Noteworthy: Allegheny County Council will honor the Rev. Jack O'Malley for being named the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Citizen of the Year. The Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network honored O'Malley on Monday for his work bringing together the labor and faith communities.
Age: 77
Residence: Morningside
Family: O'Malley is one of seven siblings. His older brother, Patrick Joseph O'Malley Jr. died in September.
Occupation: Allegheny County Labor Council chaplain
Background: O'Malley was ordained in 1965 and assigned to a parish in Manchester. The living and working conditions of his neighborhood prompted him to become a labor advocate. He started working with the labor council 13 years ago after leaving St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Wilmerding.
Education: O'Malley graduated from Central Catholic High School in Oakland in 1954. He attended St. Francis University in Loretto, graduating in 1959.
Quote: “We know that when people don't have enough to eat and don't have safety at the workplace — whether they're a mine worker, a steelworker, a farm worker or a fast-food worker, it becomes a moral issue, and the church should be involved.”
