Last week we learned of the deaths of the brothers of two Maryknollers: Michael Mares and Joseph Saucci, brothers of Father Phil Mares (Korea) and Father Ron Saucci (Hong Kong) respectively. On All Souls Day itself, little Kaiden Michael Mack, grandson of Don Baisley died suddenly. Then we lost Father Ed Maloney (School of Theology and Hong Kong) Wednesday, followed by Mr. Jim O'Halloran, member of the Class of 56 and long-time assistant librarian, who lost his battle with thyroid cancer and died today, not long after moving to North Carolina.
This, against a backdrop of two horrific shooting rampages: the mass murder of 13 and wounding of 30 yesterday at Fort Hood in Texas by an army Major; and today a sniper opening fire in Orlando.
But let us also not lose sight of even these deaths playing out against two on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Want to talk about PTSD? What about the entire generations of Afghanis and Iraqis who witness death and violence on a daily basis? Who's treating their post tramatic stress? What future acts of mindless violence are we sowing in those populations with our on-going military actions?
The unexpected death of an infant. The lose of relatives to disease. The death of strangers to mindless violence. The daily tolls of war victims and soldiers alike.
"Do not send to know for whom the bell tolls..."
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