Aaron Oommen Tattoos on the Heart study guide Introduction: Dolores Mission and Homeboy Industries 1.

Explain the significance of the reference to Julian of Norwichs statement on the life struggle. (p. 167) The significance of the reference to Julian of Norwichs statement on the life struggle is that anyone can be completely changed and is able to embrace Gods goodness. 2. What does it mean to live with a full moon in each eye? How does Fr. Boyle do this? (p. 17) To live with a full moon in each eye means that you have to always see the best in people, you cant make an assumption without fully knowing that person. Fr. Boyle does this by not judging people. He started a place to help people who want to change their lives. And in his eyes he sees them being successful. Chapter 1: God, I Guess 3. Fr. Boyle says Jesus chose to marinate in the God who is always greater than our tiny conception, the God who loves without measure and without regret. What does this mean, according to Fr. Boyle? Do you believe that you do this? Explain. (p. 22) I think Fr. Boyle is trying to say that God loves us no matter what we say or do that is wrong even though we do not understand the reason why God does this. I dont think that I can love someone who hurts me. I couldnt love anyone unconditionally. 4. Fr. Boyle asked Willy two questions. What are the questions he asked? What were Willys answers? What is your answer to these questions at this point in your life? Explain. (p. 224) Fr. Boyles two questions were: How do you see God? And how does God see you? Willys answer to the first question was that God was his friend. His answer to his second question was God thinks that he cannot be better. I see God as a guardian, someone who looks after me and takes care of me. Im not sure how God sees me. 5. Fr. Boyle talks about the moment when the utter fullness of God rushes in on youwhen you completely know the One in whom you move and live and have your being, as St. Paul writes. Has anything like that happened in your life up to this point? Explain. (p. 25) It happened to me one time when I was in the fourth or fifth grade ad I was called to lead the class in a decade of the rosary. As I was reciting the Hail Marys a sudden wind blew in front of me and my spirit was lifted just for a moment and then everything was normal again. 6. Fr. Boyle quotes the poet Rumi, who says, Find the real world, give it endlessly away, grow rich flinging gold to all who ask. Live at the empty heart of paradox. Ill dance there with youcheek to cheek. How could it be possible to grow rich by flinging gold to all who ask? (p. 26) The poem does not mean that you will be literally rich by giving money to people, but it means that you will feel better about yourself after you do it and you will rewarded in Heaven. 7. What does God is greater than God mean to you? (p. 26) It means that as I grow older and learn more about God my sense of who God is will change and I will love him more and more as I learn about him.

8. Fr. Boyle says The desire of Gods heart is immeasurably larger than our imaginations can conjure. This longing of Gods to give peace and assurance and a sense of wellbeing only awaits our willingness to cooperate with Gods limitless magnanimity. What would it mean for you to cooperate with Gods limitless magnanimity? (p. 278) To live in Gods limitless magnanimity we have succumb to his will. Chapter 2: DisGrace 9. There are 7 stories of shame in this chapter: a Carmen (p. 4142) b a gang member in prison (p. 43) c the little project kid (p. 43) d Lefty (p. 4344) e Danny (p. 4546) f the kid moving to Mars (p. 51) g the homie who answers every questions with me? (p. 51) Which one of them comes closest to allowing the painful shame of others to have a purchase on your life? Why do you think you were called to this story? (p. 43) Hint: look for something in you where, as Shelly says, hope creates from its own wreck the thing it contemplates. (p. 44) I think the story of the little project kid made the most impact towards my life because as young child I also was self-conscience about myself and cared too much about what people thought of me. 10. Why does the author think that Danny cried? (p. 46) The author thinks that Danny cried because he felt shameful about himself, no guilty. 11. Distinguish guilt from shame. (p. 46) Guilty is feeling bad for something that you did. Shame is feeling bad about yourself. 12. There are three stories that express the thesis of this chapter: a Lula (p. 4750) b Cricket (p. 55) c Speedy (p. 5560) Pick one and explain how it expresses this thesis. Lula expresses he thesis of this chapter because he is being picked on and made fun of because he was a little slow. So therefore he feels bad about himself. 13. Explain the difference between the one false move God and the no matter whatness of God. (p. 52) The difference between the one false move God and the no matter whatness God is that the one false moveGod is not very forgiving. You do one thing wrong and youre done. The no matter whatness God is the opposite. No matter what you do God will forgive you. 14. Why does Fr. Boyle think that gang members like Sniper strut around? (p. 5354) Fr. Boyle thinks that gang members like Sniper strut around because they are trying to hide something deeper in their hearts. 15. What is the name your mom uses when shes not pissed off at you? (Do not write your answer, just whisper it to yourself)

Chapter 3: Compassion 16.Distinguish sympathy, empathy and compassion, Folsomstyle. (p. 612) Sympathy means to feel sorrow to someone else. Empathy means to be feel sorry for someone because they have gone through a similar experience. Compassion means to forgive someone if they have hurt you. 17. How did compassion find its way to vastness for Fr. Boyle after Betitos death? (p. 6367) After Betitos death Fr. Boyle felt very angry but he didnt put his anger out on the people who killed him on the hope that they might change themselves 18. What form did compassion take for Jesus? (p. 72) He wasnt a man for others he was a man with others (pg. 72) Not only did he feel compassionate to the less fortunate but he became one of them. 19. When the Latino who grew up in the projects said, This used to be a church, what was Fr. Boyles reply? (p. 73) He replied: You know, most people around here think its finally a church. 20. What did the church smell like? (p. 724) The church smelled like feet. 21. How did Anthony & Dennis show that, If we love what God loves, then, in compassion, margins get erased? (p. 757) Anthony wanted to be a mechanic so Dennis gave him a shot. Therefore Anthony finally understood his calling and Dennis changed as a person. He became happier. 22. How did Memo find solidarity? (p. 812) He feels compassion for other peoples suffering. Chapter 4: Water, Oil, Flame 23. What perspective did Baptism give George that prevented him from seeking revenge? (p. 847) Baptism gave George compassion. 24. What reasoning leads to teen pregnancies in the barrios? (p. 90) Young women vision death a t a very young age so they want to have a baby before they die. 25. What common source drains the hope from the homies on these pages? (p. 912) The common problem of these people is the unwillingness of their parents to show affection towards them. 26. How does Fr. Boyles dream teach Natalie resilience? (p. 924) It teaches her that there could be a different side to her that she might not even know about. 27. Describe the conditional love of gangs and the remedy for it. (p. 94) The conditional love of gangs is that if you make one bad move then youre out of the gang. The solution is to show these outcasts love and affection.

28. What did Elias need to learn when they clapped for him? (p. 1046) Elias needs to know that the people clapped for him because he needed the morale boost. He was so nervous that he needed that applause to feel better and more confident. 29. Why do you think Fr. Boyle ended the chapter with such a tragic story? (p. 1068) Throughout the chapter Fr. Boyle was telling success stories that he had been through, but I think hes trying to say that life isnt always successful there will be sorrow. Chapter 5: Slow Work 30. Why does God wait, do you think? Why doesnt God just intervene? (p. 113) God waits because he wants us to try and solve the crisis that we are faced with. 31. Besides waiting & trusting in the slow work of God, what did Fr. Boyle have to do before Grumpy & Leo decided to change? (p. 1115) Fr. Boyle let them decide if they want help, then and only then would he help them. 32. How does Fr. Boyle reinterpret take care of everything? (p. 1157) Fr. Boyle reinterprets it by saying: you have taken care of everything. 33. What is Fr. Boyles thesis about slow work here (p. 124)? Explain how it worked with Johnny. Fr. Boyle thesis about slow work is that sometimes it takes time for a person to change themselves. They need to experience some sort of life changing moment before they can change. Johnny went into an enemys turf and shot wildly at the other gang trying to prevent them from attacking him and one of his bullets went through a window and one piece of broken glass hit his mother. That was his life changing moment. 34. Explain how it worked with Pedro, even though it did not work with Jovan. (p. 1258) This slow work occurred with Pedro after his brother committed suicide. Chapter 6: Jurisdiction 35. Which of these stories moved you the most to see that the persons were in your jurisdiction? Explain the process that allowed you to see that: Caldo de iguana moved me the most because it was a touching story about a group of people who all chipped in a little to make their meal taste great. a Gato reconciles with Flaco (p. 1303) b Chepe & Richie in a restaurant (p. 1347) c Representatives of 3 races at Mass (p. 1379) d Caldo de iguana (p. 139142) e Artie & Danny in Oakland (p. 1423) f Clever mourns for Travieso (p. 1445) 36. What is Fr. Boyles logic in employing gang enemies in the same store? (p. 142) Fr. Boyles logic is that they will struggle in the beginning but they will get used to each other. 37. Describe a time when you have wandered into Gods own jurisdiction. Whenever I go to mass I feel that I am in Gods jurisdiction. Hes present in us when we receive Holy Communion.

Chapter 7: Gladness 38. Circle which of these stories gave you the most delight, then read it again out of sheer gladness, and tell it to someone you think might take delight in it too: Filiberto calls in sick to a talkshow (p. 1478) A homie has anal blindness (p. 148) Spider watches his kids eat (p. 148149) Gs father asks for a pillow (p. 150) Moreno blasing it (p. 1524) Any of the homiepropisms listed here (p. 1546) Frankie smelling cologne (p. 1578) Jesus words to the good ladrn (p. 1589) Marcos tells when his son is born (p. 159) Gonzo, Minor & Psycho almost get the gauge on an owl (p. 159161) Israel & Tony nail the Mass responses (p. 1612) The Catholic Church retitles a document (p. 162) Lorenzo learns to fly (p. 163) Rickie & Adam take a plane ride (p. 1636) 39. When did you realize that God delights in our being? (p. 147) I realized that God delights in our being when I watched the Passion of Christ. 40. Describe an example of a tiny God that shows you know how to recognize one, as Socorro did (p. 1512). A tiny God means that God will help you and you might not even know it. For example a God that will give you the courage to speak out when you believe in something. 41. When you walk into a room, who are you most like: Clinton, Gore, Bush or Jesus? (If you claim Jesus you have to write how you can back it up) I think I am most like Clinton because I also want everybody to like me. Chapter 8: Success 42. Summarize Fr. Boyles take on success. (p. 168) In order to be successful you cant anticipate what the results are going to be. 43. How do you work with the poor, according to Sister Elaine? (p. 172) Sister Elaine said: You dont. You share your life with the poor. 44. How was Jesus an equal opportunity pisseroffer to both the right and the left? (p. 172) Jesus was an equal opportunity pisser-offer to both the right and the left because the right hated him because he affiliated himself with the unclean. The left hated him because he wouldnt take a stand against the right side.

45. Why did Jesus choose the cross? (p. 173) Jesus chose the cross because he couldnt find an option that was as effective. 46. According to Fr. Boyles perspective, what was the success of La Shadys story? Before she died she was changed. 47. By what logic did Soledad pray for the boy in the enemy gang? (p. 1836) 48. Do you agree with Fr. Boyle that there is something better than success? Explain your answer using at least two examples from the chapter. Chapter 9: Kinship 49. After reading the following stories, write what you think distinguishes kinship from success. a Fr. Boyle not the first person Louie visited. (p. 188) b The reactions to Fr. Boyles leukemia. (p. 188190) c Lencho announcing his job from the back of the bus. (p. 1912) d The gas gauge (p. 1934) e Richard the black sheet. (p. 1946) f Fr. Boyles moms secret (p. 196) g Blessing Bandits daughter (p. 1978) 50. How does kinship happen in an airplane? (p. 198205) 51. After reading this book, was your reaction to Chicos death closer to Fr. Boyles or the morticians? Explain how the book influenced your decision.