed light on how holistic healing spaces like Integra Wellness Center, which offer a diverse range of therapies for releasing traumas and nurturing wholeness, create venues where individuals are embraced with love, care, and compassion. This approach eventually prepares them to open up to love, recognize their own goodness, and take a step towards the next loving thing.
Everyone is good, but not everyone is whole
To cultivate the ability to extend love and compassion, Fr. Boyle shared, “We should hold the belief that everyone is fundamentally good, though they may not always be complete or whole.” He encouraged people to see one another without moral judgment and recognize the inherent potential for goodness in every individual, while also acknowledging that everyone may need support and healing to reach a sense of completeness. By fostering an environment where people can receive the necessary care and support, we help them move toward a state of completeness and nurture a more compassionate community for all.
Healing at the core of penal systems and rehabilitation
Drawing from his extensive experience with Homeboy Industries, Fr. Boyle advocated for a fundamental shift in how society approaches rehabilitation, especially for those who suffered from addiction and were convicted of crimes. He called for a broader approach that incorporates personal healing and transformation, challenging the traditional view of rehabilitation, which often focuses solely on preparing individuals for employment. “Preparing individuals for employment without addressing their need for healing results in short-term job retention and significantly lowers their chances of successful reintegration,” he shared.
This also highlights the need to rethink our penal systems, shifting their focus towards healing rather than punishment. This philosophy is exemplified by Fr. Boyle’s founding of Homeboy Industries, where he and his community chose to treat gang members as human beings capable of change instead of the prevailing strategies of suppression and mass incarceration. “Just as we view patients in hospitals without moral judgment, we should approach those in prisons with the same mindset—acknowledging their need for healing.” Fr. Boyle stresses that true rehabilitation involves addressing the traumas that individuals face and fostering their emotional and psychological well-being so they can successfully adapt back into society.
Fr. Boyle’s visit is a powerful reminder of the Filipino culture of compassion. By harnessing our superpower and incorporating compassion and healing into rehabilitation efforts, we can create a society that supports individuals in healing from their traumas and achieving a sense of wholeness.
