Mean Streets, Kind Heart

Mean Streets, Kind Heart: The Father Chris Riley Story

Sue Williams

An astonishing story of courage, dedication, and the stirring triumph of hope and determination against all the odds.

This is an inspirational tale of how one man can so touch the lives of many. Australian streetkids are the forgotten underclass of society. An ever-increasing number of children, they are often abused, frequently in the clutch of drug-dealers, and usually engaged in crime just to make enough money to stay alive. Their childhood dreams of a happy, fulfilled future are lost forever.

This book tells of Father Riley’s faltering first steps to helping such children, and his determination to pledge the rest of his life to giving them back their dreams. It tells of the heartbreaking situations he’s witnessed, the touching tales of kids with nothing left but their own will to survive, and the way he’s been able to touch so many of their lives.

Throughout the triumphs and the tears is Father Riley’s inimitable humour, his sense of fun, and the indomitable spirit that has recharged so many of the kids he’s helped.