An American Labor Priest in Korea

Father Do Yo-an, a.k.a. John Trisolini, has been in Korea for fifty years — Priest witnesses history of labor disputes in Korea. He says, "As I am a Catholic priest, I came to Korea under the orders of the Society of St. Francis De Sales, to which I belong. However, as Pope John XXIII said, one should bloom where one is planted, and so I have in this land."

"Not only am I a priest, but also a descendant of a workers' family," said Father Do. "My family backgrounds helped me regard the labor-related issues in the workers' perspectives."

From the article, some very wise statements of his:

"Labor pastoral service is not about mediation between employer and employee. I cannot solve the problems on behalf of the workers, but they have to move for themselves."

"We have to remain cool-headed while listening whole-heartedly to the workers' pain. Emotional responses to labor disputes would only lead to mutual losses, both for the worker and the employer."

"Though, in many cases, employees are the victims, this is not always the case. In order to truly promote the rights and social status of all workers, it is crucial that we maintain an objective view on the circumstances of each dispute."

"Radical activists would sneer at what they see as passiveness of the Catholic Church in realistic issues such as labor disputes. On the other hand, conservative parties, and often the government, would accuse us of being leftists."

"A strike is the last means to be used to solve labor disputes. Korean society needs yet to learn to communicate and act upon responsible freedom."

Labor priests, like Father Barry played by the great Karl Malden in On the Waterfront (1954), perform an invaluable service both to the Church and society, by keeping workers in the Faith and from Communism. Also, they're seldom pansies.