obelisk 2022
Hugh O ’ Flaherty : Acts of Kindness Save Thousands of Lives Trustees Prize Essay on Christian Doctrine by Timothy Hale
Would you risk your life to help people you do not know ? Hard times reveal true character . And some decisions will come down to life or death , choosing between a moral path and a self-serving one . The Bible says , “ Learn to do right ; seek justice . Defend the oppressed . Take up the cause of the fatherless ; plead the case of the widow ” ( New International Bible , Isa . 1:17 ). In this passage from the Old Testament , Isaiah teaches us to do good by searching for fairness , protecting the persecuted , and helping orphans and widows , whether they are literally or figuratively alone . Doing good and helping those in need is just how Monsignor Hugh O ’ Flaherty lived . During World War II , O ’ Flaherty was an Irish priest stationed in the Vatican who helped everyone who asked for assistance , including 6,500 Jews , members of the resistance to the Nazis , and allied prisoners of war . As an Agent for the Good , someone who tries to make the world a better place , Monsignor Hugh O ’ Flaherty pursued justice for all using his God-given traits of dedication , resilience , and forgiveness .
In his childhood and later in life , Hugh O ’ Flaherty saw many unpleasant things ; yet , instead of joining the circle of violence , he tried to fix it . Born in 1898 , O ’ Flaherty grew up during the Irish Civil War of Independence in Killarney , Ireland , on a golf course where his father worked . He was raised in a family of six and learned not only to play golf extraordinarily well but also to help others . Unfortunately , at age 22 , four of his classmates
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