Savage Mr. Pitts - Savage :Middle English: from Old French sauvage 'wild', from Latin silvaticus 'of the woods', from silva 'a wood'. - and the boy he slaughtered Kevin O'Malley
Kevin O'Malley was murdered by a savage in Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, this past weekend. Kevin is the son of Brian O'Malley, Leo Class of 1972.
Leo High School has had more than its share of blood spilled by the hands of savages - shot, stabbed, or bludgeoned.
This is not a delicate subject whatsoever. Savages murdered Leo freshman Antonio Davis and put Leo Man Miles Turner in Illinois Rehab for the better part of a year and a wheelchair. Savages murdered Officers Eric Lee and William Fahey. Savages murdered Leo Valedictorian and Golden Gloves Champion Jason Riley. Savages murdered a Leo student from Canaryville's brother in a gangway at 45th & Wallace. Savages come in every race, creed and of course color.
To say, this is not the case is unjust.
Kevin O'Malley's mother and father, like the thousands of anguished parents and relatives who cry out over the loss of victims of savagery on the evening news, are going to bury their child. Kevin O'Malley is the same age as my son.
The savage who shot Kevin O'Malley will be considered for comfort by the people who do not want us to use the noun that describes base, animal humans who only understand impulses.
Our culture makes victims of savagery privileged characters, or, at best, people to be forgotten and turns savages into cult heroes - give the media forty-eight hours and Mr. Pitts will become Mr. Chips, without an opportunity.
That is wrong in every color of the rainbow.
May Christ comfort the O'Malley family and welcome home Kevin OMalley.
1 comment:
I keep thinking about the senseless death of 25-year old Kevin O'Malley.
And the more I look at Kevin's photo the more I see my own classmates from Marist in his face.
Kevin O'Malley could have been my classmate, my friend, my buddy. And something tells me if he had been, well, we probably would have had some good times together and probably gotten "jug" together. And sadly now no one will have another good time together with Kevin, share a joke, enjoy a White Sox game or even go to Mass together. And all because of an individual who thought a cell phone and cash were worth taking someone else's life. I guess that's what this world has come to.
While I won't comment on the perpetrator of this senseless incident, as I will let the law and God above judge him, I just hope someday this man will beg and plead with the O'Malley family for forgiveness and make some sort of reparation for his crime.
I know as Catholics, as Christians, we are supposed to forgive wrongs and injustices and transgressions. But if Kevin were my son (and he could have been), I don't know if I could forgive so easily. I guess I'm just being a little too human right now.
On the church calendar, May 30th, the day Kevin O'Malley departed this life, is the commemoration of Pope Felix I who was martyred for his faith. The reflection for that day is as follows:
"The example of our Savior and of all His Saints ought to encourage us under all trials to suffer with patience and even with joy. We shall soon begin to feel that it is sweet to tread in the steps of the God-Man, and shall find that if we courageously take up our crosses, He will make them light by sharing the burden with us."
Please, Lord, make light this burden for the O'Malley family and for all those who knew and loved Kevin. No, he wasn't my classmate or friend or son. But, he was and is my beloved brother in Christ.
Until we meet again, Kevin, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
It's really, really, really hard to type through tears.
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