Putting faith into action - Georgetown Today

a man in religious clothing in front of a stained glass window — Father Peter W. Gyves, S.J., M.D., set up a nonprofit group that provides meals and ESL classes for communities in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Courtesy of A Faith That Does Justice

Father Peter W. Gyves, S.J. (M’78), founder of the nonprofit group A Faith That Does Justice (AFTDJ), passed away at age 72 on August 7, 2024.

Over the course of his life, Gyves earned a biology bachelor’s and a theology master’s from Boston College; a public health master’s from Johns Hopkins University; and a medical degree from Georgetown University. He became a pediatrician, a pediatric endocrinologist, and National Institutes of Health researcher.

But a traumatic experience—providing health care after the Salvadoran Army soldiers killed six Jesuits and two women in their home during the 1989 martyring of the Jesuits in El Salvador—changed his life forever.

At age 52, Gyves entered the Society of Jesus at the St. Andrew Hall Novitiate, earning a licentiate in sacred theology from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and becoming an ordained priest.

a man in religious clothing stands at a pulpit — Photo: Courtesy of A Faith That Does Justice

In 2015, he developed AFTDJ to give others the opportunity to put their faith into action.

“Father Gyves’ experience seeing injustice in society inspired him to found an organization like AFTDJ and talk about homelessness, immigration, and things that people aren’t always comfortable with,” says Emily Lopez, a volunteer with AFTDJ.

Father Gyves connected with people and inspired many through his powerful message. He was a bit of a magnet. He drew people to him.

—Brighid Tella, AFTDJ director of volunteer engagement

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, AFTDJ provides meals to people with food insecurities and offers an English for Speakers of Other Languages program that runs for two hours twice weekly for 15 weeks. Gyves’ also held a Spanish Mass each Saturday.

“At first, the Spanish Mass attendees didn’t know one another,” explains Bill Sheehan, current president of AFTDJ. “Over time, they became more engaged, preparing a community supper ahead of time at their home, and bringing it to the church where the Mass was being held.”

“AFTDJ is creating a community for Spanish-speaking immigrants in Boston, and who knows what the ripple effects of that might be.” says Michael Nilles (B’84, Parent’15,’18), AFTDJ director and secretary. “Father Gyves wanted to continue making those ripples to try to reach more people.”

“Father Gyves connected with people and inspired many through his powerful message. He was a bit of a magnet. He drew people to him,” says Brighid Tella, AFTDJ director of volunteer engagement.

Rich Carlson, AFTDJ’s director of marketing and communications, remembers a particularly magnetic moment at a St. Cecilia Parish Mass, “It was the only time in my life that I’ve ever seen a priest or even any kind of a minister get a standing ovation after the message they delivered.”