The church members who staff the literacy center, in a storefront marked with bright-yellow "Boston Scientology Ministry" signs, say they wanted to do something about the increase in violence in Boston, which they attribute in part to poor education.

"My goal is to infuse the community with tools they can use," said Robert Castagna , a Scientology minister who heads up the literacy program. "I’m not here to save your soul, but if you can’t read, you have a major handicap spiritually."

Excerpted from the Boston Globe

To that end, the Washington Street church collected nearly 100 guns in the buy-back program launched this summer by the city.

Northeastern University professor Susan Setta said: "Some religions help by example. The Scientologists believe they have the answer and they believe they can help people. They think that if you’re a Scientologist, it would be better, but I think they think they can help you even if you’re not."