Radical Compassion: Finding Christ in the Heart of the Poor

loving the unloved of society

“I realize that God brought me into this world, blessed with skills

and talents. The only thing that makes sense to me is to use them in the

service of the poor. It is at their feet that I find myself.”

or almost ten years, Gary Smith, S.J., lived and worked among the poor of Portland, Oregon. With this memoir, he invites us to walk with him and meet some of the abandoned, over-looked, and forgotten members of our society with whom he has shared his life. Just as Smith found a deeper, truer understanding of himself and of the heart of God through his work, these people and their stories stand to transform us.

“Although its subject matter is bleak, the book is not. Smith has found love amid the despair. His book is touching, at times hopeful, and the kind of book that is hard to put down, that fascinates, horrifies, and rivets one’s attention.”

—Booklist

“Smith takes us where we would rather not go, the heart of the poor, the lonely, and the abandoned. In true Ignatian fashion, he finds God there. An unforgettable experience for those who have the courage to walk with him.”

—Michael L. Cook, S.J.

Professor of theology

Gonzaga University

“Smith performs modern-day miracles of compassion, and his book sets a

new standard for writing about the rich faith of those who are materially

poor. His stirring prose and utter honesty will change the

hearts and minds of many readers.”

—Gerald T. Cobb, S.J.

Chair, department of English

Seattle University

loving the unloved of society

“I realize that God brought me into this world, blessed with skills

and talents. The only thing that makes sense to me is to use them in the

service of the poor. It is at their feet that I find myself.”

or almost ten years, Gary Smith, S.J., lived and worked among the poor of Portland, Oregon. With this memoir, he invites us to walk with him and meet some of the abandoned, over-looked, and forgotten members of our society with whom he has shared his life. Just as Smith found a deeper, truer understanding of himself and of the heart of God through his work, these people and their stories stand to transform us.

“Although its subject matter is bleak, the book is not. Smith has found love amid the despair. His book is touching, at times hopeful, and the kind of book that is hard to put down, that fascinates, horrifies, and rivets one’s attention.”

—Booklist

“Smith takes us where we would rather not go, the heart of the poor, the lonely, and the abandoned. In true Ignatian fashion, he finds God there. An unforgettable experience for those who have the courage to walk with him.”

—Michael L. Cook, S.J.

Professor of theology

Gonzaga University

“Smith performs modern-day miracles of compassion, and his book sets a

new standard for writing about the rich faith of those who are materially

poor. His stirring prose and utter honesty will change the

hearts and minds of many readers.”

—Gerald T. Cobb, S.J.

Chair, department of English

Seattle University

Gary Smith, SJ, worked for six years with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Sudanese refugee camps in Uganda. He is the author of They Come Back Singing, a journal of his time in Uganda, Radical Compassion, an account of his ministry to the poor and disabled in Portland, Oregon, and Street Journal

contents

chapter one

People with Nothing to Prove: Living among the Poor  ¦  1

chapter two

Cockroaches, Conversation, and Collectors: Inside the SROs  ¦  5

chapter three

Talking with Mannequins: Mental Illness on the Streets  ¦  27

chapter four

What Are You Into?: The Search for Indignation  ¦  53

chapter five

Crashing and Burning: The Insanity of Drugs and Alcohol  ¦  61

chapter six

To Love and Be Loved: Relationships in the Streets  ¦  81

chapter seven

Street Scenes: Glimpses of Old Town  ¦  91

chapter eight

Go in Peace: Celebrating Mass in Old Town  ¦  107

 ¦ contents

chapter nine

Jailhouse Prayers: Learning to Trust behind Bars  ¦  119

chapter ten

Poverty Is Not a Crime: Eddie’s Letter  ¦  135

chapter eleven

The Leper: Robert’s Story  ¦  141

chapter twelve

Ashes in the Wind: Death in the World of the Homeless  ¦  155

chapter thirteen

The Pearls of My Life: What Keeps Me Going  ¦  185