
Boyle will give a talk drawing from his latest book, “Cherished Belonging: Healing Power of Love in Divided Times”
LOS ANGELES — Loyola Marymount University will honor Gregory Boyle, S.J., M.A. ’85, founder of Homeboy Industries and an expert on gangs, intervention approaches, and social enterprises, with the 2025 Doshi Bridgebuilder Award on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
The nationally renowned speaker, best-selling author, and LMU honorary degree recipient will give a talk at the award ceremony drawing from his latest book, “Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times,” on LMU’s Westchester campus. The program begins at 1:45 p.m. and is open to the public, but guests must RSVP.
Named for its benefactors, Navin and Pratima Doshi, the Doshi Family Bridgebuilder Award was established in 2005. It is given annually to an individual or organization dedicated to fostering understanding between cultures, peoples, and disciplines.
“Father Greg Boyle has consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to investing in individuals, fostering hope, and cultivating a sense of community,” said Richard Fox, dean of LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts. “We are delighted to welcome him back to campus to receive this well-deserved recognition and anticipate that his insights will encourage our students to engage critically with complex social issues and approach them with empathy and compassion.”
Boyle was honored with the 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, for his lifelong commitment to social justice and compassion.
A native Angeleno, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1972 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1984. While pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights from 1986 to 1992, he witnessed the impact of gang violence on his community. Working with members of the parish, he began a program that would eventually become Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, employing and training former gang members in a range of social enterprises, and providing critical services to thousands of men and women who walk through its doors every year seeking a better life. Boyle was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from LMU in 2005.
Boyle’s writings have been widely celebrated, and his most recent book “Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times” (2024) explores the transformative power of love in a fractured world.
Previous Doshi Bridgebuilder Award recipients include Jay Bhattacharya (nominated as director of National Institutes of Health); Vandana Shiva (eco-feminist and scholar of biodiversity and bioethics); Deepak Chopra (physician, philosopher, author); Zubin Mehta (world-renowned conductor); Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen master, peace advocate); Greg Mortenson (author, educator); and Huston Smith (religious scholar, author).