Solidarity In Gregory Boyle's Tattos On The Heart

In the simplest words of Dorothy Day, “We cannot live alone. We cannot go to heaven alone. Otherwise, as Péguy said, God will say to us, ‘Where are the others?’” (Day, p. 91). This statement reflects the need for all Christians and humans alike to unite and work together toward going to heaven. Such acts of solidarity come in many forms ranging from harmony with our neighbors, the poor, the vulnerable, the suffering, or a unity for peace and love for all. Acts for solidarity are so widespread that through the writings of Dorothy Day, Pope Francis, Bernard Brady, Richard Gula, and Gregory Boyle, their plentiful experiences and calls of action for camaraderie in society suggest that solidarity is the primary goal for those Christians striving

to improve the wellbeing of others.
First, Dorothy Day’s writing, “Works of Mercy,” proposes one aspect of solidarity, that is, with the poor of both spiritual and material forms. She gives a reason for this need for social unity as, “It is with all these means that we can live as though we believed indeed that we are all members one of another, knowing that when ‘the health of one member suffers, the health of the whole body is lowered’” (Day, p. 91). Therefore, Dorothy Day presents this dilemma to us; all suffer when one suffers. Thus, she suggests that we need to be in contact with the poor to better understand their needs and how their pains can be quelled, “We need always to be thinking and writing about poverty, for if we are not among its victims its reality fades from us. We must talk about poverty, because people insulated by their own comfort lose sight of it” (Day, p. 106). Day’s words help me understand how I can begin to solidarize because I personally have not had abundant experiences with poverty; however, she teaches that it is necessary to keep an active dialogue about poverty in order to begin to integrate the poor into society. We must not forget about the poorest of our community because this problem will not be solved quickly, but instead, “The poor are always going to be with us—Our Lord told us that—and there will always be a need for our sharing, for stripping ourselves to help others. It will always be a lifetime job” (Day, p. 111). Thus, Dorothy Day presents that this call for solidarity with the poor must never be dismissed. For me, volunteering at the Dorothy Day Center has given me a chance to not “lose sight of [poverty]” and to better understand their needs.
Next, in Evangelii Gaudium or The Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis, another call has been made to serve the common good and to unite all people in light of the lessons Jesus teaches us in the Gospel. He proclaims, “Accepting the first proclamation, which invites us to receive God’s love and to love him in return with the very love which is his gift, brings forth in our lives and actions a primary and fundamental response: to desire, seek, and protect the good of others” (Pope Francis, p. 1). Therefore, because we have been gifted with God’s love, it is our duty to insure the same wellbeing for others; I see this as being a common goal of solidarity. Just as “unhealthiness” affects the whole, in “Works of Mercy,” goodness and love are also contagious, but in a positive, bonding way. Pope Francis further emphasizes the need to solidarize with the poor, like Dorothy Day. However, his approach is from a more theological standpoint saying, “Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society’s most neglected members” (Pope Francis, p. 3). Thus, we must follow Christ’s example of integrating the poor into society. Without our help, the poor will continue to live lives that are not as fulfilled as the rest of society. Then, Pope Francis proclaims, “ We must never forget that the planet belongs to all mankind and is meant for all mankind; the mere fact that some people are born in places with fewer resources or less development does not justify the fact that they are living with less dignity” (Pope Francis, p. 4). This point is crucial to understanding that many people living in poverty were born into their situations but still have the same rights of human dignity. Organizations such as Feed My Starving Children work to support the dignity of those in third world countries and “restore to the poor what belongs to them” (Pope Francis, p. 4). Evident from both Pope Francis and Dorothy Day, solidarity with the poor of our worldly society is a paramount subject of social justice.
However, Pope Francis explains that solidarity must not end with the financially poor, for the vulnerable are also in need. Again, he uses theology to give reason for solidarity, “Jesus…identifies especially with the little ones (cf. Mt 25:40). This reminds us Christians that we are called to care for the vulnerable of the earth. But the current model, with its emphasis on success and self-reliance, does not appear to favour an investment in efforts to help the slow, the weak, or the less talented to find opportunities in life” (Pope Francis, pp. 7-8). Pope Francis expresses that our current society’s focus makes it difficult to find time to help the powerless and outcasts. Before assistance can be given to the victims of vulnerability, Pope Francis notes, “Let us not look the other way. There is greater complicity than we think. The issue involves everyone!” (Pope Francis, p. 8). Thus, before progress can be made to alleviate the struggles of the vulnerable, solidarity must transpire.
Now that Pope Francis has established that solidarity is vital among all members of society, including the vulnerable and the poor, to support human dignity, solidarity is also necessary to maintain peace within the worldly society. Pope Francis proposes, “Communion amid disagreement…can only be achieved by those great persons who are willing to go beyond the surface of the conflict and to see others in their deepest dignity” (Pope Francis, p. 10). Therefore, solidarity in times of disparity is difficult, but Pope Francis says that it is necessary to live in peace with our fellow humans. Pope Francis goes as far to say that solidarity is the only method that will truly unite our diverse world, “It is only in unity, through conversion of hearts and reconciliation, that we will be able to help our country to develop on all levels” (Pope Francis, p. 11). Hence, unity or solidarity lies at the foundation of all actions to promote the common good and peace among all peoples.
Christian Love by Bernard Brady uses Mother Teresa’s teachings to show how solidarity plays a role in the love for others. Through Christ’s love for use, we are expected to reciprocate that love onto others: “Jesus said love one another. He didn’t say love the world, he said love one another- right here, my brother, my neighbor, my husband, my wife, my child, the old ones” (Brady, p. 3). Consequently, although it is not always easy, we are all called to love and be loved; that mutual fondness for each other creates experiences of unity. Mother Teresa also touches on the importance of reaching out to the poor saying, “If sometimes our poor people have had to die of starvation, it is not because God didn’t care for them, but because you and I didn’t give, were not instruments of love in the hands of God” (Brady, p. 4). Thus, love is an act used to solidarize with the poor. We all belong to the same God and are created in the same likeness; that is, the same need for love.
So far Dorothy Day, Pope Francis and Bernard Brady have shown why solidarity is necessary and whom solidarity is between in a more general sense; nevertheless, in Just Ministry, Richard Gula presents more specific ways solidarity is applicable in our daily lives through various virtues. First, compassion involves acting in solidarity with those suffering. In the words of Richard Gula, “Unless our feelings are totally numb, we cannot stand to see another suffer” (Gula, p. 103). Accordingly, we do not stand on the sidelines while someone is in physical or emotional pain, but instead do our best to relate to their situation; then, they know they are not alone. Gula gives another example of showing compassion saying, “Another way of behaving toward suffering is to deepen our connectedness to others” (Gula, p. 105). This “connectedness” is exactly what solidarity entails; feeling close to others even in times of anguish. Another virtue that Gula indicates is generosity. Again, with generosity comes solidarity. For instance, Gula explains, “To be made in the image of God is an imperative calling us to live out of the fullness of the gifts we have received by putting them in service for the good of the community” (Gula, p. 101). Therefore, being generous involves using our resources for the common good and not just our own self-interest. In other words, “Generosity is the virtue of a good neighbor—self-sacrificing and interested in the welfare of others” (Gula, p. 101). Gula calls us to join in solidarity with our “neighbor” and strive to care for others needs as much as our own. In order to truly be compassionate and generous, we first need to find solidarity with others.
While the other readings emphasized the importance of solidarity in our community, Gregory Boyle in Tattos on the Heart shows how solidarity is put into action through his work with Homeboy Industries.

For example, Father Boyle tells of a time when “Wetback Church” was spray painted on a church where he was going for a meeting (Boyle, p. 71). Instead of being angry, the women of the church turned the situation positive saying, “‘You will not clean this up. If there are people in our community who are disparage and hated and left out because they are mojados (wetbacks)… Then we shall be proud to call ourselves a wetback church’” (Boyle, p. 72). Thus, they stood firm together and did not let others put them down. The women helped form solidarity among the church and “chose a oneness in kinship and a willingness to live in others’ hearts” (Boyle, p. 72). Since, Homeboy Industries was in the heart of Los Angeles, homies often worked with members of rival gangs. For instance, Clever and Travieso are known enemies that work together, but when Travieso is killed, Clever’s true feelings are released. He tells Father Boyle, “‘He…was…not…my…enemy. He was my friend. We…worked tougher’” (Boyle, p. 145). This example shows that enemies to the community were actually “friends” at heart; they found a common connection in their work, and could look past their differences. Father Boyle’s work with homies shows that solidarity is possible even in the most violent

societies.
In conclusion, the writings of Dorothy Day, Pope Francis, Bernard Brady, Richard Gula, and Gregory Boyle all give insight into the importance and implementation of solidarity in our community. Now it is our turn to take their words and put them into action in our own lives through serving the less fortunate and working on becoming a virtuous person.