Trisolini-A voice in the wilderness-1


Trisolini-A voice in the wilderness-1

1 Pages 1-10

▲back to top

1.1 Page 1

▲back to top
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
- The Life of Fr. John F. Trisolini -
The Labour Pastoral Commission of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul
English Translation by Laurence M. Finn

1.2 Page 2

▲back to top
The Story as it Unfolded
1. ‌M uch of this book relies heavily upon the autobiographical work of Fr. Trisolini,
which is entitled “Life Experience in Korea”. This largely unfinished volume
covers his years in Korea up to the early 1980’s.
2. ‌C onsideration is given to those areas not covered in the autobiography
mentioned above. A deeper look at fifty years at his pastoral ministry in the
Archdiocese of Seoul is the focus of this effort. The sources visited for much
of this information are from the published works of Fr. Trisolini for the Labour
Pastoral Commission and also relies heavily on testimony offered by those who
knew him well, or lived with him over the years. This includes clergy, religious
and laity with whom he closely collaborated for many years.
3. ‌T he biography of an individual can go in many different directions but in this
volume we will look at the affect that Fr. Trisolini had upon the Church and
Korean Society through the prism of the Pastoral Labour Commission of the
Archdiocese of Seoul.
4. ‌F r. Trisolini was a faithful member of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, and
this fact affected his ministry in the Archdiocese of Seoul in a very big way. This
is especially true in the way that he approached Labour Ministry and Migrant
issues. Despite his being a Salesian, the focus of this book is upon his ministry in
the Pastoral Labour Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul.

1.3 Page 3

▲back to top
5. ‌T he Romanization of Korean proper names are transcribed according to the
following rules:
‌A . The names of places are transcribed according to the Romanization rules of
the National Institute of the Korean Language.
‌B . The names of Korean Bishops and the Korean Cardinal are written as
reported to the Holy See in Rome.
‌T he proper names of individuals are transcribed as the individual wishes as
much as is possible. The proper names of those who could not be contacted are
transcribed according to the Romanization rules of the National Institute of the
Korean Language.

1.4 Page 4

▲back to top
PUBLICATION
For those who gave their love and support…
As one who followed in the footsteps of Fr. Trisolini in the Pastoral Labour
Ministry I am very pleased to present this volume dedicated to those cherished
him: a biography of a priest who exuded a deep dedication to his ministry.
This story is one of compelling witness of a priest, revealing his deep life of
faith and spirituality that supported and sustained him and revealed itself in
the rightness of what he taught and the purity of his example. In the photo
collection that was released a year after his death this was clearly evident.
Over the past forty years the brief history of the outreach of the Seoul
Archdiocese in the Labour Pastoral Commission - later widened its ministry
to include Migrant Labour - and indeed the outreach on the wider Asian stage
of Labour and Migrant Labour - all were developments in which Fr. Trisolini
played a major role. It can only be deeply regretted that he is no longer in our
midst to continue being an example of zeal to us all. There was still much to
learn from him; his wise leadership continue to inspire to the present day. I had
served only one year as the Director of the Labour Pastoral Commission when
he died, there was so much more to learn from him.
276

1.5 Page 5

▲back to top
We have decided that it is important to remember the past in order to sagely
continue on into the future. For this reason, within a year after Fr. Trisolini’s
death, our Pastoral Labour Commission decided that this is the time to begin
gathering all of the documentation generated over the past forty years - among
the first efforts being the collection of photographs for the first anniversary of
his death. For the third anniversary we are releasing this fuller version of his
biography.
The Labour Pastoral Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul, while
preparing this volume, spoke with many religious, priests, missionaries and
professionals in the area of labour. The conclusion of the Commission was
that it wanted to share the life of this Good Shepherd who served as a religious
missionary and a professional in the field of Labour and Migrant Ministry. This
has been a desire to share his life with as many people as possible so that his
memory will be cherished for a very long time. Until his death he was a man
who shared the love of God through his own person, serving as an example of
how to serve others in the same way.
Preparing this book of Fr. Trisolini’s life was done in a relatively short period
of time. It is a chronicle of his past deeds - the past deeds of a man who was
as wide and deep as the oceans. We are well aware that it is a poor effort on
many levels. Despite this fact, we also were interested in keeping his memory
before us as an example. In spite of its shortcomings it is meant to be a means
of remembering him honestly and clearly as we can.
This is an attempt to reveal Fr. Trisolini for the Good Shepherd that he was
- especially in his efforts for the Labour Pastoral Commission of the Seoul
Archdiocese. We do this through this very limited effort - bearing in mind that
PUBLICATION 277

1.6 Page 6

▲back to top
a longer period of time must pass before a more definitive attempt can be made
to record his life and its significance. His contribution to this ministry, as a
missionary, a pastor and a professional - inspire us to the present day - and we
want to make an effort to being with this man once again - a man who died in
God. We are trying to absorb this life lived in loving service to his neighbour
and in love of God - until his very last breath. Further delay could risk the
possibility that his memory would pass unknown - with that concern in mind
we proceeded with this publication.
With some temerity this work was begun, recognizing our limitations more
deeply as it was being done. While this was true, we also recognized that, like a
flower blooming out of season, something beautiful was unfolding in this story
of a gifted and graced life. With this in mind, we realized that Fr. Trisolini’s
outstanding life and spirituality lived in a very concrete way - was something,
we believe, that could help future generations.
We must confess that this effort was not easy to put together, chiefly due to
our own limitations. Without the generous contribution of many people this
volume would not be published even now. Despite our limitations, we felt
that this publication could no longer be delayed. With a deep love for the man
that Fr. Trisolini was - we proceeded knowing how he cherished, loved and
supported those involved in the Labour Pastoral Commission’s ministry.
Despite this being a biography that certainly was not easy to bring to
completion, it has safely reached the point where it can now be presented to the
general public. We recognize that without the help of so many, it would never
have reached this point. Especially those who support our ministry today will
recognize how much we have depended upon the early work of Fr. Trisolini
278

1.7 Page 7

▲back to top
even to the present day.
Fr. Trisolini was one who never counted the cost to himself personally of
his ministry - he gave of himself despite being a very busy man. He would
give up rest and comfort in order to be of service to those in need. For those
who supported him and the work of the Labour Pastoral Commission over
the years - our benefactors and friends - we all raise our voices in praise and
thanksgiving to the God who protects and loves us all. We ask your continued
support as you did for Fr. Trisolini for so many years. Thank you.
November 22, 2013
Fr. Simeon Jang Kyung Min
Director: The Labour Pastoral Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul
PUBLICATION 279

1.8 Page 8

▲back to top
CONGRATULATIONS
Fr. Jack Trisolini:
The Lifelong Friend of Labourers
Three years have passed since Fr. Jack Trisolini died and gone to God. He
was a man that I loved and respected. He would often stop by my office, open
the door and greet me: “Bishop YEOM, how are you today?” I feel his loss -
because I can no longer see his friendly face and smile when I want to.
From the time I was a young deacon I knew Fr. Trisolini as a tireless labourer
in the vineyard of the Lord. He did not take a rest but always was working very
hard. He faced the difficulties of the given moment with courage and always
with a feeling of renewed vigour. As a priest and a religious he did not neglect
the basic need for prayer and meditation, obtaining this spiritual energy that
flowed through his heart. He never had more than he absolutely needed for his
personal use - he was an example of poverty - using only what was absolutely
necessary to do a particular task without waste. He was an inspiration to his
fellow religious and seminarians in this regard.
For over 50 years Fr. Trisolini was the Godfather of the ministry of Labour
and outreach to Migrant Labourers. He was always a Salesian, and over
280

1.9 Page 9

▲back to top
the years assumed many responsibilities. Always he had a deep love for the
working man and woman - displaying his deep interest and love for them. This
ministry was something that consumed the majority of his years as a priest.
Beginning in 1980, through his efforts, the Korean Church was involved in the
pastoral care of Migrant Labourers - and for over twenty seven years served as
the Director of the Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral Commission.
He never allowed his own physical limitations, both great and small, and
from which he suffered from a young age and endured to his death, to interfere
with his tireless efforts. It is heartbreaking to recall that some accused him of
being a communist because of his care and love of the common labourer. This
misunderstanding of his motivations provoked misconceptions and personal
animosity that led to feelings of intense loneliness and a sense of betrayal that
was difficult to endure. Characteristically, he blamed himself and his own
shortcomings for these misunderstandings.
When I think of these things, my heart aches. At the same time my respect
for him as a man of God can only increase.
Fr. Trisolini, until the day he died, loved God and people. Before God and
within the Church he was an example of faith, hope and love - a minister of
the Gospel. He was a Christian man - one who had to put the Word into effect -
that is the man we must make every effort to remember.
Two years ago I was happy to see the publication of the book of photographs
of Fr. Trisolini’s life commemorating the first anniversary of his death. I am
even happier and thankful to see on this third anniversary of his death the
publication of his biography.
CONGRATULATIONS 281

1.10 Page 10

▲back to top
I thank the Director of the Labour Pastoral Commission and all those
involved in this effort.
To all of our brothers and sisters working in the Labour Pastoral Commission
I offer my prayers for a richer and blessed ministry.
Finally, for Fr. Jack Trisolini, who spent a lifetime of service to Korean
Labourers, I give my thanks.
November 22, 2013
Archbishop Andrew YEOM Soo-jung D.D.
Archbishop of Seoul
282

2 Pages 11-20

▲back to top

2.1 Page 11

▲back to top
CONGRATULATIONS
The challenge not to be delayed even briefly…
It seems like such a short time, but it is already three years since Fr. Trisolini
died. “Remember that his fate will also be yours; for him it was yesterday, for
you today. With the departed dead, let memory fade; rally your courage, once
the soul has left.” (Sirach 28:22-23).Through these words of the Scriptures we
receive comfort despite the sadness we feel at his loss.
Up receiving my appointment to the Seoul major seminary in 1970, I met
Fr. Trisolini for the first time that year. In order to raise the interest of the
seminarians for the working man and woman and to also create an interest in
the Labour Apostolate, I asked Fr. Trisolini to help with this undertaking. My
own personal knowledge was rather limited at the time. With this beginning
over the next 40 years we were frequently collaborators together in this
ministry.
The seminarians heard lectures and had direct experience in this ministry
for Labour; through this means Fr. Trisolini created partners in this ministry
among the future priests of the Archdiocese. By 1980, the Labour Pastoral
Commission had advanced to a certain level – but with further experience led
CONGRATULATIONS 283

2.2 Page 12

▲back to top
to a time of great suffering for those in this ministry. Accusations were made,
fingers were pointed – and Fr. Trisolini and his co-workers had a great deal to
endure. I was a witness to all of this during those years. In 1994 I became the
chairperson of the Social Services Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul
– and in my assistance to Fr. Trisolini we were able to see the mission of the
Labour Pastoral Commission expand to include Migrant Labour as well. After
becoming the Archbishop of Gwangju, this sharing of experience continued –
helping each of us to work faithfully for our common mission to Labour. We
were partners in this great enterprise.
Fr. Trisolini had the gift of speaking clearly and concisely in his one-on-one
conversations or through his various lectures and writings on prayer, liturgy
and Catholic Doctrine and the Scriptures. At the core of his personal spirituality
was the spirit of St. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesians. His evident
love and chaste affection for the people he served were a fruit of his close
connection to this spirituality. He intuitively knew the true human dignity of all
those whom he met. He was one who, as a missionary, developed his pastoral
ministry over the years always with the “preferential option for the poor” and
for poor youth foremost in his thoughts. He never deviated from the teachings
of the Church – and knew that the Church must be in the work-place in Korea
– and that was his place as well.
Every day the results of poliomyelitis suffered as a young man were his
constant companions. He suffered terribly from the harsh criticisms of those
who did not comprehend what he was about – he had a very difficult life by
any standards. At the same time, expressing God’s grace in his ministry led him
as a pastor to the poor and to a deep and profound happiness. He was happy
to continue this ministry, expanding it constantly, seeing new challenges, and
284

2.3 Page 13

▲back to top
looking for new solutions continuing his interest first begun in his studies in
France. He pursued his goals through academia and professionalism for those
involved in this ministry – giving a competence that matured this life of service
to the poor in this country that was to bear fruit in the future. His hand was a
large one that helped change and develop in so many areas simultaneously –
the effects of which are felt to the present day. He was a close personal friend
to many, especially of Stephen Cardinal Kim Soo-Hwan whose relationship
they both treasured. This is true of many other clergy and religious and laity in
the Archdiocese as well.
Since the early days of Fr. Trisolini’s apostolate in the Labour Ministry,
things have changed considerably in our country for the better. Until the
positive development began to unfold, much blood was shed and sweat poured
from many brows. Their efforts have not been in vain – and they were led by a
priest who played a big role in this development. The expansion in to field of
Migrant Labour has led to many people happily sharing in this vision of justice
and service. I believe that Fr. Trisolini’s role in this new arena of service was
enormous in its impact on our entire country.
His efforts led to the general improvement of the environmental conditions
under which migrants in general and migrant women in particular had to
endure in this land. It remains to us who remain to continue this involvement
with our working brothers and sisters. We are challenged not to put off, even
for a moment, our response to the realities before us today. This is even more
urgent for those of us who are Christians. In order for this land to be a happy
place to live, we must all be involved in the happiness of our neighbours – our
brothers and sisters. We can never forget our commitment to them – because
this sense of urgency is the Spirit of God urging us to charity.
CONGRATULATIONS 285

2.4 Page 14

▲back to top
I loved and respected Fr. Trisolini. I am pleased that the Labour Pastoral
Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul has chosen to publish this book. I
pray, giving thanks to God, that the Lord abundantly bless all those who are
involved in this project.
November 22, 2013
Archbishop Andrew CHOI Chang-mou D.D.
Retired Archbishop of Gwangju
286

2.5 Page 15

▲back to top
CONGRATULATIONS
In the spirit of mutual respect and
cooperation with the local church…
Speaking as the Provincial Superior of the Salesians in Korea I would like
to first offer a word of thanks to the Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral
Commission, its Director and all those involved in this ministry. You give him
the same respect in death that you gave him in life. I feel particularly grateful to
you all in your kind, warm and loving remembrance of the deceased Salesian
priest, Fr. Jack Trisolini.
Not long after the end of the Korean War, Fr. Trisolini came to Korea in
1959 to begin his life as a missionary in this land. He arrived in this poor and
desolate land as a Christmas gift – and until 2010, except for the period of
his seminary training in Italy and France, he remained in Korea until the day
he died in the ministry for youth, migrant workers and multicultural families.
Both within Korea and abroad he pursued this ministry dedicated to labour as a
shepherd, a father and as a friend to all he met.
For his entire life he attempted to follow the spirit and heart of the founder
of the Salesians, St. John Bosco who frequently said: “Da mihi animas, cetera
CONGRATULATIONS 287

2.6 Page 16

▲back to top
tolle!” – That is “Give me souls, take all the rest away!” He began his career as
a teacher of English and Latin for high school students. After studying abroad,
he returned to pastoral duties as a parish priest, the treasurer of our Salesian
Region in Korea, a local superior, etc. While assuming all these various roles
he became slowly involved in the Labour Ministry – eventually becoming
the Director of the Seoul Archdiocese’s Labour Pastoral Commission. In all
of these roles he displayed his gift of being always a good shepherd for those
whom he ministered.
Fr. Trisolini was able to minister to poor children, foreign workers and
multicultural families due no doubt to the deep love of God that was in his
heart always. But even more than that there was his personal experience as
a priest who grew up in a very particular environment. He was the son of an
Italian father and an Irish mother – both immigrants to the United States many
years ago. He knew the harsh conditions and dangerous working places that
migrant labour had to endure through personal experience. He knew the power
of labour unions and their role in disputes with management from first-hand
experience. He experienced that migrant labourers clung to their heritage and
religious traditions in order to survive in a hostile place. He knew the power of
religious faith to unite, to heal and to give hope. He experienced this as a young
boy – growing up in a close-knit, loving family. He learned that this human
experience could knit together a community that could withstand the pressures
they experienced.
During his early years in Europe he was fortunate enough to be led in his
studies by a wise professor who insisted that the seminarian Jack Trisolini –
after he became a priest – should be instilled with a deep basic knowledge of
practical spirituality. During this period he had direct, hands-on experience of
288

2.7 Page 17

▲back to top
leading groups of Young Christian Workers, migrant labourers from Northern
Africa and people living and sleeping on the street – helping to find work for
them. He had a keen interest in the disabled because he met them everywhere
he went. He looked for ways to solve problems through a cooperative effort.
In France and Spain, he continued this pastoral learning experience – and
carried this experience back with him to Korea. Shortly before this, in Korea,
he was stricken with poliomyelitis – a fact that influenced the rest of his life and
ministry. Even through this experience he gained an experience that helped his
pastoral ministry. There is a Chinese phrase - 同病相憐 – which means “fellow
sufferers have mutual sympathy” for one another. Fr. Trisolini understood that
only through mutual cooperation would the minds and wounds of the disabled
be healed.
The Salesian Fr. Jack Trisolini occupied not only an important role in our
Salesian Society; he also played a part in the rapid growth of the Church during
his years of ministry. The Founder of the Salesians, St. John Bosco, always
worked in close collaboration with the pastors in every local church where
he ministered. He worked closely with underprivileged youth, was active in
labour ministry; he worked as well with foreign labourers in a very effective
manner. Fr. Trisolini followed in the footsteps of our Founder in mutual respect
and cooperation with the local church for these important ministries.
Fr. Trisolini has gone to God, and prays for us left behind on this earth. He
was a man who always lived in poverty – he left very little behind. Fortunately,
he left behind the deep spirituality that sustained him for us to treasure as a
precious gem.
CONGRATULATIONS 289

2.8 Page 18

▲back to top
I take this opportunity to thank all those who loved Fr. Trisolini – may the
love of God and His Blessings be yours. Thank you.
November 22, 2013
Provincial Superior of the Salesians in Korea
Fr. Stephen Nam Sang Hun, S.D.B.
290

2.9 Page 19

▲back to top
Prologue - That Day

2.10 Page 20

▲back to top
Fr. Trisolini walked into the dining room of the rectory, without his
crutches, his arms swinging. He was very pale. Preparations were being
made for the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the foundation of the
Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral Commission. Fr. Hur, the Director of
the Commission along with members of the Professional Committee and
the administrator were meeting and discussing plans. Fr. Trisolini greeted
everyone, and handed the Secretary General an envelope.
He said: “Angela, please send this letter by registered post to the Salesian
Sisters.”
She replied: “Yes, Father.”
One of the commission members commented to Fr. Trisolini: “Father, your
face is so pale. You should go to your room and rest now. I will show you the
liturgical book that has been prepared tomorrow.”
Fr. Hur then voiced his concern regarding Fr. Trisolini’s appearance. He said:
“Father you look very bad. Please go to your room and rest for a while. After
this meeting I will go to your room and speak with you then.”
He returned to his room, the effort it took him obvious on his face. He looked
like he was suffering and appeared very lonely. He went back to his room and
turned on his desktop computer. There was a controversy at that time regarding
the use of condoms – and he was reading a text about this issue. Just before
this, he commented to Fr. Hur about this and had asked that there be a delay in
publishing a small volume on the social teachings of the Church. The use of
condoms in the Moral Doctrine of the Church is a very delicate issue, and there
needed to be further clarification about this before the book was published. He
told Fr. Hur that he would try and find further comments through a German
language news site on the internet.
Fr. Trisolini said: “Fr. Hur, look at this. The news that the Holy Father had
commented that the use of condoms in certain circumstances is acceptable is
292

3 Pages 21-30

▲back to top

3.1 Page 21

▲back to top
not true. Of course, the Holy Father would never say anything like that. Isn’t
that true, Father?
Fr. Hur responded: “Yes, Father it is true. But you seem so tired and pale,
please try and get some rest. I will talk with you later at dinner. Take a break
until then.”
As Fr. Hur left the room, Fr. Trisolini had moved to his bed and stretched out,
thinking he would get a nap.
Prologue - That Day 293

3.2 Page 22

▲back to top
A Christmas Gift

3.3 Page 23

▲back to top
On December 23, the last flight of the day departed from Tokyo for Seoul. It
arrived the next day, December 24th, 1959 at 2:00 AM. The flight was on the
carrier Korea National Airlines – the precursor to today’s Korea Air. The plane
landed at a lightly snow-clad Gimpo Airport that cold night. This last flight was
preceded by the very long flight from New York to Tokyo days earlier – which
meant that the last leg of the journey was relatively short in comparison.
In 1959 propeller airplanes were still the mainstay of air-travel in those days.
Upon disembarking, seminarian Jack Trisolini was greeted by the frozen cold
and wind – with a view of the snow covered pine trees around the perimeter of
the airport. This cold night was what first greeted him in his assignment as a
missionary in Korea.
Tokyo, of course, was cold – but the cold in Seoul felt even more bone-
chilling – and that is what greeted him. The international airport at Gimpo
was relatively new – having been opened just the year before. Until 1958,
passengers and cargo all passed through the old airport at Yeouido – the current
site of the National Assembly Building and innumerable apartment buildings.
The building at Gimpo was a prefabricated building – small and crowded each
time an airplane full of passengers arrived and faced the gauntlet of Custom’s
inspection. The small area and the large number of people made for a very
confusing few minutes. Usually there were many family members of the
United States Forces in Korea – coming to visit their loved ones from near
and far. Two Salesian missionaries working in Korea came out to Gimpo to
greet the new missionary – the Argentine born pastor of the Dorim-dong parish
in Seoul (Fr. José M. Suárez, S.D.B.) and the assistant pastor of the same parish
hailing from Belgium (Fr. Raymond Spies, S.D.B.). Traveling from Japan with
the U.S. born Trisolini was the Italian Bro. Delfino Gastadello, S.D.B. and the
German born Provincial of the Japanese Province, Fr. Johann Dalkman, S.D.B.
– and after greeting and introducing themselves to one another they headed to
A Christmas Gift 295

3.4 Page 24

▲back to top
the Salesian house in Dorim-dong.
“It is a Christmas gift.”
The small group boarded converted U.S. army jeeps that were then serving
as taxis – they had earlier been contracted to perform this particular task – for
the journey to the Dorim-dong parish. Upon boarding, the taxis seemed to balk
at moving forward.
The driver let out the Korean exclamation “Ai-go, Ai-go” – a sign of
exasperation - a number of times. Trisolini, American born, was introduced to
his first Korean phrase. In his innocence of the Korean language – he heard the
English phrase “I go” which meant something slightly different! The drivers,
despite their best efforts, failed to start their engines. The passengers, being
faced with a new challenge, descended from the jeep and began to push the
vehicle with a view to getting the engines running. It was a very dark night on
bumpy unpaved roads, covered with loose gravel. The only sound was passing
vehicles that created a deep roar when they passed over the gravel. Finally the
engines fired and they were off.
In 1959, Seoul had a population of a little over two million people. The
parish of Dorim-dong was in the outskirts of the city, sitting on the top of a
hill overlooking the main north-south railroad line. This was the farm-garden
area for Seoul – growing rice and vegetables for several kilometers south and
beyond. In December, cut rice stalks, covered in snow, was all that was to be
seen in the stark emptiness of night. The room that Trisolini spent his first night
had neither heat nor running water. For washing, water had to be obtained at an
outside well in a bucket. Several hours later, upon arising from his cold bed, he
saw the desolate emptiness that surrounded the parish for the first time. More
snow had fallen through the night.
Dorim-dong parish was the fourth church consecrated in Seoul. The Ordinary
of the Joseon Apostolic Vicariate, Bishop Gustav Charles Marie Mutel M.E.P.,
296

3.5 Page 25

▲back to top
was looking for a religious congregations or a missionary groups that would
establish a high school and technical school in Seoul. In July 1908 he toured
Europe on his quest to establish these institutions. During this journey, he met
the Provincial Superior of the Southern French Province of the Salesians –
asking them to take on this task in Joseon. The Provincial in turn, supporting
Bishop Mutel’s request, sent an appeal to the General Superior of the Salesians.
This request contained the rational for the request, describing the current
situation of the Korean Church – and the urgency that Bishop Mutel thought
that these should be established. This request arrived shortly into the hands of
the Superior General of the Salesians, Blessed Michele Rua, S.D.B.
At that time, the Salesians decided that it was not feasible for them to begin
this new work. They were unable to respond positively to Bishop Mutel’s
request for help. Years later, in 1937, various appeals were made to the
Salesian Japanese Province for assistance by the Ordinary of the Gyeongseong
Apostolic Vicariate by Bishop Adrien Joseph Larribeau M.E.P. That request
was also turned down by the Salesians at that time. While this was the reality,
it was also the time when the spirit and charism of St. John Bosco began to
be known on the Korean peninsula among the Catholic faithful. Following
the canonization of St. John Bosco in 1934, a biography of the new saint was
serialized in the Gyeonghyang Magazine.
This biography introduced the new saint and his spirituality for the first
time to the Korean Catholic faithful who were until then unaware of him. This
biography also influenced the Korean clergy as well. While serving as the
Assistant at Myeong-dong Cathedral in central Seoul, the future Ordinary of
the Gyeongseong Apostolic Vicariate, Archbishop Paul Marie RO Ki-nam,
attempted to apply Salesian spirituality to his early ministry. When he became
the Ordinary, he warmly welcomed with the greatest of affection the Salesians
to serve in Dorim-dong parish. The early Salesians and the Archbishop had
A Christmas Gift 297

3.6 Page 26

▲back to top
great mutual esteem for one another – seeking each other’s opinions and help
on the many issues that came up over the years. While the Diocese was unable
to help the Salesians much financially – he was always ready to collaborate
with great enthusiasm when asked to do so.
A new parish in Yeongdeungpo was consecrated on May 10, 1936 under the
patronage of St. John Bosco. Yeongdeungpo was emerging as an industrial
center, concentrating the emerging industries along with housing for labourers.
There was a sense of urgency that the spirituality of St. John Bosco, patron
of youth and workers, was needed to meet the needs of the young workers
and common labourers that were concentrated there. Because the then parish
priest, Paul Roh Gi-Nam, urged action, something was developing. The new
parish of Yeongdeungpo has a statue of the new saint in the parish church. The
faithful of this new parish, meditating on the features of the saint, absorbed his
spirituality and life. In their prayer they appealed to heaven, before the statute
of St. John Bosco which also included an image of young child, knowing that
St. John Bosco and his disciples were those who loved the young and made
them the center of their lives.
In 1934, Monsignor Vincenzo Cimatti, S.D.B., a member of the Salesian
Japanese Province, made a journey to Manchuria, putting on musical
performances during his stay there. On his way back home, he went to Korea
visiting many cities and having the same musical performances in each of
them. Later, in the publication “il Bollettino Salesiano” speaking of his visit to
Korea, he wrote with great emotion the following phrase: “St. John Bosco has
arrived in Korea before us!”
The Salesians until then had turned down all appeals for a foundation in
Korea. But in 1952 the ever-persistent Ordinary of the Gwangju Apostolic
Vicariate, Monsignor Harold W. Henry S.S.C., offered them something that
could not be refused. He offered the Provincial of the Japanese Salesian
298

3.7 Page 27

▲back to top
Province (Fr. Clodoveo Tassinari, S.D.B.) some very good conditions for a Korean
foundation, saying “I will buy all the land you will need. I will help you build
the school as well. You don’t have to worry about the war, it is now stable.
Even in the event the war expands you will be no safer in Japan than in Korea.
There is urgent work for you to do in Korea. Come now!”
On August 12, 1954, the first Salesian was assigned to Korea – his name was
Archimede Martelli, S.D.B. He went on to found the Salesian Middle School
in Gwangju. In March 1958 Fr. José Suarez was appointed pastor of Dorim-
dong parish in Seoul. With the arrival of the Salesians in Dorim-dong, where
there were already one thousand eight hundred faithful who regularly attended
Mass. Later the Salesians were to on and found Guro 3-dong parish, a house
for the Salesian novitiate, a residence for seminarians at Daerim-dong, as well
as the Technical School and the Don Bosco Youth Center in Seoul. It was a
time when vocational animation for the Salesians was begun as well in Dorim-
dong where many Salesian vocations originated from.
In the mornings the rectory of Dorim-dong parish was very busy. Everybody
was rushing to get to work, but for the young Trisolini there was nothing to
do. Fr. Suarez said to him: “Brother Trisolini, there is a U.S. army camp in the
neighbourhood here. Today our children from the parish will go there to put on
a little show. Don’t sit around the parish today where no one can understand
what you say, go with the children to the camp and return with them. You can
meet some of the American soldiers there.”
The children of Dorim-dong parish went to the U.S. camp and entertained
the soldiers there with song and dance. Trisolini was happy that he had
accompanied the children for the day. It was if the bees had escaped their hive
and were dancing for joy. Later, they were very busy preparing for Christmas,
walking in the deep snow. In those days, so close to the time of war, the curfew
was strictly enforced at night. People could not freely walk around – except for
A Christmas Gift 299

3.8 Page 28

▲back to top
the nights of December 25 and January 1. That night, with all of the faithful
in attendance at the Mass, they each held a lit candle. This wasn’t because of
any particular devotion on their part – but because there were frequent power
outages and they had to be prepared for them.
Next to Dorim-dong parish there is located the Yeongdeungpo railway
station. In close proximity to the parish church, many labourers were in
residence. There houses were made of abandoned boxes and crates for the most
part. While looking for work – most of them were unemployed. The pastor of
the parish and the faithful were heavily involved in giving aide to these people.
Looking at the statistics of the Korean Catholic Church in 1958, we can see that
the total population of Korea was 21,909,472 individuals. Of them, only 350,000
were Catholic in the entire nation. In 1959 Korea was chiefly an agricultural
nation. This new area – an industrial park of sorts – which surrounded the
parish was a new and very special place in Korea.
For the young Brother Trisolini, the rectory at Dorim-dong felt like home. As
a seminarian in training and later as Assistant and then Pastor there, the people
he met were young labourers. The young seminarian and the young labourers
were actually from similar backgrounds. They were not only similar in
backgrounds; they also lived in neighbourhoods that were not all that different.
He established an intimate bond with the young labourers living around the
parish because of this similarity. Their stories were very similar.
300

3.9 Page 29

▲back to top
Depression Baby

3.10 Page 30

▲back to top
John Francis Trisolini was born in the first half of the twentieth century on
March 2, 1937. His mother gave birth to him at St. Mary’s Hospital near to
where his family was living in Hoboken, New Jersey. He would be classified
as a Depression baby. Hoboken is located across the Hudson River from New
York City. It was a city of migrant workers and their descendants. It was a
complex population of labourers – dock workers, train and factory labourers.
John Francis was born of an Italian father and an Irish mother. His father was
heavily involved in the trade unions of the day. Most of his early friends’
parents were common labourers.
In Hoboken, the Catholic, Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches and other
Denominations shared the neighbourhood in which John grew up. There was
a wide variety of ethnic groups as well – Germans, Irish, Italians, Polish,
Norwegians, and British – as well as a sizable Jewish population. It was a
time and place where all of these religious traditions and ethnic groups lived
together peacefully with a sense of mutual respect for each other’s religions
and traditions. The local Catholic Church was close St. John’s Lutheran Church
which was led by the Reverend Erdmann. He was remembered as a kindly
man, leading in setting up a neighbourhood vegetable patch on some empty
lots. Upon his death, he was remembered by everyone in the neighbourhood
with affection and respect for his kindness and cheerfulness. At his funeral the
denominational differences were transcended with the whole neighbourhood
entering into a period of mourning. John remembered going to the funeral with
his mother and younger brother and sister, dressed in their best and his mother
bringing flowers as a sign of her respect for the deceased Pastor.
John’s parents also welcomed into their home his grandfather on his mother’s
side when he no longer could take care of himself. They also took care of the
same grandfather’s older brother after his wife’s death. They had no children
and he had suffered a debilitating heart attack. These ties of family and kin
302

4 Pages 31-40

▲back to top

4.1 Page 31

▲back to top
were strong and provided a safe environment for those in need. Jack served as
his great uncle’s official physical therapist. His grandfather always had to be
carried from place to place physically because he could no longer walk. When
he was a young man, John’s grandfather worked in a famous bindery – his
stories always interesting to the young boy’s ears.
At an early age, John’s mother was hospitalized to undergo surgery. His
family friends and relatives took one child each into their own homes and
assumed the responsibility to watch over them, feed them, and make sure that
their needs were met. A divorced woman friend of his mother’s stayed with
the family until she could find a job and her own place. John was born in the
middle of a world-wide economic crisis that cast a pall over everything – he
was an elementary school student during the Second World War as well. Be
that as it may, in a unique blending of family and friends, a strong sense of
togetherness and mutual love developed between them all.
John began his elementary school education at a public school. Due to a
problem of excessive corporal punishment, his family decided to enroll him,
his brother and older sister in St. Anne’s Parish School which was operated
by the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth (Convent Station). Later, his youngest
sister also studied at the same school. This school was populated by students
from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds: Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, Italy
and Poland were all represented. Most were the children of migrant workers.
Catholic schools at that time provided a very good education for the children
of migrant workers. On the first day of school, John’s Seventh Grade teacher,
Sister Rose Genevieve S.C. before taking attendance, called him to her desk.
Looking at him, she asked: “Your mother studied at Our Lady of Grace School
in Hoboken didn’t she? And her name was Eileen Kennedy and she married
a Trisolini? Your Aunt Frances married Freddy Shaw?” He replied, standing
before her: “Yes, Sister!” Sister Rose replied: “Very good, John! I taught all of
Depression Baby 303

4.2 Page 32

▲back to top
those I mentioned. By God’s good grace I am able to teach you as well. Now
sit down, and tonight ask your mother to come to the convent.”
As it turned out, Sister Genevieve was friend of his maternal grandmother
from childhood. She never forgot a student whom she had taught or their
personal history. Now much older and given to strictness and suffering from
poor eyesight, she still possessed a good sense of humour.
His Eighth Grade teacher was a Sister Rita Gonzaga S.C., who was
missioned to the Virgin Islands as a missionary and teacher. The Sister knew
a lot of interesting things – which she shared along with her teaching of good
grammar and the proper formation of sentences. They knew how to spark the
interests of young adolescents and train them well. Thanks to the influence of
these Religious Sisters, four of Jack’s classmates became religious themselves,
three of whom served until death.
Jack’s first encounter with the Salesians was during the summer of his
Sixth Grade, before that he had never met them before. Children from three
parishes visited the St. John Bosco summer camp run by the Salesians which
was located on a hill top close to the Hudson River. This opportunity to leave
the crowded urban streets for two weeks, sharing life with the Salesians, left
a deep impression upon him. In June of 1951 he graduated from St. Anne’s
Elementary School. His summer camp experience led him to enter the Minor
Seminary of the Salesians – Don Bosco Junior Seminary in West Haverstraw,
New York. Of the six students from St. Anne’s who attended the summer camp
with the Salesians, one other – George Sheehan – also decided to enter the
Minor Seminary along with Jack. This school provided an excellent education
and an opportunity to live in close proximity with Salesian priests and brothers
in a spirit of love and deep faith. However, after a year, missing his family
terribly, he decided to return home.
Speaking years later about this time, he said: “After leaving the Minor
304

4.3 Page 33

▲back to top
Seminary, my parents set their heart on me attending a Catholic High School
close to my home as a commuter. My mother and father were struggling
labourers. Could they be able to pay for the expensive fees that would have to
be paid to fulfill my dream? I decided to attend a state-run high school.”
He ended up at Dickinson High School and was included in the numbers
of the sophomore class. With seventy-percent of the students being Catholic,
the transition was not overly difficult. This school had two thousand students.
It offered courses that included academic, general education, commercial
and professional training courses. Going to Dickinson, he was able to meet
once again many of his classmates from St. Anne’s. After graduation, despite
being separated by many miles, many of the relationships begun during this
time continued long into the future. The Principal of the school was a Doctor
Connolly who was a former Jesuit seminarian. He had studied at the Gregorian
University in Rome. Shortly after being admitted to Dickinson, John was
called to meet with the Principal. Doctor Connolly asked him: “John, I know
that you studied in a Minor Seminary last year. Would you rather be attending
a Catholic High School?” Jack replied “Doctor, thank you for your interest.
But now I’m getting used to this school and feel no need to transfer yet again.
Please don’t worry about me.”
Doctor Connolly was wise and gentle educator who inspired his students
to excel. Weekly he would lectures the students in the school auditorium. He
brought to them a deep humanism, when he lectured the students he was able
to mesmerize them with his words and example. The teachers at Dickinson
were of all faith expressions; Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and atheists. They
came from a broad spectrum of ethnic origins as well. They were the normal
mixed salad of the American experience, and reflected the reality of their
students as well. Doctor Connolly was able to administer this mixed group
of peoples with wisdom and prudence. While Public Education in the United
Depression Baby 305

4.4 Page 34

▲back to top
States is not always positively evaluated, Dickinson High School is an example
of Public Education that can only be described as successful.
When John glanced outside the classroom window, he could see the skyline
of Manhattan and New York Harbour with the statue of Liberty evident.
Sometimes the students would joke about seeing the hind quarters of the
statue of Liberty from New Jersey. He would have seen the enormous ships
that would glide in and out of the harbour as well. He had a wide variety of
experiences during the three years that he studied there. He also pursued his
interests in track and field, choral singing, commercial subjects – and he also
just hung out with his friends. He was able to learn in the school gymnasium
the dances current at the time; the Waltz, the Foxtrot, the Lindy and even the
Mambo and the Polka.
Over the years there, the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Marion, a
Monsignor Walter Artioli, would celebrate Mass for the students. He would
prepare as well two retreats per year for the students - he also provided the
Catholic students at Dickinson with a morning snack! A dance was also held
for the St. Anne’s Catholic Youth Organization on various nights of the year.
This was festival that other schools also participated in. Weekly the television
appearances of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen were also shown on televisions sets
prepared for the students. This was Bishop Sheen’s weekly 30 minute program
called “Life is Worth Living”.
Jack Trisolini graduated from Dickinson High School in 1955. Because of his
family’s restrictions on money available, he decided to go to Montclair State
Teachers College, choosing English Education as his major. This institution
has since become Montclair University. This school was chosen under the
guidance of Dickinson’s Doctor Connolly. It was a school that provided a
sound grounding in education and human relationships and had an excellent
reputation for the close relationship between the students and the teaching
306

4.5 Page 35

▲back to top
faculty. Due to the influence of the teachers at Dickinson, many of the students
felt drawn to a life in education. Of course, John’s family had to always deal
with a shortage of funds, but during his stay at Montclair he was able to clean
the dining hall and type letters and papers for the faculty, earning his tuition
through his own labour.
This New Jersey State School clung to many of the practices from its earliest
years as a Protestant denominational school of learning. There was a time of
brief silent prayer before breakfast in the morning. During his first semester
of study, Jack studied world history, the Bible, the Koran and a wide variety
of courses in classic literature where he read and studied deeply. One of the
English Professors encouraged the students to learn the habit of writing briefly
and clearly – asking that they write essays using only 900 basic vocabulary
words. Later in his life, Jack found this a very helpful skill in learning multiple
European languages.
On long walks, John would discuss happily with his friends the various
topics they were studying. The school environment itself was non-Catholic,
and was not hostile to Catholics. There were speakers invited who encouraged
the students in an atmosphere of faith and a belief in the right for everyone to
grow into adulthood as principled individuals. Weekly Monsignor Dougherty
from nearby Darling Seminary came to Montclair to lecture the students. This
time in college was a turning point for John. Being immersed in the great
literature he was reading, he was led him to consider seriously and think more
deeply; in dialogue with his Christian friends, his faith matured and deepened.
John, for the first time pondered the meaning of what Jesus taught about “true
happiness” (Matthew 5:3-10) and listened to all that he heard very seriously. In
the 1956 graduation exercises, the chief speaker was Congressman Judd. The
Congressman began quoting from the Gospels to the students, speaking about
happiness and said to them:
Depression Baby 307

4.6 Page 36

▲back to top
“Graduates, you will very soon leave this school to teach young people.
Above all, when you face your charges they must see your sense of devotion
and generosity to them in your face. You must instill this same sense in them.”
He encouraged them to consider the Gospel in order to recall the real meaning
of real and true happiness. These words struck Jack Trisolini forcefully, because
he was undergoing a personal struggle within himself about his own future. He
became aware that what Congressman Judd was talking about was the very
kernel, the key, of the Christian Gospel. The experience at Montclair led John
to the conviction that his future was being revealed to himself: the conviction
that this quest for “true happiness” in a life of faithful service was the way that
he had to follow. This becoming a faithful, poor and zealous missionary was
the path before him that he felt compelled to walk down.
Immediately after the celebration of the feast of Easter in 1956, he decided
to enter the Salesian Society. He left his dorm room and returned home. This
was a clear break with his past, and it immediately led him into his future. The
next three months were spent in the Jersey City Montclair Normal University
finishing his semester’s work. He would visit the church of St. Paul of the
Cross, where he would spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He
begged the Lord for the special grace to be able to separate himself from his
family and friends in order to enter a new life.
308

4.7 Page 37

▲back to top
Following St. John Bosco

4.8 Page 38

▲back to top
In July 1956, John left home for Newton, New Jersey, along with a group of
aspiring Salesians where they entered the Society at Don Bosco College. Since
all seminary formation was done that time in Latin the first order of business
was to master that language. For many of the candidates, it was the first time
they had ever studied Latin. For John and some few others, they had studied
Latin for their four years of high school, and thus this was a period of grinding
and polishing their abilities. They listened to lectures in Latin all morning and
then again after lunch. Those who had studied Latin during their four years of
high school began the formal study of college level courses, which included
Philosophy.
Life in a seminary in the mid-1950s was simple, yet very busy. There were
of course the normal morning and evening prayers, lectures throughout the day,
and recreation which normally consisted of softball, basketball or volleyball.
Frequently during their free time in the afternoons, seminarians would do
manual labour or hike in the hills of Sussex County. The Salesian professed
and students were all involved in the various works of the house, such as
cleaning, laundry, cleaning the dining room after meals, and even maintaining
the buildings. Only two employees were hired – one worked on the farm and
another who was a chef. A Brother worked on the small farm where there were
30 cows and many pigs – and thus milk and meat were supplied by the work of
their own hands. There were even a few bee hives!
The Salesian professors at the seminary were training future Salesian
educators and priests. The postulants learned a pattern of study and work
combined with a full liturgical life and mingled with hours of recreation. They
were in the process of coming to know and enjoy each other. In September
1957, about forty of the postulants began the canonical novitiate after having
completed a ten day retreat. The novice master was Fr. Aloysius Bianchi, S.D.B.,
and with the help of the professors of the college, the novices were immersed
310

4.9 Page 39

▲back to top
in courses in biblical history, liturgy and Italian in the mornings. After a
work-period in the afternoon, they studied the Salesian Constitutions and
Regulations, the history of the Society, and its spirituality. There was a daily
examination of conscience, along with the absorbing of patterns of reflection
and contemplation. There was frequent opportunity for private conferences
with the novice master on a one to one basis, thus providing an opportunity
for further reflection on what they were experiencing. There were a number of
retreats held during the novitiate year as well.
After the Second World War, until well into the 1950’s religious communities
and seminarians in the United States were flooded with candidates for the
religious and priestly life. This increase in numbers led most communities into
building new novitiates and residences in order to train these young persons
for religious life following in the footsteps of the apostles. Those same young
religious were pressed into doing the maintenance and even landscaping of
these hopeful new centers.
The novitiate year ended with a ten day retreat and on September 8, 1958
the profession of first vows. Following this, the Salesian seminarians began
the general college course. Because of his previous studies at Montclair, and
summer courses taken after that, Jack was able to be fast-tracked into the senior
class.
Normally the first Sunday of each month was dedicated to the visits from
family members of the young Salesians. Outside of that, Sunday was normally
begun with the normal common Mass or by the celebration of a Solemn High
Mass. The day was free to spend in study or recreational pursuits. Before the
evening meal, there would be a solemn celebration of evening prayer and
Eucharist Adoration. At the end of the second semester of 1959, the Salesian
seminarians along with students from the Minor Seminary participated in a
retreat for young people. Just before the commencement of the summer holiday
Following St. John Bosco 311

4.10 Page 40

▲back to top
– Jack Trisolini’s confessor, Fr. Angelo Franco, S.D.B., showed him a book.
He asked Jack: “Have you read the latest best seller, The Nun’s Story?” Jack
responded: “No, I haven’t been able to read it yet”. Fr. Angelo then gave him
the book telling him to “Read it!”
After having read the book, he returned it to Fr. Franco who asked Trisolini:
“Do you think the Sister in this book had a vocation to be a religious?” Jack
responded “Yes I think she probably did have a vocation”. Fr. Franco then
commented “Yes, I agree with you. Yet she lost the vocation that she had. We
have to be always careful of the vocation we have received from God. It is
always possible that we can lose our vocation – we must never lose sight of
how precious that vocation is. Don’t you think so, John?”
The words of Fr. Franco made a deep impression on the young Salesian. It
was an occasion for him to commitment himself to safeguarding the call that
he had responded to.
The young Salesians, those recently graduated from Don Bosco College, all
gathered together for a ten day retreat at Newton. During the last meal of the
retreat, the “practical” training assignments for the newly graduated students
were read by the Provincial Superior, Fr. Felix Penna, S.D.B. Trisolini’s
assignment was to teach and assist at the Don Bosco Agricultural School in
Huttonsville, West Virginia.
On a hot September day, Jack and Bro. Ewald Guerken, S.D.B., one of the
pioneers of the West Virginia school, took turns driving through New Jersey
and Pennsylvania. After passing through Harrisburg, they cut south into West
Virginia, arriving in the early morning of the next day at Huttonsville. It was
the time when Michael Harrington’s book The Other America had recently
been published – revealing those pockets of extreme poverty in the midst of
rich America. West Virginia was the poorest state in the United States at this
time. The Don Bosco “school” what that in name only.
312

5 Pages 41-50

▲back to top

5.1 Page 41

▲back to top
Nine Salesians served as the entire staff for this four year agricultural high
school. They were responsible for all of the classes taught, took care of the farm
and the recreational facilities that had been already created. There was only one
lay employee who worked in the kitchen as chef. This was a residential school
– with all of the students being borders there. It was a school where not only
did the students learn in the classroom, they also received the love and care of
the staff.
There was some discontent among the students, which led to a few incidents
of rebelliousness. They had come from difficult home-situations, and for many
it was their first experience of living in a clean, well-ordered place. Some had
had brushes with the law in their young lives – all were healthy and full of
energy. They were given good books to read and challenged with a wide range
of academic courses, sprinkled with good sporting activity as well. Shortly
after Jack’s arrival there was an incident that took him by surprise. In the
course of a class, one of the students took it upon himself to strike Trisolini
forcefully in front of all the other students. Besides having his pride hurt a bit
– it placed the staff into a quandary. How should they respond to this action of
aggression? Fr. Manni, the school’s principal consulted with Jack, saying “The
reason the student struck you was to make an impression on the other students.
If we attempt to resolve this issue using the legal measures available to us, the
other students will become even more rebellious. I think that if you accept a
public apology from this student, we can end this situation there”.
Trisolini responded “I understand, Father, That’s what I will do then. Don’t
be concerned about this”. And for this Fr. Manni was thankful. It was a time
when life was far less complex – and this school was operated with very few
resources. It was a concrete example of the hidden problem in a country like
the United States – and one which Jack Trisolini observed directly – “You will
have the poor with you always”.
Following St. John Bosco 313

5.2 Page 42

▲back to top
Three months later, a letter appeared on Jack’s dinner plate from Fr. Penna –
his Salesian Provincial. In the letter he was being re-assigned as a missionary
educator to the Salesian High School in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. During
his time in the novitiate – he had applied to be sent abroad as a missionary –
and the Provincial was responding to this request. He had been told to report
to the Provincial Residence in New Rochelle, New York where arrangements
would be made for his imminent departure.
This involved him traveling by air from West Virginia all the way to New
York, Trisolini’s first airplane ride! He left from Elkin Municipal Airport
– an airfield in the midst of stands of corn and flew up to New York City’s
LaGuardia airport.
Jack needed to apply for a U.S. passport, and after that was issued, to apply
for visas for both Japan and Korea. He had one week to visit New Jersey to say
goodbye to his family and friends and his fellow Salesians.
On a clear sunny day in New York he departed from Idlewild International
Airport – the future John F. Kennedy airport - for the long journey to Tokyo,
and eventually on to Korea. He boarded a Northwest Orient airplane that was
to hop across America – stopping first at Chicago for fuel. (The plane was to stop
at Seattle and Shemya Island in the Aleutian chain before reaching Tokyo.) He flew over
Don Bosco College on his way there – also seeing Niagara Falls from the air.
After two more stops along the way, on another bright sunny day, he landed at
Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan.
After clearing customs and fetching his luggage, Jack was feeling a bit
stunned in this new reality before meeting the Financial Administrator of the
Salesian Japanese Province, Fr. Crevacuore, S.D.B. who had come out to the
airport to greet the new missionary and welcome him to Asia. Due to delays
to the infrequent flights to Seoul, Trisolini was to spend almost a month in
Japan before boarding the flight to Korea. His new Provincial, German born
314

5.3 Page 43

▲back to top
Fr. Johann Dalkman welcomed him to Japan, and introduced him to the other
members of the Province. The Provincial in Japan usually made an annual
trip to Korea to preach the annual retreat for those members of the Province
working there – and the plan was for Jack to travel with him and Bro. Delfino
Gastadello, S.D.B. to Seoul.
During Jack’s stay in Tokyo, Fr. Dalkman tried to talk him into remaining
in Japan rather than going on to Korea, saying “You know, Bro. Trisolini, the
place you’ve been assigned to, that is Korea, is a very poor country, and we
have a lot to do here in Japan”. Jack quickly responded “Father, I am prepared
to work in the Republic of Korea”. Fr. Dalkman answered, “I’m glad to hear
that – I will pray for your success”. “Thank you, Father!” was Jack’s only
response.
During Trisolini enforced stay in Japan was an opportunity to meet frequently
and come to know the saintly founder of the Japanese Salesian community,
Monsignor Vincenzo Cimatti. Cimatti was an accomplished musician. Jack,
from the time he knew he was going to Korea, wanted to have an opportunity
to meet this outstanding senior missionary. He was the first rector of the Chofu
Salesian Theological Seminary and was still active.
He told the young missionary “Brother, you are going to a good mission land.
If there was an opportunity that arose and I could be of service there I would
love joining you in Korea. I would love to be a part of this new beginning. I
remember with great fondness going to Manchuria and Korea during the 1930’s
– putting on musical performances. Before I die it is the one place I would love
to see once again.”
Monsignor Cimatti, during Jack’s apprenticeship in Korea, would often
write to the Korean community. When these letters would arrive, the entire
community would enjoy hearing them being read aloud in the dining room
during a meal.
Following St. John Bosco 315

5.4 Page 44

▲back to top
Few airplanes flew the Seoul – Tokyo route in 1959. Those that did fly were
always filled far in advance. This is certainly witness to the fact that Jack
Trisolini was twice delayed boarding a Seoul bound flight in Japan.
316

5.5 Page 45

▲back to top
The Teacher John Trisolini

5.6 Page 46

▲back to top
On the evening of December 25, 1959, Jack boarded the night train to
Gwangju – that chugged and wheezed all the way down the single line that
served that city. It seemed as if the train stopped in every small town along
the way to allow people to disembark and to take on new passengers. In those
days, upon arriving on Taejon, the train would stop and the rear cars going to
Jolla would be taken off the train, connected to other engines and the two parts
of the original train would go on to Busan and Gwangju respectively. Because
the Honam Line – the line going to Gwangju – was single track, the trains
going south would have to pull off to a siding to allow north-bound trains to
pass them before the south-bound train could continue on. This was a major
contribution to the length of the journey.
The journey of 450 kilometers ended up taking twelve hours to complete –
thus Jack arrived the next morning of December 26 at the Songjeongni station
on the outskirts of Gwangju proper. The superior of the Gwangju community,
Fr. Archimede Martelli, S.D.B. was there to greet him at the train station. The
journey from Songjeongni to the residence was one made on dirty roads, with
the novel experience of whenever they would approach a creek or river; they
would cruise down the bank of the creek or river and drive through the water
to the other side. The bridges destroyed during the war years had yet to be
replaced!
Jack’s first impression of Gwangju was the imposing Mudeung mountain
which was the backdrop to the city, and ocean of small thatched roof and mud
walled buildings that made up the chief means of shelter in the city. Each house
had a chimney with smoke pouring out of it. In 1959 there was very little large
or moderately sized industry in Gwangju. There were several small Protestant
chapels, and just two Catholic parishes – Nam-dong and Buk-dong churches.
Covering the whole of South Jolla Province and the island of Jeju Province,
the ecclesiastical jurisdiction was a Vicariate Foraine that was staffed chiefly
318

5.7 Page 47

▲back to top
by Columban Missionaries and a few Korean priests. The vast expansion
of Korean industry had not yet begun, and in an underdeveloped country,
Gwangju was particularly undeveloped. Bishop Harold William Henry had
the responsibility for this corner of the country – and it was he who had asked
that the Japanese Province of the Salesian to come and establish a school in
this city and other communities to establish other schools and hospitals as well.
Because the United States Agency for International Development had already
made the decision to establish a technical school in Gwangju, all that was left
for the Salesians to do was to found a regular high school for boys.
The site chosen for the new school, which was in Gwangsan-gun, has since
been incorporated into the city of Gwangju. It was built in what would now
be considered a rural situation. The road that connected this site to the city ran
through rice paddies which were fertilized with human waste collected from
five public toilets located in the city. These drums stood on the road filled with
this potent mixture of human excrement and urine awaiting their turn to be
upended onto the rice paddies where the contents would nourish the next crop.
Unless you were careful, at night while walking this road there was always the
danger you might fall into one of these drums or knock them over.
It was a gray bleak morning when the new missionary arrived at this new
school. The sound of construction was in the air, with work being done on the
top of the unfinished building. A building being used by the minor seminarians
was in temporary use as a dormitory until this construction could be completed.
The plan was that this school would serve as a minor seminary for the Gwangju
Vicariate Foraine and for the Salesians as well. Postulants for the Salesians
would also be housed in the same facility. The Prefect of Studies for the school,
Fr. Jesús Maria Sánchez, S.D.B. and Bro. Richard Stanley Mataconis, S.D.B.
were in charge of the project, and would direct the young seminarians, still
rubbing the night out of their eyes, to move their clothes, wardrobes, beds
The Teacher John Trisolini 319

5.8 Page 48

▲back to top
and mattresses to the corner of the large room. This sleeping area became the
auditorium for the school during the day.
“Good morning, Father and Brother! I am Brother Jack Trisolini!” They
replied “We are happy to see you, Brother Trisolini! You are most welcome
here. It’s a little difficult at the moment, but it will soon improve”. John simply
replied “Thank you for your warm welcome”.
Most of the seminarians spent the winter living at home in a house that had
heated floors. Those that remained at the school for the winter had to endure a
large room with little or no heat. Jack Trisolini suffered along with them that
winter. With those who remained at the school, Jack would wander through
the neighbourhood with the students discovering what this new situation
was like. The Gwangju community gave Jack his Korean name. His family
name became “Do” or 都 in Chinese characters which was close to the sound
of “Trisolini” and his given name “John Francis” became “Yo-an” (要安).
Prior to the Second Vatican Council the Apostle John was referred to as “Yo-
wang” while John the Baptist was called “Yo-an”. In January 1960, the winter
vacation period coming to end, Fr. Martelli gave the teacher in training, Jack
Trisolini his first assignment.
“You are here for one year to teach the freshmen in the Salesian High School
– and you will be in charge of the English conversation program. Before
breakfast each morning you will also teach the minor seminarians Latin.
You are also the assistant in charge of the lecture hall, dining room and the
recreation periods for the students
Not having learned many words of Korean as of yet, he was busily studying
this already. Despite this he already had some heavy responsibilities. There
were few schools to learn this language yet created in Korea. He learned
basic Korean using the text books that students used in elementary school as
a beginning. He was tutored by a student at the Medical College of Chonnam
320

5.9 Page 49

▲back to top
National University.
Until March 1960, Korea was a relatively peaceful country. From March on a
new reality revealed itself, and this peace façade slowly faded. At the beginning
of Holy Week, Jack began to feel unwell. He complained of body aches and
extreme fatigue – characteristically he ignored the symptoms. Slowly the
symptoms worsened, and by Easter Sunday, April 17, he could barely move.
On April 19, the students at the Salesian high school of Gwangju were caught
up in the national fervour of revolt. The education department of Jolla province
refused to allow students to return to their homes. After the 3 p.m. English
conversation class, they began to move to the streets. Jack was still struggling
to hang on, knowing he was very sick and desiring only to lie down and rest.
Across the entire country, including Seoul itself, large scale protests were
underway. This was due to the fraudulent national elections held just a month
earlier on March 15, 1960. Like the uprising in 1928 under the Japanese
occupation, the Gwangju students struggled violently against the deeply felt
betrayal. The Police and the Department of Education ordered that all students
were to return immediately to their homes. Gwangju city was in chaos. The
students in their frustration threw stones at the police who in turn responded
with physical violence, beating students mercilessly. Seeing this, even more
students from the high schools and colleges poured into the streets and began to
demonstrate. Elementary school students cheered them on from the sidelines,
clapping their hands.
There slogans were “End the election fraud!” and “Another vote!”
Responding to the violence they also chanted “Punish those who kill us!” and
“Punish the murderers!”
That night, Jack became very ill, not even able to eat. He was sitting at the
study hall desk when the 8 p.m. siren sounded indicating that curfew had
begun. The whole city fell into silence. The curfew normally began at 11:30
The Teacher John Trisolini 321

5.10 Page 50

▲back to top
p.m., but because of the situation it was moved forward three and one half
hours. For Jack, becoming increasingly ill, he could no longer work, and had
to retire early. In the middle of the night, Jack vomited and fell into a troubled
sleep – due to the situation outside. Near collapse, he was moved to his bed,
a curtained area in the students’ dormitory. No effort could be made to find
assistance for him in his plight. From outside, the sound of megaphones and
gunfire was all that was to be heard that night. The noise and chaos became
unendurable to the young seminarian as he began the struggle to survive.
“Release the arrested student!”
“Do not use students as political pawns!”
The next day Jack Trisolini was in agony from spinal pain, and a fever raged
in his body. He thought his head would burst open. In the vicinity of the school
was the clinic of the Brothers of St. John of God where the Irish medical doctor
– Dr. Carr – was a volunteer working with the Brothers. Jack went to the clinic.
Brother Trisolini said to the doctor: “Doctor I cannot possibly continue to
suffer this degree of pain.” The doctor replied “I will give you medication to
help stabilize the pain. I believe you are suffering from inflamed nerves.” Jack
could only acquiesce to the treatment offered.
Jack staggered from the clinic to the nearby market of Imdong, feeling
his strength continue to wane. Some of the students whom he was teaching
discovered him the market. The said to him “Brother, given the danger of
the moment and the situation here, you should go back to the school as soon
as possible!” Jack responded “Yes, that would be good, can you help me get
there?” They immediately agreed to help him.
At that moment, they saw the Jeep from the Salesian school in the distance.
They called the car to come to them and take Jack back to the school. Fr.
Martelli had been accosted in the city streets just the day before. They were
able to guide the Jeep back into the school compound without incident. In
322

6 Pages 51-60

▲back to top

6.1 Page 51

▲back to top
the meantime, the students were gathered in front of City Hall, demanding
democracy and the fundamental freedoms that would give to the citizens of
Korea.
“Do not use our schools for your political ambitions!”
“Eliminate the traitors to democracy!”
The police and student demonstrators were still in conflict, the student
protestors refusing to disperse. Police fired upon the students injuring 30 of
them. Among them were two Salesian students injured and one was killed. The
police continued to chase down students and beat them. The playground in
front of the Gwangju Elementary School became like a temporary prison for
the students captured. About 40 of the captured students were from the Salesian
school. They continued to scream out:
“We are trying to defend democracy!”
“Those who accept fraudulent elections defile our country!”
Trisolini, in his early days as a missionary, noticed that many of the students
usually did not normally eat lunch. Some of those would faint in the classrooms
during class. During the days of protest, this pattern continued. Others, finding
a water faucet on the exercise field gorged themselves on water. Finally the
nation roared at the top of its lungs:
“President Rhee Syng Man– be gone!”
Local officials summoned an emergency meeting in the middle of the dark
night, asking the principals of the schools to gather. This meeting was meant to
determine exactly what was going on. Fr. Martelli attended this meeting, and
after the meeting, Fr. Martelli was able to bring several of the captured students
back with him to the school. Trisolini, who was faring no better, could not sleep
at all. Due to the chaos of the situation he was not even able to lie down in his
bed to find rest. Some 300 college professors from 27 different universities
across the country created a security perimeter around the students, creating a
The Teacher John Trisolini 323

6.2 Page 52

▲back to top
barrier with their bodies. Thus allowing them to continue their demonstrations
peacefully, and not allowing the police to interfere with them.
“The students who have shed their blood will be heard!”
The tottering government was forced to make a decision, the protests being
too wide-spread and too compelling to ignore any longer. This chaos led to
President Rhee Syng Man’s hasty resignation from office on April 26th, saying
to the nation “If the people desire it, I resign the presidency.” In the midst of
this chaos, Lee Gi Bung, the fraudulently elected Vice President, committed
suicide along with his family on April 27th.
Meanwhile, Trisolini’s condition continued to deteriorate. He could no longer
eat nor drink. Doctor Carr recommended that he be taken to Mokpo – he had
to get to a proper hospital. The Brothers’ clinic, while fairly well stocked, did
not have the medications that he seem to need. He was placed in the Jeep and
driven to Mokpo, where the Columban Missionary Sisters had a hospital in this
port town on the Yellow Sea. It was better than anything available in Gwangju
– at least he would be more comfortable in a hospital.
It was a beautiful spring day, with the hills turning green and coloured with
the blossoming purple azaleas. The farmers were preparing the paddies to be
planted, with the seedlings forming small islands of lush green in the watery
brown landscape. While it was beautiful, Jack could not enjoy it much. The
roads were unpaved and filled with pot holes – every bump caused him to
wince in intense pain. The cherry and willow trees were just opening their
leaves – lined up like soldiers along the rough road and scattered in the hills.
The cherry trees were in full bloom, crowned with their white and pink crowns
of flowers. In spite of the beauty surrounding him, Jack just felt the pain of his
spine and the fatigue of his whole being.
Among the Columbans was a Sister Benignus S.S.C. – a medical doctor
with great gifts of observation and clinical diagnosis. She served as doctor and
324

6.3 Page 53

▲back to top
administrator of the hospital. She listened intently to what Jack had to say – the
course of his illness – how it began and how it developed over the past several
days. Her observations led her to make the following comments to Jack:
“Brother, I want you to lie quietly in bed for now. Anything you feel you
must do, please call someone to help you. You must be on complete bed-rest.
You must not walk around. Do you understand what I am saying?” He could
only reply “Yes, Sister, I do.”
Because he had been unable to sleep for several days, Sister Benignus
prescribed sleeping medication. Soon afterwards, she had to leave her new
patient in order to make the rounds of the hospital. Jack slept very well for
a good long time, waking up feeling refreshed. While feeling better, things
quickly took a turn for the worse. When he woke up he felt recovered from
whatever was ailing him, and decided to get up and use the bathroom. He
staggered into the toilet, ignoring the Sister’s orders. He attributed his altered
gait to the medicines and lack of food and nourishment he had undergone for
the past several days. While trying to pass stool, nothing seemed to happen. He
just sat there leaning on the tub in the small facility.
When he tried to go back to his bed some minutes later, he collapsed on his
way to it and fell to the floor. While he felt fine from the waist up – he could
feel nothing from the waist down. He fell on a small rug on the floor, and using
this he dragged himself to the door, waiting for someone to observe his plight.
One of the nurses saw him there, carrying a tray. She put the tray aside, and
rushed to help the stricken seminarian. She could do nothing herself, so she
fled seeking some help to move Jack back to his bed. A group of the Sisters
arrived and finally were able to move him with great difficulty. He told them
of his feeling of being paralyzed below the waist. Later that afternoon, Sister
Benignus returned and spoke to him:
“Brother, I have carefully considered what you have told me and observed
The Teacher John Trisolini 325

6.4 Page 54

▲back to top
the symptoms that you display. It seems to me that you have come down with
poliomyelitis. Here in Mokpo at St. Columban Hospital we have nothing that
could assist you in your current condition. In order to receive proper treatment,
you will have to be moved to a larger hospital.”
Sister Benignus spoke quietly and calmly, sharing this dreaded diagnosis in
a frank and open manner. Jack was grateful for her candour. While he dreaded
the disease, the candour gave him the courage to face the illness squarely. The
cold reality of his situation sunk in. He believed in the love of Christ, and this
gave him the courage to accept this provisional diagnosis, as scary as it may
have been. He felt he could win the struggle against this disease, with the
help of God. Meanwhile, unknown to him, Sister Benignus had been on the
telephone to Bishop Harold in Gwangju. The Bishop arranged for a U.S. Army
helicopter to move the patient from Mokpo to Bupyeong – west of Seoul, the
location of the U.S. Army 121st Hospital.
Within a day or two, he was taken to a playing field of the Mokpo
Commercial High School – where the ambulance helicopter was awaiting
their patient. He and Sister Benignus made the trip together to Bupyeong.
Over one hundred people had gathered on the playing field – the arrival of the
noisy helicopter being quite an event in Mokpo at the time. A year later, when
circumstances had changed for the better, Sister Benignus was to share with the
Salesian Sisters her experience that day:
“Brother Trisolini’s breath was so shallow during that helicopter trip; I was
filled with dread at what could happen. I could only pray that he would survive
this journey to the large hospital in the north. This journey was fraught with
danger to him, but thankfully it turned out all right.”
The U.S. Army 121st Hospital was located in Bupyeong, actually a district
of Incheon City. Jack was unable to stomach the medicine that was being given
to him, and he suddenly took a turn for the worse. He was in and out of a coma
326

6.5 Page 55

▲back to top
for days – when consciousness returned he was almost completely paralyzed.
He had undergone a month-long agony so far. His mouth was dry, his body
paralyzed. He found it difficult even to swallow water, and he continued to
have a generalized body ache. He found himself being unable to do anything
for himself.
Among those who examined him was Captain Lois McTaggart, and cheerful
and competent physical therapist. Unlike the doctors on the staff of the 121st,
she was convinced along with Sister Benignus that Trisolini was the victim
of poliomyelitis. Further testing meant extended waiting for the results of the
examinations. The examination of blood, spinal fluid and tissues was done
in Japan. Captain McTaggart recommended that the patient begin physical
therapy immediately, despite it being painful and uncomfortable at first for
Jack. His only desire was to be able to stand on his own two feet and get back
to work. All concurred that physical therapy could do no harm – so it was
begun immediately. This involved a lot of pain, but the daily regimen was
begun despite the sore muscles. Jack was discharged from the hospital after a
few months, after having received confirmation of the diagnosis from Tokyo.
His spinal fluid showed evidence of the dreaded diagnosis – poliomyelitis.
Thanks to the regular regimen of physical therapy, he was slowly able
to graduate from being bed-ridden, to being able to use a wheelchair and
eventually crutches. Being able to move around was a great blessing for him,
gaining greater freedom to leave the bustling wards where he was normally to
date. He was able to spend time in the silent chapel, praying and recovering his
spirits along with his body. He was able to attend weekly Mass in the chapel
– as well as receive daily Communion from the chaplain. Being far from the
nearest Salesian community and their regular life of prayer, this was a great
consolation to the young seminarian.
During Jack’s hospitalization, the country remained in a very unstable
The Teacher John Trisolini 327

6.6 Page 56

▲back to top
situation. Despite being the busy parish priest of Dorim-dong, Fr. José
Suarez and his Assistant Fr. Spies frequently made the 20 kilometer trip on
a motorbike along the dusty roads to Bupyeong in order to visit Brother
Trisolini. They made this trek until he was ultimately discharged from the
hospital months later. As a result of his hospitalization the number Salesians at
the Gwangju high school diminished. Jack himself only wanted to get better
so that he could return to his work in Gwangju. His health slowly improved as
summer approached, while he continued the daily regimen of physical therapy.
Trisolini began to talk with the doctors about his eventual discharge from the
hospital. In order for this to happen, discussions began about how his physical
therapy could continue after his discharge.
Captain McTaggart suggested that “… Brother Trisolini, it is important that
you remain in Korea to continue your treatment. You are a missionary with an
assignment to do something specific. When treating patients with polio, it is
very important to that the motivation to recover is maintained. If you return to
the United States, you will go back feeling like you have lost the battle with
this disease – and thus will be tempted to cease doing the physical therapy.
Please stay here in Korea, and continue to fulfill the dreams and responsibilities
you have as a missionary.”
The physical therapist’s advice seemed like sage counsel to the young
seminarian. He sincerely wanted to fulfill his assignment and bring this phase
of his formation to a successful completion. He felt he could only acquiesce to
the suggestion made – thanking Captain McTaggart for her help.
During his hospitalization, Trisolini continued his study of the Korean
language. With the assistance of three young KATUSA (Korean Augmentation
Troops to the United States Army) – helped him in his efforts to speak, read and
write the language along with the study of Chinese characters. Eventually he
was able to serve as a translator for Koreans admitted to the hospital – being
328

6.7 Page 57

▲back to top
of service to the doctors who relied on accurate translations in order to give
the proper treatment. This involvement with the KATUSA soldiers formed
relationships that were to last for years to come. Not only did they teach the
young seminarian the Korean language, they also taught him about the culture
and society in which he was destined to serve. These young soldiers were
highly educated men, despite the fact that they were from poor backgrounds.
Prior to this fortunate meeting with the young soldiers, he had studied Korean
only with elementary school textbooks. As he said he had “undergone Korean
childhood and adolescence.” He came to understand children – and with their
help he was able to appreciate better the adult society in which he was to serve.
But mid-July 1960, thanks to the physical therapy he was undergoing daily
at the hospital, slowly the nerves that had become disconnected from his stiff
muscles slowly re-established their proper connections. Captain McTaggart
helped soothe the stiffness that is associated with poliomyelitis. Because of his
quick progress, he was close to being discharged from the hospital. Brother
Delfino, his travel companion from Tokyo, took on the task of learning how to
do the physical therapy for the patient. He was a quick learner and became in
his own right a skilled physical therapist – having learned the techniques in a
matter of days.
During his hospitalization in the 121st Hospital, Trisolini learned the deep
human values of the doctors and nurses and therapists who staffed the hospital.
Their attention to his motivation for the therapy deeply impressed him as well.
Being discharged on the 26th of July 1960, he and Brother Delfino left that
night for Gwangju.
After returning to the school, during the upcoming months he returned
frequently to Seoul to visit the 121st Hospital, in order to have his progress
monitored. He would also go with Fr. Martelli to the Severance Hospital in
Seoul, which at that time was opposite the central Seoul Train Station. Through
The Teacher John Trisolini 329

6.8 Page 58

▲back to top
the suggestion of one of the doctors there, who had studied at the Jersey City
Medical Center – Sr. Kenny Centre, he eventually was fitted with steel braces
that went from his knee to his foot that helped strengthen his legs even more.
Brother Delfino continued the physical therapy regularly, and got to the point
where Jack no longer had to continually rely on crutches for locomotion.
Early in the 1960 academic year, well prepared classes could be taught,
but outside the school, there were wider societal issues brewing. The second
part of the year, with conditions far from ideal, teaching became a challenge.
When the transitional government of Heo Jeong came to an end, the new
government of Dr. John Jang Myeon assumed power. Dr. John Jang Myeon
was an upright man. Despite this, the society at large continued to be confused
and discontented. An example would be the single occasion one day, when
the students at the Salesian High School in Gwangju blocked the entrance to
the school of the Principal and staff. While this was a tense moment, through
mutual dialogue the issues presented were quickly resolved and classes
resumed without much more trouble.
Located in Gwangju were Protestant missionaries from the United States
who served on the staff of the Protestant Hospital in town. These missionaries
taught Brother Trisolini the advantage of being submerged in hot water,
something that augmented his daily physical therapy. Jack found this very
helpful. He also came to respect these dedicated, selfless missionaries. They
were without exception highly educated, highly motivated missionaries. They
could have remained in the United States and had high-paying positions there,
but chose instead to be missionaries in Korea. Their Christian witness was
much admired by Brother Trisolini.
By March 1961, not only was Jack becoming healthier, his ability with the
Korean language was advancing steadily. Fr. Martelli, seeing this, assigned
Trisolini to teach Tenth grade (first year high school) English grammar and
330

6.9 Page 59

▲back to top
reading. In Korea the academic year begins in March. The middle school began
with Grade Seven after elementary school and continued for three years, while
high school began with Grade Ten and was for a period of three more years of
interdisciplinary education. A normal classroom on the high school level had at
least 60 students in it, and sometimes as many as 65 to 70 students. Aside from
teaching, he assumed responsibility for the Catholic Student Club in the school
– thus rounding out a busy and happy life for Jack.
Fr. Augustine Na Sang-Jo, the founder of the National Catholic Student
Association, came for a visit to the Gwangju Salesian High School in May 1961
in order to plan a national meeting of Catholic Students in Gwangju. While
discussing this project with Fr. Martelli in his office, word was heard of the
military coup d’état of May 16. This led to a period of social unrest for a time,
but the military quickly assumed control of the government and society. They
had a blueprint for the economic reform of the country, which was quickly
brought into being. In fairly quick time, the government began to function
normally once again, and the unrest dissipated in a like manner. This is true
despite being a military coup.
The military, upon seizing power, immediately began an anti-corruption
campaign. They seized and jailed black market traders, rounded up suspected
communists and their sympathizers, took beggars, thieves and gangsters off the
street. They also investigated those who were claiming veterans’ benefits and
punished those who were doing so under false pretentions.
The road leading up to the Salesian High School crossed an old wooden
bridge. One day a group of soldiers appeared, replacing the wood with steel
girders. Within a few days the steel girders disappeared, and were replaced
once again with the wooden beams! A movie made domestically displayed
the noble heroism of Admire Lee Sun Sin, the 16th century of Korea against
the Hideoyashi invaders from Japan. The not so subtle aim of the film was
The Teacher John Trisolini 331

6.10 Page 60

▲back to top
to encourage faith in the military- and it proved to be fairly successful in its
intended message.
The National Catholic Student Association met in August of 1961 at the
Gwangju Salesian High School. At the time, Brother Trisolini was suffering
from severe dysentery, but was well on the road to recovery. Many more
students than planned attended this national meeting. Mixed with these students
were many refugees who had escaped from the north during the Korean War.
The school’s classrooms served as the dormitories for the students. Despite
being very hot and humid, normal in Jolla in the summer, it was an opportunity
for Catholic students to meet and share with one another. They experienced a
synthesis of the Korean Catholic Church’s student population.
Great numbers of people were coming to the church seeking baptism during
the 1960’s despite there being a shortage of priests and religious. Fr. Martelli
appointed Brother Edward Joseph McNeill, S.D.B. and Brother Trisolini to be
of service during this gathering of students – the other Salesians being away for
their summer holiday. They ended up being responsible to see that there was
adequate bedding, plentiful food and a warm welcome for those attending this
conference. They were also able to be present for the lectures and discussions
that ensued during its course. There were frank discussions about the Protestant
Reformation, birth control, social reform and the unemployment problems
that existed – with the young religious being pelted with sharp questions. It
was an exhausting experience, but one marked with exhilaration as well in this
meeting of young minds. Overall, the young Salesians felt great joy in being a
part of this initial meeting of young students of the Republic of Korea.
This meeting was held before the Second Vatican Council. Never-the-less,
the students had prepared music and were prepared to speak even during the
Mass. They were days of interesting programs, intellectual stimulation and hard
work – in a retreat-like atmosphere. These young people departed with a clearer
332

7 Pages 61-70

▲back to top

7.1 Page 61

▲back to top
sense of what the apostolate meant for them than before their participation in
the event. Trisolini was to appreciate the importance of education even outside
the classroom.
After the Students Meeting, the other Salesian returned from their holiday.
Fr. Martelli sent the Brothers McNeill and Trisolini to Jeju-do for a brief
holiday. Upon their return, the minor seminarians were arriving back to the
school in order to begin the second semester. With this semester, McNeill came
to the conclusion of his student training and therefore left immediately for Italy
where he would conclude his theological training. This increased the burden
on Trisolini – who assumed the responsibility for the study hall, becoming the
assistant in the dining room of the students, with added classes to teach in both
English and Latin. Jack wrote years later of his missionary experience thus far:
“Dramatic adventures, miracle conversions, courageous sacrifices and the
like are rare in everyday missionary life. First impressions of living in a foreign
land dim and missionary has to buck up against the same problems faced by
people in ministry everywhere. Faces, landscapes and outward appearances
change. Only unusual things make their mark and seem worthy of mention.
Sometimes an elusive mentality challenges comprehension. In my situation,
preparing classes, dealing with young people – helping at times pushing them
along were the norm. Fundamentally the problems to be solved were the
same. Change of country and customs sometimes only altered the method and
approach.
“The worker’s assembly line and the everyday chores of a housewife seldom
attract notice unless the little genie of the uncommon comes along and gives
an irregular twist of the monkey wrench to the routine of ordinary events.
Modern literature is filled with the stories of just ordinary people. An out-of-
the-ordinary quirk in that life creates the contents of a story, a theatrical piece
or a movie script.
The Teacher John Trisolini 333

7.2 Page 62

▲back to top
“A mother raising her children vividly remembers her infant’s first smiles
or laughs. Parents remember children’s first words, their first faltering steps
and illnesses. The ordinary and routine of quotidian events simply put more
notable occurrences into relief. Life in a foreign country might be a hundred-
and-one humdrum days followed by another cycle of the same. Changes occur
only when we’ve really noticed something, pondered it and perhaps written
it down in a journal to be remembered. Missionary life succeeds best when
missionaries blend in with the surroundings, accept the normality and adversity
of what happens with a sense of humour and move on.
“Bishop Walsh of Maryknoll who spent years in a Shanghai prison once
wrote that an ordinary missionary, far from ‘joining up to see the world’,
usually winds up in one small area of mission, experiencing few adventures
other than the ordinary drama of life happening around them. Just being
present in a friendly manner and thinking positively of the people one is called
to serve and not expecting recompense are probably keys to successful ministry
anywhere.”
Jack was coming to the conclusion of his three year internship in Korea.
In March 1962, 250 new faces appeared on the campus; 250 new students
divided into four classes were the field of battle. For most of the students it
was their first experience of meeting a foreigner and missionary. Like an old
general, preparing to go to war once again, Trisolini faced this new group and
welcomed them. He felt much greater confidence in dealing with the students.
Jack, with his dictionaries and grammar books in hand, studied hard. Within a
week, he was once again sweating over the Korean-English grammar books –
new challenges began presenting themselves.
It proved to be an opportunity to deeply reflect on the teaching and learning
process that was going on. Teaching English was meant to be a broadening
experience, not something to be mastered only to pass an examination i.e.
334

7.3 Page 63

▲back to top
something to do to gain entrance into a University. Remembering Professor
Lawrence’s course of “Basic English” at Montclair State Teacher’s College, he
was reminded that teaching English should be an opportunity to open oneself
to a new culture and a new way of communicating with people.
By 1962, the modernization and urbanization trends in Korea had already
changed the education environment in Korea. The relationship between
teachers and students has suffered the consequences. Trisolini called into
question the significance of teaching something only to achieve a goal that
has nothing to do with the broadening process of the human person. This
broad humanization effort attempted was placed into secondary importance.
Pondering over the course of future years, Trisolini was to develop an aversion
to returning to the Korean classroom once again.
Don Bosco modeled the formative structure for Salesian seminarians in a
way similar to the Jesuits. In English it was referred to as practical training.
Seminarians in practical training started from the bottom of the ladder and
learned, rung by rung, to become Salesian educators. Jack knew that whether
lay people or members of a religious order or congregation, all live in a world
of differing and even conflicting opinions. Higher-up people at times can
dispense arbitrary or petty orders.
He recalled once being told by an older member of his community that “clerics
(young seminarians) should refrain from speaking during meals.” He took that
as quite an inhuman injunction then, because the Salesians still adhered to the
practice of listening to readings for the first half of the meal. When would there
be time for basic human inter-action during the day? The younger seminarians
were up at 5 in the morning, said their prayers, attended Mass and were
teaching Latin even before breakfast, which was taken alone most of the time.
The rest of the day was dedicated to teaching English and/or preparing lessons.
There was little or no time for basic human interaction.
The Teacher John Trisolini 335

7.4 Page 64

▲back to top
Personality clashes and petty posturing for power and position can
become the norm. Life in Gwangju was difficult enough for this small band
of foreigners, living in relative isolation from their peers. Multi-cultural
communities, while motivated by great good will and the same ideals, were
not something that happened easily or naturally. As his time drew to a close in
Gwangju, these thoughts passed through his mind and were jotted down in his
journal.
With the arrival of summer 1962, Jack was drawing to the end of his
practical experience interlude. He was soon to leave Gwangju for the journey
through Tokyo and New York on his way to Rome. That year there was a
severe draught, and the farmers had to water their paddies by hand using
buckets. Before leaving on a hot and dusty July morning, his students asked
him: “Brother, where are you going? What will you be doing when you leave
us? When will you return to teach in our school again?”
He replied to them “I’m going to Rome to continue my studies. When they
are finished I will return to Korea. When I come back you will all be grown,
have your own families and will be earning money to support them. In order to
make a better life for yourselves and your families, study hard! I wish you all
only the very best in life!” They thanked him, and told him that they wanted
him to return as quickly as possible.
“Yes, I will return to Korea. I want you all to stay healthy, don’t get sick like
me.”
The underlying Confucian philosophy that underpins Korean culture places
great emphasis on the relationship between the ages of persons, and the
relationship between teachers and their students as well. Regardless of the time
or distance between meetings, these relationships remain the same.
Travel to Seoul by train had improved a great deal! One of the results of the
military coup was that the trains were running on time. This last trip to Seoul
336

7.5 Page 65

▲back to top
for his departure from Korea, he traveled with Fr. Victor Miller, S.D.B. – who
served as the Master of Novices in Gwangju. Fr. Martelli also joined them
for this journey, he had finished twelve years of service in Japan and Korea –
he was ready for his furlough home to Italy. The last six years he had served
as the superior of the Salesian efforts in Gwangju. Fr. Miller was on his way
to Japan, where he was to take a break from his normal work. After eating a
boxed lunch on the train, the two priests said the Divine Office. This gave Jack
an opportunity to reflect on the past three years. Seating behind Trisolini was a
Korean Army Captain, reading The General Dean Story in English – a recent
best seller. Anxious to speak English, he introduced himself to Jack saying
“Brother, my name is Captain Lee” in flawless English. Trisolini answered him
“My name is Brother Jack Trisolini. I’m happy to meet you.”
Captain Lee continued “Brother, I learned English working at many different
U.S. bases around the country. During the Korean War many American soldiers
sacrificed so our country would not become a communist country – as a result
we are living well here in the south. I don’t think the Army was right in taking
over the country by coup. But our country was on the verge of chaos, and the
result seems to have stopped that course. We aren’t as well off as we can be. If
our society is not stable, we never will live well. I am Catholic as well!”
Jacked asked him “What is your baptismal name, Captain?”
“My name is Simon. I used to believe everything that the Catholic Church
taught. But as time went by, my faith began to weaken. I don’t have any family.
And the priest who baptized me I have lost contact with. I began military life in
the Army College. Often times, because I’m a professional soldier, I often have
to change bases and it’s not always easy finding the church to assist at Mass. I
used to think that every time I missed Sunday Mass I committed a mortal sin,
but as time went by I’m not so sure of that. Now I’ve fallen a long way from
first fervour as a Catholic. I’m confused, Brother, would you pray for me?”
The Teacher John Trisolini 337

7.6 Page 66

▲back to top
Taking his rosary out of his pocket, Jack gave it to this young man. He said
“Certainly, Captain. Every time I think of you I will pray for you. I received
this rosary as a gift as a child and have used it to pray ever since. It has always
been in my pocket or in my hand. Whenever you see this rosary, remember me
and pray for me as well. The Lord will certainly look over you in His Love.”
Jack Trisolini had worked and lived from December 1959 until July 1962 at
the Gwangju Salesian High School as a teacher.
338

7.7 Page 67

▲back to top
Introduction to Labour Ministry

7.8 Page 68

▲back to top
Brother Jack Trisolini left for Italy in mid-1962 in order to complete his
theological training. Before departing for Europe he was able to visit his
grandmother. She passed on to him the address of her older sister Rosa who
was living in the city of Avellino. His relatives were living near the mediaeval
shrine of Monte Vergine – living on a mountainside that overlooked the town
of Avellino. Upon meeting his family, they proudly showed him the house in
which the French writer Emile Zola had once resided. He was the first member
of his family who had immigrated to the United States to return to Italy and
visit the immediate family. In 1962 his grandmother’s older sister was an old
woman, already in her mid-90s. She was in good health – being the one who
tramped to the bus station alone in order to greet him upon his arrival. He was
impressed to see the obvious close bonds of the family members with Aunt
Rosa – witnessing as well to a devout Catholic family life.
The professors of theology at the Pontifical Ateneo Salesiano felt that the
Salesians who had studied in the United States at Don Bosco College were
lacking in their philosophical preparation for theology, and thus required them
to study remedial philosophy for one more year before beginning theological
studies. As a result, these students who had to make up their philosophical
courses, as well as the pre-practical-training students, lived together at the
central Roman Sacro Cuore Seminary and were present in the Eternal City
for the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Thus armed with sandwiches
distributed the night before, priests and seminarians of the Sacro Cuore boarded
a large bus at 5 A.M. the morning of October 12, 1962 and headed for Saint
Peter’s Basilica and the opening of the Council. The young Salesians jumped
over the barricades leading into the piazza in front of the basilica, which left
Jack at a disadvantage because of his weakened legs due to polio. Some kind
Italians helped him into the piazza and thus was privileged to be able to attend
the opening ceremonies of the Council.
340

7.9 Page 69

▲back to top
Among those who resided at the Sacro Cuore during the Council was the
Chilean Cardinal Raul Silva, a Salesian and the Archbishop of Santiago. Each
evening he would share the events of each day of the Council, sharing with the
priests and young seminarians and accepting their questions about the Council
in progress. He very kindly answered all of the questions that the seminarians
pelted him with. Later, he was to be an outstanding critic of General Pinochet
who overthrew the democratically elected President Allende in 1973.
Another resident during the Council at the Sacro Cuore was Archbishop
Louis Mathias of Madras, India. This French Salesian had spent most of his
live as a missionary in India. He joined in the daily celebration of the Eucharist
for the seminarians. He also graciously shared his daily experience of the
Council with them. During the first session of the Council, India and China
fought a border war – and Bombay’s Archbishop, Cardinal Gracias, would
frequently come to the Sacro Cuore to discuss this issue with Cardinal Mathias.
The young seminarians felt they were in the center of the world, witnessing the
daily global changes that were being discussed by men at the center of events.
The special guests at Sacro Cuore during the Council included visitors from
Korea as well. Gwangju’s Archbishop Harold William Henry and Seoul’s
Archbishop Paul Marie RO Ki-nam also paid a visit – Seminarians Trisolini
and McNeill were able to spend time with them both during their visit. In
January 1963, the Sacro Cuore seminarians were able to spend a holiday
together near the Holy Father’s summer villa at Castel Gandolfo. They were
able to spend three days at the Paolini’s retreat center that was very close.
There they had the privilege of meeting the founder of the Paolini Family –
Don Giacomo Alberione, S.S.P. who welcomed them warmly.
Seminarians were often quite taken with the simple, direct and honest charm
of Pope John XXIII. In 1963, Sister Vincentine S.C., Jack’s Sixth Grade teacher
and Sister Gertrude Agnes S.C. were visitors to Rome for the beatification of
Introduction to Labour Ministry 341

7.10 Page 70

▲back to top
Elizabeth Seton, which Jack attended as well. These Sisters were members of
the Sisters of Charity (Convent Station) – and were much beloved by Jack. He
recalled once seeing Pope John XXIII passing by in a motorcade on his way to
receive the Balzan Award that spring. No one was aware that this good Pope
had only a month or two left to live at that time. As he spent his entire life, he
was a witness to Christian joy until the moment of his death. Jack was able to
attend the Pope’s funeral despite it being the time of final examinations.
During the installation of Pope John’s successor, Pope Paul VI, Jack met
the Provincial from the United States, New Rochelle Province, Fr. Augustine
Bosio. The Provincial was happy to defray Jack’s expenses for a visit to
Lourdes as a pilgrim. He took a night train to Lourdes from Rome, which was
packed with pilgrims who had been in Rome for the Papal crowning. There he
bathed in the miraculous waters and attended the night candlelight procession.
Spending just one night in Lourdes, he left the next day for Spain where he
was to spend his summer vacation at the Salesian house in Barcelona – the
Hogares-Mundet. This was a technical school and orphanage for children from
broken homes, where Jack was to assist. Here he learned Spanish during that
summer.
A new seminary was being built in Rome, and thus for the 1963-64 school
year, he studied in Torino at the Ateneo Salesiano on Via Caboto. Most
classes were taught in Latin with heavy emphasis on scholastic philosophy
and theology. Jack found the teaching methods very rigid and not particularly
energizing. During this year he was sent for training at the Oratorio of San
Ludovico, where he was able to meet many young people, the children of
immigrants who had come to work in the auto industry coming from the
southern part of the Italian peninsula. His second summer in Europe saw him
return to Spain where he suffered form an ingrown toenail which required some
surgical intervention. The woman who performed the surgery said to him:
342

8 Pages 71-80

▲back to top

8.1 Page 71

▲back to top
“Brother Trisolini, the polio that you suffered from in Korea has caused a
great deal of muscular atrophy that is generalized in your body. If you do not
do something about it now, you could very well be unable to walk in the future.
In order to strengthen these muscles you need to go to a facility where you can
receive good physical therapy. I think you should go to Lyon (France) where
there is a famous medical facility that specializes in just such a situation – a
place where you can receive good muscle rehabilitation. I think you should go
there for this treatment.”
Jack was clearly interested, but replied dutifully “Thank you for your
recommendation, but I am a member of a religious order, and I cannot just
go where I please.” The good doctor replied, “Yes, I understand what you are
saying, Brother. But there is a Salesian school in Lyon. I would be pleased to
write a recommendation to your Rector Major, Fr. Renato Ziggiotti, making
this recommendation to him with letters verifying your medical condition.”
This chance meeting with this doctor significantly changed his future
course in life. While returning to Italy for the next semester of classes early in
September, he discussed the possibility of going to France with Director of the
Crocetta, Fr. Valentini, S.D.B. In turn, this priest sent him to meet the Rector
Major of the Salesians for an interview. In entering the office of the Rector
Major, Trisolini saw that he had the letter from the Doctor and the documents
that she had sent to him. After discussing Jack’s health, he asked Jack “May
I see you walk around a bit?” Jack of course immediately responded “Yes,
Father.” After watching very carefully Jack’s gait while walking around,
he asked him to sit down and went into deep thought about what should be
done.” He told Jack that he would write to the French provincial, Fr. Phillipou
S.D.B., asking him to admit Jack to the Salesian seminary in Lyon. The Rector
Major extended his blessing to Jack, and told him to prepare for his journey to
France. Jack remembered the kindness, concern and compassion of the Rector
Introduction to Labour Ministry 343

8.2 Page 72

▲back to top
Major for many years, being deeply touched that he would take such a deep
interest in him.
Later in September 1964, Jack left Turin for Lyon where the Salesian House
of Studies at Chemen de Fontanières is located. Most of the 100 member
student community still had not returned from their summer vacation upon
his arrival there. The Provincial Finance Officer, Père Darblay along with a
recently arrived missionary from Bolivia and Jack, left the next day for a day
trip to Taizé and Parray le Montial.
Jack´s French language ability was quite rudimentary, having studied the
language for only one year in high school. Nevertheless, he began to study his
fourth language that had been absorbed in the previous five years. Fortunately,
his hosts spoke English perfectly well, and among his classmates, Brother Yves
Delouche S.D.B., he found a mentor for further studies in the language.
Among the books he read that fall as a French textbook was a small volume
written by Paris Foreign Missionary, Père Célestin Coyos in which he related
his experience being taken a prisoner of war by North Korean soldiers during
the Korean War. This tragic story of death, his forced march to the north and
imprisonment, proved fascinating to the young seminarian. This true story,
which described those who perished on this forced march, with Père Célestin
being among the few to arrive at their prison destination far to the north. Jack
eventually met this priest back in Korea before he died, where he served as a
chaplain to the Sisters of the Korean Martyrs for many years.
Around this same time, a new superior had been appointed at Fontanières, Fr.
Marcel Piot, S.D.B. He instructed the seminarians on their day free of classes,
Thursdays, to go directly into the city and visit those young people who were
living under unfortunate circumstances. This was following the example of
St. John Bosco, who in 19th Century Turin, began his ministry by visiting
labourers who were living, working and suffering in desperate circumstances.
344

8.3 Page 73

▲back to top
Thus, they made it a habit to visit each week the Notre Dame de Sans Abri – a
shelter for homeless people – and volunteered to be of assistance to the young
people they met there. Many of them had no other shelter at night or regular
meals during the day. They observed directly the influence of alcohol and
other addictions. Many of them were unable to stay clean living on the streets
– coming typically from Algeria and Morocco and other countries in North
Africa.
Many of the seminarians volunteered to do the same service, attempting
to help those who were sleeping on the street to quit their alcohol drinking.
When they were not able to control the occasional incidences of violence
that would naturally arise in such a situation, they would go the staff seeking
more professional help. The seminarians would go around waking people up
who needed to arise early for their jobs. They would arrive at about 8 p.m. in
the evening just as the men finished their evening meal in the shelter’s soup
kitchen. They would return to the seminary, getting to bed late and having to
arise early the next morning for Mass, meditation and after breakfast, to study
for the rest of the day.
Among the people that Jack met at Notre Dame de Sans Abri was a young
man by the name of Barek. He entered the country illegally to find work. He
was a young man of about 20 years of age coming from Morocco. At the time a
gentleman from Belgium was working on the streets of Lyon – his name being
Marcel Waterschoot. He was a member of the Partners of the Salesian Belgian
Province. He also met the Belgian Robert Jeuris, who later ended up marrying
a French woman. This young couple operated a hostel where young people
living on the streets could come and find affordable housing.
While Barek was able to find work, he could not find appropriate
accommodations – and much of his time was spent finding a place to sleep at
night. That is how he came to be staying at the hostel. For the first time, Jack
Introduction to Labour Ministry 345

8.4 Page 74

▲back to top
became aware of the reality of migrant labourers in France. He saw the wasted
potential in these young people as they desperately tried to make a living.
There were a great numbers of migrant workers living in France at this time -
who came from Italy, Spain and Northern Africa. Most of them were living in
isolation and suffered from great loneliness. They were very poor and had few,
if any, friends upon whom they could rely.
The summer vacation of 1965 saw many of the seminarians volunteer to
be of service in hostels for young workers located in the periphery of the
city. They went out on the streets in order to meet these young labourers. By
the 1960’s Europe was well on the way to becoming a secularized continent.
The Christian communities that were alive did not express much interest in
the plight of these young people. This experience was a great opportunity to
discover the reality of young people in modern Europe. This experience helped
them to understand more deeply their vocations to be of service. Most of the
young people were indifferent to politics in general, with some being nominally
connected to socialist or communist organizations. They were marginally or
otherwise not at all connected to the local parishes that surrounded them.
This involvement of seminarians with homeless young people on the streets
led to them being introduced to the Young Christian Workers organization
which was led in the Archdiocese of Lyon by the Chaplain, Père René Chenet.
He helped the young seminarians integrate their experience through this hands-
on experience into their particular vocation. Brother Trisolini also began to
read in the whole area of the Young Christian Workers movement. He began
visioning this type of apostolate in Korea, remembering his first encounter with
the YCW in his earliest days in Korea – applying the principles to the people
he would eventually serve in Dorim-dong parish upon his return to Korea.
The young seminarians were ready to accept and adopt the suggestions
that Fr. Chenet was showing them – training them to work in dialogue at
346

8.5 Page 75

▲back to top
monthly meetings with the working-class boys and girls whom they met on the
streets of the city. Jack also became conversant with the basic principles and
methodology of the movement of the Young Christian Workers. The Salesian
priest Jean-Baptiste Béraud, pastor of Our Lady of Good Help Parish in Lyon,
shared passionately his experience of working for poor urban youth. This
helped mature the young seminarians’ experience – putting flesh on the bones
of their experience.
The seminarians during the summer of 1966 formed the first Young Christian
Workers team with the young people they met on the streets of Lyon. Not
one of these young people was associated with a local parish. They had no
leisure time for hobbies or a personal life because of their poverty. Several
times Jack would go on short motor-cycle tours of the countryside with these
young people forming close bonds with them. This time spent together was an
opportunity for them all to share their personal experience and express what
they wanted freely. This simple plan, made together with the young people,
was an opportunity for them to form a sense of responsibility for their own
plight and to gain the courage to act on this sense of responsibility, recognizing
what was wrong with their situation and planning to correct it. A sense of
mutual respect gradually was formed, allowing them to plan their futures and
prepare new skills that would help them improve their lot. This time of travel
together, gave them a sense of joy in living and a new found sense of freedom
and the ability to control their futures. The simple act of preparing food and
sharing a tent, engaging in deep and serious conversation, added to a new sense
of a possibly brighter future.
In July 1966, many of these young people he met on the streets attended
Mass for the first time. By this act they confirmed their conviction to change
their futures. Their experience was shared with their parents and friends
through presentations that they gave themselves, sharing photographs and
Introduction to Labour Ministry 347

8.6 Page 76

▲back to top
slides taken during their time together. These summer camps gradually changed
their nature and content – with the young labourers taking on a new awareness
of themselves. By the end of the year, the headquarters of the French Young
Christian Workers’ organization prepared a brief questionnaire that helped
focus their experience. The chance of these young men and women to express
themselves began to slowly turn into reality.
The three years of study in France passed quickly for Jack. The French
seminary professors always spoke and taught with a confidence that made
a deep impression on the young minds before them. Besides the normal
textbooks, they also immersed the seminarians in the reality in which people
were living in. The lectures were not only well prepared, they were a pleasure
to listen to. Dogmatic Theology, while being the traditional subject matter, was
taught in a charismatic and enthusiastic way that energized the students. The
Old Testament courses were academic in nature, but never failed to inspire.
Intensive courses in a variety of other subjects were provided as well as the
traditional seminary fare for periods of time each year. These courses could be
for several days and sometimes could last for a full week.
Trisolini’s experience in France, when compared to his time in Italy, found
the study much less stressful. The method used in Italy relied heavily on
memorization of texts. In contrast, the courses taught in France were taught
in a much friendlier and gentle atmosphere. That is not to say that Jack
was only taking courses he personally enjoyed – he also was challenged by
the courses he did not particularly care for. They were taught in a spirit of
personal responsibility and stressed a more mature participation in the learning
experience. The professors were always well prepared, and always faithful to
the teachings of the Church. The seminarians were challenged to ponder the
content of what they were being taught and the real implications involved for
their future mission. The Liturgy was always celebrated with great dignity and
348

8.7 Page 77

▲back to top
celebrated with enthusiasm. The seminary was open to the surrounding society.
The seminary rector led his local community as a community of faith, using all
means at his disposal to challenge and nourish this community of witness.
When the second year of theology began, the rector of the seminary, Fr.
Marcel Piot, took the first and second year seminarians on a bus trip. They
made the journey to Chartres in order to visit the gorgeous cathedral there.
There they also attended a gathering that was meeting in order to understand
the new liturgical changes that were on the horizon. For the first time, the
Liturgy was to be celebrated in the vernacular. Representatives from the
breadth of France gathered to better understand what was soon to come into
being – they learned the new ways of celebrating the ancient rites. They came
from all the dioceses of France to learn new music that was more appropriate
to the historical change. The stained glass windows in the venerable Cathedral
spoke to them of the Sacred Scriptures – broadening their experience of biblical
history. They were able to glimpse through the magnificent architecture they
observed the hands that helped create this house of God.
After their experience of Chartres, a team from the Sorbonne in Paris arrived.
They introduced the students to scientific facts and the mystery of human
sexuality. For a week Catholic couples shared their experiences and their own
life experiences. The discussions that were held were dynamic and vital.
A year later, the Dominican priest, Père Lebret, came with a group of priests
and lay people to present a course on economic systems and human reality.
They taught every day and night for a week the Social Doctrine of the Church.
This team had assisted the preparation of the Encyclicals of Pope John XXIII
– Mater and Magistra and Pacem in Terris. They worked for the seminarians
every day for a week. They gave the seminarians a thorough workout in the
Catholic Social Doctrine of the Church. They connected this doctrine with the
reality of labour and the economy – from theory to the practical – based on
Introduction to Labour Ministry 349

8.8 Page 78

▲back to top
then existing papal social encyclicals.
Labour Union leaders and local government officials came to lecture on
issues related to labour on a day-to-day basis. Members of the Young Christian
Movement and the Catholic Labour Movement came to share their real-life
experiences. These opportunities gave the seminarians a fresh and vivid sense
of what daily reality was for the people involved in these movements. They
learned what worked and what did not through the lived experience of others.
Fr. Marcel gave the seminarians another opportunity to learn how the Gospel
can be lived faithfully, in a vital and fruitful way. The hero of the French
Resistance during the war, L´abbé Pierre (Henri Marie Joseph Grouès) was invited
to share his life story. He spent a week living with the seminarians – sharing
his experience with them. He seemed a humble and frail priest – but his
commitment to confronting the exploitation of the poor displayed his passion,
heroism and dedication to his neighbour. He incarnated his dedication to the
poor by living in community with them making concrete his commitment to
them.
At the close of the Second World War, due to his work in the Resistance,
L´abbé Pierre was elected to the National Assembly of France. His salary
earned during his tenure along with all the political influence he could muster
was used to support his work among the poor. After assisting at the bedside
of a failed suicide of a young blue collar worker – he asked the young man to
postpone his suicide and help build a house for a poor widow – the young man
recovered and spent the rest of his life with L´abbé Pierre. This chance meeting
blossomed into their mutual involvement in the Emmaus movement in Paris.
He taught this young man through his words and example how to live in this
world, being of service to those too weak or too poor to help themselves.
The Emmaus movement spread from Paris to many parts of the world – even
to Korea where poor labourers lived in what was called the “Ant Village” –
350

8.9 Page 79

▲back to top
reflecting their scurrying for work each morning in order to sustain their poor
and hopeless lives. He attempted not only to provide housing and nourishment,
but also provided the tools and attitudes that would lead them out of a life of
dependence on others to a life lived in dignity – one that was self-supporting
and sustaining.
He attempted to instill a sense of human dignity in these urban poor – he
taught them that God was present to their suffering and poverty. No matter how
humble and poor a man or woman may be, they are children of God and this
gave them an inestimable dignity. This simple story affected the seminarians
very deeply – hearing this humble priest speak was not something that could
soon be forgotten.
He told the seminarians “to imagine a world in which competition to be the
strongest, most powerful and possessive being was the only basis for human
survival. If everyone strictly applied this principle of competition in every
instance, no human child, no weakened or impaired person and probably
very few other living human beings would long survive on the planet. The
struggle for dominance would reduce humanity to just the strongest individuals
possessing the most. They in turn would continue to struggle among
themselves to eliminate the weaker ones.
“If this struggle went to the bitter end, only one almighty individual would be
left. This meant the end of humanity because when the single remaining person
died off then there would be nobody.” Fortunately this is not the case. Societies
do no routinely discard the weak, they protect them in love. Families protect
those among them who are weak and/or disabled. Our object is to preserve the
weak in a world that can be made better – that is the object of service.
Archbishop paul Marie RO Ki-nam, at the conclusion of the Second Vatican
Council came to France and visited the seminary in Lyon. Accompanying him
was Domina – a member of AFI – the l’Auxiliare Feminique International
Introduction to Labour Ministry 351

8.10 Page 80

▲back to top
– a secular institute present in Korea. After Evening Prayer, the Archbishop
gave the traditional ferverino to the assembled seminarians. He spoke of the
first Christians in Korea who were lay persons, he referred to the Korean
War and the tremendous suffering that entailed, and he continued to speak
of the missionaries who had served in Korea for so long and the happiness
that existed in the church despite the pain. He concluded with his personal
satisfaction in knowing that the Gospel was being preached and lived in his
country and the zeal with which ministry was being performed in his diocese.
Prior to his ordination to the diaconate, Jack along with his classmates went
to the town of Ars where they were encouraged to become like the famed Curé
d´Ars, John Baptist Mary Vianney. The Curé d´Ars was a man immersed in
his peasant piety, a deep spirit of faith, intense prayer and humility. He boiled
potatoes twice a week for his meals, living very simply. At the time of planting
and harvesting he worked alongside his parishioners in the fields. Once he
became lost on the road in a very thick fog. He stopped a young boy and said
to him “If you tell me the way to Ars, I will teach you the way to heaven!”
When Jongno Catholic Church was first built in the heart of the city on
one of Seoul´s main streets, it was adjacent to the city´s notorious Jong Sam
prostitution district. The church´s first pastor dedicated the new parish to St.
John Vianney and interceded with the Curé d´Ars to rid the parish of the red-
light district. In 1968 Seoul Mayor Kim Hyeon Ok (Bulldozer Kim) began
redeveloping the area and sin-town began to disappear. The trees of a large
park now tower over the nearby church and the immense underground parking
lot that lies below. Groups fighting for women´s rights subsequently pushed
through laws that ban public prostitution.
Prior to Trisolini´s priestly ordination he made his retreat at the Trappist
Abbey of Notre Dame des Dombes. The Abbey´s graveyard was filled with
graves from the 19th century. The early Trappist monks in the 19th century
352

9 Pages 81-90

▲back to top

9.1 Page 81

▲back to top
first came into the area and very bravely began the process of emptying the
swamplands around the immediate vicinity. Prior to this huge project it was an
area infested with malaria and caused many premature deaths.
In the Archdiocese of Paris, the priest in charge of the Pastoral Labour
Ministry for migrant labourers was Père Jean-Marie Mossand. He gave
the retreat that year to the future priests. He emphasized the importance of
human contact and respect for people of all classes, races and nationalities.
Fr. Mossand´s priestly ministry put him in contact with all kinds of people.
He spoke eloquently of friendships made on the streets, subways and buses of
Paris. His talks reinforced the pastoral principles inculcated at Fontanières of
Christ-like fidelity to all we meet in daily life and ministry. The retreat made
them attentive to the possibility of encountering God´s presence and the Holy
Spirit´s action in the hearts and actions of all they would meet no matter where
they come from or what they looked like.
The Deacon John Trisolini, having completed all of his seminary training
was ordained a priest on 15 April 1967 in the city of Lyon. The retired Bishop
of Autun, Bishop Le Brun, presided over the ordination. He was the Bishop
who gave the abandoned church in his Diocese to Brother Roger Schültz-
Marsauche, the founder of the Taizé community, authorizing him to begin his
inter-faith ministry.
Attending his priestly ordination were the couple Madeleine and Jean Blum
– Jewish Catholics, who during the Second World War survived because
of Blum´s abilities as a dentist. Through that skill he survived the Nazi
Concentration camps where death was certain. Many of the young people
Jack had met on the streets and shared in the formation of the Young Christian
Workers movement in Lyon also joined him for his ordination as well. His
mother and aunt also joined in the solemn day coming to Lyon for the event all
the way from the United States.
Introduction to Labour Ministry 353

9.2 Page 82

▲back to top
His last summer in France had begun. In order to prepare for ministry
he spent that summer under the guidance of the Norgent-sur-Marne YCW
International Center. This was the center for all of the priests involved in this
ministry in Europe and from third world countries. They provided an intense
training course for those destined for this ministry. The summer of 1967 was
the 40th anniversary of the founding of the YCW which was commemorated
by a large gathering in Paris at the event called Paris 1967. A contingent from
Lyon also went to Paris for the affair – those involved in the ministry and
the young people whom Jack knew. At this event Jack was able to meet the
founder of the YCW, Père Guérin.
Another group had come from Brussels, and Trisolini was able to meet the
international team. Rienze Raspinghe from Sri Lanka, the Internal President of
the IYCW – was happy to meet Jack because he was a native English speaker.
At a press conference held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Jack was
asked to serve as a translator as well as at a press conference in October at Paris
Pays de Vale (Draveil) at a meeting of the international conversation on Young
Christian Labour. That summer he was also able to meet the successor to the
Vatican’s Prefect for the Laity, Cardinal Gatin - Monsignor Uylenbrooke. He
also met for the first time the Australian, Fr. Brian Burke.
Trisolini stayed in France until immediately before Christmas 1967. He had
been ministering at the parish of Sainte Foy. He and his ordination classmates
had been involved in courses at the Salesian Minimes Lycée the subjects of
religion and pastoral theology. He was always very thankful for the three and
half years spent in France – years of great freedom and acquiring the zeal for
future ministry. He always credited his efforts at being a part of a pastoral team
(pastorale d´ensemble) to his experience during those years.
The pastoral team at the Sainte Foy parish had been filled with blessings and
tensions. Père Ribes, the old-fashioned and devoted pastor, knew the names,
354

9.3 Page 83

▲back to top
backgrounds and quirks of everyone in the parish. Timid and hesitant, he
balked at going beyond acceptable boundaries and traditional ways. His curate
and the seminarians living in the parish wanted to bypass French society’s
accepted divisions. After the Sunday masses, Jack would accompany the curate
and the seminarians into a Café across from the church, considered a fiefdom
for those who seldom or never set foot in church and would drink an “aperitif”
with that crowd of people.
The team would prepare the Sunday liturgy and sermons every week
together to reach out to the whole community by collectively reflecting on
and correcting each other´s sermons. Meetings were moments of mutual
enrichment and exasperation. We criticized and complemented the designated
preacher´s sermon and adapted it to the liturgy in a meaningful way. This
approach to ministry revealed the prevailing system being taught in the French
seminaries. Students were encouraged to Observe the present reality, Judge
how it can be changed and to form a plan of Action to put it into effect.
The last flight from Lyon to Paris was most pleasant. After a brief stop in
Paris, the longer trip to New York was next. The hours spent on the airplane
were an opportunity to reflect on what had happened during recent years, and
also to look forward to a visit home. It was the first time that Jack was to spend
Christmas with his family in twelve years. During his eight years spent abroad,
the United States had changed a great deal. Certainly the results of the previous
years of civil rights movement were obvious. However, the Vietnam War was
now the cause of the moment, slowly causing national consensus to erode.
The 19th Century Catholic immigrant parishes in the United States
had unraveled in quick order. During the second half of the 20th century
immigrants poured into the country from very different places of origin. The
original European settlers and their descendants were replaced with immigrants
of Hispanic and Black origins. The media began to refer to the “inner city”
Introduction to Labour Ministry 355

9.4 Page 84

▲back to top
while sex and drugs became readily available. Time-honoured values looked
outmoded. Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Indians and Pakistanis as
well as people from the Middle East would soon have the right to immigrate
to the U.S.A. Mosques and Hindu Temples would begin to dot the landscape.
Everything was in a state of change.
The newly ordained Fr. Trisolini had an opportunity to work with the U.S.
team of the Young Christian Workers during his brief time in the country at
this time. This experience almost led Jack to reconsider his place of future
apostolate. The experience of the national team soon led him to be able to resist
this temptation. The national team, while deeply idealistic, was centered on
national and global issues. For example, their focus was being against the war
in Vietnam and deeply committed to the civil rights movement. They seemed
not be interested in the actual reality of young labourers – the daily struggle to
survive in an oftentimes hostile atmosphere. While the national team was very
idealistic and spoke with great confidence, it seemed to lack a critical balance
between societal issues and urgent personal needs of young labour.
Through many discussions with the members of the YCW in the U.S. he
found that while many could discuss the end of the Vietnam War with zeal and
enter into dialogue about racial equality – the issues of the young labourer were
not being looked at. The strength of the YCW is that it is centered on the reality
of the individual – helping him or her come to terms with their given reality.
The organization, try as it may, will never be able to be the agent for ending
the Vietnam War, for example, or to make racial harmony a reality. While
these were then very important national issues – these issues change with time.
The mission of the YCW is always the individual labourer. He felt that the
underlying approach of the national team leadership was ultimately a cause
of conflict and confusion for the organization. In bringing the possibility of
remaining the U.S. for his apostolate, he brought this matter to a private retreat
356

9.5 Page 85

▲back to top
he made with the Benedictines. During this time of prayer and reflection he
decided that it would be best to return to Korea.
While Jack studied in Europe news of the Salesians in Korea was heard
intermittently, by way of letter and through what missionaries on leave would
share. The small struggling Salesian community in Korea had experienced in
the years during his absence there both growth and crises. Tensions between
the Salesians, some priests of the Gwangju Archdiocese and some of the
teachers at the school erupted into full scale revolt in 1965. The Salesians were
temporarily driven out of the school, but came back after Fr. Martelli returned
as principal. Tensions subsided and the school began running again normally.
Differences of opinion and approach among the Salesians coupled with the
personal health problems had forced Fr. Miller’s return to Belgium. From the
Turin mother house, the Major Superiors of the Salesians decided to call in a
veteran missionary from the Thailand Province, Fr. Mario Ruzzeddu to take
Fr. Miller’s place in order to direct the struggling Salesian Delegation in Korea
and to restore group harmony.
Meanwhile, Fr. Dalkman had been replaced as the Provincial Superior for
the Japan and Korea Province with Fr. Stefano Dell’Angela. Fr. Trisolini had
been in contact with Fr. Dell’Angela by post, keeping him informed of the
unsettled nature of his future course. The new Provincial feared that he would
not be returning to Korea. On the flight from New York to Tokyo, as soon as Fr.
Trisolini landed at the new Narita Airport, he telephoned his Provincial from
the airport. Fr. Dell’Angela was waiting for his call.
The new airport at Narita, being a long distance from central Tokyo, the
Provincial decided to go to the returning missionary rather than having him
come into the city. Fr. Dell’Angela was a seasoned missionary, who had served
in Japan since the 1930’s. When the Second World War was in progress, after
the ouster of the Italian Dictator, Benito Mussolini, the government of Japan
Introduction to Labour Ministry 357

9.6 Page 86

▲back to top
required those with Italian passports to swear allegiance to the Axis powers. Fr.
Dell’Angela refused to do so, and ended up serving those years until the end of
the war in a concentration camp. Fr. Dell’Angela’s relaxed attitude immediately
put Jack at ease. Talking with him was like a fresh breeze on a hot humid day.
Fr. Dell’Angela said to Jack “Fr. Trisolini, I understand your concerns very
well. There are issues for the Salesians in Korea that have yet to be resolved. It
could be said that these problems and issues as yet unresolved are also the very
means we will have to solve them. Every community in its formative years has
the same growing pains; the Salesians in Korea are not an exception. I believe
that with patience and with great confidence in the God who loves, that these
problem and issues will help us mature in Korea. The Holy Spirit is the One in
whom we should have great confidence. Do not be afraid of the future. You and
your brothers in Korea are always in my heart and prayers.”
Jack was relieved, saying “Fr. Provincial, thank you so much. I think I’m
ready to go back to Korea now.”
The Provincial then got a bit more concrete when he reflected on Trisolini’s
future post in Korea. “I’m not sure whether it is best for you to go to the parish
in Dorim-dong. Perhaps it would be better for you to live in the new novitiate
and formation community in Daerim-dong. My delegate, Fr. Mario Ruzzeddu
in Korea will, of course, make the final decision about your posting.”
358

9.7 Page 87

▲back to top
The Last Salesian in Dorim-dong Parish

9.8 Page 88

▲back to top
The following day, May 4, 1968, the flight from Tokyo arrived in Seoul on
time, but the telegram announcing Jack’s arrival was never delivered. Thus, he
flagged down a taxi at Gimpo Airport and went to the Daerim-dong novitiate
and formation center. This house did not exist when he had left Korea for
Europe. There the Superior, Fr. Ruzzeddu was to greet him for the first time,
saying to the young missionary priest:
“Fr. Trisolini, it has been a long trip for you! I’m sorry there was nobody to
meet you at the airport. The telegram that was sent from Tokyo unfortunately
never arrived here. Please understand! I know you should have a couple days rest,
but at the moment we can’t afford that luxury. I would be grateful if you were to
go to Dorim-dong parish and help Fr. José M. Suárez. Please go there now!”
Jack could only respond in the affirmative. Dorim-dong parish and its
environs was formerly an agricultural district. Upon Fr. Trisolini’s return it
had developed into the largest industrial complex in Korea. Right next to the
parish was the Crown Beer factory. Close by was the OB Beer facility and
the Jinro Soju factory. In the neighborhood were the huge Bangrim and the
Gyeongseong Bangjik textile factories. There was a steel plant nearby as
well. There were countless small machine shops – all but eliminating the rice
paddies and rural homes that previously dominated the area.
Archbishop Paul Marie Ro Ki-nam had entrusted the parish in Dorim-
dong to the Salesians in 1958. For most of the time since then, Fr. José M.
Suárez had served as pastor. Ten years later, upon Trisolini’s return to Korea
in 1968, the Dutchman, Fr. Joop Röttgering, S.D.B. was the curate, thus Jack
became the second curate – the third man on the pastoral team. The parish ran
a very popular kindergarten and also the Aejeon Civic School, an alternative
educational program for girls and boys financially unable to attend regular
middle schools. The boys studied at night and the girls studied during the day.
The Provincial Delegate in Korea, Fr. Ruzzeddu, was planning personnel
360

9.9 Page 89

▲back to top
changes. Fr. Suárez, having served ten years already, had to be changed because
of pressure coming from the Bishop’s office for a change. Fr. Ruzzeddu was
counting on Fr. Suárez’s abilities to develop Don Bosco Youth Center and then
hopefully assume charge of carrying on the upcoming Salesian work in Korea.
Fr. Suárez felt called to parish work and resisted a transfer to another type of
pastoral activity.
This already complex situation was further complicated by the problem of
moving Dorim-dong’s cemetery located near Gwangmyeongni. Although the
parish cemetery was in a rural area, it was in the heart of a vast government
project to develop Gwangmyeongni as a new satellite city for Seoul. Fr.
Suárez and Fr. Röttgering had searched for new land, eventually purchasing
a mountainous piece of land in Gyeonggi-do for the new cemetery. The
land purchased was rocky and deemed unsuitable for a cemetery. Worse yet,
villagers living nearby vehemently opposed the transfer of a cemetery in close
vicinity to their homes and planned to block entry. A new plot of land had to be
found. Transferring all the bodies from the existing parish cemetery to a new
site was already a challenging task. The prospect of looking for a new location
only exasperated already difficult human relationships. The small community
began falling apart.
Tensions between Fr. Suárez and Fr. Röttgering over running the parish
merely added further burdens to the increasingly complex situation. Added
to this was the plan of restructuring personnel by the Superior, Fr. Ruzzeddu
which added further burdens to this already overstressed reality. Fr. Röttgering
left the parish community early in the fall of 1968 and worked successfully for
many years in parishes of the Incheon Diocese. Shortly after that, in November
1968, Fr. Suárez accepted the bishop of Busan’s invitation to take charge of
a parish in his Diocese. Suddenly the young Jack Trisolini was alone trying
to hold together one of Seoul’s largest parishes. Shortly after this transfer
The Last Salesian in Dorim-dong Parish 361

9.10 Page 90

▲back to top
of personnel, he was faced with his first major challenge with a visit from a
representative of the Korean National Housing Corporation, who very abruptly
began his conversation:
“Since you people have not cleared up the Gwangmyeongni cemetery
as quickly as we had planned, you leave us no choice but to begin work by
bulldozing the graves that are there. The responsibility was yours to do so, we
cannot be held accountable for the results of your inactivity!”
Rather than engage in long discussions, Trisolini simply told the gentleman
that there would be no movement at the site until a top management
representative came and listened to the parish’s side of the problem. Until then,
he promised that every Sunday when the Catholics of the parish gathered for
Sunday services, he would inform them of the bullying tactics being employed
by the Korean National Housing Corporation.
Within several days a higher ranking official of the Corporation did show
up at the parish rectory. This individual was much more reconciliatory,
saying “Father, the last employee of the Corporation who was here a few
days ago spoke too rudely to you. We understand your response to him and
want to assure you that we want to cooperate as much as possible to solve
this problem.” The young pastor simply urged the Corporation to assist the
parish in finding a suitable cemetery site acceptable to residents living nearby.
Working together with the Corporation, a plot of land was eventually found and
purchased in Hwaseong-gun, Bibong-myeon. Thus the transfer of five thousand
bodies from Gwangmyeongni to the new site could begin. The Superior, Fr.
Ruzzeddu, appointed Brother Moses Kim to be directly responsible for the
transfer process.
But, no sooner had the project begun, another problem arose that added more
complexity to the situation. There was discontent among the family members
who had their loved ones interred in the older cemetery – and the issue
362

10 Pages 91-100

▲back to top

10.1 Page 91

▲back to top
centered on the allotment of plots for individual graves. Fr. Trisolini along with
Bro. Moses, decided the best way to handle this situation was to go to the most
respected man in the parish and seek his guidance. There they pleaded with
Mr. John Kim Seok Chang, an elderly and venerable parishioner who had long
served the parish’s needs.
They asked him, despite the work it would entail, to help solve the problem
that had arisen among the Catholics of the parish regarding the new cemetery
and the allotment of graves. Being a good and faithful man he immediately
agreed to do the task, telling the two much younger not be concerned – but
to pray for him and his fellow Catholics in the parish. Within weeks, this old,
cherished man, went about the business of resolving the conflicts that had
arisen. The complaints that had arisen slowly began to fade and the process of
moving five thousand bodies was brought to a safe completion.
Connected to the parish was the Aejeon Civic School, which met the needs
of middle school age youngsters in the Yeongdeungpo area of Seoul. This put
a tremendous strain on the finances of the parish. Nevertheless the school kept
running with donations and mass intentions provided by the parish. About 500
to 600 student relied on this school for a basic middle school education. Among
the students were about 30 mixed blood teenagers born of Korean mothers
and U.S. soldiers stationed in Korea. The children were cared for by the
Maryknoll Fathers and commuted to school from Incheon. Everyone paid only
a minimal tuition fee. Teachers worked for a minimum wage and a few retired
parishioners donated their time and skills. Just getting by month to month was
an enormous effort.
In the aftermath of Vatican II, Pope Paul VI issued various decrees to apply
the Council’s decisions and put loose ends in the Church in order. A Roman
document ordered religious communities administering parishes to renew or
renegotiate contracts with their local dioceses. Despite a minute search in the
The Last Salesian in Dorim-dong Parish 363

10.2 Page 92

▲back to top
Tokyo archives of the Japan/Korean Province and the Generalate Archives in
Turin for contracts regarding Dorim-dong Parish, only a letter of invitation
from Archbishop RO surfaced. Since the Salesians had no written contract with
the Seoul Archdiocese, they knew they would not be able to remain at Dorim-
dong. Shortly afterwards, Fr. Ruzzeddu and his Council decided at the end of
1969 that the Salesian would return Dorim-dong to the Archdiocese.
Immediately after being informed of this decision, the administrator of the
Diocese, Fr. Paul Choi Seok Ho telephoned Fr. Trisolini asking “Father, are
there any problems operating the parish there in Dorim-dong? Is that why you
are asking the Archdiocese to take it over?” Jack was able to respond “Father,
our parish here in Dorim-dong is doing just fine. The decision to hand the
parish back had nothing to do with any problems that are outstanding.”
The young Fr. Trisolini thus was very busy until September 1969 preparing
for the orderly handover as the last resident Salesian pastor. Two priests
of the Archdiocese, Frs. Moses Choi Gwang Yeon and Ludovico Park Jun
Yeong assumed leadership of the parish in late 1969. The rate of entry of
new Catholics into the Church was highest in Dorim-dong, with over 500
individuals every year being trained and baptized. With the cemetery issue
resolved, and the school coming to a natural end of its usefulness there were no
outstanding problems for the new pastoral team to be concerned about.
At this time the Gyeonghyang magazine, ranked the Dorim-dong parish as
the best read parish in the country – with the parishioners purchasing the most
Catholic books. All outstanding issues, such as the cemetery, the kindergarten
and the Aejeon school were all brought to a successful conclusion under the
tenure of Fr. Trisolini. Some issues regarding the property line were solved
when Crown Beer purchased a small slip of land and erected a high cement
wall, thus ending an irritating but small problem of people entering the factory
grounds without authorization.
364

10.3 Page 93

▲back to top
Working with Young Labourers

10.4 Page 94

▲back to top
The Korean Church, in order to provide training for young laborers so
that they could provide for the physical needs of their families, desired to
found a technical school. For a long time, the Salesians were asked to assume
responsibility for this school. The Salesians had already begun a foundation
and school in the Gwangju Vicariate Foraine. Until this enterprise was well
established, they felt that they could not begin another apostolate running
the Technical School in Seoul, due to their limited resources. They never
abandoned the idea of the future development of the Technical School when
they were more able. In 1957, the then Vice President of the Republic of Korea,
Dr. John Jang Myeon, a devote Catholic, visited Germany where he met the
Cardinal Joseph Frings, Archbishop of Cologne, earnestly asking for assistance
for this future plan.
He spoke to the Archbishop thus: “In Korea today we need technical schools
more that we need universities! Our young people need to develop basic
skills thus increasing the employment of our youth. Please help us solve this
problem.”
Cardinal Frings shortly thereafter visited the Salesian Technical School in
Tokyo. While there he spoke with the Salesian Provincial residing in Japan,
carrying the message of Dr. Jang to him, asking for the Salesians to help. The
Provincial promised that once they were able, the Salesians would begin this
important work in Korea. Of course, the lack of financial resources was not a
problem easily overcome.
The end result, of course, was that eventually the Salesians were able to
later begin this new apostolate. Years before, the first Salesian to visit Korea,
Fr. Angelo Margiaria, had put on musical programs throughout the country in
1934. In order to begin this work he was assigned to Korea in 1959. Shortly
after his arrival he purchased land for the project, but it was deemed unsuitable
for the future school – thus the property was sold. In April 1964, larger land
366

10.5 Page 95

▲back to top
was purchased in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul – this land was almost 11 acres in
size. Upon this land buildings were planned to be constructed and from 1966
onward the ministry for labouring youth was closer to being realized.
While the land was purchased and building plans were made, there were no
funds to move forward. The German organization of Misereor was approached
for assistance. Providing the necessary documents, proposed budgets, building
plans and all of the necessary information for Misereor to consider the request –
the application was prepared in great detail. Fr. Johannes Rauh was dispatched
from Germany in February 1967 in order to evaluate the plan, ending with the
promise of support for ministry in Korea.
With this positive development, the Salesian pastor in Seoul began the
process of accepting application from young people to form the first class
for this school. The candidates were between thirteen to sixteen years of age.
Visiting each of the candidates’ homes, and through a process of entrance
examinations and personal interviews, the first twenty-two students were
chosen for this first class. From March 1967, students were brought to the
playing field of the Daerim-dong Salesian Formation house, where the students
practiced for two hours of on-hands training daily. There they were able to
practice skills on used equipment from Japan and Korea – industrial lathes,
turret lathes, and small lathes – using these old machines. With the help of the
Brothers, they were even able to produce products as well.
During February 1969 at the small residence at Singil-dong, the Don Bosco
Youth Centre was promulgated formally. Fr. Edward McNeill was appointed as
the first Superior of the community. There was a glass manufacturing centre in
Yeongdeungpo where many low-waged young people were living under very
primitive conditions. It was not only unsanitary – it was a very dangerous place
in which to work. Because of the furnaces, workers would flock to this factory
in the winter for the warmth that they offered. They were fed poor quality
Working with Young Labourers 367

10.6 Page 96

▲back to top
foods and their sleeping arrangements were hazardous as well – located close
to the furnaces. One hundred and twelve people were blowing glass bottles and
jars the old fashioned way – using mouth blown pipes to create these products.
During 1969, having moved the Postulancy to Gwangju, the Superior invited
sixteen of these young people working at the glass factory to reside in the
community building, where meals and dormitories were available. During their
free time they were given opportunities to study and prepare for a different
future.
The Youth Centre was reminiscent of the Valdocco Oratory where young
workers were housed and fed. There were principles behind the move to this
type of apostolate. First of all, while providing housing for young workers they
were also given opportunities for continuing education and vocational training
– thus improving their chances of gaining more remunerative jobs. The skills
they acquired in the courses offered would help them directly in moving up the
ladder of advancement – often at the very places they were working during the
day. Of course, there were other workers who did not take advantage of these
opportunities while living in the dormitory.
As Fr. Trisolini ended his time at Dorim-dong, the Salesian Provincial in
Japan, Fr. Della Angela invited him to rest for a while in Japan in January
1970. Prior to his departure for Japan he had already received the appointment
from the Superior in Korea, Fr. Mario, to be the assistant superior and financial
officer for the Don Bosco Youth Centre beginning in March 1970. Jack had
long desired to be involved in this very apostolate, and was happy to agree to
the assignment. Upon his return from Japan he went happily to his new posting
in Singil-dong.
In March 1970, the Don Bosco Youth Centre received an official recognition
of the facility as a training centre for young workers from the Ministry of
Labour. Training in the use of lathes and welding continued. Fr. Trisolini
368

10.7 Page 97

▲back to top
received a recommendation from the Minister of Labour that was used for the
expansion of the dormitories as courses offered to young workers at the Centre
meant that it was recognized as a training center and professional development
school. This was a tremendous aid in obtaining even further funding from
Misereor in Germany for development of the facilities. The requirements of
Misereor, while always generous in their assistance, had to be validated by
strict financial and architectural reports. Demands for architectural changes
usually necessitated cost increases and had to be explained thoroughly.
Fulfilling the requirements proved at times to be a very large task.
With this generous support, construction was able to be started. During the
construction phase, the search for new machinery that would assist in training
was begun that would be used in the new facility. In March 1972, Misereor
provided thirty new lathes to be used for training purposes. All of these new
machines were quickly moved to the new facility as it approached completion.
As it turned out, the lathes were not produced in Germany as anticipated, but
in Brazil! Misereor had farmed out the purchase of the machinery to another
agency – and this third organization had decided to save some money by
purchasing the machinery at a much reduced rate! At that time, of course,
these types of machines made in Germany were vastly superior to what could
be made in what was considered a third world country. The rationalization
was that, while supporting the production companies in a poorer country, with
quality not dissimilar to what was available in Germany, provided help to the
third country and at the same time provided needed equipment for the young
workers in Korea. It was a case of one stone used to kill two birds – an old
Chinese proverb (一石二鳥) brought to life!
During the construction of the new dormitory and training facilities, it was
decided that the courses being offered at the Daerim-dong facility would be
terminated. Night courses were begun for lathe and welding training and other
Working with Young Labourers 369

10.8 Page 98

▲back to top
courses which were offered only to workers and those who were in residence
in the new dormitories. The community at the Don Bosco Youth Centre
recognized that their primary mission was pastoral, and thus adjusted the
courses being offered. There was as a result a greater interest because of this
more centralized concentration on the needs of young labourers and their future
advancement.
This job training at the vocational school led to actual products being
manufactured. The workers, labouring in the factories during the day and
receiving further training at night, thus were receiving a more rounded
experience. Not only were manufacturing skills promoted, but courses in
agricultural skills were also begun. With new skills developed with the help
of the Brothers, the young labourers were able to look for more professional
positions in the workforce, having graduated from the program provided at the
centre. Providing workplaces for those labourers unable to find work outside,
the centre itself, manufacturing simple products, began to supply various
factories with machined parts that were necessary for specific products being
produced elsewhere. This helped generate income for the centre and for those
young workers labouring there.
The dormitory for young labourers was chiefly for those working during the
day, but also for those who desired to study specific skills more deeply. These
were individuals in need of further training who had either been let go from
their workplace because they did not have the required skills for advancement
or the company did not supply further training for them. This became a major
challenge that the centre had to face. In 1990 a second floor was added to the
facility, thus providing increased space for labourers and those in training
programs. Later in 1993, using a part of a building no longer used by the
Sisters of the Annunciation, thus this program was further expanded into
four larger rooms there. Thus slowly, over the years, the character of the
370

10.9 Page 99

▲back to top
centre slowly changed. Originally a dormitory was envisioned for labourers
with simple courses provided at night. Later it became a centre for labourers
requiring further training or re-education for employment purposes, including
even production units for products ordered by outside companies.
South Korean society was rapidly changing during the 1970’s. It became
difficult for the coadjutor Brothers involved in this apostolate to be of one
mind and heart. The Brothers, used to being involved in the traditional
understanding of vocational schools, which they helped operate and run,
were asked by circumstance in something very different from the traditional
model. Unfortunately this situation, demanding adaptation and adjustment,
was not always successful. Attitudes often led to uncompromising positions
that became a source of conflict and misunderstanding. Differing cultural
backgrounds made cooperation at times very difficult. Considering and
adapting the opinions of others in a spirit of cooperation often failed to take
place. Some considered their own skills more important, thus leading to a sense
of futility on the part of others.
The first Superior, Fr. Edward McNeill, upon the completion of his first
term, refused to be appointed to a second term in 1972. He left the centre and
was assigned to the parish at Guro 3-dong. Fr. Robert Falk became the new
Superior of the Korean Salesians in March 1972. Fr. Falk, recently appointed
to the Gwangju Salesian High School, was delayed in his appointment until
June 1972. Shortly after this, the Korean Salesian mission was elevated to the
status of a Region, thus Fr. Falk became the first Regional Superior in Korea.
Fr. Alfredo Moreno was appointed almost a year later as the Superior of the
Don Bosco Youth Centre – thus exacerbating the confused situation there.
During this interim period, the Vice Superior and Financial Officer of the
Centre – Fr. Trisolini – continued to serve in office. He was heavily involved
in the construction projects going on, and managing all of the documentation
Working with Young Labourers 371

10.10 Page 100

▲back to top
that work involved, especially for Misereor in Germany. He oversaw the
construction of a new three storey dormitory building and a Retreat Centre
– which was completed by October 1974. The new dormitory was built to
house between 70 to 80 young workers. With all of the projects underway,
fundraising became a major concern for him. Besides the fund raising efforts in
Germany with Misereor, he was also heavily involved in raising funds abroad.
The recently returned missionary, Fr. Victor Miller, helped raised funds for all
of the projects as well in his native country.
In July 1975, Fr. Trisolini was appointed as the Financial Officer for the
Salesian Korean Region. While fulfilling this role he continued to be involved
in the religious education program offered at the Don Bosco Youth Centre
and also the Centre’s benefactors’ society was a particular concern for him. Fr.
Trisolini assisted at the parishes of Daerim-dong, Daebang-dong and others
in the area where he asked for help for his ministry – recruiting students for
the centre. He created a brochure which sought actively to recruit students for
the training centre. Always remembering that “Preventive Education” was
a primary concern of the Valdosta Oratory of St. John Bosco, he continued
his outreach to young labourers through a variety of programs. Valuing the
traditional values of his Congregation, he went of his way to practice these
values in a concrete fashion. Fr. Trisolini could be very impatient with those
whom he thought did not understand these values that he held so dearly. One
Christmas Eve, after having celebrating the Eucharist, returning home he saw
that one of the Brothers and several of the employees at the Centre were still
working on a project late on Christmas Eve.
He sternly said to him: “Brother, on a Feast Day like Christmas, work is
forbidden. Do you think it is all right to continue work like this?” The Brother
replied “Father, I know that working on the night of Christmas Eve is not
exactly in accord with Church teachings. The problem is that if we do not finish
372

11 Pages 101-110

▲back to top

11.1 Page 101

▲back to top
this project tonight we will not fulfill a delivery schedule we are contracted to
do. Please understand.” Fr. Trisolini replied “No matter how busy you might
be, today this work is inappropriate!”
Brother responded “No matter how correct what you say may be, Father, it
does not apply to the situation before us now.” Apparently, Fr. Trisolini had no
answer to this reply!
Preserving a sense of community among young workers was the purpose for
the facilities built. However, when those in leadership had different methods of
teaching often conflict occurred. Fr. Trisolini was a stickler for the regulations
that everyone knew. Other members of the community felt that the regulations
had to be interpreted flexibly in order to apply them to realities that were very
different. Fr. Trisolini felt that these regulations and rules were not arbitrary,
and not following them precisely could be the cause of the loss of the spirit of
St. John Bosco and his charism. These fundamental differences in approach to
education and apostolate at times made accommodation and compromise very
difficult.
The nature of Korean society, based on principles of human relationships,
easily viewed people who have a strong, more legalistic approach to life as
strong and aggressive. Those in leadership positions in the Korean Salesian
Region moreover viewed relationships between individuals as being more
important than legalistic interpretations of events. It became apparent that
a minority few, more literally minded individuals would find themselves in
conflict with a more flexible majority. Thus there developed a sense that Fr.
Trisolini was a difficult person to work with. This interpretation, especially
by those who did not know him well, persisted among younger members of
the Society. Rather than speak of his positive impact in pastoral ministry – the
negative experiences that had accumulated at the Don Bosco Youth Centre
in his work there became a generalized opinion. Thus, the path that he had to
Working with Young Labourers 373

11.2 Page 102

▲back to top
travel became a much narrower one compared to other members of the Society.
This was a very heavy cross that Fr. Trisolini had to bear for many years.
Despite this, he was always a reasonable educator with a passion for the
young. He was the son of a poor man, who obtained his education with many
financial limitations. Fr. Trisolini did not care for those who were irresponsible.
A young man, who had light fingers, once stole from Fr. Jack, who was at
that time the local treasurer. He stole once again, and then a third time from
Trisolini. On the third robbery, Fr. Trisolini discovered the theft in progress
and confronted the young man, giving him a slap across the face. The young
man fled – and two years later, the young man finally came to see Fr. Trisolini,
asking forgiveness for his bad behaviour. Of course, Jack forgave him
everything. This young man lives a faithful and good life to the present day.
Ministry for those with Hansen’s disease
From 1960 onward, the Salesian Fr. Raymond Spies, while living in the
Mission Station located in Nok-dong of the Gwangju Archdiocese, had been
involved in the apostolate directed towards those with Hansen’s disease
(Leprosy). At the time, in Korean society, there was extreme ignorance and
prejudice regarding this disease process. The children of those suffering from
Hansen’s, through no fault of their own, shared in the alienation endured by
their parents because of this disease. Fr. Spies, in order to ease the pain of these
young people, created dormitories for them in Sillim-dong and Eungam-dong
in Seoul. Because of the distances involved, Fr. Spies could not administer
both his own apostolate on the south coast of the country and the dormitories in
Seoul. For this reason, Fr. Spies approached Fr. Trisolini for help.
“Fr. Jack, I’ve founded a dormitory for the children of Lepers near the
Sillim-dong parish. I can gather the funds to run this place. But as you know,
I’m living down in Nok-dong, and I’m finding it very hard to take care of the
374

11.3 Page 103

▲back to top
dormitory in Seoul. I know you’re very busy here in Seoul, but I still want to
ask your help with these children.”
Jack responded “Fr. Spies, I cannot assume total responsibility for these kids.
But I can promise you that I will spend as much time with them as I can. Don’t
be overly concerned about them.”
He was able to visit the dormitory once every week, during which time he
would spend helping them with their education problems and further training.
In order to run the dormitory, Fr. Trisolini received funds from Fr. Spies
regularly. Land was purchased for a new facility for these children in July
1976 in Sinwol-dong, in western Seoul. A purpose-built structure was planned,
with the intention that Salesians Fr. José Maria Blanco and Bro. Giacomo
Comino were to take over the apostolate. Unfortunately it was impossible to
build on this land. A former small hotel was purchased in the area at Hwagok-
dong, and was converted into a dormitory for these children. These children
were all registered as living in South Jolla and South Gyeongsang Provinces –
with their home address being listed as the Leprosy Colonies in both of these
southern Provinces. Even if they wanted to study, with that on their personal
registration cards, it was impossible for them to enter even a regular school.
As a result they were enrolled at the Vocational School, studying subjects like
barbering, construction, electronics, carpentry, iron-working and use of heavy
equipment, etc., or went to work.
Brother Kong Min-Ho was placed in charge of the education and work
placement of these young people. For those studying at the Vocational School
or those working in the market-place, they gathered each evening at 6 p.m.
for dinner at the school. At night those interested in taking the Middle and
High School Graduation Equivalency Examination were helped to prepare
for the test. For those working, the daily travel to and from the workplace had
to endure many hours on city buses. After returning home from work at the
Working with Young Labourers 375

11.4 Page 104

▲back to top
dormitory, they usually went straight to bed. Sometimes missing their stops the
police would at times bring them back to the centre.
The living conditions in the former hotel in Hwagok-dong were not very
pleasant, and thus plans were made to move into a new facility in Sinwol-
dong where land was purchased for this purpose. When the land was being
prepared, rumours about the facility caused the local residents there to protest
the construction. During the course of construction demonstrations were
held by local a resident, which was further complicated by the collapse of an
embankment on the building site. The ignorance and prejudice of the residents
of Sinwol-dong could not be ignored. The Salesians decided that it would be
best for their Postulants and Aspirants were to live in Sinwol-dong among the
poor labourers there – and the children of Hansen disease patients were moved
into the former formation centre in Daerim-dong.
Establishment of Nangok Parish
The Nangok area in Sillim-dong was an ancient village originally without
many long-term residents. As the years went by the number of original
residents diminished and by 1965 there was an influx of new residents from
outside the area. Catholics living in this area would routinely attend Sunday
Mass on either the parish of Guro 3-dong or Ahyeon-dong. In March 1969,
because of the construction of a levee on the river banks, a Mission Station was
created in Nangok. Eventually a strong core community of believers developed
in the area.
This Mission Station of Nangok was under the jurisdiction of Sillim-dong
parish, which had been created on September 11, 1969. Beginning on October
5 the same year, construction was begun on a new parish church. The faithful in
Nangok appealed to the pastor of Sillim-dong, Fr. Lawrence Choi Seo Sik and the
parish leaders that their Mission Station be regularly served by a priest, saying
376

11.5 Page 105

▲back to top
“There are many believers in Nangok. Please come and celebrate the Mass
for us there. If there is weekly mass there, we will all be certain to receive
the sacraments faithfully.” The parish priest responded “Please celebrate the
Communion Service without the priest present. When I have time I will come
to Nangok and celebrate the Mass when I can on Sunday.”
After the Mission Station was established, Fr. Choi would go to Nangok
once or twice a month in order to hear confessions and celebrate the Eucharist.
When he could not go to the area, the Communion Service without a priest
was held either in an empty hall or in the homes of local faithful. When Father
Joseph Kim Sung-Tae was made the second pastor of Sillim-dong, the number
of new faithful increased dramatically. This caused the pastor to have even less
time to attend to the needs of the faithful in Nangok. It was impossible for him
to maintain even a minimal presence at the Mission Station. It was at this time
that the Archdiocese asked Fr. Trisolini to take on the weekly commitment
to the Nangok community. Beginning with Lent in February 1971, he took
on this added responsibility. He would weekly celebrate the Eucharist, hear
confessions and assumed the pastoral responsibility for the Mission Station.
Salesian Sister Anastasia Min helped him making visits to the faithful in the
area. He began a Doctrine program that initiated people into the faith in the
Mission Station as well.
Beginning with a small congregation, numbers soon increased to over
one hundred. Visiting the homes of faithful and the initiating the catechism
programs contributed to a quick growing of numbers among the faithful in
the area. This led to a need to have a larger facility to handle the increased
numbers. Moving into a new building in May 1971, they didn’t have the
funds to pay for the first month’s rent! Fortunately the Salesians were able
to loan them the 150,000 won needed to pay for their rent. After signing the
documents, Jack was able to place a sign outside the building with the simple
Working with Young Labourers 377

11.6 Page 106

▲back to top
message: Nangok-dong Mission Station. By Christmas 1971, four of the people
taught catechism by Sister Anastasia were able to be baptized by Fr. Trisolini
at the Christmas Mass. Travel to and from Singil-dong was a chore for him
because of the distances involved and the effects of polio on his crippled legs.
Year later people in Nangok were to say “Fr. Trisolini really worked hard for
this community. In the cold of winter, walking on the slippery icy streets to the
Nangok Mission Station, he would come every week to celebrate Mass for us.
With no concern about himself, he would walk into our valley to be of service.”
The faithful of Nangok were much impressed at his zeal for ministry.
The Archdiocese of Seoul, aware of the increasing numbers of faithful in
Nangok, eventually decided to create a parish there. In May 1975, Fr. Jack
was able to break ground for a new parish Church on land purchased by the
Archdiocese. By the end of August the first floor of the new building was
finished, and in September 1975 it was elevated to the ranks of the parishes
of the Archdiocese. With the appointment of Fr. James Choi Seon Ung, the
Salesians withdrew from Nangok parish.
Nangok, not receiving much benefit from the urban improvements evident
elsewhere in the local society continued to be a poor and polluted part of
the city. The Archdiocese had by this time become involved not only in the
development of parish facilities but to pay attention as well to the living
conditions of people living in areas that were poor or underdeveloped. In the
1970s, there developed pastoral programs centered on the urban poor which
were based on community organization efforts. Among many poor areas in
the city of Seoul, Nangok was certainly one of them. In order to organize this
activity, Ms. Sarah Kim Hye Gyeong was assigned to work in this area. This
woman attempted to solve the various human rights and labour issues that often
arose in poorer communities. She made efforts at improving the quality of
life in the area, urging those actually in the area to take responsibility for their
378

11.7 Page 107

▲back to top
homes and neighbourhoods. Health benefits for those injured at the workplace
were another area of concern for her. Among the efforts at improving education
provided in public schools were examinations of the schools in the area – also
providing hands-on experience for seminarians training for priestly ministry
with the urban poor. For those seminarians who received this time of training,
they spent one week at the Don Bosco Youth Centre listening to lectures by Fr.
Trisolini, and attended Masses celebrated by him there.
Salesian Cooperators: Establishment and Formation
The Salesian Cooperators have existed since the time of the Founder, St.
John Bosco. The purpose of the Cooperators from their earliest beginnings
was to support the work of the Salesians in saving poor and abandoned youth
– both physically and spiritually. The Cooperators consisted of lay men and
women and diocesan priests from the very beginning. In 1850, St. John Bosco
brought all of the various organizations of laity and clergy into one central
group of individuals who would assist in the mission of the Salesian Society.
In 1876, receiving ecclesial approbation, the Cooperators were given a rule of
life and a description of their apostolic involvement with the Salesians. With
clear guidelines established regarding life and ministry, the Cooperators swiftly
spread throughout the world.
The Salesian Cooperators were first organized in the early days of the Korean
foundation - that is since March 27, 1956 in Gwangju, and later in Seoul at the
Dorim-dong Parish in 1958. While there was some activity of the benefactors
and sponsors of the Salesians in Korea, they were not formally organized until
1976. Until that time, depending upon a specific need or occasion, were the
benefactors or sponsors asked to gather together and assist with projects.
The Salesian Collaborators are a religious community that lives in the
secular world. A Salesian Collaborator is one who does those apostolates or
Working with Young Labourers 379

11.8 Page 108

▲back to top
tasks that Salesians in religious vows cannot perform; because of their zeal
and dedication they reveal themselves as Christians. The objective of the
Salesian Collaborators is to assume the spirit of St. John Bosco in his concern
for the salvation of young people in the world today. A Salesian Collaborator
who, according to his/her talents, enters into the apostolate of the Salesian
family according to the individual’s ability to do so. A Collaborator may even
take an oath to maintain this way of life. While leading an apostolic life, the
Collaborator is expected to maintain a simple life of prayer - for this reason the
Collaborator must have the time and opportunity for this simple life of faith.
They are committed to monthly meetings and the development of the spirit of
the Collaborators.
Fr. Trisolini upon receiving the appointment to formally begin the Salesian
Cooperators in Korea used much energy to see that the initial Cooperators
were infused with the spirit of St. John Bosco, allowing them to be effective
ministers as lay persons living according to the principles of Salesian
spirituality. Fr. Trisolini made an effort to choose good people from among the
Salesian benefactors in order to give the Cooperators a more lively beginning.
With the appointment of Fr. Trisolini to this task of organizing the Salesian
Cooperators, development was swift. Formal meetings of the Cooperators
began in 1976.
With the provisional rule of the Cooperators updated in 1974, the spirituality
and mission of the organization was in line with the spirit of the documents of
the Second Vatican Council. Taking advantage of the living witness of Salesian
religious, both men and women, he molded the Cooperators into the Salesian
charism and spirituality. In 1979 Fr. Trisolini began in earnest the formation of
the Cooperators for the Salesians and by 1981 the first group were able to make
a profession of promises (not formal vows as religious make, but promises as made by
many Third Orders). In the Seoul Daerim-dong Salesian Residence and the Singil-
380

11.9 Page 109

▲back to top
dong convent of the Salesian Sisters serving as the centers for the organization,
and collaboration with the Don Bosco Youth Center have contributed towards
the development of the Cooperators.
The Holy See approved the final version of the Constitutions in May 1986
– with the English version being published in Madras, India by the Salesian
Printing Press in July 1986. With fifty copies ordered and received, it was
shared with English speakers and work was begun immediately on a Korean
translation of the Constitutions by Korean Salesian religious. Introducing the
translated Korean version of the Constitutions for the Cooperators in 1987,
and given approval by the Provincial Council of the Salesians in Korea, it
was finally released for the use of the Cooperators in 1987. Also in 1987 with
the Cooperators’ Council set up according to their Constitutions, appointed
Salesian priests as local coordinators – though not the National Director. In
February 1993, a regular newsletter began publication, thus fulfilling a long
held dream.
Fr. Trisolini cultivated Collaborators so that they were trained to observe and
make judgements so that they could lead good lives as laity, certainly, but also
to assume the Salesian identity. After a period of formation, spiritual direction
and discernment, the Collaborators take an oath to live their lives guided
by Salesian principles. These Collaborators are full-fledged members of the
Salesian institute. When Fr. Jack began working with Collaborators, there were
just four centers in the Gwangju and Seoul – by 2013 the movement continued
to spread nationally. From the beginning in Korea, the Director was referred to
as the “companion leader”.
One Thousand Marriages
Among the many concerns that Fr. Trisolini had was the problem of youth
and marriage. The Salesian spirit gave him insight that the church first exists in
Working with Young Labourers 381

11.10 Page 110

▲back to top
the family - thus this interest and offering of help to young people as they face
marriage is a form of preaching the Gospel and an aid to forming a new Holy
Family. He had this special concern not only regarding the youth for whom he
worked, but for the Salesian Collaborators as well. Not only those close to him,
but even strangers on the street he would meet, would hear his concern about
how they married and their understanding of what marriage was all about.
He considered the Sacrament of Marriage to be of particular importance. He
considered that the sacrament itself provided the beginning of life together
in the presence of the Lord Himself. He would preside at wedding in secular
venues as well. All told, he presided over the birth of over 1000 couples during
the course of his ministry. He once was described in a daily Korean Newspaper
thusly:
Myeong-dong’s Fr. Trisolini – for someone who frequents the back alleys
and many restaurants of this central area of Seoul – few would not know of this
American priest who has worked in Korea for many years. This priest, who
walks with a pronounced limp due to polio, warmly greets the proprietors of
many of the shops and restaurants that dot the landscape. They in turn respond
as warmly, feeling that they are dealing with a family member. “Hello there, it’s
been a long time! How are you doing?” Speaking Korean fluently he asks “How
is your girl/boyfriend?” or “How big is the baby now?” – warmly displaying
his great grasp of the personal information shared over time with many people.
Friendships formed over fifteen years or more before were warmly recalled and
built upon over those ensuing years.
He would meet in his daily walks people with him he lived years before in
the Daerim-dong Salesian residence – then they were underprivileged young
people – now they were adults living productive and happy lives. Weekly he
would walk in the Myeong-dong neighbourhood in order to offer counseling
services to young girls who sought out help for their personal problems at
382

12 Pages 111-120

▲back to top

12.1 Page 111

▲back to top
the Catholic Young Female Student Centre– thus providing the excuse for
walking through the back alleys regularly. Every spring he would be a bit
busier – preparing couples for their marriages. Many of the marriages were
performed in churches, and many of them were performed in secular venues as
well. He fondly recalls all the couples for whom he presided at their weddings
– claiming that he “has a lot of grandchildren now!” He faithfully accepted
most invitations to the 100 day parties (100 days after the birth of a baby) – the one-
year-old parties, etc. feeling privileged to be a part of this extended family.
“There are a lot of people living in Seoul, but not many of them are really
your neighbours” he often says. “I have always enjoyed presiding at marriage
ceremonies, rich or poor, because of this sense of connection I feel deeply.”
This American priest always carries a small pocket calendar, where he would
faithfully write down the name, address and time of the next party that he felt
he had to attend. People are often amazed that he could find the time in his very
busy schedule to accommodate so many couples, Catholic and non-Catholic,
and support them on such an important day in their lives.
Fr. Trisolini remembered all of the couples for whom he presided at their
marriages – it was never simply performing a ritual and moving on for him.
He felt that attention paid to people at this important moment in life helped in
the process of sanctifying the marriage for noble purposes through a prayerful
personal relationship. Like a loving father, he would happily preside at the
weddings of the very poor that had very little. One couple in particular, shortly
after giving birth to their first child, were living in a simple apartment. One day,
the young bride was waiting for her husband to return home from work. She
set up the table for her husband’s evening meal in the living room, and returned
to the kitchen. Her very young baby, seeing his mother return to the kitchen
naturally moved to be near her and in doing so fell on top of the charcoal heater
and stove, burning himself severely.
Working with Young Labourers 383

12.2 Page 112

▲back to top
She rushed the child to the hospital, and from the emergency room she called
Fr. Trisolini:
“Father, what can I do? Our baby is dying. Please help me, please help our
poor baby. Father, please…..” Fr. Jack responded quickly “Maria! Where are
you calling from?” She said “I’m phoning from ooo hospital’s emergency
room.” He then said “Maria, please don’t worry – your baby will be fine. Place
him in the Lord’s hands! Do you understand?” She tearfully answered “Yes, Fr.
Jack, I do.”
He left his office, climbed into a taxi and rushed to the hospital. He found
the mother and child together – the baby certainly having suffered severe burns
but was then sleeping. With them he prayed for the child and for his parents, to
the Lord. It was evident that the child was dying. He helped them through this
trauma with compassion and his unshakable cool-headed reason. At moments
like this, with a small Lamb of God dying before him, he was simply a Good
Shepherd, who stood by this young couple in their pain and loss.
384

12.3 Page 113

▲back to top
Local Superior and Resident Priest

12.4 Page 114

▲back to top
On September 19, 1984 Fr. Trisolini was appointed as the Superior of the
Daerim-dong community of the Salesians. This community consisted of pre-
novitiate postulants, seminarians attending the Seoul seminary, included on
the premises was the Salesian Young Workers Center and the center for the
formation of young people. He was deeply aware of the need to form students
in the spirituality of the founder, St. John Bosco. This was to instil those in
formation an intense interest in the spiritual welfare of poor youth, something
that was to last throughout their lives as Salesians. He encouraged this
spirituality not only for those who were already Salesians, but also those young
men who came to him for guidance. If he judged they had the capacity for this
life, he would lead them to a consideration of Salesian life as an option for their
futures.
During his life, Fr. Jack always paid particular attention to the development
of future Salesian vocations. He always provided opportunities for those
already working to experience Salesian life through direct experience of
common life and mission through a short weekend retreat at the Salesian
residence. Of course, there were young people who were not responsive to the
introduction offered. He would write to them in Korean handwritten letters,
asking them to consider again a life of service to poor youth and the importance
of this form of religious life. This impressive personal attention led to many
of those who had no apparent interest in the life to respond, returning to try it
once again. He considered the professional preparation of future Salesians to
be of great importance, insisting upon professional training on the college or
university level. He would send those Postulants who had already had work
experience to night school at local colleges. One time a Postulant from such a
poor background, opposed any further study quite strongly, saying
“Father I really don’t want to study any more. I have already a lot of
experience in society. I believe I have acquired enough technical skills as well.
386

12.5 Page 115

▲back to top
I have professional licenses, why do I have to continue going to college?”
Fr. Trisolini responded to him “You may be able to be of assistance to young
people carrying nothing in your hand, but you won’t get far if you have nothing
in your head to share with them. Further study may be difficult, but you must
prepare yourself to teach even better skills to the young poor whom you will
serve.”
Fr. Jack remained adamant. The young man had to continue to prepare
himself to enter university. In later years, as a technical teaching Brother,
he found the university background very important for his work. For those
aspiring to the priesthood in temporary vows, they were sent to the summer
camps organized by the community as support personnel. For those going on
as lay Brothers, they spent their summers working with young people teaching
carpentry skills and making furniture. For the Brother candidates, they found
being charged with such heavy manual labour difficult, complaining to Fr.
Trisolini:
“Why are you ordering only us to do such difficult carpentry work?”
His response was “Young people have to deal with advanced technology for
the rest of their lives. If you intend upon becoming a true educator, you must be
aware of all the advances in the fields you teach. You have to be aware of the
challenges that young people must face, and how they are thinking. Working
in the heat is hard for anyone. For these young workers isn’t the heat and sweat
even harder?”
Fr. Trisolini was aware of the issues facing candidates who were older. There
are many people interested in the Salesian way of life, but most of them are
young and are unable to reach a decision about the future course of their lives.
They spend a lot of their time worrying about the future, and eventually most
end up giving up on their dream to be religious. For those who are a bit older,
and are convinced of their vocation and call to Salesian life, the Postulancy
Local Superior and Resident Priest 387

12.6 Page 116

▲back to top
begins immediately. For younger members, beginning so quickly often times
is a source of great confusion. However, this process also helped them to
come to important decisions more quickly. In this, Fr. Trisolini displayed his
understanding of the inner psychology of those aspiring to Salesian life.
Fr. Trisolini would see to it that morning Mass and meditation were faithfully
adhered to, and insisted that the postulants and temporary professed lead a well
regulated life. He taught young Salesians, through evening conferences and
homilies at Mass time, the life of St. John Bosco and his spirituality, prayer and
meditation, religious life, liturgy, etc. No matter how busy he may have been,
he never failed to give the evening conference. He sometimes encouraged the
Taizé method of prayer, believing that in its simplicity it would be a help to his
community.
He believed that the liturgical life had a deep meaning in the life of prayer -
thus he insisted that liturgy always be well prepared. For major feast days like
Easter and Christmas, the preparation for the liturgy involved the appointment
of servers, readers and the choice of hymns. He would personally check
beforehand that preparations were well made. He often spoke of the need of the
instruments used in the liturgy should reflect the dignity and importance of the
liturgical moment. He disliked seeing things prepared that were not appropriate
for the liturgy and the atmosphere that should be created for the event. In
order for the reader to be heard well, he installed a speaking system, and had
a profession announcer come and train the students in speaking and reading
publically.
For the postulants and temporary professed who lived with Fr. Trisolini, he
was aware of anyone who may become depressed among them. He would
immediately take them aside, and guide them through the depression they may
be experiencing. He had the ability to speak from his heart with ease. He met
every religious and student in residence for a monthly spiritual conference. In
388

12.7 Page 117

▲back to top
line with the Constitutions of the Salesians, he was solicitous of the spiritual
and physical welfare of the members of the community. This would involve
concern about academics and the individual difficulties endured and the
vocation that they were pursuing. At the close of every dialogue, a warm
embrace closed the conference. At times, when he was busy and unable to
have a regular conference, he would meet students on the playing field and
while walking with them, have a conference. After the evening meal it was the
practice to have a ball game followed by the rosary outside.
Fr. Trisolini insisted that postulants and temporary professed work with
youth. He did this by assigning them, when it was appropriate, to assist in
the night school, work in the carpenter shop, help with farming, visit the
Juvenile Detention Center and to attempt to help poor youth that they met.
This was a way to encourage and to confirm the Salesian vocation - providing
opportunities for each individual to continually grow in the Salesian way of
life. He desired each member of the community to grow in this commitment
to poor youth as their first priority in life. While he insisted that study was
important, he equally emphasized a love of common labour. Every Saturday
afternoon he would ask that all help in the farming and carpentry being done
on the premises with the young people studying there. He would work along
together with everyone else when the kitchen and offices were cleaned, or work
was done on the farm or the carpentry shop.
In Fr. Trisolini’s method of formation he never strayed from the teachings
of the Catholic Church or from Salesian tradition. Thus in both thought and
action, he insisted on fidelity to the regulations of the community. He saw
this as a means of creating bonds between the students and members of the
community. Through an abiding interest in youth and in a continuing spiritual
dialogue, he saw the means to encourage them when they felt their weaknesses
and to respond to this reality with humility. He sought together with those who
Local Superior and Resident Priest 389

12.8 Page 118

▲back to top
felt their personal weakness to find the cause of it and seek ways to make it a
strength. He did this to encourage a young man to become a loving father to
those whom they would serve. In order for the community members and laity
living in the community to grow, he followed a pattern that is a spiritual and
physical resource for their future. Fr. Trisolini led a well regulated life, this is
certain. As the leader of a community he offered an example of the faithful
Master. This was a particular strength for candidates whom he led.
Trisolini was a spiritual director who did not give up easily, thus was a model
shepherd. Those who were unable to pass the school entrance examination he
did not automatically send home. He encouraged them to study for another year
and to try the examination once again – thus saving them for future Salesian
life. He was a source of strength to the many vocational candidates whom he
counseled. He not only counseled vocational candidates with problems for his
own community but for other congregations and dioceses as well. Through
dialogue and counselling he sought for the root cause of the problems they
were experiencing and looked for a solution to the problems found. Thus many
a vocation of a distinguished priest or religious was redeemed for future service
to the church.
At the beginning, the Daerim-dong Community was the Novitiate and house
of studies for seminarians. Later, Fr. Luc Van Looy founded the Salesian Young
Peoples Retreat Centre. Because of the move of young labourers moved back
into the Daerim-dong buildings, living space became an issue. The buildings
and equipment were ageing quickly, it was felt imperative to tear down the
existing structures and build new facilities. Thus Fr. Trisolini along with Fr.
Walter Johann Schmidt again applied to Misereor in Germany for assistance
and were able to move into a new building that was dedicated in 1989.
Fr. Trisolini, during the 1980’s, lived in Daerim-dong with the young
workers. Eventually, the workers who had resided in the Hwagok-dong
390

12.9 Page 119

▲back to top
residence moved into the Daerim-dong facility. Of those who moved from
Hwagok-dong, some learned mechanical skills at the Don Bosco Center, and
the remaining ones were working at companies already. Those who had lived
originally at Daerim-dong learned carpentry skills at the Center.
Fr. Trisolini would insist that after lunch each day that the young people
would go outside and play soccer. Only those who were ill were excused,
or when it was winter, he would have charcoal briquette ashes spread on the
field to make it less slippery. He believed that this exercise added to a healthy
mind by helping in the formation of a healthy body as well. This was also a
good time to observe the young people for their social skills and their current
psychological condition. It was a time for learning about the young postulants
and temporary professed.
Since 1979, Fr. Trisolini had regularly gone to the Seoul Juvenile Detention
Center in order to be of service as a teacher of doctrine, administering the
sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation, celebrating the Eucharist, etc. As
a result of this ministry he received recognition in the form of a Certificate
of Thanks from the Minister of Justice on November 11, 1986. Along with
his Salesian brothers, Fr. Trisolini founded the “school of faith” at the Seoul
Juvenile Detention Center (now called Gobong Middle School). This “school of
faith” was set up upon the request of the administrators of the Juvenile Center
so that the young people there could learn a systematic and more proper way
of life. It was first held from August 10 thru 14 in 1987. Fr. Trisolini considered
opportunities like this as real expressions of his religious and priestly vocation.
The local community of Daerim-dong did not depend exclusively upon
benefactions from abroad. Through the work of the training centre income
was also created through the work of the staff and students. While learning
a new skill, the products being produced were actually fulfilling orders for
furniture needed at various building sites – and thus this work also provided
Local Superior and Resident Priest 391

12.10 Page 120

▲back to top
income to the local community. Also, from the time that Fr. Trisolini began
ministry at the Don Bosco Youth Centre, he was concerned about creating a
benefactors society that would support the work of the Centre. Making the
move of the Daerim-dong community to new facilities saw an expansion of the
help provided by the benefactors’ society. As a result, eventually support from
domestic benefactors became more than that received from abroad.
Fr. Trisolini also appealed to the City Government for financial assistance
for students coming out of juvenile detention centres. The facility administered
by the Daerim-dong community was called the Young Workers School – and
received recognition from the city as a licensed school training young labourers
and former delinquents. Those responsible for juvenile issues inspected the
facility, deciding to send delinquents to the new school for training. A dormitory
for forty to fifty students was built and housed those attending classes at the
Young Workers School. Thus the Daerim-dong program combined with the
Hwagok-dong program plus the program for delinquents – brought various
efforts together with the students all living and studying in one facility.
Support for those studying and living in this new facility was applied for to
government agencies. Those students coming from older facilities had to have
their financial needs met by the local community at Daerim-dong. Because of
the number of students involved, the community could not afford to resolve all
of the financial demands of the increased number of students. In order to help
alleviate some expenses, Fr. Trisolini decided to use land on the campus for
vegetable gardens, and also began to raise dogs and pigs for food. This was not
a matter of catching fish for someone in need, but a means of teaching how to
catch fish so that the hungry could eat! This was the methodology behind Fr.
Jack’s programs.
Trisolini also emphasized very much the virtue of poverty. The meals could
be described as being frugal in the community dining room – enough to eat but
392

13 Pages 121-130

▲back to top

13.1 Page 121

▲back to top
not much more. For the occasional Postulant who didn’t eat his soup – he was
told to consume it. The food that was prepared was to be eaten by everyone
– being enough for proper nutritional basics. The local community, lacking
many times the financial resources, meant that the food purchased was simple,
basic and perhaps a bit monotonous. The food prepared was all there was in
the pantry! Using the field of the Daerim-dong residence, a large amount of
celery was planted, grown and harvested. One of the Postulants, thinking that
it was some type of weed, threw it into the garbage after clearing a part of the
field. Fr. Jack, seeing this, went out the field, harvested some other vegetables
and along with the discarded celery carried them into the kitchen. There he had
a soup prepared using all of the vegetables and the celery – with the end result
that a very tasty and nutritious soup was served for the evening meal that day.
Making his own fertilizer, he would create compost piles, throwing none
of the bio-degradable garbage coming out of the kitchen away. He would use
some food scraps to feed the animals that were being raised as well. Once
a year, he would harvest the contents of the septic tanks, using the human
waste to enrich the compost piles. The postulants were the ones tasked for this
scraping out of the septic tanks and found the challenge very difficult because
none of them had ever done anything quite like that before! They were happy
to do the task, in the spirit of obedience and trust in the process. They would
scour the neighbourhood in search of burnt out charcoal, the common way of
heating houses and cooking food. They would carry these precious briquettes
as filler for holes that would appear in the fields around the residence, thus saving
them the expensive prospect of purchasing soil. Being so thrifty with the use of
waste, only non-degradable garbage was put out for collection. These are a few
examples of the way that the community lived poorly and frugally in order to
save the little money that they had. It was also a means of teaching the young
labourers with whom they were living how to live within their limited means.
Local Superior and Resident Priest 393

13.2 Page 122

▲back to top
For the young labourers and for Trisolini, it was not only a matter of simply
feeding and housing them, but also teaching them a trade and finally sending
them into the workforce. During the training period the students were required
to pay a fee of fifty to two hundred thousand won per month. This money was
in turn credited to a savings account for each individual. This practice gave the
students a basic sum of money that would allow them to take care of essentials
during their entry or return to the workforce. Being frugal with their limited
resources – purchasing only absolutely items one a week on Saturday - always
bearing in mind that they had to control expenses. An economic magazine
popular at that time describe the process as follows:
“Students going through the course were able to put aside approximately
twenty million won by the time they had completed their training. With
the help of Fr. Trisolini seventeen of the students were able to complete
successfully the high school equivalency examination. Of the eight hundred
young workers who have gone through the program provided at the Centre,
most of these young people had gone from lives lived in rampant misery to
ones of happy fulfillment. For Fr. Trisolini there was a sense of fulfillment
certainly, but given the fact that many of these young people, having had
brushes with the law prior to their course, some were unable to stay within the
rules of society. Meeting young people once again in the juvenile detention
centers was always a very sad experience for Trisolini. He said ‘many of these
young people came from broken homes, and would often spend a great deal of
time circling their mothers’ homes. They would return to the centre dispirited. I
could only offer them encouragement. They really are not orphans, but are the
result of irresponsible parenting.’”
Fr. Jack also gave an interview to a newspaper, discussing Korean society’s
problems and challenges.
“In the early 1970’s, with big dreams filling their heads, a lot of young people
394

13.3 Page 123

▲back to top
left the countryside for Seoul, thus creating a new type of social problem for
Korean society. Not only did they not have housing upon arrival in Seoul, or
even if they did, the environment was not a good one. Many could not find
shelter, and if they had been recently released from juvenile detention or from
probation they became urban wanderers looking for a good place that was
warm and dry. This led to conflict with the established order of things. That is
why I began gathering young people in our Salesian residence, training them
in carpentry and other skills, giving them a place to sleep and to eat. Many of
them ended up being drawn to raw materialism – advancement at any price –
and that saddened me, knowing that something was missing. More disturbing
was upon asking young people what was important to them; they responded
that their personal pleasure and satisfaction was what they cared about most.
“Coming out of a history of financial instability, young people had to struggle
to gain skills that would lead them to get better jobs demanding long hours and
much sweat for their wages. It was the only way to escape from a very bad
environment. It seems that today’s young people, whether students or office
workers are all driven to try substances to alter their moods, pursuing pleasure
that really only brings shame to them. Even young children going to computer
game rooms, lie and steal money in order to pursue entertainment – all of these
realities are creating a new list of societal woes. Fashion conscientiousness
as displayed on Myeong-dong today, far outweighs the same phenomenon in
New York street fashion. This urge to possess luxurious and expensive things is
something that we have all felt uncomfortable with.
“Thinking back to the past, 40 percent of children in juvenile detention were
serving time or re-education for petty theft. This type of crime has decreased
dramatically, but now the crimes of kidnapping, rape and sexual assault by
young people are causing even greater concern for Korean society today.
Society today and parents are not focusing on these dangers to their children.
Local Superior and Resident Priest 395

13.4 Page 124

▲back to top
Instead, focusing on entrance examinations to colleges and universities,
children are left with a warped sense of values, burdening them with values and
ideals that really do not serve their human needs. Korean society and parents
today have to accept and develop a radically different approach to child-rearing,
not focusing solely on preparing our children for the highest paying jobs and
materialistic values which leave underdeveloped a whole range of human,
more holistic, traits. Very few in positions of authority and leadership in society
today seem to be aware of or able to confront this new, contemporary, reality.”
Those many young people who were helped in their lives by Fr. Trisolini’s
efforts over the years are an example through the very lives of an opportunity
taken advantage of. There was an example of a two murderers sentenced to life
who were released for good conduct. Fr. Trisolini accepted them – a decision
that required great courage. After serving time in prison, they were able to
return to society as positively contributing members. The priest or brother
today who has the ability to touch people so deeply like this seems to be very
rare indeed.
After the Eucharist of Christmas Eve was celebrated, the young people who
attended it were provided with a disco dance. Along with Fr. Trisolini, the
formation community’s Postulants, professed Religious, graduates, benefactors,
etc. joined the young people for the dance, all sharing in the joy of Christmas
together. The next day, all of the members of the formation community made
the trip to Myeong-dong Cathedral in order to participate in the Christmas
Mass celebrated by Stephen Cardinal Kim, the Archbishop of Seoul. St. John
Bosco always desired an intimate relationship with the local Ordinary of the
Diocese where Salesians lived and worked, and for the local community this
was an opportunity to express this desire. Experiences like this made it natural
for those in formation to remember their Ordinary and to continue to pray
for him through the year. After the Mass was over, each was given money to
396

13.5 Page 125

▲back to top
purchase lunch as desired. They formed groups that ate together at various
establishments, taking a walk around the area afterwards, thus the Christmas
joy continued through the day.
A. Resident Priest
Fr. Trisolini served as Local Superior of the Daerim-dong community from
19 September 1984, and left office on 19 January 1990. This was the last
responsibility he had directly serving the Salesian community. From the time
of leaving office as Local Superior, he moved into the old main building of the
Don Bosco Youth Centre where he lived. In 1992 he was diagnosed with cancer
which by the spring of 1993 had moved to the brain. He was advised that he
could very well be in the terminal stages of cancer. The cancer diagnosed in 1992
was in his kidneys, having had surgery to treat it. He endured many sessions of
chemotherapy during this time. Knowing that he could very well die, he called
the young religious and asked a favour of them.
“None of know how things will end up, so please go into my room, gather all
the things in it, and give it all away.”
Fr. Trisolini had the habit of keeping his room and office always very neat
and clean. He kept only the things that he absolutely needed. Always prepared
for the end of life, he was thinking of the next person who would live in his
room, and he wanted it easy to clean it up and allow the new tenant to move
in with no fuss. The young religious were struck deeply by what Fr. Trisolini
was asking them to do – thinking that they were fulfilling his last will and
testament. They did not know how to interpret what he was saying to them.
Fortunately, before the surgery, it was discovered that the lesion on his brain
was not cancerous. Not knowing what would happen to him, with a cool and
almost detached manner, he had directed that his living space be prepared for
someone else.
Local Superior and Resident Priest 397

13.6 Page 126

▲back to top
He continued to live at the Don Bosco Youth Center, not having a special
position that he was filling. He continued his keen pastoral interest in the
technical training of the young labourers resident there. When he ran across
a student who seemed to be having problems, he would always ask them “Is
something the matter? Just don’t try and endure pain, speak with Brother if you
are ill. He’ll take you to the hospital or give you some medicine so that you
will get well.” - or - “Is there a problem at home? Its ok, you can talk to the
priests. There aren’t any problems in this world that can’t be solved!”
If a particular student was facing a problem, he would speak with the
Brothers in charge, keeping them informed of the status of the students, thus
providing an invaluable service. He also served as a confessor for the students
who desired to take advantage of the sacrament. Among the graduates there are
many stories of memorable encounters with Fr. Trisolini.
B. Confessor at Myeong-dong Cathedral
Myeong-dong Cathedral in Seoul has the practice of providing a religious
or missionary priest to be in the confessionals one day per week rather
than Diocesan clergy. The Salesians usually have supplied a priest for this
purpose, and from the 1990’s onward, Fr. Trisolini had this responsibility. His
methodology in the confessional was in the model of discussion or counselling.
Oftentimes, when young people came for sacramental confession, he would
continue the relationship, assuming the role of a spiritual counsellor for
many - thus forming a spiritual bond that often developed into a much deeper
relationship.
As with this process with younger people, Fr. Trisolini attempted to match
his advice and spiritual counselling to the given reality of the individual. That
was true for clergy, religious and Salesian Cooperators - leading them in ways
that would be appropriate and effective in their personal lives. Many of those
398

13.7 Page 127

▲back to top
with whom he formed this spiritual bond later went on to become religious
and/or priests. He also applied the same methodology to married people who
came for confession, encouraging them in their faith lives and commitments.
He made no distinction between the individual’s state of life - only attempting
to guide them appropriately along the paths already chosen.
Local Superior and Resident Priest 399

13.8 Page 128

▲back to top
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry:
Young Christian Workers
.

13.9 Page 129

▲back to top
Upon returning to Korea in 1968, the new priest Jack Trisolini was appointed
assistant pastor at the Dorim-dong Parish. After finishing the evening meal, he
went into his bedroom to unwind a bit. He heard being sung the stirring words
of the Young Christian Workers’ theme in the distance:
Rouse up, rouse up young workers all
Throughout the world a voice resounds
‘Tis Christ the Workers trumpet call
To win for him our youth, our towns
Stand steadfast comrades for your rights
Your work, your dignity, your pride
Come march along, we’ll conquer all the world
Young workers, side by side
In this, our native land we find
A mighty standard which we greet
His blood-stained cross round which entwined
Behold a golden ear of wheat
Stand steadfast comrades!
After his first night’s sleep, Fr. José M. Suárez assigned duties to the newly
ordained Jack Trisolini.
“Fr. Trisolini, from now on you will be taking care of the Young Christian
Workers in the parish. Fr. Spies, with great zeal, has already planted the seeds
of the movement among the Catholic workers in the community. I would like
you to nurture this young plant – allowing the branches to grow strong and to
bear great fruit.”
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 401

13.10 Page 130

▲back to top
Together with Diocesan Clergy
In Seoul, workers were concentrated in Yeongdeungpo. Those attempting to
form trade unions were under constant police surveillance and investigation.
Many of the Catholic workers were regularly attending the Eucharist celebrated
at Dorim-dong parish. They were the core members of the Young Christian
Workers movement, consisting of about one hundred individuals. For most of
the Sections of the movement, development was promising. Near to the parish
was a textile factory, from which some of the female labourers would attend the
morning Mass in the parish, and were involved as well in the Young Christian
Workers movement. Being night workers, after breakfast, they would soon go
to bed for their rest.
In the nearby parishes of Dangsan-dong and Daebang-dong, there were also
many members of the movement. During Fr. Trisolini’s first week of ministry
in the parish he visited Dangsan-dong’s pastor Fr. Peter Song Gwang Seop
and Daebang-dong’s pastor Fr. Joseph An Sang In. They discussed the Young
Christian Workers movement in the Yeongdeungpo area. Both of these pastors
were actively engaged in the training of young workers in the movement. They
explained to Fr. Trisolini:
“Fr. Trisolini, in the contemporary Korean church, the Young Christian
Workers movement is an organization that is very important. While we were
seminarians, we have both received training for the Young Christian Workers
movement from Fr. Francis Park Seong Jong. After becoming priests we have
both worked to develop the movement and train young people for it. We know
that you have studied the labour movement in Europe – particularly the Young
Christian Workers movement. We believe that you are the best prepared among
us. We would like you to assume the role of Chaplin for the Seoul Southern
District of the YCW movement and be involved in its development.”
Fr. Jack responded: “Yes, I understand what you are asking. I will try and do
402

14 Pages 131-140

▲back to top

14.1 Page 131

▲back to top
my best. I am most thankful that you both, fellow priests, have considered me
capable of assuming this important role, even though I have been ordained just
a short time.”
Fr. Francis Park Seong Jong: Pioneer of the Korean Young Christian
Labour Movement
The first director of the YCW movement in Korea was Fr. Francis Park
Seong Jong, and was an excellent guitar player. He would often entertain the
young workers with his music, instilling a sense of joy and confidence. YCW
meetings would often end with songfest, dancing and a trip to the local wine
house. Often there was a sense of tension between the joy of the meetings and
the grim reality in which these young people had to work for a living. Pressing
through their efforts for the rights of workers, they found that they had to
struggle mightily.
Fr. Park had attended the seminary at Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris in the
1950’s. There he came into contact with the priests, seminarians and activists
connected to the vital French Church’s Mission Ouvriere, Cardinal Suhard
of Paris’ project to re-evangelize the alienated working masses. Returning to
Korea, he taught at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Seoul – today’s Seoul Catholic
University - from March 1958 until June 1964. He lectured in Ascetical
Theology.
In 1958 already, the Korean YCW movement had already been begun.
Korean Foreign Languages University Professor Lee Hae Nam and Seoul
National University Hospital nurse Park Myeong Ja served as the guiding
spirit of the movement in the early years. Park Myeong Ja, receiving help from
AFI (l’Auxiliare Feminique International), first began YCW activity among the
nurses at the Seoul National University Hospital. Within a few months, Seoul
Archbishop Paul Marie RO Ki-nam appointed Fr. Francis Park Seong Jong
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 403

14.2 Page 132

▲back to top
as the first Director of the Young Christian Workers Movement. At the same
time, Monsignor Joseph Cardijin, the founder of the YCW movement, was on
a world tour promoting the movement. In November 1958, he visited Korea
during the course of his swing through Asia. In the chancery of the Seoul
Archdiocese, he was present for the first meeting of the Korean YCW – thus
planting the first seeds of the movement on Korean soil. During the course of
this meeting, the YCW was recognized officially as an ecclesial entity.
Tenth Anniversary Celebration
For the celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Korean YCW, the
National Team needed a venue to stay during the celebration as well as a large
hall and rooms for various events. During an entire weekend in the fall of
1968, Dorim-dong’s Aejeon School facilities were at the disposal of the YCW.
Members from all over Korea gathered at Dorim-dong Catholic Church and
celebrated the achievements of its first ten year period. Dorim-dong was also
a centre for local young labourers already. Fr. Trisolini had a presentation on
his experience of the Young Christian Workers movement in France during his
studies there.
Among the accomplishments spoken of was the group’s effort at bettering
the quality of life for young rag pickers all over the country. Some of the YCW
even chose to live and work with the rag pickers. The second bright spot was
the 1967 struggle for worker rights carried out by a group of female workers
on Ganghwa Island’s Simdo Jikmul textile factory. Awareness gained through
the YCW encouraged the women to organize a labour union. The Ganghwa
incident ushered in a period during which YCW female members became
acutely aware of their dignity as women in the workplace. After this, in the
1970’s and 1980’s female YCW members were very much in the forefront of
the struggle for workers’ rights.
404

14.3 Page 133

▲back to top
When Fr. Jack was appointed to the Don Bosco Youth Centre – the office
for the YCW movement for the Southern District of the Seoul Archdiocese
moved there with him. While there his efforts centered on providing basic
training for young Labourers using the YCW method. When the Pastoral
Labour Commission of the Seoul Archdiocese was formally established in 1971,
the Don Bosco Youth Centre provided a vital centre for technical training for
members of the Young Christian Workers movement.
When Fr. Trisolini began his ministry at the Don Bosco Youth Centre, the
Southern District of the YCW consisted only of members in the Dorim-dong,
Dangsan-dong and Daebang-Dong Catholic parishes. Fr. Jack made an all-out
effort, along with the priests and members involved in the YCW apostolate,
to increase membership in his region. It was thanks to the ministry performed
already at the Don Bosco Youth Centre that members were enrolled from the
Majarello Centre, Guro 3-dong Parish, Mok-dong Parish, Oryu-dong Parish
and Bongcheon-dong Parish where many of the graduates of the Don Bosco
Youth Centre were living.
The Kim Jin Su Crisis
During the 1970’s in Korea, often time the labourer was reduced from being
a human being to being a cog in a machine. Environmental problems in the
workplace and low wages all added to the sense of anger and frustration for
many workers. In 1970, when Fr. Trisolini was first assigned to the Don Bosco
Youth Centre, workers from the factory located across the street from the
Centre – the Hanyang Sweater Factory – came to him asking for help.
“Father, we want to organize a union in our factory. Because the owners and
managers of the company are so vigilant in watching our every move, there is
no place in which we can meet easily. Would you mind if we met here in the
Centre?”
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 405

14.4 Page 134

▲back to top
Fr. Jack responded graciously, “I understand. I will arrange for you to use our
dining room here at the Centre. You and your friends can meet here so that you
can organize a union – we can easily go elsewhere to eat.” They left, thanking
him for his kindness.
Shortly after this meeting with these people, the local police came to
investigate what was going on. All of those involved in the union organization
effort were summarily fired from their jobs. All of this was done in order to
intimidate the other workers. Shortly after this, one of the labourers who was
not involved in the union plan was assaulted in the factory. He had not joined
the union, nor was involved in the union creation efforts. When he jokingly
made a comment about the appearance of one of the goons hired to terrorize
the workers, the man viciously hit Kim Jin Su in the head with a screw driver.
Mortally wounded, Jin Su was rushed to Severance Hospital and remained in a
coma for a few weeks before dying.
The circumstances of Kim Jin Su’s death and enraged public opinion forced
the company to recognize the union and rehire the fired workers. Fr. Trisolini,
through this incident, came to know the Yeongdeungpo Protestant Urban
Industrial Mission Office – forming a deep relation and frequent cooperation
with them in the future.
Jeon Tae Il’s Tragic Death and the Garment Workers’ Union
A few months later, on November 13, 1970, Jeon Tae Il, a young garment
worker held up a copy of the labour law, poured gasoline on his body and
immolated himself in protest against government indifference, the exploitation
of young workers and the Korean garment industry’s dreadful working
conditions. This incident provided a catalyst for increased activity for young
labourers.
Shortly after this suicide, Fr. Jack was in Germany, very close to Brussels in
406

14.5 Page 135

▲back to top
Belgium. He sought out the International Secretariat of the Young Christian
Workers, seeking guidance about what should be done following the incidents
outlined above. He was encouraged by the assistance received by young
workers coming from similar environments. Thus, upon his return to Korea he
met with the representatives of young female labourers working in the garment
industry. They asked for his assistance in setting up a labour union for them.
Having nothing to guide them, Fr. Trisolini instructed them in Gospel principles
and the Church’s social teachings. Their chief concerns were the problems
of impersonal treatment of the labourers and very dangerous workplace
environmental issues were looked at very closely. Electing officers for the
nascent labour union, the YCW member Agnes Jeong In Suk was elected as
the President of the Garment Workers Union. She immediately joined with
the efforts of the YWC and the objects of the Garment Workers Union – thus
activating the beginnings of a Labour Union.
The Don Bosco Youth Centre, newly built in 1972, opened their doors
to the Garment Workers Union – among the first to use the new facilities.
There they held training programs for the new union over the next three
years. The government and the Korean Federation of Trade Unions did not at
first recognize this new union. Renowned labour activist Ignatius Kim Mal
Ryong, the Urban Industrial Mission Pastor Jo Seung Hyeok and former YCW
National President Ms. Susann Yun and other labour activists and priests
involved in the Labour movement joined forces. Everyone shared a desire for
Jeon Tae Il’s sacrifice to be seen as a seed that promoted worker consciousness
and workers’ rights in Korea’s rapidly industrializing atmosphere. Short,
content-rich courses were offered for training, forming workers to eventually
take control of their own union and destinies.
The early 1970’s was a time for the Young Christian Workers movement
which had to struggle to find their own identity, struggling to find the factors
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 407

14.6 Page 136

▲back to top
that made them unique. At the same time, Korean Labour itself was going
through the growing pains of trying to organize and to become effective for
Korean Labour in general. Many of the young labourers were transplants from
the country-side, coming to the big city to find work – they were part of the
equation as well. All the groups in the work-force were going through the same
process – identifying who they were and what they wanted to accomplish.
This of course included Young Christian Workers as well. The trade union
movement is a movement inspired by the Church – which provoked much
religious discussion among participants. Young people without exception
welcomed the challenge presented to be a participant in their futures.
In a training course held in 1972, young Catholic workers were asked the
following questions:
“Do the trade unions represent the common workers?”
“Do the trade union leaders and business owners just meet with the police in
order to eat and drink well?”
“Is the cause of the unions going rotten because we are too ill-informed?”
“Should you claim a sense of responsibility for creating and supporting a
trade union in your workplace?”
“Should new members be welcomed into our group?”
“What is the YCW movement working towards?”
“As we are active in the movement, what is it that motivates us?”
“How do we develop the ability to judge people and situations well?”
Each reflected as members of the YCW movement, and found the answers to
the questions through training and reflection. The movement was not centered
on particular workplace issues as much as labour issues in the broader context.
The understanding that they were in solidarity not only with their fellow
workers, but with labour everywhere, slowly emerged. Workers from many
backgrounds had the opportunity to share with those who had a common life
408

14.7 Page 137

▲back to top
and work experience. The groups continued to meet reflecting on these and
other topics. They slowly became sensitive at welcoming new members into
their midst, opening themselves to new possibilities as they organized the
YCW. If the YCW closed the door to new members, they risked becoming a
small, exclusive club that would only be ineffectual.
Hanguk Mobang
The labour union at Hanguk Mobang, a large textile producing factory
located close by the Don Bosco Youth Centre had for years been strictly
controlled by management. At a YCW meeting that grouped girls working at
the factory, the review of life revolved around a young male worker who had
been fired, beaten and left in the gutter outside the factory because he naively
went to the labour union office to urge the union leader to make the union more
representative.
Several of the young women came to the Centre, telling Fr. Jack the story of
the young man, to which he replied: “Please ask the young man to come and
talk with me if he would like to.” They replied “Yes, we will tell him that you
are interested in meeting with him.”
A few days later Lee Gil U knocked on the Don Bosco Centre’s front door,
asking to speak with Fr. Trisolini. “Hello, Father, I am Lee Gil U. A few of the
girls at the factory told me that you wanted to speak with me, that is why I am
here now.”
Fr. Trisolini responded “Thank you for coming to see me. My name is Fr.
Jack Trisolini. I’m happy to meet you. We have to find what you are and
what we need to do, because we are going to try and do something about the
situation at Hanguk Mobang. I’m going to need your help. I think we will be
meeting each other often in the future.”
The young man responded “We all thank you for your interest. We are more
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 409

14.8 Page 138

▲back to top
than happy to have your help. Please help us, we need it!”
Women members of the YCW movement, Catholic members of the YCW
who worked at the Hanguk Mobang Company, and members of the Protestant
Urban Industrial Mission joined hands in 1972 in the effort to drive out the
corrupt union leaders associated with the company. They were the chief
driving force behind the changes that were sought. Many former military
personnel were hired by the managers of Hanguk Mobang that were charged
with harassing and threatening workers, attempting to control the situation.
They seized the leader of the union agitators, Ji Dong Jin, whom they beat
severely causing his hospitalization. The management were summoned to
the Police Headquarters and investigated thoroughly. For the first time in the
history of the Korean labour movement, the instigators of the beating, retired
military personnel, were dishonourably dismissed from employment at Hanguk
Mobang.
Later the Korean International Group bought the factory and renamed it
Wonpung Mobang. Wonpung Mobang’s new management was as intolerant
of the labour unions as the former managers and tried to weaken the union’s
power. YCW members together with their counterparts in the Protestant
Urban Industrial Mission played an essential role in maintaining their union’s
autonomous and democratic stance in a military controlled regime.
Crown Electronics
In the early 1970’s, President Park Jeong Hui’s government set up industrial
areas in various parts of the country. One of the first and largest industrial
estates, the Guro Industrial Park was already functioning not far from Don
Bosco Youth Centre. YCW girls and boys, as well as many boys living in the
hostel, found jobs there. Among many companies there was Crown Electronics
(originally Crown Electric), manufacturers of cassette players and radios, where
410

14.9 Page 139

▲back to top
they were organized trade unions. Management at this company blacklisted
and fired employees who were involved in the organization of the union. These
individuals, being poor young workers, found it difficult to find new jobs
because of being blacklisted by the company.
Many of the young workers working in the Guro Industrial Complex were
active in the YCW movement through the Guro 3-dong Parish for many years.
One young YCW member, a young Catholic girl, decided that she would
become involved in organizing a union at the Crown Electronics factory by first
obtaining a job there. Two other fellow workers there, tried with her to form a
union, using a very interesting strategy. During the lunch hour, she would sit
down and appear to be reading a newspaper. Other workers, wondering what
she was reading about gathered around her and asked:
“What are you doing?” She replied “As you can see, I’m reading a
newspaper.”
She would then read to them small articles on labour issues, and they would
discuss them. As a result of these innocent discussions, many of the women
workers joined the YCW movement.
Faith and Reality
During the 1974 meeting of the young trade unionists where reorganization
was the chief topic, members of the Young Christian Worker movement had a
discussion regarding the attitude of Christians in society. One of the organizers
of the Hanguk Mobang trade union reflected as a member of a trade union on
his experience.
“Before I became interested in becoming in activist in trade unions, the
owner of the company saw me only as a person, perhaps a naïve one, who
worked hard. I thought he was quite receptive to people in general as I was of
him.” After seventeen months of union activism, his reflections changed. “Being
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 411

14.10 Page 140

▲back to top
the owner of a company or having shares in one does not entitle anyone to reap
all the benefits and profits of labour. All people, including the worker as well
as the owner of the company, possess an inherent human dignity. Jesus chose
to be born as a poor man. He did not choose to be born a King and live in a
palace. Like us, Jesus was born in a poor country and chose to live a poor way
of life. Living in the midst of poverty was Jesus’ choice. I was chosen by God
to work for and alongside other poor labourers, not by trampling their basic
rights as human beings and workers. Was it not God calling me to this life? A
life of faith does not mean always seeing things as beautiful, because so much
of life is anything else but that. I believe as a person of faith that God is with
me, and he will give me the strength to accomplish what must be done. I live
in hope. Unfortunately, my life is a hard one, both mentally and physically. I do
not have time to read the Bible as I would like.”
During the 1970’s was the age of Yusin or Revitalizing Reforms. That was
soon followed in the 1980’s, when the government attempted to take control
of the labour unions in Korea. Fr. Trisolini had to make interventions on a
number of occasions to prevent this from happening. The imposed unjust
requirements on union membership and those who did not submit to these
regulations were made to suffer. The struggle of the YCW was based on the
teachings of the Gospel and the Church – a living faith. Nobody wanted an
eternal struggle always fighting off being overwhelmed. A friend of Jeon Tae Il
from Cheonggyecheon where the Garment Workers Union was formed said the
following:
“Most believers do not really know or understand what is going on in
society today. However the experience of working in the garment industry as
a member of the YCW trained young people to observe critically what was
going on around them. More than most workers, they develop the ability to
look at things a bit more deeply. They live according to their ideals. For the
412

15 Pages 141-150

▲back to top

15.1 Page 141

▲back to top
YCW member this is the way of expressing their faith. However, personally I
am very critical of religions. I never go any church.”
The military regime in the 1980’s imprisoned him for his involvement in the
labour movement. In prison, he was baptized a Catholic, becoming familiar
with Catholic doctrine. During those years in the 70’s and 80’s Fr. Trisolini was
heavily involved in labour issues, always looking for practical ways to solve
problems. Cardinal Cardijin said the following regarding the dignity and pride
of those involved in the labour movement:
“A young worker, only one of them, is worth more than all the gold in the
world. They are sons and daughters of God!”
As the Director of the Young Christian Workers’ movement, Fr. Trisolini
continued to foster educational programs and deal with labour problems but
never arbitrarily. Not only did the Catholic labour organizations work with
labourers; the Protestant Urban Industrial Mission and the Korea Christian
Action Organization for Urban Industrial Mission all cooperated with the South
Korea Confederation of Trade Unions together in harmony. Never did he stray
from the teachings of the Gospel or of the Church.
The events before and after 1980 saw the Republic of Korea suffer through
tremendous crises and disasters. Shortly following labour unrest in the
Republic in 1979, President Park Jeong Hui was assassinated. 1980 was a
time of violent unrest throughout society. The Korean people themselves were
coping in a very mature way. Following the student protests of May 1980, and
most particularly the Gwangju Uprising on May 18 that year, these events led
to several major changes.
After the May 18 uprising, labour underwent tremendous changes as well.
This was a period when trade unions and those who were activists for them
underwent severe persecution and continual surveillance. All trade unions had
been severely weakened. The principal leaders in the labour movement were
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 413

15.2 Page 142

▲back to top
all arrested and forced to go through the Samcheong re-education program.
Many became fugitives, living in hiding. The unions that did survive were
subject to strict monitoring and tight control. Phones were tapped and all mail
was being intercepted and read. They were limited in their use of telephones
and their letters were inspected without permission. Many of the leaders of all
the Christian denominations were monitored and tightly controlled.
In the 1980’s, the law preventing ‘third party interventions’ was implemented.
As a result, union leaders, who were not co-workers, could not offer advice
to their membership involved in strikes against companies. The agents for
the labour movement were not allowed to exceed a certain legal limit. One
is surprised to see that religious activity among workers was discouraged by
certain conglomerates in the 1970’s. A wall was placed between churches
and labour organizations under the pretense of enforcing the ‘third party
intervention’ prohibition. Beginning in 1986, this law was even more strictly
enforced.
Under the Yusin security forces, churches and unions participating in labour
issues were further weakened by intimidation and scare tactics. Priests and
pastors working for the betterment of farmers and workers were arrested and
imprisoned. Foreign missionaries involved in these issues were handled in
the same manner. They were told they were not wanted in Korea any longer –
there were agents of dissention and unrest. For a period of years Fr. Trisolini,
along with all foreign missionaries, had to renew their residence certificates
through a long and complex process every two or three months. Pastor George
Ogle and Fr. James Sinnott were deported from the Republic of Korea for their
activities. Under the Fifth Republic (1979-1987), the trend continued to worsen.
Fr. Trisolini was concerned that left-wing materialism – in other words, -
Communism - could become an influence.
During the 1980’s, the Catholic Church in Korea was much taken up with
414

15.3 Page 143

▲back to top
preparations for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Church in
Korea and the 150th anniversary of the Chosen Diocese. In the middle of
these preparations, the Archdiocese of Seoul and the Auxiliary Bishop Joseph
KYEONG Kap-ryong became wrapped up in the Control Date incident.
Beginning on July 22, 1982, and for a period of ten days, workers occupied the
office of Bishop KYEONG, demanding justice. Thus, reluctantly, the Church
entered into the center of this dispute. The leaders of the Korean Corporation
of Control Data negotiated with Bishop KYEONG, Kim Mal Ryong (director
of the Labour Counselling Office) and Fr. Trisolini in his role as the Director of the
Labour Pastoral Commission. During this negotiation, while both sides did
not achieve 100 per cent of their goals, the dispute ended peacefully, finding a
solution to the majority of the issues being discussed.
In December 1983, coming to a deeper understanding of the importance of
the labour ministry, the Archdiocese of Seoul created the office of the Labour
Pastoral Commissioning located in the old Bishop’s Residence at Myeong-
dong.
Since 1972 the Southern Association of Labour Youth of the Seoul
Archdiocese along with the Urban Industrial Mission Church had been
involved in the building of democratic trade unions under the influence of the
Wonpung Mobang struggle. From 1972 until the early 1980’s, this became a
prime example about how to go about creating, maintaining and administering
a labour union. In order to establish a democratic trade union, members had
to have confidence in their own abilities. However, after the May 18, 1980
uprising, this became increasingly difficult due to oppression and persecution.
Many of the leaders of the labour movement ended up living in hiding. They
struggled not become secret societies living in fear. There were instances of
mutual distrust among the leadership – a sense of paranoia. It was harder and
harder for unions to manage their own internal affairs that only became harder
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 415

15.4 Page 144

▲back to top
with the passage of time.
Church people were not so deeply affected as those in the secular realm.
However, there was a wide variety of opinion about how to respond to this
new reality. What was possible and what actual action to support was difficult
to discern. Within the trade unions themselves an antagonistic atmosphere
prevailed. Various government agencies continued to divide union members
from fellow union members. Worker groups had to give up the practice of
self-reflection and the ‘review of life’ because it caused or revealed such
dissention. It was a period when it was extremely difficult to continue faithfully
to follow the principles of trade unionism – the salt and leaven of a democratic
movement. The light shining on the four objectives was dimmed almost
completely.
During the crisis with the Wonpung Mobang, the incidence of emotional and
volatile statements and actions was misleading, causing misunderstanding and
were actually attempts at manipulation. At the same time the female employees
of the Wonpung Mobang flocked to the parish of Daebang-dong. The pastor
of this parish, Francis Kim Byeong Do, was confused by the issues being
discussed. He quickly sought out Fr. Trisolini. Fr. Jack, along with the newly
appointed Director of the Southern District of the YCW organization, Fr. Peter
Ju Su Uk, quickly went to Daebang-dong Parish together. Fr. Ju, meeting these
women workers for the first time, was confused for a government official by
these women – a case of mistaken identity.
From the 1970’s onward and thru the 1980’s the foreign missionary priests
who had responsibility for Catholic Action groups, slowly turned over
their positions to diocesan clergy after the formation of the Labour Pastoral
Commission. In 1982, the new Director of the Northern District of the YCW
organization of the Archdiocese of Seoul, Fr. Gu Yo Bi, was appointed. At
the same time, the new Director of the Southern District of the YCW, Fr. Ju
416

15.5 Page 145

▲back to top
Su Uk, was also appointed. The Diocesan Director of the YCW changed a
number of times during these years. The Labour Pastoral Commission was
interested in providing formation and training to young priests who were in
interested in labour ministry, and who would later assume responsible roles in
the YCW movement. Fr. Trisolini had served as the Director of the Southern
District of the YCW since 1968, leaving that office in 1982. With the urging of
Stephen Cardinal Kim, Archbishop of Seoul and Bishop René Dupont, Bishop
of Andong Diocese, Fr. Trisolini served as the National Director of the YCW
movement from 1983 until 1985.
The International Young Christian Workers (JOCI) and the International
Council of Catholic Youth Labour (CIJOC) due to their internal conflicts in the
1980´s did not have a major impact on the Korean Young Christian Workers
movement. However, the Korean YCW movement could not help being
influenced by other activists acting in the domestic arena. Often times these
other groups worked on principles contrary to Gospel and Ecclesial values
and teachings. Due to these conflicts, there was a tendency for young Catholic
workers to suffer from confusion and to interpret situations and make sound
judgements because of their lack of experience.
The Teachings of the Church: Trisolini’s Confidence and Anxiety
As the Yusin regime unfolded, it coincided with increased pain for Fr. Jack.
First of all, the ever increasing mechanization of the workplace caused even
poorer working conditions for most labourers. Secondly, the ideological
confrontation of the Yusin regime and labour often led to confrontation. Many
YCW members suffered persecution and/or were killed. Thirdly, political
repression of workers, often with extreme violence, became commonplace.
The labour movement in this period was indeed a titanic struggle for justice.
Unfortunately, in the Catholic community there were large numbers of faithful
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 417

15.6 Page 146

▲back to top
who did not know or understand the Church’s teaching on social issues.
There were tough struggles in the effort to effect social change in a more just
direction.
Fr. Trisolini was often criticized for his work, both outside and within the
Church. Attempting to read the signs of the times correctly and to seek the Will
of God through a deep understanding of Gospel values and guided by the social
doctrine of the Church, led to deep misunderstandings on the part of the many,
especially those who did not want to follow this path. He was not immune to
the psychological suffering that such criticism can cause. Moving from tyranny
to democracy is a process of empowering people, and the Christian perspective
is guided by prudent judgement and decision making.
Some claimed that the Gospel method of correcting social evils was too
slow and inefficient of fostering change. They claimed that through violence,
problems can be resolved much more quickly and that is inevitable to use
violence as a means of creating social change. There was a fundamental
difference of opinion on the models to effect change by Church leaders. The
use of violence generally causes a vicious cycle to be created that is very hard
to stop.
However, the Church remained steadfast and firm in its commitment to
peaceful and non-violent change. Through an understanding of the symptoms
of the problem and a course of action that would correct or heal the underlying
illness in society, was the way of the Church. Young people in the Church are
often unaware of the richness of the Church’s doctrine. This lack of knowledge
often led to the wrong decisions being made. Moreover, most were living in a
non-Christian environment.
Labourers who were Catholic usually would just attend Sunday Mass in the
practice of their faith. There were some, though few, who attended daily Mass.
The long working hours and poor working conditions meant that for many,
418

15.7 Page 147

▲back to top
even attending Sunday Mass, was almost impossible. In the reality of life the
will of God must be found. The object of a life of faith should have at its centre
a sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the daily realities of life. Few were
capable of making this important step in their lives of faith. In the struggle for
their human rights as labourers, they must sense that Jesus is joining them in
their struggle. However, people of all ranks and types were struggling for the
same object, though with different motivations.
In this difficult and challenging environment, Fr. Trisolini’s teaching
of young labourers followed the teachings of the Church and the Gospel,
attempting to instill them the spirit of the teachings for those involved in the
struggle. For all of them, including the YCW, the goal of their lives was to
improve the lot of working youth. Fr. Trisolini always taught clearly that the
Gospel and the Church’s social teachings were the basic principles of this
struggle for justice for Christian men and women labourers. He taught that the
Christian worker must be positive influence in his or her workplace for the
betterment of all labourers.
In the workplace it is not a priest or religious, but they young labourers
themselves who must effect the changes in society as they matured into this
more responsible role in life. The ones who must judge the problems and come
up with solutions for labour issues must be the labourers themselves. Priests
and religious were merely cooperators with them in this whole process. All
must be aware of their proper role in the process, thus fulfilling properly the
mandate of the Decree on the Laity of the Second Vatican Council.
From 1993 until 2010, Fr. Trisolini was the International Director of the
International Asian Council of Catholic Young Labourers. In this role he
attempted to expand the scope of the ministry to labour to include labourers
from all of the diverse parts of Asia, always recognizing that the reality differed
in each country, and thus different paths had to be traveled to obtain the
The Beginnings of Labour Ministry: Young Christian Workers 419

15.8 Page 148

▲back to top
same results. His knowledge was wide, and always his judgement was clear.
He made a deep impression upon Young Catholic Labourers far beyond the
boundaries of Korea. He was well respected around the world in the Catholic
Workers movement, having many who followed him for many years.
420

15.9 Page 149

▲back to top
Overall Labour Ministry

15.10 Page 150

▲back to top
Stephen Cardinal KIM Sou-hwan’s Call
When Fr. Trisolini was appointed parish priest of the Dorim-dong parish in
Seoul, it was around the same time that Archbishop Stephen Cardinal KIM
Sou-hwan was enthroned as the Archbishop of Seoul. He had previously
served as the Bishop of Masan Diocese, at the same time serving as the Bishop
concerned with Pastoral Labour issues of youth for the Korean Bishops
Conference. During his tenure, the Ganghwa Island incident of the Simdo
Textile Company took place. Archbishop KIM was a great influence on Fr.
Jack, with his out spoken support for the protection of labour rights and dignity.
At the time of the self-immolation of Jeon Tae Il, he was very helpful in having
treatment for this victim at the Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. Through this incident
the Archbishop’s interest increased sharply.
The new Archbishop said to Fr. Trisolini one day: “Father, I am creating
a research committee centered on labourers for urban-industrial pastoral
issues. I would like you to attend these meetings. Would you be interested in
attending?”
Fr. Trisolini responded “Certainly, your Eminence. I am not sure of my own
capabilities, and I am a religious priest. But if your Eminence wants me to
attend these meetings, of course I will be there.”
Cardinal Kim along with the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Fr. Barnabas
Kim Cheol Gyu had appointed twelve priests to the Urban-Industrial Pastoral
Research Committee in 1971. This was the Korean Church response to the 1967
Encyclical of Pope Paul VI Populorum Progressio (The Progress of Peoples). The
crises of the Shin-Do Textile Company and the suicide immolation of Jeon Tae
Il stirred the Korean Church to respond in a practical and visible way to the
dark side of Korean progress and industrialization. Fr. Trisolini, despite being a
member of a religious congregation, was appointed the chairperson of the Urban-
Industrial Pastoral Research Committee. Cardinal Kim had an abiding trust in Fr.
422

16 Pages 151-160

▲back to top

16.1 Page 151

▲back to top
Trisolini from this time onwards. Later, Fr. Trisolini was recalled in the media:
“Not yet having died then, Professor Thomas More Park Young Ki or
Professor Kim Mal Ryong and other professionals in labour issues, or pastors
and others involved in labour ministry always listened with an attentive ear to
what Fr. Trisolini had to say. At the time there was always danger of authorities
eavesdropping and/or surveillance on meetings and conversations and with this
in mind, he took advantage of speaking with Cardinal Kim during mealtimes.
He was called to speak with the Cardinal one day at lunch time. Because of his
age, he could not recall what exactly the subject of the conversation was, but
it was to discuss about some labour issue current at that time. This was during
lunch time, and he had not been able to eat anything yet. He said that to the
Cardinal, who also had not had time to eat lunch. The Cardinal called down to
the kitchen, and asked for two bowls or ramyeon (noodles), and they had their
conversation while eating. Cardinal Kim was a touchingly simple man.”
Park Jeong Hui’s military regime had an economic policy that was described
as “Making Choices, Growth, and later Redistribution”. Farmers, fishermen
and labourers were forced to make sacrifices for future, hoped for, economic
development. One of the results was the breakdown between rural and urban
poor – with the rural poor being given priority over urban poor. This led to
even greater deterioration of the working and living conditions of the urban
poor. This was reflected in the increasing discontent of the suffering urban-
industrial labourers. From 1970 onward this led to various manifestations
of their discontent. The Bishops Conference, on the Peace Day celebration
of November 14 1972, held a Mass Seoul’s Myeong-dong Cathedral, which
was attended by priests, religious and faithful. A pastoral document of the
Bishops Conference was announced with the title: “Let us ignore the absurdity
of it all…” This document was prepared by Fr. Trisolini and five members
of the Urban-Industrial Commission. This document proved to be of great
Overall Labour Ministry 423

16.2 Page 152

▲back to top
significance and was founded on the social doctrine of the Church and the right
to human dignity, as proclaimed both within and without the Church. In the
document the call to fight against the injustices and falsehoods found in Korean
society were underlined. The corruption, absurdity, abuse of human rights and
political tyranny were condemned and called upon to be corrected.
The Urban-Industrial Pastoral Research Committee of the Archdiocese of
Seoul held a meeting of the Standing Committee in October 1972. Until this
meeting, members of the Urban-Industrial Pastoral Committee were limited
to priests, but henceforth would include laity, sisters and seminarians as well.
Thus, the priest members were: Fr. Trisolini, Fr. Park Seong Jong, Columban
Fr. Noel Stephen Ryan, Fr. Andrew YEOM Soo-jung, Fr. Thomas Park Byeong
Yun, Fr. Francis Xavier Choi Yong Rok, and the directors of both the Northern
and Southern Districts of the YCW movement. Five Sisters were appointed as
members, while two seminarians and twelve laity also joined its ranks.
The work of the Committee was centered upon practical activities,
attempting to serve as a leaven in society. It changed its official name to the
Urban-Industrial Pastoral Committee. At regular monthly meetings, all of the
organizations involved in the urban-industrial sector met in order to unify the
various activities of the groups, and also to exchange information that may be
helpful to other sectors. Each year two General Meetings were held, in which
there would be a deeper exchange of experiences – often looking at deeply
specific case studies. Also a common budget was created.
In the 1980s the name of the Committee was changed to the Labour
Pastoral Commission of the Archdiocese in order to respond to the serious
social problems that were arising, attempting to bring to resolution the issues
that existed. Documents on the Church’s social teaching were prepared and
shared, which had a greater impact as time passed. At the time, fifty percent of
labourers were receiving approximately 100,000 won or less in monthly wages.
424

16.3 Page 153

▲back to top
At the same time, the cost of basic commodities were increasing in price at a
fast pace. Due to the restrictions applied by various government organizations,
activism was almost impossible in this whole area. It was recognized that
unless the issue of workers’ rights’ violations were confronted – labour would
soon get out of hand in their demands for greater recompense for their work.
The Bishops Conference released the document “On the humanization of
society” and was released on July 5, 1985.
This document, prepared by Fr. Trisolini and the then Fr. Andrew CHOI
Chang-mou, president of the Catholic University, Labour Counseling Centre’s
Kim Mal Ryong and Sogang University’s Industrial Problems Research
Director Thomas de Aquino Kim Eo Sang plus others were given permission
to create this document by Cardinal Kim. It was centred on the solving of
problems in a practical, realistic manner. It was centred on Christ and the
fundamental union that we share with him – seeking for common means of
cooperation, facing the problems that existed in Korean society.
This document became the focus used by the Church in Korea, analyzing and
interpreting the specific problems and issues faced by society. This document
was a reasoned reflection of the Church, and was used widely in preaching and
teaching. After the release of this document, the Labour Pastoral Commission
began the process of releasing various church documents centred upon labour
issues. In order to share the fruit of this research, seminars were organized for
priests and religious working with marginalized labour in order to research
and study these various documents. The YCW movement held various study
programs, retreats and monthly masses during which these various documents
served as points of study centring on labour issues.
Fr. Trisolini also continued to use resources he had learned of in France
during his days of seminary study – such as the work of the French Fr.
Rubure’s “Economy and Humanism”. The methodology used then was one
Overall Labour Ministry 425

16.4 Page 154

▲back to top
of class work, study and workshops which were coupled with actual factory
visits reinforced the knowledge of students in the real life situation of labourers
and the conditions under which they were forced to work. He thought it very
important for Korean seminarians to have the same experience of labourers’
lives and problems. Sogang University’s Fr. Basil M. Price, S.J. and his Labour
Management Institute, along with Professor Park Young Ki collaborated with
him in this effort, giving him much encouragement. The history of labour,
labour law, the functioning of labour and the market, etc. were some of the
topics lectured upon.
The Labour Pastoral Commission offered pastoral courses for deacons
in 1971. They were taught so that they would see reflected accurately the
reality of labour in its actual situation. They were sent to observe the working
conditions of labourers in various factories. They were also taken to see
and experience the Changsin-dong slum apartments where many common
labourers lived. Visiting the offices of labour unions and also the various other
Catholic and Protestant youth groups was part of their on-the-job training.
The then Fr. Andrew CHOI Chang-mou set up “Pastoral Industry Teams”
where seminarians received experience and training in working conditions in
factories, trade unions and the industrial mission apostolate. This training was
centred on the development of consciousness so that the future priests would
have a good understanding of both labour theory and also have experienced
directly the issues in the field.
As the Yusin era came into being, it became very difficult to provide these
types of direct experiences for the seminarians. When the Prado priest, Fr.
Benedict Lee Yong-Yu, completed his studies in France, and upon his return
to Korea, he began this type of training in earnest for the young seminarians.
After Fr. Lee’s sudden death in 1981, Fr. Ju Su Uk founded and worked
hard to develop the Wheat Seed meeting. This Wheat Seed meeting, begun
426

16.5 Page 155

▲back to top
in the Seoul Seminary, eventually expanded to the Gwangju, Taegu and the
Suwon seminaries as well. From 1984 onwards, Sogang University’s Labour
Management Institute directed every two years a living experience program for
the seminarians.
Beginning in 1986 these two programs were replaced by a new program
more tailored to the seminarians needs. After completing the training phase
of the program in the field “God-Human Beings -Labour Issues” was used
as an outline of a training kit that was eventually published. In 1990 at the
Pastoral Labour Centre in Jongno these training courses continued. This
program was eventually absorbed by the Seoul Archdiocesan Social Services
Department. These courses helped to actively support the ministry of priests
and seminarians, and they usually lasted for two days duration.
Korean Prado Priests Collaboration
The response to the programs offered to priests and seminarians, offering
a pastoral opportunity to be involved in and become aware of the issues
of industrialization and labour, were positive. However, at that time it was
difficult for the Archdiocese of Seoul to have a full time priest involved in
this apostolate. A priest who is a labourer himself, living with other labourers,
working for the development of Gospel-valued labour required the presence of
the Prado Society of priests. Two seminarians, among them being Lee Yong-
Yu, were sent to France for studies. Upon finishing his studies, Lee Yong-Yu
returned to Korea with Fr. Olivier Berrangar, a French member of the Prado
Society. Upon Lee’s ordination to the priesthood he did so as a member of
the Prado Society, pledging to spend his life as a labourer, living with poor
labourers and working with poor labourers. With this the Prado Society of
priests was begun in Korea.
When Fr. Lee and Fr. Berrangar first came to Korea from France, with Fr.
Overall Labour Ministry 427

16.6 Page 156

▲back to top
Trisolini’s help, they stayed for a long time in the Don Bosco Youth Centre. Fr.
Berrangar spent many years working as a member of Prado in Korea, being
involved in formation, and informing the local Korean church of their life and
charism. Later he was to return to France as a Bishop. As a member of Prado
he trained many followers in this charism to live with poor labourers and urban
dwellers. After Fr. Lee’s untimely death, Fr. Gu Yo Bi was of assistance to Fr.
Trisolini in the Labour Pastoral Commission. As the Prado Society they have
had a central influence to the present day in this ministry.
Immediately following Fr. Trisolini as the Director of the Labour Pastoral
Commission was Prado Fr. Paul Yong Dong Jin. He had, through the Don
Bosco Youth Centre, formed a relationship with Fr. Trisolini years before. After
serving as the national President of the Korean YCW movement, he went on
and became a priest. After his ordination, he served in a parish and while doing
so remained involved in the YCW and the Catholic Labour movement and
later was the Director of the Catholic Youth and Children’s Apostolate for the
diocese as well. Joining the Prado Society, he continued his labour ministry and
was an influence and sometimes in charge of these groups as well. His pastoral
ministry was always directly or indirectly related to Labour Ministry.
Religious Sisters Working in Collaboration
Working conditions for women in Korea were very poor. Among them
were the ubiquitous female bus attendant was who were in a particularly bad
situation. These young women mostly came from the countryside to Seoul
looking for work, and ended up living in cramped dormitories. Despite the cold
of winter and the heat of summer they put in long days of work. Dealing with
the issues of harassment and violence and sexual exploitation at the hands of
their employers, bus drivers and male employees – it seemed that the problems
of wages, food, clothing and shelter were too difficult to solve as well.
428

16.7 Page 157

▲back to top
The pastoral involvement of Religious Sisters in the Korean Church is a
very big factor in the Church’s development. The pastoral work of Sisters in
the Labour Ministry is even more significant. The Sisters, who began working
with these young female bus attendants, began their attempt at understanding
their reality by taking a close look at the living conditions they were forced
to endure. At first, the Sisters set up programs for the bus attendants to study
things like reading and writing, flower arranging and arts and crafts. They
also provided programs that would assist the attendants to take charge of their
health needs – providing a variety of programs.
Obviously there was a limit at how much these programs of education in
cooking, flower arranging, etc. offered to the bus attendants in a way that
would help them directly. Most of them were very young girls, with limited
resources to support themselves given their backgrounds. They needed to live
in a safe and nurturing environment, protecting them from predators prior to
their marriage and raising their own children. The quest for allowing these
young girls to live in dignity and safety was an ongoing project. The first move
was to set up a residence for these young women. In 1971 the Salesian Sisters
in their Singil-dong property, opened the Majarello Center. It was a residence
for bus attendants and a centre for training for female labourers. In 1974,
the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of Mary opened a dormitory for female
labourers in Garibong-dong, providing a safe haven for them.
However, the residences operated by the Sisters were not simply a place to
sleep at night. They offered programs in catechesis, community living through
liberal arts courses, emphasis on forming good relationships was also taught.
Through regular meetings of workers in their area and lectures and retreats,
they were led to appreciate their inherent dignity. Emphasis was placed on
the formation of good relationships that would lead to changes for the better
for themselves and for others. They were not just taught about better ways of
Overall Labour Ministry 429

16.8 Page 158

▲back to top
making money or doing clever things, but placed themselves in relationship to
Christ. Through a relationship with him, their personal relationships changed
and matured.
In August 1975 the Prado Sisters came to Korea in order to train Korean
members and work in factories or the workforce. In 1986 the Missionary
Sisters of St. Columban created a residence and school targeting young people
in the workforce. The bus attendant problem solved itself in many ways, with
the buses all being automated and only a single driver on board. The direction
of the ministry for young workers has changed with time, with dormitories
and working conditions being much improved. The Sisters have adapted to
changing times through more diversified activities.
Foundation of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit – Cooperation with the
Prado Sisters
One day in the early 1970’s, a group of female members of the YCW
movement, visited Fr. Trisolini and shared with him a long held dream with
him.
“Father, we want to continue living as factory workers. We would like to
pursue the ideal of the YCW movement more aggressively as well while
working as labourers. This is what we would like to dedicate our lives to.
Those among us who share the same dream are not religious but we would like
to have a life in common while spreading the gospel to and for labourers.”
Trisolini replied “That is a very good idea. I will try and think about this
whole concept more deeply. After consulting with other informed people, let us
decide about this project later.”
Fr. Jack consulted with Maryknoll Sister, Jean Maloney, regarding this
possibility.
“Sister, there is a group of women, active in the YCW movement, who want
430

16.9 Page 159

▲back to top
to continue working as labourers while at the same time have a common life
together as religious. Sister, what would be the best for these young women? I
would like to hear your thoughts.”
Sister Jean responded “Father, I think that is something that is coming about
naturally. People working in the field should be encouraged, and I hope you
will assist them to live their dreams. Anything that I can do for them, I would
assist them happily.”
Fr. Trisolini continued to discuss this project with several people, including
Stephen Cardinal KIM Sou-hwan. It was eventually decided that one
community would be formed as a test. In May 1973, at the Don Bosco Youth
Centre, Fr. Trisolini, Maryknoll Sisters Jean Maloney and Mary Lou Herlihy
and the young women destined to form this community met to set up concrete
plans in fulfillment of their dreams. They had received all of the necessary
permission for this experiment from Cardinal Kim already. On the evening of
June 10 at 6 p.m., at a Chinese restaurant in Myeong-dong, the final decision
was reached to found the “Sisters of the Pentecost.” From October 4 of the
same year, in a rented house next to the Garibong-dong market area, these
young women began community life, changing the same of the new institute to
the “Sisters of the Holy Spirit”.
Sister Jean Maloney, receiving permission from Cardinal Kim, went to
Garibong-dong in order to live with this fledgling community. Originally, three
young women of the YCW movement were living together. Each of them,
while continuing to work, would return to a life in common together. Their
poverty was little different from the other poor labourers in Garibong-dong.
They would visit their neighbours, sharing their worries and struggles of life as
labourers. The purpose in gathering together in a community was to live more
closely in accord with the Scriptures. Their way of life was simple, preparing
meals together and sharing the daily issues in their various workplaces.
Overall Labour Ministry 431

16.10 Page 160

▲back to top
Cardinal Kim was convinced that the Prado community was necessary for the
Korean church – feeling very positive warmth of this charism – and deciding to
begin formation of priests in this way of life. In order to begin this community
in Korea, Cardinal Kim paid a visit to the General Headquarters of the Prado
Society in Lyon, France. During his visit there he discovered that the Prado
charism also included a women’s community, of which he quickly informed
Fr. Trisolini. His Eminence invited the Prado Sisters to make a foundation in
Korea. Immediately after this, the former Superior General of the Prado Sisters,
Sister Marie-Thérèse Anselme paid a visit to Korea from May 7, 1974 in order
to ascertain the needs of Korea in the factories and work places of women.
Deciding that the community could make a contribution in Korea, Sisters
Marie-Thérèse Anselme and Monique Doitrand entered Korea on August 28,
1975. They resided in the Garibong-dong community of the Holy Spirit Sisters.
After this initial beginning of the Holy Spirit Community - of the original
three Korean candidates, two had decided to leave the community. On April
28, 1977, the first Korean postulant entered the Prado Sisters, and thus they
began to grow the first roots of the Congregation in Korean soil. Among the
early candidates for the Prado Sisters was a young woman who was active as
a teacher at the Don Bosco Youth Centre, a member of the YCW movement.
Other members of the YCW later would join the Prado Sisters. These women,
living as common labourers and as vowed religious women simultaneously,
live a life that is in the midst of their neighbours and act as a leaven of
evangelization for those whom they minister.
Myeong-dong Labour Counseling Office
Until the 1970’s, through the experience of the Young Christian Workers
movement, the Christian Labour movement and the Labour Pastoral
Committee, the Catholic Church in Korea had gained a great deal of
432

17 Pages 161-170

▲back to top

17.1 Page 161

▲back to top
experience and knowledge of the reality of Korean labour. However, there
were obstacles to establishing legal protection of labour within Korean labour
law, and as a result there were large restraints on what could be accomplished.
Thus “Labourers, working through the Church, seeking for true human values
through a deeply spiritual life and having a desire for a more just society” a
Labour Counseling Office was established.
The Board of Directors for the Counseling Office was established in
September 1979 by the Archdiocese of Seoul for the Labour Counseling
Office. The system, based on the Dutch Bishops’ “Cebemo” method, a
Labour Counseling Office was established in November of 1979. Until the
1961 military coup, the former President of the Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions, Kim Mal Ryong, was appointed as the first Director of the
Office. Those who took advantage of this new effort were not limited to only
Catholics; it was open to all labourers who needed help. Enforcing existing
laws became a priority, thus this small effort had a large impact on the reality
of Korean labour from the beginning. Soon, a broad outline of the sufferings
of labourers through Korean society became apparent and verifiable. With this
experience the Church could respond more effectively to the living reality of
Korean labour.
There was a generalized attempt to restore democracy to the Korean
Republic – frequently defying the military junta that had assumed power. For
this they received much criticism and attempts at controlling their activity
through negativism were frequent. Attempts to solve labour issues through
existing labour laws in this struggle for justice often met with great resistance.
Legal issues that, at the time, had no chance of being approved were pursued.
This struggle in itself was an important contribution to society. These efforts
resulted many times of businesses and government agencies to comply with the
law and protect the interests of labourers.
Overall Labour Ministry 433

17.2 Page 162

▲back to top
Due to the activity of the Counseling Office, the labour force became
aware of what the office was offering, and thus labourers took more frequent
advantage of its services. Soon those staffing this office, due to the heavy
workload and demands of the workers who came to it, became both mentally
and physically exhausted. Eventually, a Prado priest in 1987 opened another
Counseling Office in June 1987 at Guro 1-dong, meeting the same issues as the
Myeong-dong office. In 1989 a third office was opened in Chang-dong as well.
Fr. Trisolini was always on the lookout for people, whether priests, religious
or laity, who could participate in this new form of ministry. He paid particular
attention to the role of the laity in dealing with social issues – charging them
with the responsibility of actually implementing social justice. He taught that
the greatest work is to be on the side of the poorest and weakest in society in
order to protect and defend them against exploitation and injustice. He believed
it was the responsibility for lay ministers to be the primary mode of planting the
seeds of evangelization in society and overseeing its growth and development.
During the course of any ministry, because of the ever-present human
weaknesses found in all people – including priests - there were instances of
disagreement and confrontation. Fr. Trisolini’s strength was his unfailing
loyalty to the teachings of the Church in his training of labourers. The process
of evangelization continues despite the dilemma of conflict among good people
who have polar differences in opinion and experience. Thus the cooperation
of Catholic labour workers with various Protestant organizations, while not
sharing a common doctrine or church tradition, cooperation was possible
because of the common love of Jesus and a common love for the poor in their
midst. While we may never settle the differences that we have, we can still
work for the common good together in fellowship and the love of God. It is the
Holy Spirit that brings us together. It is the Holy Spirit that guides us to a life of
service – together with those with whom we may share little in human terms.
434

17.3 Page 163

▲back to top
Brothers and Sisters in God

17.4 Page 164

▲back to top
When Fr. Trisolini was assigned to the Dorim-dong Parish, he was visited by
Pastor George Ogle.
“Fr. Trisolini, I’m glad that we are meeting in Korea! My name is George
Ogle and I am a Protestant Minister. I am involved with the Urban Industrial
Mission in Yeongdeungpo.”
Fr. Jack responded “Reverend, I’ve heard a great deal about your
involvement with Korean labourers. I am very pleased to meet you. I’ve just
been ordained a priest a short time, and I must confess that I know little about
the situation of Korean labour. Please inform my ignorance and guide me
through this.”
The Pastor replied “No, there’s not much that I could teach you, Father. I
think you will easily understand and determine the cause of problems that you
come across here in Korea. You will also find a solution quite quickly to the
problems you discover. What I am interested in is joining hands and working
together as we work in this field in a spirit of openness and mutual respect.
We need to share our opinions without fear. If we work together in a spirit of
cooperation, we can save each other a lot of time and effort. That is all that I
ask you, Father Jack.”
“Pastor Ogle, I thank you for speaking so openly and frankly with me. When
we work together we will speak to each other frankly and openly – just as
you are speaking now. I will accept your opinions and to the extent possible
incorporate them into my own thoughts and actions.”
“Korea is becoming an industrial nation and making very quick progress,
Father. However, compared to the rate of industrialization, the work
environment of labour and the actual working conditions are very poor. Efforts
to correct unsafe working conditions which threaten the life of workers are
ignored. There is no effort to establish a healthy relationship with labour on
the part of management. There are labourers who have no concept of what
436

17.5 Page 165

▲back to top
a labour union is or what it can do for them. Many labourers are unaware of
how poorly they are being treated, and have no idea of how to appropriately
agitate for increased wages. Ten thousand workers are in this situation as we
speak. Our political leaders and bureaucrats are only interested in increasing
the productivity of industry across the country. The rights and living conditions
of workers are always the last consideration for them. Father Jack, we are of a
similar mind – we cannot resist the urge to be of help to these poor people. We
will have to cooperate with each other a great deal in the future.”
“Reverend, many thanks for your frankness, I appreciate it very much. I feel
unprepared for this task and I hope that you will help me as I learn.”
Thinking that his activity with workers could extend even to ecumenical
sharing across denominational boundaries, he walked to the nearest
Presbyterian Church. His naïve expectation was soon crushed!
“Hello, Pastor! My name is Jack Trisolini, and I am the pastor of the Catholic
Church here in the neighbourhood. I wanted to give each of the members of
our Young Christian Workers movement a bible as a gift. Would it be possible
to obtain them through you?”
“Father, you have come to the wrong place. For us, giving Catholics copies
of the Bible is something we would not do carelessly. Excuse me. But please,
just leave now!”
Beginning in 1971, the Protestant Urban Industrial Labour Mission and
the Catholic Urban Industrial Pastoral Commission began collaboration in
their efforts for Korean labour. Many member of the YCW movement were
in solidarity with the Urban Industrial Labour Mission. Members of both
organizations, in their involvement with workers, shared many experiences
and equally solved many problems together. This cooperation between
denominations was as a result of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) that
opened the doors to acting together for justice and peace. The young Catholic
Brothers and Sisters in God 437

17.6 Page 166

▲back to top
workers in their work with the rag pickers and in their collaboration with
other groups were able to bring about significant changes for these poorest
of the poor. Beginning in May 1962 the police began to investigate and
intimidate both Catholic and Protestant programs for labourers. As a response,
the Religious Leaders Committee, which cut across the denominations, was
formed with Reverend Jo Hyang Rok being the chairperson and Fr. Francis
Park Seong Jong being the vice chairperson.
In the 1968 at Simdo Fabric Company factory on Ganghwa Island, there
were major labour disputes that erupted into conflict. The then Bishop of
Masan, Bishop Stephen KIM Sou-hwan, in his capacity as the Director of the
Young Christian Workers movement, the Protestant Pastor Jo Seung Hyeok
and the Anglican Fr. Richard, sat down and discussed counter-measures in
response to the situation on Ganghwa Island. In October 1969 a seminar was
held, sponsored by the Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches involved
in labour issues, with the title “Development of Society and Labour Problems”.
The lectures were given at the Seoul Citizens Hall. In this instance, Catholic
and Protestant hands were joined in a common effort to protect the rights of
labour, pledging to continue this cooperation until the issues affecting workers
were brought to resolution.
In May 1971, there was an eruption of labour at the violent death of Kim Jin-
Su, a worker at the Hanyeong Fabric Company. Catholic labour groups and
the Protestant Urban Industrial Mission joined hands once again in a common
effort. In November 1971, business owners attempted to use undue interference
with their workers who wished to form a trade union. The inter-religious
groups attempted to help the workers bring to fruition their longed for trade
union. Fr. Trisolini, along with the pastor of Jeongneung Parish Fr. John Jang
Ik and Pastor Jo Seung Hyeok of the Christian Society Action Association,
worked together for a good conclusion to the confrontation.
438

17.7 Page 167

▲back to top
The following February, those Protestant Pastors, Sisters and laity working
in labour issues from Yeongdeungpo, Anyang, Myeonmok-dong and the Urban
Industrial Mission met in the Don Bosco Youth Centre. Here they heard those
involved in the labour dispute with the Crown Electronic Company, listening to
the testimony of those directly involved in the action and what the government
policies regarding this issue were. Thus, Catholic and Protestant labour
activists responded to the violations of rights of workers, protesting together
the injustice. Training courses for workers were co-hosted by Catholic and
Protestant groups – many efforts were made to cooperate closely together.
As time passed, slowly it was discovered that either the practice or goals of
the two groups were often at odds with each other. The difference of perception
in viewing the reality of labour was often very different. The Catholics seemed
to be more interested in acting together as a united front. There were times
when the Catholic name was used without permission which caused some
discontent on the Catholic side. As issues between the two faith-traditions
became apparent, in March 1972 the Catholic Urban Industrial Committee
decided to study the joint efforts with the Protestant Urban Industrial Mission.
As a result a set of guidelines were drawn up in response to issues that had
arisen. Fr. Trisolini summarized the problem as follows:
The problems that were felt to exist as a result of our joint activities were,
first of all, the Protestant Urban Industrial Mission, being involved in many
activities along with Catholic activists, often would list only their organization
as the prime-mover of events that were actually common to both. To put it in a
different way, the members of the Young Christian Workers, though involved
in a given activity, felt that they were not being treated as equal partners in the
activities, and thus differences of opinion came to surface. For example, several
times there would be public statements made without consultation with the
YCW movement, and these statements released to the press. Secondly, Catholic
Brothers and Sisters in God 439

17.8 Page 168

▲back to top
and Protestant institutions are operated in a different way. Protestant groups
can come to quick decisions and act accordingly. For Catholic groups there
is a longer process of discernment, meetings and sharing, etc., that precludes
quick decision making. These differences were cause of some discomfort.
The Urban Industrial Mission, acting as one Church, could quickly make
decisions regarding activities. They could immediately begin implementing
those decisions. However, the structure of the Catholic Church is that all the
groups, parishes and committees involved in a specific ministry, would meet,
discuss and come to a slow consensus. These differences were cause of friction
between Catholics and Protestants.
Thirdly, decisions made by Protestant groups were immediately
implemented. It was difficult to operate at two different speeds as it were. The
Catholics could seem quite plodding at times. At times the Industrial Urban
Mission’s education programs could be quite intrusive. However, Catholic
methods would be much more involved in analysis, in order to obtain a deep
understanding of the underlying conditions or causes of a given problem. This
takes time and effort. These different approaches to education were also a cause
of some friction and discomfort between the two groups. Ultimately these
differences were not anything that could be helped – Catholics and Protestants
just work differently.”
There was a general agreement that Catholic and Protestant activists would
continue to work together in education programs, but only when necessary.
Catholic efforts centred on meetings of Catholic business owners, the education
of the clergy, the activities of the Young Christian Workers, continuing support
programs for labour, involvement in labour disputes, etc. When it was possible
for Catholic and Protestant groups to work together on a specific program,
the effort involved was happily undertaken. Each had to be aware of the
differences between them.
440

17.9 Page 169

▲back to top
Formation of Apostolic Groups

17.10 Page 170

▲back to top
Christian Labour Movement
In 1964, Fr. Francis Park Seong Jong, gathering more mature labourers or
those who had married, created the Adult Young Christian Workers Movement
(or the MOFC Mouvement Ouvrier de Families Coréennes). These individuals had
previously no way to be active in the labour movement. Fr. Francis Park
Seong Jong, upon founding the Catholic Adult Labour Movement, found the
organization quite active at first. Unfortunately, a group of the early members
formed a construction company that led to the decline and eventual collapse
of the organization. Fr. Trisolini stepped into this unfortunate situation, and
with former members of the YCW movement, created the Christian Workers
Movement on February 28, 1972. This organization continues to function to
the present day.
This organization had grown in Daegu, Busan, Jeonju and Daejeon, with
teams in each of these cities who were actively involved in labour issues.
Because most of the members were married, their activity became more
limited, because of the effect of their position in the labour force. Until the
national meeting on June 6, 1974, their labour activity was limited with the
result that their efforts stagnated. While great efforts were made to sustain the
group, even initiating a newsletter, their activity continued to diminish. They
attempted to form new plans and recruit new members, but with mixed results.
Just being a Catholic in the work force was often times reason enough for
dismissal, with no recourse. This experience was shared by members of both
the YCW and CWM. The very means of judging, dialoguing and the like came
in to disuse. Fr. Trisolini searched for ways to help these individuals through
group prayer meeting and a sharing of the burdens they were carrying.
Fr. Trisolini set up a relationship with the Japanese Christian Workers
Movement, and invited Fr. Edouard (the director of the JCW) to Korea to provide
education courses to members of the Korean YCW and CW on labour issues.
442

18 Pages 171-180

▲back to top

18.1 Page 171

▲back to top
In early October 1975 there began a regular exchange of meetings between the
Korean and Japanese CW Movement. Through meetings on the international
level, i.e. the International Conference East Asian representatives, helped to
broaden the horizons of the Korean Labour movement with involvement with
people involved in the same issues in East Asia. The Korean Catholic Workers
movement continued to struggle for growth. Unlike the YCW movement,
the Catholic Labour movement, there was no consistent level of growth
and maturity in the organization. Despite that, due to the efforts of zealous
members and partners of the movement, there were consistent opportunities
for development offered – regular meetings, training sessions and retreats were
held routinely. These efforts continue to the present day. Fr. Trisolini served as
the Director of the Christian Labour movement from 1972 until 1979.
Pastoral Care of Urban Poor
While Fr. Trisolini’s work concentrated on young workers, he did not ignore
others in the work force. That was because his interest was always with the
poor urban workers, whatever their age. Many people came from the rural
areas of the country to the cities in order to find work. Most of them could be
counted among the new class of urban poor. It was inevitable that the Church
would become involved pastorally with these individuals in their new setting.
The response of the Korean Catholic Church until 1980 was centered on the
efforts of Sarah Kim Hye Gyeong and her “Community Organization Group”.
In the 1970’s Ms. Kim found labour activists frequently detained for their
work among the urban poor. With the help of the Archdiocese, she was able to
purchase a house in Sillim-dong (Nangok Urban Village) where volunteers from
the Seoul National University Medical School, both professors and students,
would offer a free weekly clinic to give care to the urban poor.
Fr. Trisolini, always concerned with urban poor issues, appointed Ms. Kim
Formation of Apostolic Groups 443

18.2 Page 172

▲back to top
as the administrator of the Urban Pastoral Commission. Their primary goal
was to make known the problems facing the urban poor and seek solutions to
the problems observed. Also, this became a training ground for seminarians to
observe firsthand the plight of the urban poor and to further establish interest
across a wider spectrum in the Church. For many this experience gave a
direction to their future ministries.
In May 1980, following Fr. Trisolini in this role was Fr. Lee Yong-Yu as
the second chairperson of the Urban Pastoral Commission. Fr. Lee, believing
that the title of the commission was somewhat misleading, decided to rename
it as the Labour Pastoral Commission. Thus with this clarification of name
and roles, it can be said that the Community Organization Groups envisioned
originally, later carried on this ministry under the title of the Catholic Urban
Poor Pastoral Commission.
Ministry for Children
Using the methodology of the YCW movement, a program was developed
for the children of YCW members, with the founding of a nursery and study
hall for their children. The founder of this facility was Katherine Mun Gyeong
Su, which was located in Banghak-dong. Another feature of this facility
was that it provided training for marriage and motherhood for the young
female workers. Another effort was the centre founded by Anna Kim Bong
Sun at Mangwon-dong, following the spirit of the YCW movement that
was a Catholic Youth Labour Cooperative centre. Here they held courses on
sustainable consumption, the proper disposal of refuse and recycling methods.
They also ran a program for children while doing these education courses.
In 1985, the Prado Sister Monica started a meeting at the community’s
Incheon convent for children every Saturday. These children, used to living on
the streets and alleys in their neighbourhoods while their parents worked, were
444

18.3 Page 173

▲back to top
often hungry during the day. Here these children were given food and love in
abundance, while the parents were free to work. Besides food and shelter, they
were also taught basic skills such as house cleaning, cooking and the care of
their younger brothers and sisters. This was open to any children, regardless
of their religion. Within the first month, thirty children were coming regularly.
Other centres similar to this one spread, with it appearing in Seoul in 1990.
In 1991, the General Headquarters of the Prado Sisters in Paris sent Sisters
to study the program that was being offered in Korea. This apostolate was
formally approved by the General and Council as an appropriate apostolate
for the community in February 1992. Fr. Jack met with the partners in this
undertaking many times, hearing often the methodology used in this approach
for child support and education. At one of the meetings of the Labour Pastoral
Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul he spoke of the challenges:
“In all of these efforts in accompanying children, rather than simply giving
them food to eat we should train them in the preparation of food for their future
good. We have to learn how to serve with humility and patience, teaching
children so that they learn useful skills they can use in the future.”
While attending meetings at the international level of the YCW movement,
he would often speak of this outreach to the children of labourers, and
encourage other areas to follow the example. It was an appropriate expansion
of the Labour Pastoral Commission’s mandate to minister for young labourers.
This was something not easily accepted at first by some involved in the labour
ministry. However, Bishop Andrew CHOI Chang-mou, while Auxiliary Bishop
of Seoul, judged that it was an appropriate ministry within the ministry to
labour, and should be considered part of it.
Formation of Apostolic Groups 445

18.4 Page 174

▲back to top
At Jongno

18.5 Page 175

▲back to top
Labour Pastoral Centre
In 1972 the Columban Missionaries purchased a building on Euljiro 5-ga
to create a center for individuals coming from the countryside to the capitol
in order to find work. This building was a convenient place for members of
the Northern Region of the YCW members to meet in, plus it was close to
the Pyeonghwa Market. Aside from social meetings, classes were offered in
the classrooms, called the Cardijin Night School. The offices of the Northern
Region of the YCW were located in this building. This building served for
many years as a temporary dormitory for young workers coming up from the
countryside, and a place for meetings of those involved in YCW activities.
Because the building was such disrepair and on the verge of collapsing, the
Columbans gave it to the Archdiocese of Seoul, which later tore it down in 1982.
The Archdiocese of Seoul proposed that a new building be constructed on
this site for the use of the Northern Region of the YCW, but because of subway
construction and other factors, this plan was not realized. With the loss of
their building, the Northern Region of the YCW found itself in a very difficult
position. As a result, Fr. Trisolini, along with the new leader of the Northern
Region of the YCW, Fr. Peter Ju Su-Uk, went to discuss this issue with the then
Vicar General of the Archdiocese, Bishop Joseph KYEOG Kap-ryong.
The Bishop, upon hearing of the needs for the labour ministry, proposed a
collaborative effort with a parish building being planned already for the Jongno
Parish in Central Seoul; they discussed the matter with the parish priest there.
With few projected parishioners in this parish, the parish priest – Fr. Louis Jang
Dae Ik – graciously consented to include a third and fourth floor which would
house the Labour Pastoral Commission. With the sale of the unusable building
on Euljiro 5-ga, this money was dedicated to the expanded plans for the new
Jongno Parish complex. Thus a new home was created for the Christian
Workers movement and the YCW movement in Seoul.
At Jongno 447

18.6 Page 176

▲back to top
The Don Bosco Youth Centre originally was the centre of activities for the
Southern Region of the YCW – Fr. Trisolini was in residence there from 1970
onwards. From January 1972 it also served as the temporary office of the Seoul
Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral Commission. This centre was used for labourers
in the Yeongdeungpo area for classes, meetings, singing programs, cultural
programs, recreation and other uses. The Salesian Sisters, at their nearby
Majarello Centre, accepted young girls coming from the countryside as well.
This facility served as a meeting place for young bus attendants and workers at
the Wonpung textile factory (later the Hanguk textile factory).
When Fr. Lee Yong-Yu became the Director of the Seoul Archdiocesan
Labour Pastoral Commission, he had begun research on creating a Centre
for Labour Ministry near the Dorim-dong Parish Church. He had already
submitted a plan to the Seoul Archdiocese. However, he suddenly died, and
this plan was abandoned. Upon Fr. Lee’s unexpected death, Fr. Trisolini again
assumed the office of Director of the Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral
Commission. Shortly after this, the occupation of the Seoul Archdiocesan Vicar
General’s Office occurred by the workers of the Control Data Corporation.
On this occasion Bishop KYEONG, in December 1983, moved the Labour
Pastoral Office to the third floor of the old Bishop’s House at Myeong-dong,
and was then moved to the Catholic Centre in December 1986 temporarily.
Finally in April 1987, when the Jongno Parish building was completed, the
Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral Commission finally had a home in the
buildings third and fourth floors. There was space for the YCW movement’s
Northern District offices, a lecture hall, dormitory space and a room also for
the Christian Workers’ Movement – which was immediately put to good use.
The Ordinary of the Seoul Archdiocese, Stephen Cardinal Kim, introduced
this new facility to all of the clergy and organizations of the Archdiocese. He
encouraged all parishes to invite labourers into their communities. He asked
448

18.7 Page 177

▲back to top
all to encourage and support this ministry to labour, with love and brotherly
affection. In the event of labour issues became known, he urged that efforts at
reconciliation be coordinated through this office.
Upon the completion of the construction of the Jongno Parish facility, Fr.
Trisolini began immediately his pastoral ministry in this new location. After
June 29, 1987 Programs were offered to union organizers, labourers for
conflict resolution, and the study of labour law. With this followed programs
on Philosophy and History, and social problems were offered. All of the efforts
of all those involved in this ministry were combined under a single roof, which
allowed for easier dissemination of information. The Center was used by young
labourers as a place to share the life-experiences, their faith and activities, the
family lives and also for the purpose of forming unions in the work-place.
From 1989 courses were offered on the Church’s social doctrine annually.
From 1993 onwards, all church groups, social programs, even to regional social
outreach groups were included.
Labour Pastoral Centre - the Centre of Activity
In 1987, along with the then Fr. Chang-Mu Choi, Fr. Trisolini was involved
in the preparation for a seminar for laity and the Synod of Bishops, attempting
to explain the theme and lead discussions on it. In 1988, the Encyclical
“Sollicitudo Rei Socialis” – released on December 30, 1987 – was lectured
upon by Fr. Trisolini. Fr. Choi gave a special lecture entitled “the confusion
of ethical values and the road to overcoming it”. In reply to the June 29, 1987
challenge of the Democratic Party to Ruling Party Presidential candidate Noh
Tae-U in which he was called upon to amend the labour laws because they did
not meet the basic demands of a democratic political system.
In the news of 1989, there were incidents regarding the Catholic Peace
Newspaper, the abuse of clergy and laity in the Incheon Diocese, and the
At Jongno 449

18.8 Page 178

▲back to top
continued labour unrest in the Ulsan facilities of the chaebol Hyundai – led
the Labour Ministry to reassess its activities and objectives. The June 29,
1987 Declaration of the Democratic Party became a frequent rallying point
of striking workers. While there were calls for the dissolution of the current
government – cooler heads called for patience and toleration. Labour unions
were demanding that due process be observed, in compliance with existing
laws.
In April 1991, in celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the release
of the labour encyclical “Rerum Novarum” of Pope Leo XIII, a debate was
held at Myeong-dong Cathedral on the subject of labour. Cardinal Kim
celebrated the memorial Mass commemorating the event on May 15, 1991.
Frs. Trisolini, CHOI Chang-mou and Gu Yo Bi prepared the homily preached
that day. In May 1996 was the 105th anniversary of the document “Rerum
Novarum”. The Labour Pastoral Commission along with the Justice and
Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Seoul released in December 1996
and January 1997 a joint statement regarding the labour unrest in the country.
This statement encouraged early and amicable problem solving whenever
labour disputes arose. It went on to stress that the over-reaction of authorities
do nothing to address the underlying problems behind the labour issues. The
stance of government and management at that time served to exacerbate the
problem rather than solve the outstanding issues that labour legitimately had.
The statement encouraged all sides to seek mutual understanding, exercise
great patience with one another, and above all to exercise great restraint in
discussion and action.
The financial crisis of 1997, commonly called the ‘IMF Crisis’ caused a
great shock and confusion to ripple through Korean society. Many families
came to the brink of financial collapse as a result of it. The government did
not or could not offer a clear interpretation of events, and thus there were no
450

18.9 Page 179

▲back to top
other alternatives that were presented clearly. The church, through various
media released a document entitled “The Current Economic Crisis and the
IMF Bailout: Our Opinion” – a clear document that stood in solidarity with
the pain of workers at that time. Active and concrete measures were called
for to respond the crisis of labour and the family. In February 1998, the
Archdiocese of Seoul, in each of the districts of the Diocese, provided shelter
and listed employment opportunities for those who had lost their homes and
jobs. Study halls for students were set up that were free of charge for those
parents who could no longer afford to pay fees. A parish by parish study was
made on the impact of the crisis in each parish and district. At Myeong-dong
Cathedral, celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its consecration, the
“House of Peace” was set up. This was a facility set up by the Labour Pastoral
Commission to assist the unemployed to find jobs and to provide counseling
and training. Free lunches were provided to those participating in the programs.
Expansion of Labour Counseling Centres
In 1991, the director of the of the Myeong-dong Labour Counseling Centre,
Kim Mal Ryong, left this position, having been elected to the National
Assembly. The centre funded by the Church of Holland was closed due to
lack of continued financing. In 1992, Fr. Trisolini found himself called to lead
the Labour Pastoral Counsel – chiefly to deal with the financial problems
that had arisen. He was challenged from the beginning of his term of office,
dealing with the question of whether or not the Church and its institutions
should intervene forcefully in labour issues. Fr. Jack immediately sought the
support and active cooperation of the local Church in these issues. The Labour
Pastoral Commission is not meant to replace the efforts of those involved in
the Church’s Social Welfare outreach, but to complement those efforts. It was
evident that the Labour Pastoral Commission needed professional assistance to
At Jongno 451

18.10 Page 180

▲back to top
map out its future strategy.
In the area of Chang Dong in northern Seoul, there was a concentration of
small and medium sized industries. Various transportation companies were
concentrated there more than any other area in the city. Unpaid labourers and
summary dismissals were commonplace. Civil actions against employers were
frequently long and dragged out over periods of years. Individuals with labour
issues were more than half of those who frequented the Counseling Centre
located in this area. It was not supported by the local parish in Chang Dong,
and due to budgetary shortages, it had to be eventually closed down in January
1997. Until then all expenses were paid for by the Prado Society of priests.
In September 1990, at the Guro 3-dong Parish, whose pastor was Salesian
Fr. Jesús Maria Sánchez, S.D.B., a labour counselling centre was founded. This
centre dealt with many issues of labour – among those being civil and criminal
litigation, accidents, health care, youth issues, housing and many more. By 1996,
the outreach of the centre gradually expanded to include youth counselling, and
to be more involved in the urban poor in the immediate area. Their outreach
expanded through counseling by telephone where they interviewed workers.
They began to focus on recuperating the back pay of labourers, retirement
funds, workers released from work and other legal issues. Courses in human
relationships and dialogue were given as well.
In March 1993, Fr. Song Jin, the pastor of the Shi-Heung Parish, established
a labour counseling centre as well. They dealt with issues as diverse as
workers’ wages, industrial accidents, unjust terminations, unfair labour
practices, etc. offering counseling services for those workers. They also ran a
gamut of courses to help those in difficult situations. In addition, they visited
local hospitals where they would also do consultations with workers who were
sick or had been injured in accidents.
After the 1990’s, the YCW movement concentrated on the vocational
452

19 Pages 181-190

▲back to top

19.1 Page 181

▲back to top
training of future labourers, giving courses to senior high school students and
others. The students suffered during these years, being often in conflict with
various other social institutions. However, the YCW did provide accurate
reporting of the situation of young labourers where YCW members were
working. They offered telephone counseling as well, assisted young workers,
and also provided onsite counselling services at their offices at and training
centre at Noryangjin where the national headquarters was located. They
offered assistance to young workers in a friendly nonthreatening atmosphere.
In 1994, in a building close to the YCW movement headquarters, the Cardijin
Youth Counseling Centre was opened. Here there were possibilities for private
and group counseling, psychological testing, various aptitude and personality
testing opportunities were offered as well. It was a centre where through deep
sharing; an understanding of life could unfold.
The twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the formation of the Labour
Pastoral Commission was held in October 1996. Those foreign priests and laity
involved with labour ministry were invited to attend the festivities. There were
seminars and presentations on various aspects of pastoral work – including
visits to factories and trade unions. There were also meetings of the YCW
and Christian Workers movements to commemorate the event. Tours of the
Myeong-dong counseling centre were provided. A memorial musical concert
and a renewal of the commitment to labour were also part of the multiple
events. Cardinal Kim, the Archbishop of Seoul, being present for all of the
events himself personally also encouraged participation of the Diocese.
During the course of 1998 the Archdiocese of Seoul, in accord with the
regulations for the Apostolate, there was a gathering of over 300 members
of the YCW and Christian Workers movements, Youth Apostolate workers,
plus clergy and religious women gathered at the Don Bosco Youth Centre for
the celebration of the Eucharist. During this celebration a document entitled
At Jongno 453

19.2 Page 182

▲back to top
“Sharing Our Vision of the Family” was released. The celebration concluded
with a sports festival on the playing fields of the Centre – celebration a grand
“Family Day”.
In March 1999, due to a lack of operating funds, the three Labour
Counselling Centres in the Southern District of the YCW – that is Guro 3-dong,
Siheung and Gurobon-dong Parish centres had to be combined into a single
unit. This single unit was named the Guro House of Peace. The clientele
using this facility expanded accordingly, helping those young workers facing
problems in the workplace or on the personal level. A benefactors group was
gathered together who continued to support this important work. A shelter was
opened in this unit as well, providing temporary housing for the unemployed.
Counselling for recently unemployed continued as well for those workers
losing their jobs or looking for new ones. It was a networking centre for labour
and those looking for workers in various companies.
Fr. Trisolini, during the years in Jongno, had developed a vigorous
publication arm of activity. Since 1993, the quarterly magazine Quarterly
Labour Conditions had been published. Over the years the name of the
publication changed with some regularity, i.e. “Realizing Peace and Justice”,
“Labour News”, “People who Reclaim the Land”, “God, People and
Labour”. This quarterly also contained articles on the social doctrine of the
Church, and provided a place for an exchange of opinions always concentrated
on labour issues and how they could be looked at through the eyes of Catholic
doctrine. Since 1998 various articles in other languages were translated and
published as well.
454

19.3 Page 183

▲back to top
The Poorest of this Age

19.4 Page 184

▲back to top
Migrant Workers Counselling Centres
The Republic of Korea during the 1960’s and 1970’s was a net exporter
of labour to Germany, Vietnam and the Middle East. They earned foreign
currency abroad by filling those employment opportunities. Besides providing
a way to work out of poverty, these so-called 3D jobs also supplied working
positions for those with various levels of skills in a relatively straightforward
manner. However, beginning in the 1980’s, the Korean labourer was able to
earn as much in the domestic workforce as abroad, sometimes even more. The
number of Korean labourers in the 3D industries plummeted since then. By
1987 Korea had become a net importer of foreign labour in massive numbers.
Despite this type of 3D labour supplementary system being in place, there still
developed a severe manpower shorter in the workforce domestically. Because
of the demand for workers, the number of foreign workers in Korea without
proper papers increased dramatically, and became a cause of serious concern.
However, the Korean government and the companies employing these illegal
foreign workers were concerned about filling work positions more than with
their legal status. Infringement of the rights of migrant labourers, legal and
otherwise, was compounded because of their propensity to remain passive
before the authorities. There existed no agency or community that spoke for the
needs of migrant labourers and was active for their rights. This meant that the
Church in Korea, seeing the issues clearly, began to be involved in the whole
area of migrant workers of a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, thus
broadening the pastoral horizons of ministry.
Fr. Trisolini was born in the United States, the son of migrant workers. He
was already intimately aware of the problems and issues such people had.
As a young person, he was always interested in the struggles of the European
migrants to the United States and how to solve their problems. It was almost
predictable that he would become involved in the same struggle in Korea. He
456

19.5 Page 185

▲back to top
felt that the Church’s involvement in this problem of poor migrant workers in
Korea was a problem that could not be postponed. He requested permission of
Cardinal Stephen Kim to found a Counseling Centre for Migrant Workers –
a place where these individuals would be listened to and helped in a concrete
manner with their problems and the various issues they faced as labourers
in Korea. Cardinal Kim readily agreed that this was an excellent idea. Thus
in August 1992, a Counseling Centre for Migrant Workers was established
in Jung-gu Jeo-dong, with Cardinal Kim appointing Fr. Trisolini as its first
Director.
He was soon to discover that migrant labourers were coming from China and
other Asian countries, from Africa and from Eastern Europe as well; workers
were coming to Korea to find employment. The Counselling Centre began to
work with these workers, hearing the familiar tale of unpaid wages, industrial
accidents, beatings, lack of medical care and immigration problems that these
migrants had to face daily. The programs offered to these migrant workers
included cultural aspects as well, with classes in which Hangul (the Korean
script) were taught. A shelter was opened for those who could not find or afford
housing. Day care centers were provided for young mothers. The whole issue
of the exploitation of undocumented workers, so easily abused because of their
legal status, providing counselling for them as well and making interventions
on their behalf was initiated. Attempts were made to gather statistics,
documenting the reality of migrant labourers – providing a means of evaluating
the scale of the problems before them and how they could be concretely helped.
Health care was provided at little or no cost. Attempts at creating opportunities
for migrant labourers to learn about Korea, visiting various historical sites on
planned outings were initiated as well. Another Counseling Centre was opened
in March 2000 in Euijeongbu – north of Seoul – to meet the needs of workers
in that area.
The Poorest of this Age 457

19.6 Page 186

▲back to top
Bethany House
Naturally, migrant workers in Korea, as their numbers increased over time,
were subject to work-related injuries or became ill with various diseases.
These numbers of sick and/or injured among the migrant workers increased
proportionately to the numbers working. The government, corporations or other
organizations were not prepared for this very concrete reality. Fr. Trisolini felt
that the Church had to step into this breach and begin offering health services
for those in need. Oftentimes, migrant workers were among the poorest
members of this society, and were unable to meet this urgent and important
need themselves.
With the help of Stephen Cardinal Kim, in December 1991, Fr. Trisolini was
able to establish Bethany House as a shelter for foreigners with disabilities at
Hawolgok-dong. In December 1996, by the order of Cardinal Kim, Bethany
House was founded in Mia Dong. Bethany House is a place where migrant
workers with disabilities or diseases could go and receive professional medical
treatment, and spend the period in which they received treatment in cost-
free housing with meals provided as well. In March 2003, Bethany House
was moved to a house at the rear of the Labour Pastoral Commission’s office
building. Bethany house provides housing for those who have been hospitalized
and require a period of time in a safe environment. This facility serves the
needs of both those injured in the workplace and those who suffer from some
disease process. Afterwards, they returned to their homes or workplace.
Ethnic communities
Fr. Jack, aware of the precedent of the Church’s in the United States and
Europe, helped to form small communities of workers from the same country
or ethnic backgrounds. This was done for the purpose of maintaining their self-
identity while working abroad. Leaving their native countries and working long
458

19.7 Page 187

▲back to top
hours each day, they needed the resources that only such a community could
provide. The zeal for life, a firm sense of self-reliance, and their common faith
needed to be defended in a sometimes hostile environment. Being in solidarity
with one another, and through mutual cooperation, they could withstand the
rigours of work and life abroad. Forming strong human relationships, this
allowed the migrant workers to thrive and were given encouragement to
continue to grow.
Secondly, the community of faith, through the power of the liturgy and the
sacraments helped in the healing process for Christians, regaining a sense
of self-esteem as Christian men and women. For many of the migrants, they
faced long separation from their families, which many found devastating
and enervating. The good shepherd, always concerned with the happiness
of his flock, always attempts to lead his people as children of God, striving
to help them lead healthy and wholesome lives without the danger of losing
the precious faith that sustains them. The migrants, having tired bodies and
minds after long days of work, should find spiritual sustenance to help them
continue their efforts with the hope that they would have a better tomorrow
for themselves and their families. In order to help the migrant workers,
missionaries and priests from their native countries were invited to help in this
ministry in Korea.
Thirdly, the Church in Korea sought out opportunities to be in deeper
fellowship and pastoral cooperation with the Churches from which migrant
workers were coming. Efforts were made to approach the Churches in other
countries to provide missionaries and priests to meet the needs of migrant
workers in Korea. Because of the ever increasing number of migrant workers
from the Philippines and Vietnam, Fr. Trisolini along with his successor Fr.
Andrew Hur Yun Jin, gathered together benefactors from the community in
order to provide expanded facilities for these two communities. He did not
The Poorest of this Age 459

19.8 Page 188

▲back to top
ignore the smaller communities of migrant workers, such as Mongolia and
Thailand, who also had vibrant groups in Korea, providing them with a variety
of pastoral care as well.
In 1992, in the Jayang-dong Catholic Parish, the Filipino community of
migrant workers was formed. However, this facility soon provided inadequate.
In December 1996 they moved to the Hyehwa-dong Parish where there is a
weekly mass celebrated for them. The Philippine Centre was eventually built
in Seongbuk-dong, with two priests of the Philippine Missionary Society
providing pastoral care. There are large numbers of Korean volunteers helping
their ministry as well.
  
Fr. Trisolini was well aware of the poorest in our era – and felt that migrant
workers deserved the protection of law and the benefits of the social welfare
system. He felt it was unreasonable to simply criticize the government for its
inaction, but felt strongly that all citizens have the obligation to act politically,
applying all due pressure, in order to improve the system through the enactment
of better laws. He was a man who looked for better, more concrete ways to be of
service to the poor migrant worker. Before there was government intervention
for these unfortunates, he began being of service them well before that. He
believed in informing everyone about each situation that he was observing and
working in among the poorest of the poor. Once a secure pattern of service had
been established for one group or migrant workers, he would move on to the
next poorest in the effort to meet their needs as well. He did this in a spirit of
inner zeal and maturity, always encouraging the migrant labourers to seek self-
reliance and not to lose faith. The poor need a lot of things, but the more urgent
problem, after their stomach is fed and their bodies clothed, is the healing of the
inner person and spirit that lives in the physical body. The Good Shepherd is the
one who works without ceasing or rest for the good of his poor flock.
460

19.9 Page 189

▲back to top
Outgoing Chairman and
Bomun-dong Move

19.10 Page 190

▲back to top
Fr. Trisolini’s Spiritual Son
In March 1999, Fr. Jack turned over the office of Director of the
Labour Pastoral Commission to Fr. Paul Yong Dong Jin. He took over the
administration of the offices of the Labour Pastoral Ministry, assisting Fr.
Yong whenever he wanted help. As a youngster, Fr. Yong was born into a
poor family, and was unable to obtain any higher education. On a visit to the
Don Bosco Youth Centre when he was just seventeen years of age, he met Fr.
Trisolini for the first time. In 1975 he received baptism from the hands of Fr.
Jack. While studying at the Don Bosco Youth Centre, he became involved in
the YCW movement. He had studied machine technology and mold-making
engineering at the Centre, and even after finding work suitable to his training,
he remained active in this apostolate. While a young worker, remaining
committed to the apostolate, he slowly became aware of why he was born and
clearly had a vision what his future destiny held for him. In order fulfill his
destiny; he never ceased to look for ways to fulfill it.
He also continued to hone his skills, continually developing them. Even when
he was very busy at work, he continued to study English and the humanities.
The future Fr. Yong had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and perhaps of
an inferiority complex he did not pursue higher education at first. He read and
meditated over the book by Deacon Kim Jeong Hun “Mountain, Wind, God
and I”. He realized slowly that his thirst for knowledge and experience was
actually a call to become a priest.
His father died at a young age, and Yong Dong Jin was then the head of the
family. Without the money earned by him his family would have very hard
time surviving. Moreover, his academic background was entirely insufficient.
He felt the huge gap between his deepest desires and current reality – and it
troubled him that he could not decide in favour of his dream for many years.
Upon the death of the first priest ordained for the Prado Society, Fr. Lee Yong
462

20 Pages 191-200

▲back to top

20.1 Page 191

▲back to top
Yu, he decided to act decisively to realize his dream. Prior to his death, Yong
Dong Jin had spoken by telephone with Fr. Lee sometime in 1981 late one
night. Fr. Lee shared with Yong Dong Jin his desire that he assume the National
Directorship of the Young Christian Workers Movement.
“Dong Jin, I know that your family is in pretty tough circumstances, but I
wanted to tell you that I think you are better prepared than anyone to become
the new National Director of the YCW movement.
Dong Jin did not immediately reply. Fr. Lee, a bit concerned, said:
“What’s the matter, Dong Jin?”
“Fr. Lee, I’m thankful for your opinion, but I don’t think I’m capable of
doing that job.”
“Why do you say that? Clearly not everyone is capable of being the national
Director you know. Actually, of all the candidates, you were the only one I
thought capable of handling the job.”
“You know very well, Father, how difficult it is for us involved in the labour
movement just to survive at the present time. You are aware of that, aren’t
you?”
“I understand why you are concerned, Dong Jin. I also know that you won’t
die doing this job. I believe in you.”
“Father, there are a lot of members of the YCW movement who are a lot
smarter and more able than I am. I am not well educated, and filled with a lot
of fear, how can you expect me to take up this heavy burden?”
“No, I know you have the strength to do this, Dong Jin. The Lord will sustain
you.”
“I’m flattered you think so well of me, Father, believing I can do this work,
but please think again. Please, I beg you, find someone else!”
One March 14, 1981 at the Noryangjin Catholic Youth Centre all of the
Diocesan Directors of the Young Christian Workers movement, both men
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 463

20.2 Page 192

▲back to top
and women, were gathered in order to elect the 10th National Director of the
Korean YCW movement. The YCW movement in Korea was going through
a very troubled period, and this choice of a new National Director had proved
to be a very difficult problem, it was not easy to make a decision. The next
day, after three in the early morning, a decision was finally reached. The
former Director of the Southern District of the YCW movement of the Seoul
Archdiocese, Yong Dong Jin was chosen as the National Director.
Knowing that Yong Dong Jin was at that moment at the Dorim-dong
Parish, the current Seoul Archdiocesan Southern District Director of the
YCW movement, Eom Seok Yong telephoned the Dorim-dong Parish at
around 4 A.M. There he spoke with the Seoul Archdiocesan Director of the
YCW movement and current pastor of Dorim-dong Parish, Fr. Lee Yong Yu,
informing of the election of Yong Dong Jin as National Director. However,
since Yong Dong Jin was not at the parish that night, but rather sleeping at a
friend’s house near the Parish. At around 5 A.M. Eom Seok Yong went to this
house and informed Yong Dong Jin of his election. Shortly after hearing this
news, he received the crushing news of a sudden death.
The associate pastor of the Dorim-dong Parish, Fr. Olivier Berrangar,
celebrated the 6 A.M. mass in the church. Before beginning the mass he felt
strangely, and as he celebrated the mass the feeling did not go away. Usually
at the communion time Fr. Lee Yong Yu would assist with the distribution of
communion to the faithful, but that morning he did not appear. Fr. Olivier, after
the mass was finished, went to the parish house and had breakfast alone. It was
already after 7 A.M., and Fr. Lee had still not appeared. Fr. Olivier went to Fr.
Lee’s room and with trepidation opened the door and went into Fr. Lee’s room
where he received a shock. He discovered that Fr. Lee had died sometime
during the night of a cerebral hemorrhage. Just the night before at the evening
meal, Fr. Lee had been lighthearted and laughing. Dong Jin, being in Dorim-
464

20.3 Page 193

▲back to top
dong, was devastated upon hearing the news. His dear and close friend, the one
who treasured Dong Jin more than anyone, had departed this world…..
He prayed “God, you have gone too far. You have taken Fr. Lee, a man
whose only dream was to work with and for the poorest workers of this country
with his whole mind and body. Why did you take him from us so suddenly?”
There was no response.
Accompanied by a fellow member of the YCW – Yong Dong Jin went to the
parish at Dorim-dong to confirm the news of Fr. Lee Yong-Yu’s death. Eom
Seok Yong, being informed of Fr. Lee’s death, went Dorim-dong parish as well
to speak with Fr. Olivier Berrangar. Fr. Olivier, not knowing the precise time
of Fr. Lee’s death, wanted to know about the telephone conversation Fr. Lee
had with Mr. Eom and the approximate time they had spoken. In all likelihood,
Mr. Eom was the last person that Fr. Lee had spoken with. After sharing the
details of the telephone conversation with Fr. Olivier, he went to Myeong-dong
in order to inform the Ordinary, Stephen Cardinal Kim, of Fr. Lee’s death and
share the same information with him.
Yong Dong Jin became the National Director of the YCW movement during
the severely repressive Yusin era, with the government under the control of
military dictator Jeon Du Hwan. He attempted to follow the teachings of
Fr. Trisolini, using the basic spirit and principles of the YCW movement,
encouraging those he led along this path of life. He used the methods outlined
in the publications of the movement as tools to educate not only his fellow
workers, but the Catholic faithful as well. He based his leadership for his
brothers and sisters on the love of God for the human family. This leadership
role, in which he served, proved never to be burden to him.
Haunted by Fr. Lee’s death, he asked himself: “Why did Fr. Lee go to the
Lord at that moment? What does it mean to my destiny that I was almost the
last person he ever spoke with? Will I ever make any sense out of his death?
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 465

20.4 Page 194

▲back to top
Over time, he came to appreciate the significance of Fr. Lee’s death for
himself. It took a long time for him to finally come to the conclusion that “Could
it be that the Lord is leading me through Fr. Lee’s death to become a priest?
No, that can’t be! I am an ignorant man and a coward. If I leave home and
become a priest, what will happen to my family? How will they eat? Who will
take care of my old mother? My older brother is so sick that he cannot even use
his hands. Who will take care of my younger brother and sister?
“Why do I keep thinking about becoming a priest?”
“I shouldn’t think such useless things. Given my current situation, it is
something that can never happen.”
“With Fr. Lee’s death, I ended up serving as the Director of the national
YCW. I kept thinking that this was a sign that I should become a priest and
work for workers myself. Could that be true? I wondered. Looking at things
dispassionately, I knew that I was not a well-educated man. That was for
certain! But if there was any possibility of becoming a priest, I as a worker,
becoming a priest… A working priest like those in France, would that be
possible?”
Worrying over this, he paid a visit to the Prado Sisters one day and spoke
with Sister Elisabeth Gang Yeong Ja about what was troubling him, opening
his heart to her.
“Sister, no I mean my older sister; I don’t know what to do. I want to become
a priest, and I know how presumptuous that is of me. After Father Lee’s death,
I feel that I am called to follow him and become a working priest like he was.”
“I think you would be a good priest, Paul (Paul being Dong Jin’s baptismal name).
You’d be one of the first here in Korea, but I honestly think you could live as a
working priest. That is a very good idea.”
“No, why do you speak of something that can never be?”
“I disagree. I think it is possible. You really would be a good priest. I believe
466

20.5 Page 195

▲back to top
that sincerely. Wait and see what happens. I believe you will be a priest one
day.”
“No. I will never have that type of freedom, though I keep dreaming that
one day I will. Does just wanting something make it possible? You know very
well that I never was able to go to school properly. You have to be prepared to
study, and be admitted to the seminary. Before that you have to pass the college
entrance examination. I have no ability to take that with any hope of passing.”
“It’s hard but with your native abilities and stick-to-it attitude, it is possible.”
“Maybe that would be possible, but what about my family? What would
become of them?”
“It is hard for me to respond to that but I believe that the Lord will also show
you the way to solve even that problem. Go and speak with Fr. Trisolini and
talk about it with him. There is bound to be a way to resolve all your issues. I
will pray for you always. You will certainly one day be a priest.”
Dong Jin visited Fr. Trisolini; he spoke openly about his desire to be a
priest and the obstacles that stood in the way of that dream. He spoke of his
frustrations in dealing with his current reality openly.
“I do not see any way of resolving these problems, and that is why I came to
you today.”
“Paul, what is really going on with you now?”
“I have a dream that can never be realized. No matter how much I think
about it, I only find obstacles to fulfilling that dream.”
“Try and be more specific.”
“Ever since the day before Fr. Lee Yong-Yu died, my dream has never left
my mind. It has been several years already. I feel that I should take his place
that has remained vacant since he died. That is what I am thinking, but I see no
way of fulfilling this highly improbable dream.”
“Only God knows if there is a relationship between Fr. Lee’s death and your
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 467

20.6 Page 196

▲back to top
desire to become a priest. I know you, Paul, and I know that you are well aware
of the plight of workers today. I also think you would be a very good priest. If
it is God’s will for you, it would be a great gift to this country – a great gift to
workers and to the Church. I would really like you to go down that path, Paul.”
“Thank you, Father; your words are very helpful. But you know as well I do,
I’m already over thirty years of age.”
“Age is no barrier to becoming a priest. If you look at St. John Vianney, you
can easily see that. Someone who is older is not blocked from becoming a
priest. There’s nothing wrong with being older.”
“I’ve only finished elementary school, Father. I wonder if I would be able to
study….”
“I don’t agree with you, you seem to be very capable of study. Certainly you
are capable enough to become a priest. If you can pass the (high school) graduate
equivalency examinations, there is nothing preventing you from doing the
course for priesthood. Somehow we can work out your tuition bill. Don’t
worry about that. If you have really heard the call from the Lord, don’t delay
any longer. Just answer that call with firm conviction.”
  
“If it were possible for me to answer the call of God, I would do so. But there
are obstacles to that. If only studying hard and doing as you suggest, Father, I
suppose it would be possible. I would do whatever it would take. But I’m the
only source of income for my family. Who will feed them?”
“Of course, it is not going to be easy, Paul. But God would never lead you to
do something you were not capable of doing. I believe that if it is God’s will
for you, the problems you speak of, with God’s grace, will resolve themselves.
If it is God’s will there is nothing that can prevent it from happening. I believe
you would be a good working priest. Let’s pray and try hard together.”
Dong Jin remained troubled, unable to make a decision. He knew a
468

20.7 Page 197

▲back to top
Maryknoll Sister, Sister Jean Maloney, who was involved in various group
activities with the YCW movement. She was convinced of his priestly
vocation.
“Paul, I believe you will be a very good priest. I know it will happen. I am
praying for you.”
Eventually, he did make a decision, and once again, he went to see Fr.
Trisolini.
“I will soon enter the seminary, Father.”
“I am so happy for you, Paul, it is the right decision. From now on, don’t
think about anything else, just prepare for the entrance examination!”
Fr. Trisolini felt a certain amount of confidence in the desires that Dong Jin
expressed. While preparing for the entrance examination to the seminary, he
invited Dong Jin to reside in the Daerim-dong Salesian residence. While Fr.
Jack provided all the support for him in his studies, he never pressured him to
enter the Salesians.
Fr. Jack and Cardinal Stephen Kim both supported Dong Jin’s dream, and
in 1987 he was admitted to the seminary, he was already well over thirty years
of age. The then Fr. Andrew CHOI Chang-mou, the president of the seminary
became Dong Jin’s spiritual director, helping this delayed and vocational
candidate develop those areas in his life that needed polishing. Dong Jin,
in a spirit of true humility, willingly accepted help from the much younger
seminarians as he became used to the life in the seminary. He was recognized
as a gentle older brother among the seminarians, getting along well with all.
With the love and support of those who loved him and helped him overcome
all of the hardships that he had to endure, he was ordained a priest in July
1993. He began his priestly life as assistant pastor at Jongno Parish, as well as
assuming the Directorship of the Northern District of the Seoul Archdiocesan
YCW movement. His next assignment was as assistant pastor of Sindaebang-
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 469

20.8 Page 198

▲back to top
dong parish, and assumed the Directorship of the Southern District of the YCW
movement; he became the vice Director of the Labour Pastoral Commission,
as well as the Director of the Seoul YCW movement’s Association, and later
assumed the post of administrator of the Labour Pastoral Commission. He
became the Director of the Labour Pastoral Council of the Seoul Archdiocese
in March 1999.
Upon Fr. Yong’s appointment as the second Director of the Labour Pastoral
Commission, Fr. Trisolini was very happy in this turn of events. He always
remembered that his life as a missionary and as a religious was to begin a
work and hand it over to his successor. He sincerely believed that turning over
responsibility to local clergy was a clear Gospel imperative. He believed that as
a religious, his job was to work in collaboration with the diocesan clergy. With
this transfer of responsibility he showed his maturity in moving aside with
grace. The development of Labour Ministry was able to begin in earnest under
new leadership. As a missionary and as a religious he could only be pleased
that he was able to turn over his post to Fr. Yong.
The sudden death of Fr. Lee years before was quite traumatic and painful
for Fr. Trisolini. Fortunately, with Fr. Yong assuming this new role for him,
Fr. Trisolini’s pain was mitigated considerably. Of course, for Fr. Yong the
sudden load of a very large responsibility was not easy. Due to the paternal
concern and love of Fr. Trisolini, his load was lightened a great deal, helping
him get used to his new responsibility. In a sense, Fr. Trisolini’s involvement
from the earliest days of Fr. Yong’s priestly calling was one of his most fruitful
endeavours. The close relationship, built over many years, was a sign of the
importance of friendship between clergy and religious – and for Fr. Jack and
Fr. Yong this relationship was almost a father and son relationship.
470

20.9 Page 199

▲back to top
New Labour Pastoral Centre
Because the Labour Pastoral Commission and the Jongno Parish were
sharing the same building, there were instances of disturbance of one to
the other. As time went by, these instances increased in number. The young
workers of the YCW movement were used to coming and going freely at the
former facility, and this caused issues as well. At Jongno, they were forced to
follow and list of rules that they found burdensome at times. Fr. Trisolini tried
to find a solution to these problems, but to no avail.
Among the faithful of the Jongno Parish was a Ms. Columba Lee Jeom
Hong. She was born in a poor household, and through her frugal life style
she was able to overcome poverty and gather a considerable fortune. She
saved her money by continuing to live frugally. One day, the Pastor of Jongno
Parish, Fr. Emilio Jeong Ung Mo asked her to donate land in Bomun-dong,
Seongbuk-gu - some 170 pyeong(562m2) - for the use of the Labour Pastoral
Commission’s work for poor urban workers. Bishop CHOI, in charge of the
Social Welfare outreach of the Archdiocese, as well as the Ordinary, Cardinal
Kim – encouraged her to make this donation as well.
She readily agreed to this, being moved at the prospect of supporting poor
urban workers by this gift to those who were ministering to them. She gave as
a gift the 170 pyeong(562m2) of land she had in Bomun-dong, Seongbuk-gu for
this enterprise.
Fr. Trisolini, upon receiving the gift of the land in Bomun-dong, immediately
began setting up plans for the construction of a new Labour Pastoral
Commission office and facility. The Archdiocese returned the seven hundred
million Korean Won, gleaned from the sale of the Euljiro 5-ga property towards
the cost of construction. This was not going to be enough to build a new space
for the Commission, and thus Fr. Trisolini was given a new challenge as a fund
raiser. Selling calendars – over 30,000 of them – they were able to gather some
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 471

20.10 Page 200

▲back to top
funds. Each year in 1996 and 1997, the printing and sale of calendars became
a fund-raising tool. He also had printed up a prayer card for the “Bomun-dong
Labour Pastoral Commission’s New Facility.”
A benefactors’ society was formed, that eventually came to 200 to 250
members – Fr. Trisolini was heavily involved with this group as well. 1996 saw
the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Labour Pastoral Commission –
and the celebrations surrounding this event saw a marked increase in numbers
of Benefactors. Raising funds proved to be very difficult, using these rather
simple methods. Taking advantage of the fact that Fr. Trisolini was to turn
60 and also to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his priestly ordination, these
celebrations were also events used to raise funds!
Fr. Trisolini recalled: “In 1997 I turned 60 years of ages – the Hwan-
gap celebrated in Korea. I prayed that my mother would be able to come to
Korea for the celebration – her first and only trip to this part of the world. The
celebration was held on June 25, 1997, at the same time that Cardinal Kim
was due to celebrate a mass commemorating the beginning of the Korean War
at Imjingak. We were making the final preparation for the mass for my 60th –
while suddenly a telephone call came from Cardinal Kim. His Eminence said
“I’m only 10 or 15 minutes away, don’t start the mass without me!” He wanted
to celebrate my Hwan-gap Mass along with me. He had already said an early
morning mass at Imjingak, and after that, his driver flying like the wind, drove
back to join me for the celebration. I was deeply moved at his thoughtfulness.”
However, raising funds for the construction of a new building was very
difficult – even with all of his efforts. There was a big shortfall of funds to
complete the building. He decided to make an appeal to the Chancellor of the
Diocese, Bishop Paul KIM Ok-kyun.
“Your Excellency, I have tried as much as I could, but I still have not
gathered all the funds needed for the new facility for the Labour Pastoral
472

21 Pages 201-210

▲back to top

21.1 Page 201

▲back to top
Commission. This is the last big project I have to do. However, even with all
of my efforts, they seem to be not enough to do the job. I ask of you, Bishop, a
great favour. Please help me this one time!”
“Fr. Trisolini, I know how you have lived for a long time very well. I know
how much effort you have put into raising funds for this project as well. I can
only be thankful as a Bishop for your ministry. Gathering funds for the building
is not easy, I know. I will try and raise the funds you need to the best of my
abilities. Please do not worry about this matter further, just continue to work
for the Archdiocese in the Labour Pastoral Commission as hard as you have
always done.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency!”
Bishop CHOI, in charge of the Social Services of the Archdiocese, came
to Bomun Dong in November 1998 in order to bless the land upon which the
building was to be constructed. The next month construction began in earnest,
and on May 1, 2001, Archbishop Nicholas Jung Jin-suk, the Archbishop of
Seoul, blessed the completed building. Thus was the long-held dream of Fr.
Trisolini finally had become true. All of the work by the sweat of his brow
was brought to completion by the concrete generosity of the Archbishop
of Seoul, Bishop CHOI and of all the Church Leaders. Before the blessing
and dedication, the offices of the Labour Pastoral Commission and of the
administrators of the facility, the Myeong-dong Labour Counseling Centre
and the Migrant Workers Apostolate were moved in March 2001 into the new
facility. In April 2001 the offices of the Christian Workers Movement were
moved into the facility.
Needless to say, all of these offices moving into one facility at Bomun-
dong, various difficulties arose. Different ministers working in a wide variety
of apostolates must be united by the commonly held evangelical values and
by the spirit of the Church. In order to make prudent judgements, a clear
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 473

21.2 Page 202

▲back to top
understanding of the status of labour was needed. And in order to respond
appropriately to the wide spectrum of social problems that exist, practical skills
were needed as well. Above all, an evangelical understanding of labour issues
was a prerequisite for this ministry. This gathering of offices under one roof
showed that there were many agencies doing the same job. Many different
organizations were working in the same area – leading to duplication and a
bureaucratic bloating of agencies. After the move to Bomun-dong the number
of visiting workers decreased dramatically, and during 2002, many of the
employees were retired. Previously research was begun on the condition of
migrant workers in Korea, with consultations taking place with professionals
and lawyers familiar with the actual situation. Due to financial restraints,
from December 2002 onward the efforts at the Guro House of Peace and the
Southern District Labour Counseling Centre had to be eliminated.
Expansion of Migrant Workers Ministry
In March 2001, the Myeong-dong Migrant Workers Counseling Centre
moved to the new Bomun-dong facility. In doing so, activity for each of the
migrant workers’ nationalities in Korea expanded quickly. Dividing off of the
Seoul Archdiocese, the Euijeongbu Diocese operated its own counseling centre
for migrant workers. In June 2003, the Chinese Migrant Workers in Garibong-
dong, where the Chinese are densely populated, created a new facility for
migrant workers. The much experienced Salesian Fr. Francis Xavier Kim Jeong
Su was appointed to work in this apostolate. Following the example of Jesus,
it was felt that it was better to seek out migrant workers rather than waiting for
them to come for help. The Garibong-dong house for migrant workers moved
to new facilities at Yeongdeungpo, Singil-dong in July 2009. The “Chinese
Migrant Workers Counseling Centre” expanded its mission to include serving
migrants coming from North Korea or from China and were of Korean origins.
474

21.3 Page 203

▲back to top
In order to support these various efforts, Fr. Trisolini had to continue his work
of gathering benefactors. This was and effort also to allow the wider Church to
be actively involved in this ministry.
Bethany House, formally located in Mia Dong was moved into a house
located at the back of the Bomun-dong facility of the Labour Pastoral
Commission in March 2001. The mission of this centre was expanded to
include long-term health care and provide free room and board to those in
need. In addition, education and culture courses were offered at the Bomun-
dong Centre and made available for them. In addition, the Commission
supported an apostolate of hospital visitation of migrant labourers as well.
The Commission also offered service to migrant labourers in need of medical
care, introducing them to hospitals, showing them how to take advantage of
outpatient services, how to obtain emergency medical service, etc. They also
expanded the educational programs to include courses in the use of cosmetics,
the Korean language, and other subjects that could prove useful to the migrant
workers.
The number of migrant workers continued to increase. Of these some
women entered the country using “artistic” or “performing arts” visas. Many
of these women ended up being involved in the sex industry – in other words,
prostitution. As the numbers of these women grew larger, the problem ensuing
became a societal issue. Despite the problem growing in importance, there was
no agency that took it up seriously. Seoul Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Peter
KANG U-il asked the Labour Pastoral Commission to begin operating in this
area. Frs. Yong and Trisolini, in March 2001, used the former facility used by
the Bethany House for this purpose, changing its name to Friendship House for
the use of women coming out of the sex industry. The asked the Sisters of the
Good Shepherd to take over this ministry – healing their spiritual and physical
traumas. They did this until these young women were ready to return to their
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 475

21.4 Page 204

▲back to top
native countries. Until 2004 the vast majority of these women came from
Russia, under the guise as performing artists. Later they had been forced to
work as prostitutes. In 2005 this facility was changed into a centre for women
who had entered into an international marriage, requiring shelter and care,
including their children.
Bishop Peter KANG U-il was responsible for forming a Pastoral Task Force
in the Korean Conference of Bishops responding to the needs of migrant
workers and those women who are involved in a multicultural family. This
was formed in order to sensitive diocesan clergy nationally to the needs of
these individuals, working and caring for them with the mind of Jesus Christ –
that is with an attitude of love and compassion. This was also done in order to
lay down a foundation nationally that would face the issues and problems of
migrant workers.
Service to those migrants coming from Latin America consisted of a
weekly Mass celebrated in Spanish at the Jayang-dong Parish, by Fr. Gerardo
Carbral. From May 23, 2001 Fr. Michael Roncin of the Paris Foreign Mission
Society has worked at the Labour Pastoral Commission Office where he
provides counselling and assistance to Spanish speaking migrants. From June
of that year, he celebrated Spanish Masses in Dongducheon and Geumchon
Parishes. This is for migrant labourers and their families, and women who
speak Spanish, as well as for international couples. From 2002 the number of
migrants from Latin America increased, which has seen a larger outreach to
this community, especially for women. Many of these women had entered into
multicultural marriages.
In September 2000, a community of laity of Vietnamese migrant workers
was established. As this community grew, on April 9, 2003, Salesian Fr.
Phạm Thanh Bình was assigned to the Korean Province for the purpose of
serving this community. In order to meet the needs of this group of migrant
476

21.5 Page 205

▲back to top
workers, space was provided for them in another building near the Pastoral
Commission’s building in Bomun-dong, where an expanded apostolate was
begun for this growing community
In October 2002, the Bishops Conference of Thailand sent a lay missionary
to Korea for the purpose of working with migrant labourers from Thailand.
This missionary provides services to this ethnic group which include
counselling and other forms of assistance. Even though 85 percent of Thais are
Buddhist, the Thai Bishops’ Conference felt a responsibility for them as well.
They desired that labour disputes be resolved in a Gospel-oriented manner.
From April 2004 another ethnic group, namely those from Mongolia as
well as for Russians, are being served by a native lay Mongolian missionary,
who provides counselling services for this group as well for ethnic Russians
residing in Seoul. This missionary visited Dongdaemun in the textile district
in Seoul, passing out printed brochures advertising the services available to
Mongolians. The Mongolian Catholic community is small; however those few
are attempting to form a community in support of one another.
As the Labour Pastoral Commission developed these ethnic-centered
services, it also encouraged each group to tell the story of their particular
people to Korean Society at large - looking to diminish the tensions that
naturally arise when people from different backgrounds live with each other.
They were encouraged to solve their own problems and heal their own wounds
when possible. Fr. Trisolini also believed it important that each ethnic group
come to know the customs and celebrations that are part of the foundation of
Korean society - celebrating them appropriately with the larger Korean society
in which they find themselves. They were also encouraged to share their own
native celebrations, adding another perfumed scent to the plethora of cultures
unfolding in Korea. To the extent that each ethnic group was open to another
group, responding in interest and love was the same extent to which they
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 477

21.6 Page 206

▲back to top
would receive the same interest and love in return. Fr. Trisolini believed that
this was an essential ingredient for the various ethnic groups to live together in
harmony. The effort was to focus on the needs of the small and infirm among
the migrant workers in a context of care and consideration for their needs that
was sorely lacking.
Often working in harsh conditions, female migrant workers, especially
those in multicultural families with children, found childcare to be difficult.
Besides the cost, the language barrier was immense. In August 2003, Bethany
House was formed for the needs of these women. A nursery was opened in
Seongbuk-dong the following April, thus giving working mothers a place for
their children during their working day. Slowly the child care benefits were
improved for these migrant workers.
By 2005, ten percent of the women migrating to Korea came for the purpose
of entering into an international marriage with Korean men. The social and
cultural adaption to Korean society has proven a particular challenge. Due to
the collapse of the domestic relationship and/or the difficulties of the education
of children, it was felt that this was an area that needed particular attention.
The rights of women in these situations were considered many times to be a
matter of respecting gender equality. Hence husbands and their parents needed
education and understanding in order for there to be a sustainable atmosphere
for a stable relationship. Fr. Trisolini was insistent on these points, especially
with the Ministry of Women and Families. As a result nationally many centres
for multicultural families came into existence.
In February 2007, on the fifth floor of the Seongbuk-gu building operated by
the Labour Pastoral Commission, a multi-cultural family support center was
created. This ministry expanded its services very quickly, on June 8, 2010, and
was moved to the entire second floor of the Bomun-dong office building of the
Labour Pastoral Commission. In this space, foreign women are trained in the
478

21.7 Page 207

▲back to top
Korean language and culture, emphasizing those areas where foreign women
who marry Korean men need to be informed of their new lives’ needs and the
expectations of Korean society. All of this in order for the new multi-cultural
family to live happily in mutual understanding and respect.
Migrant workers usually, after a period of years, return to their native
countries. But those women who enter into international marriage with Korean
men, even in the case of divorce, usually continue to reside in Korea. They
continue to live in Korea as citizens of this country - and thus have a whole
area of issues that migrant workers do not have to deal with. Without speaking
fluently Korean, or unable to integrate into the normal flow of Korean civil life,
their lives are particularly difficult. Until they possess these skills of survival
these women are in need of special education and training so that they can
more easily integrate into Korean society - whether in the local parishes or
local civil agencies. For this reason, with the help of benefactors, Fr. Trisolini
established the Marie Community and Love House which serve the purpose of
training foreign women to live independent, integrated lives in Korean Society.
Fr. Trisolini had the uncanny ability to see pastoral situations, and see how
they would develop in the future and the problems that would unfold. This
is a sign of a great pastor. When he arrived in Korea decades before, within
two weeks of his arrival he was already involved in labour issues. Until he
articulated the problem of migrant labourers in Korea, there was no one in
the country involved in this important ministry – let alone trying to solve the
various problems that had arisen. Korea is a nation made up of a single ethnic
group – and overlooking the problems of foreigners was easily understood. By
the 1990’s the problem of migrant workers was already large, and continued
to grow through the early 2000’s. He foresaw that this problem was much
more diverse and complex that originally thought. He always approached these
issues from a pastoral perspective. Through his ability to predict the future,
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 479

21.8 Page 208

▲back to top
he naturally came to approaches that would solve the problems of migrant
workers, multicultural families and other issues – thus exposing the problem
for the benefit of the entire Korean Church in every diocese.
Beginning in 2005 and thru 2006 Fr. Trisolini’s physical condition
deteriorated noticeably. He no longer could move about as he wished – causing
his co-workers to feel very sorry for him. He went about putting his life in
order, straightening out the many aspects of his life and ministry. He introduced
the Scalabrini Society to Bishop Peter KANG U-il, Bishop of Jeju Island and
the Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Migrant Workers. The Scalabrini
Missionary Society, coming from the Philippines and originally founded in
Italy, is a society dedicated to the professional service of migrant labourers
around the world. Listening to Fr. Trisolini’s opinion carefully, the Bishop
organized many and various courses about Migrant Workers and their problems
that was provided to representatives of all the Dioceses in Korea. Many priests,
religious and laity involved in this ministry were encouraged to go abroad to
study this area more deeply. The KCBC in its Pastoral Education program,
equipped seminarians, priests, religious and laity with special skills needed to
work in this area of migrant workers. This has been a big help in the effort to
reach out and help migrant workers and their families and to form networks
with multicultural families. Fr. Trisolini, always focused on the common good
so that labour ministry and pastoral commitment would remain firm, became
an example to younger members of the clergy.
Knowledge of Fr. Trisolini’s work and commitment to the working poor
is well known in Korean society. The graduate school for Labour of Korea
University and Daily Economic Newspaper awarded Fr. Trisolini on November
11, 1999, the first-ever prize given for involvement in labour issues, citing his
30 years of involvement with labour problems and his efforts to improve the lot
of the common labourer. Especially noted was his effort to obtain human rights
480

21.9 Page 209

▲back to top
for labourers and the creation of social benefits for those who suffer the lack of
them. It was reported in the local press as follows:
“The history of the Labour Movement in our country cannot be spoken
of without mentioning the role of the Catholic Seoul Archdiocese and the
administrator of the Labour Pastoral Commission, the Salesian Fr. Jack
Trisolini, and their historical involvement in labour issues as activists for this
community. Thus Korea University, Graduate School of Labour (Director, Shin
Su Sik) choose as the first recipient of the special “Labour Welfare Award” Fr.
Trisolini. On November 11, at 5 p.m., in the Inchon Memorial Hall of Korea
University, in the First Auditorium of that Hall, Fr. Jack Trisolini received the
award. Following the award ceremony, speaking as a witness to his own and
others’ efforts, he responded to the reception of the award before the assembled
audience. “I accept this award, standing in for all those who have laboured
in this area for so long and for those who called me to minister in this special
area. It is their award more than mine. I especially thank Stephen Cardinal
Kim who originally called me to serve in the labour ministry and all those who
have worked with me in the Labour Pastoral Commission of the Archdiocese
including Kim Mal Ryong who served the Labour Pastoral Commission after
the death of Jeon Tae Il - I thank you in their names for your great honour.”   
Outgoing Chairman and Bomun-dong Move 481

21.10 Page 210

▲back to top
With Lay Professionals

22 Pages 211-220

▲back to top

22.1 Page 211

▲back to top
During the summer of 1968, Fr. Trisolini translated into English the lectures
of Fr. Francis Park Seong Jong , who was then the Diocesan Director of the
YCW. He was also preparing for a presentation at the Catholic International
Brotherhood’s Female Student Centre which concerned the problem with
the rights of the labourer, which was to be given in English. It was during
this summer that he met for the first time the famous leaders in the labour
movement Kim Mal Ryong and Professor Park Yeong Ki (Director of Sogang
University’s Industrial Problems Research Centre), plus others. Especially these two
mentioned were to be a big influence on him over the coming years. Their
experience and wisdom led them to be his faithful partners and precious
sources of valuable information.
When the Archdiocese of Seoul founded the Urban Industrial Pastoral
Research Committee in 1971, the original membership was made up
exclusively of priests. However, just as Cardinal Cardijin always taught “We
must send the laity to the places where priests and religious cannot go” the
committee members desired to expand the membership to include the laity,
knowing that they had to work with them. They needed to hear the voice of
labour – and hear it clearly.
From the days he was a seminarian in Europe, he thought that the pastoral
role of the laity was an absolutely essential element in any consideration of
the issues surrounding labour. Only with this collaboration with the laity was
it possible for the Church to teach and announce the Gospel effectively to
labourers – and this had to be done in full harmony and collaboration with lay
professionals. Thus, the Ordinary and his Auxiliary Bishops in order to make
informed judgements on evangelical objectives, must base their decisions upon
the advice gleaned by professionals.
In September 1987, a discussion was held under the leadership of Director
Kim Mal Ryong which was entitled “The need for labour law reform.” It
With Lay Professionals 483

22.2 Page 212

▲back to top
was a consideration of the future direction and role of labour, and the desired
relationship in industrial relations – and the necessary amendments that were
needed to accomplish this. Beginning in 1988, Professor Park Yeong Ki
published an annual evaluation of labour relations and attempted to forecast
future developments – under the title “New Year Labour Forecast”. After these
beginnings, the collaboration of Professor Park and Director Kim brought
about the centre of the professional team of laity that would assist the Labour
Pastoral mission of the Diocese. This collaboration, based upon the social
teachings of the Church, combined both analysis of social problems and offered
directions of the correct way to influence effective labour ministry. This was an
invaluable contribution. The Ordinary of the Diocese and his Auxiliary Bishop
in charge of the Social Welfare outreach of the Diocese were able to judge
clearly in labour manners based upon this advice of these labour professionals.
This gave them the necessary information – Bishops, priests, religious and laity
– for their work.
Fr. Trisolini not only was listening to professionals in Korea, he was also
listening and seeking advice and suggestions of experts around the world. He
sought out other members of the Salesian Society working in the same area in
other countries; seminary alumni and lay consultation with scholars seeking
their advice and guidance. Professor Park Yeong Ki introduced him to scholars
in Japan and Taiwan – professionals who were working and researching in the
field of labour problems in Asia – who formed in 1993 the Social Asia Forum.
This Forum was dedicated to seeking a fair and just society in East Asia.
Judging that this Form was consistent with the social teachings of the Church,
he became an enthusiastic supporter and participant in it. The Professional
Committee of the Labour Pastoral Commission has also participated in this
forum as well. He highlighted for the Labour Pastoral Commission the forum’s
quarterly publication “God, People and Labour” which confirmed fair play
484

22.3 Page 213

▲back to top
for labour and society through the realization of the importance of the common
good of all.
Professor Park Yeong Ki, followed by Sogang University’s Kim Mal
Ryong and his colleague Professor Thomas de Aquino Kim Oh Sang and
Hanyang University Professor Augustine Son Chang Hi joined and assisted the
Professional Committee. Fr. Trisolini also sought out other collaborators as well
after the closure of Sogang University’s Industrial Problems Research Centre –
namely Doctor Thomas More Kim Jung Han, Professor Paul Jung Young Hoa,
Doctor Achilles Moon Moo Gi, Doctor Thomas de Aquino Cho Eun Sang,
Professor Stephen Park Yong Seung, Doctor Joannes Bosco Lee Kyu Yong and
other lay professionals, inviting them to join the Professional Committee and to
participate in its discussion and help form the recommendations that it would
eventually make. He gathered these professionals together, each expert in their
own field, to serve the needs of the church and help establish the standards for
labour activity. Through meetings and opportunities provided as time went
by included lectures on the social teaching of the church for one night and
two days, providing opportunities for sacramental confession and spiritual
counseling – helping to form the committee members as true servants of the
church.
Fr. Trisolini also involved non-believers, such as Dr. Lee Kyu Yong, asking
their help on particular aspects of labour activism. This involvement of many
non-Catholics led, through indirect evangelization, to the birth of new believers
in more than one instance. He used a method with which he was familiar and
comfortable with, slowly leading people to the church and nurturing their
talents at the service of the church. He was always very grateful for their
contribution on the Professional Committee and always attempted to maximize
their contribution to the church.
In 2003, the members of the Professional Commission discussed the
With Lay Professionals 485

22.4 Page 214

▲back to top
formation of labour unions among church employees and the countermeasures
that seemed appropriate. In February of 2004 during the course of a meeting,
the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Seoul – Bishop Andrew YEOM Soo-jung
and the staff of the Chancellery approached the Labour Pastoral Commission’s
Director Fr. Andrew Hur Yun Jin, asking him for concrete countermeasures to
prevent the formation of labour unions for church employees. The Professional
Committee, looking at each agency under consideration and accordance with
their character, to analyze the problem in the spirit of the church, offered
alternatives to the responses being considered.
The church attempted to put in order its hiring practices based upon the 2004
laws and regulations regarding the diversification of the forms of employment
– using the category of non-regular workers for which the church received
a certain amount of misunderstanding by outside observers. Concretely,
employees are hired by church agencies on a temporary basis. The criteria used
in this choice were the attempt to minimize the various problems this category
of employees have to cope with. In an effort to improve the situation, the effort
minimizes the arbitrary judgment of a priest who hires an employee and to
make the process more transparent.
In December 2006 the Pastoral Office of the Seoul Archdiocese proposed the
“Labour Personnel Payroll Management System” – and sought further advice
on this system. Doctor Kim Jeong Han, leading the Professional Committee’s
consideration of this system, was able to resolve the major issues regarding
the proposed system, and make recommendations to the Seoul Archdiocesan
Office, thus bringing the revision of the labour policy to a close. In addition,
courses on the new system were provided to the clergy, religious and lay
employees of the Archdiocese, explaining the step-by-step implementation of
the new system, and also to provide a forum to discuss and resolve the various
conflicts that were outstanding for church employees. An effort was made to
486

22.5 Page 215

▲back to top
discover the root causes of a given conflict, and the appropriate measures that
would be taken to resolve them.
Fr. Trisolini proposed the publication in 2008 of the book commemorating the
50th anniversary of the labour ministry in the Archdiocese with the publication
of “The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Labour Ministry in the Seoul Archdiocese:
A History”. In 1986 a book had been printed regarding the foundation of the
YCW in the Archdiocese for its first quarter century with the title “The Twenty-
fifth Anniversary of the Young Christian Workers Movement: A History”. The
second volume mentioned was specific to the history of the YCW movement,
and was explicit in the enumeration of the various problems that existed at
that time. In addition, since this book was dedicated more to the pastoral
work done in that twenty-five year period of time, many of the resources had
disappeared with the passage of time. Thus the first volume mentioned above
attempted to collect concrete data and present it in an organized fashion was
considered important. Those who led the labour movement in previous years,
and their pastoral commitment to this ministry, were underlined. Emphasizing
the pastoral commitment to themselves, to others and to society of those who
had gone on before was seen as a model for current workers in the vineyard of
labour – thus serving a valuable tool of recalling the Gospel orientation of the
mission to labour.
The role of the Professional Committee continued in earnest through 2005.
In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the church’s commitment to labour
ministry, they organized a seminar. Outside of the basic work done by the
Professional Committee, Simon Park Myeong Jin and Fr. Trisolini began the
research for the writing project. As the writing project came to an end, the
materials were given to Archbishop Andrew CHOI Chang-mou of Gwangju;
the retired Bishop of Andong, René Dupont; the Chancellor of the Archdiocese
of Seoul, Bishop Andrew YEOM Soo-jung and other individuals who had been
With Lay Professionals 487

22.6 Page 216

▲back to top
involved in the ministry over the years – religious and laity – asking them to
read and reflect on the materials prepared. With the corrections offered by these
individuals, adjustments were made to the text prior to publication. In October
a special mass was offered in thanksgiving for the 50th anniversary, during
which the book was offered.
At the same time, Fr. Trisolini wrote “The First Look at Labour” and in
2010 he began another volume called “Sharing of Labour Issues.” These were
reflections of the Professional Committee on the various issues dealt with
over the years, analyzing them and researching them, always comparing them
to the teachings of the social doctrine of the church. These two works were
published in one volume entitled “A Series of Labour Relations” in 2010. By
sharing this publication with all Catholic organizations of course, and also
with University Libraries and various NGO’s involved in labour work, the
position and teaching of the Catholic Church were available to a much wider
audience. Until his death, Fr. Trisolini continued his work with the Professional
Committee, always referring the various issues and problems they were dealing
with to the teachings of the church and the social doctrine as the chief tools
used in reflection and planning. Through this methodology Fr. Trisolini led
the committee, certainly deepening their own spiritual lives, but also helped
to improve their professional competence as believing members of a faith
community.
488

22.7 Page 217

▲back to top
Background

22.8 Page 218

▲back to top
In December 2001, the Labour Pastoral Commission began discussing
seriously the results of the then current economic crisis – they noted the
widening gap between the rich and poor, job insecurity, unemployment
and other labour problems. The most serious challenge seemed to be the
unemployment of youth and extension of human rights to include migrant
workers. They came up with a series of positions that could possibly alleviate
the situation, sharing their reflections in a paper called “Our View of Recent
Labour Problems”. The economic situation of Korea was very serious – with
labourers satisfied just to hang on to the jobs they had already.
According to Fr. Trisolini’s long held desires and the regulations of the
Seoul Archdiocese, there were efforts towards creating an integrated Labour
Ministry. An unexpected problem regarding the situation of Fr. Yong arose,
which occupied a great deal of the attention of Fr. Trisolini for some time.
Upon making the move into the new facility at Bomun-dong, certain personnel
resisted transfer to this new centre. This situation was a cause of much
tension for Fr. Yong, which he found more difficult to endure as time went by,
eventually leading him to near collapse.
“Father Jack, I’m just too sick. I cannot possibly continue here. I’m sorry to
say this to you Father, since you are much sicker than I am. But I’ve reached
the limit of my ability to continue. There are times I just want to die…”
“Father Yong, look at the example of Pope John Paul II. He is a symbol of
our times. No matter how hard it is, we must somehow endure. As priests, we
cannot avoid this fate. I’m sick, but the Pope inspires me to keep going.”
However, Fr. Yong’s condition continued to worsen every day – leading to
mental and physical illness that was not improving. He was becoming unable
to control himself physically or mentally. Fr. Yong asked his trusted friend
from his seminary days, Fr. Andrew Hur Yun Jin, to come and help him. Other
clergy in the area also supported this request, asking Fr. Hur to give Fr. Yong
490

22.9 Page 219

▲back to top
the help that he desperately needed. He had served as curate of Gueui-dong and
Gireum-dong parishes after his ordination in 1995. In 1999 he was assigned
as Assistant Pastor of Guri Parish, where he was serving when Fr. Yong made
his appeal. In December 2001, he was appointed as Assistant Director to the
Pastoral Labour Commission as well as the Director of the Seoul Archdiocesan
Christian Workers Movement.
Fr. Hur, faced with the daunting labour challenges, dealt with them one step
at a time. He was able to resolve the issue of the personnel who were resisting
the move to the new facility by improving the working conditions in the new
facility. Living with Fr. Yong, he was able to observe that his condition was
much worse than he had originally thought. Fr. Yong wanted to lay aside
temporarily any pastoral work so that he could have an extended period of rest
and recuperation. He continued to live with the desire to serve as a working
priest – this was his guiding principle by which he had lived. He thought that
with an extended rest, he could recover enough to return to the Labour Pastoral
Commission and continue his ministry there. Fr. Hur was opposed to this
proposal of Fr. Yong.
“My brother, I understand what you are saying to me. I think that if you do
this now, nothing will be resolved for you. You are a pastor, my brother, do you
think without any pastoral role anything would improve for you? Do you think
your weakened body and mental exhaustion will improve by doing nothing?
The pain and suffering you have endured doing labour ministry will not come
to an end that way. I know how well you did in the parishes you worked
in before. Go back to a parish, live and work for the people there, forget
everything – the pain, the suffering – and then you can think about coming back
to this ministry here. I believe you will get better staying active and connected
in service to people. Please don’t think you will get better just ‘resting’, instead
go to a parish, work and leave everything in God’s hands. If you do that, you’ll
Background 491

22.10 Page 220

▲back to top
be fine. And when you do get better, then you can think about returning to
Bomun-dong, can’t you? And if your condition doesn’t improve, it won’t be
too late to think again about taking time off from ministry.”
Fr. Yong had nothing to say to this.
Fr. Hur was well aware that when Fr. Yong worked in the parishes, he was a
good shepherd, much loved by the people he served. He was deeply aware of
the respect and deep trust the people held for him. He also knew and believed
that this atmosphere of service and mutual love and respect was the very place
that Fr. Yong had to be in order to be healed in mind and body. Fr. Trisolini,
convinced of the same thing, encouraged Fr. Yong to heed his friend’s advice.
Fr. Yong was appointed the pastor of Galhyeon-dong parish in March 2002.
Fr. Hur succeeded Fr. Yong as the Director of the Labour Pastoral Commission
with Fr. Trisolini becoming the Director of the Migrant Workers Apostolate for
the Archdiocese of Seoul.
The faithful of Galhyeon-dong Parish knew the heart of Fr. Yong well; they
knew that he was always ready to warmly welcome the poor. While suffering
from an exhausted body and mind, the faithful joined Fr. Yong in his ministry
to the least, cooperating and helping him in his ministry. Fr. Yong, receiving
this unconditional love from those whom served, he was able to continue to be
of service to God’s people. Over time, the wounds healed, and he was able to
lead a more normal life.
In March 2002, Fr. Trisolini moved into the Salesian house in Samseon-
dong, a Salesian formation centre that had been purchased for this purpose. He
received an invitation from the Salesian Provincial in the United States, asking
Fr. Jack to become the superior of the U.S. Don Bosco Youth Centre. The
Provincial in the U.S. suggested that given the current state of the Salesians in
the United States, it was a right move for Fr. Trisolini to consider. But Fr. Jack,
who had long lived as a missionary, wanted his bones buried in the soil over
492

23 Pages 221-230

▲back to top

23.1 Page 221

▲back to top
which he had walked for so many years – he wanted to continue the cup that he
was currently drinking from. He kept the invitation from the U.S. Provincial in
his desk drawer, and was drawn to consider the suggestion for a long time. The
Provincial of the Korean Province as well as the Bishop in charge of Social
Welfare in the Archdiocese, also urged him to consider returning to the U.S. Fr.
Paul Yong Dong Jin went and spoke with the Bishop, and said to him:
“Your Excellency, please do not consider sending Fr. Trisolini back to the
United States. We have no one in Korea who can match his knowledge of the
labour ministry and the spirituality to support it. If the church wants to continue
ministering to labour and migrant workers in Korea, we need him here. I beg
you not to consider sending him back to the United States.”
The Bishop could not respond to this expression of respect and love.
Due to ill health, Fr. Yong could no longer work in the labour ministry and
had left for the parish; Fr. Hur had succeeded him in his role. Fr. Trisolini,
meanwhile, became afflicted with a variety of diseases and was in a slow
decline. As Fr. Jack faced the age of seventy, it became necessary to consider
a replacement for Fr. Yong. Fr. Simeon Lee Sang Bum had served after
his ordination in 1998 at Hagye-dong and Eungam-dong parishes, and in
December 2003 he was appointed to be the administrator of the facility at
Bomun-dong. He joyfully fulfilled his role as administrator while at the same
time was involved in children’s ministry as well. Through a weekly mass
celebrated every Thursday, he was able to develop the spirituality of the
employees of the Labour Pastoral Commission deeply.
During his residency at Samseon-dong in July 2004, Fr. Trisolini had two
surgical interventions for cancer that had developed on his spine. The doctor
had told him previous to the surgery that there was a very good chance that
he would expect a full recovery. However after the first surgery and while
preparing for the second intervention, there was a shortage of blood that was
Background 493

23.2 Page 222

▲back to top
needed to be prepared prior to the second surgery. Fr. Hur immediately sent out
to ask for help from many people – collecting blood prior to the surgery. Due to
the love and concern many had for Fr. Jack, the surgery was a success, having
collected the necessary amount of blood. Later, he reflected on this experience
in a newspaper article:
“I had spinal surgery to remove cancer in July 2004. Since several bones had
to be removed and the spine exposed; it was a very big intervention. After the
surgery, I was in the Intensive Care Unit to recover from the surgery – and the
next morning, very early, suddenly Cardinal Kim appeared on my bedside. He
was my first visitor! “Fr. Trisolini,” he said, “are you all right?” I will never
forget that dark hospital room, the door opening, and seeing Cardinal Kim
standing there. I will always remember the expression on his face. He is indeed
a good shepherd, looking out for his sheep.”
Fr. Jack had beat the odds against cancer, but the surgery left him with
residual pain from the waist down. He had to walk with great care, and once
while walking outside; he fell because his legs were so weakened. He ended
up injuring himself quite a bit. The daily commute from Samseon-dong to
Bomun-dong was proving to be more than he could handle as his condition
slowly continued to deteriorate. Rather than speaking about him returning to
the United States this time, it was a good opportunity for him to return to the
Bomun-dong centre and take up residency there once again. Fr. Hur went to the
Chancellor of the Diocese, Bishop YEOM Soo-jung, asking that Fr. Trisolini be
allowed to return to Bomun-dong and continue being the Director of Migrant
Workers apostolate as well. He also received permission to hire an extra staff
member as well.
Apostolate to Injured Labour
Even while he was physically in much pain personally, he never forgot the
494

23.3 Page 223

▲back to top
plight of many sick people spread throughout the community. Because he
was a shepherd, suffering physically every day, his knew the plight of people
who were sick, considering them his own sheep. He often said that we should
not ignore these people and neglect their very real needs. These patients,
homebound and/or hospitalized, are often the most severely ill patients – and
neither the government nor any other social service group had started anything
for them medically or financially. He continuously spoke about these hidden
sick, and thought that the Labour Pastoral Commission should hurry and help
them out. Because of their being scattered around the society, they had no
united voice to protect their right to medical treatment. St. Mary’s hospital,
while a good facility, but many patients could never afford to receive treatment
there. It is even difficult to estimate how many patients would fall into this
category. There is a tremendous need for rehabilitation, both physical and
mental for these patients and their families. The church needs take care of their
spiritual needs as well. There was no one listening to what he was saying, and
thus nothing was being done about these injured workers.
Fr. Trisolini had been studying the problem of injured labour since 1988
in an attempt to prepare for this ministry. However, since he was not able to
find someone to take responsibility for this ministry, nothing was seriously
accomplished in response to the clear need. In February 2003, with a facility on
the fifth floor of the Labour Pastoral Centre, he asked one of the Prado Sisters
to begin this ministry to injured workers. Some months later, in July 2004, a
lay person was appointed to take care of homebound patients with respiratory
diseases. The same year, the Paris Foreign Missionary Society’s Fr. Emmanuel
Kermoal was appointed to be in charge of home visits of these homebound
patients, and thus the ministry was fully begun. Moving from the Bomun-dong
Labour Pastoral Centre to the Migrant Workers house in Garibong-dong, it was
easy for patients to seek out help when needed.
Background 495

23.4 Page 224

▲back to top
The development of ministry to homebound sick was not the only
development in ministry that occurred. The counseling needs of workers who
were victims of industrial accidents and the concurrent economic difficulty and
physical illnesses they had, including the psychological trauma that comes with
work-related stress and disintegrating families, was another area that needed
attention. In another building, formerly used by the Prado Society of priests
in Seoul’s Garibong-dong was used from December 2007 used as a centre for
the ministry to industrial accident victims in the Archdiocese. The National
Assembly passed the landmark “Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance
Act” of 2007, which went into effect in July 2008. This new office helped in
the promotion and eventual passage of this act of the National Assembly. The
benefits were expanded to include those individuals who were ill because of
work-related injury or trauma.
The work of this office was expanded to include pastoral visits of
hospitalized patients, education courses, press released and newsletters and
many other works. Laws were eventually passed that expanded coverage to
those suffering from work-related respiratory diseases, giving these patients
the protection of the law. While this is true, there are still many patients who
are not covered by the law. This ministry continues its role today, with an ever
expanding role, working from the centre.
Friendship Between Priests and Formation
Fr. Trisolini was always searching out ways of working with diocesan clergy
without harming the existing church structures. He was always respectful of
and responsive to the opinions of the clergy in doing his work. The founder of
the Salesian, St. John Bosco, always taught the necessity of obedience to the
Pope and Bishops; likewise Fr. Jack was also an obedient man to his religious
superiors, even if it proved difficult at times. If he came upon a problem that
496

23.5 Page 225

▲back to top
was difficult to judge, he would always bring it to the Bishops, seeking their
guidance, and inevitably followed their instructions carefully, thus being fully
accountable in his ministry. Likewise, when working with younger priests
– unless they raised a question about a particular subject, he would never
volunteer his own opinion. If they displayed an interest in his thoughts, he
would share them liberally. He was always very careful to never assume a
superior position over a fellow priest, thus never considering them his inferior.
His successors as the Director of the Labour Pastoral Commission, Fr. Yong
and Fr. Hur learned this pattern of behaviour from Fr. Trisolini especially
regarding the formation of staff members of the Commission. The most
important investment of resources is always centred on people, and Fr. Jack
enjoyed investing in people – most especially in their formation. Whenever he
would meet the Chancellor of the Diocese, Bishop YEOM Soo-jung, he would
always say to him:
“Bishop, I will always be involved in the formation of people as long
as I work in this country. Only then will the future of the Labour Pastoral
Commission be strong.”
“Fr. Jack, if you do that, I could not ask for anything more. Please, continue
to do so!”
Whenever he asked to employee more people, the Bishop responsible for
the Commission never refused his request. The Bishops have always shown
this same degree of trust in those who succeeded him this ministry to labour.
Fr. Jack never tried to interfere with his successors in the ministry, never
pushing himself forward to garner their attention. He always allowed a person
to learn through their mistakes and successes. He was a most patient teacher.
He never interfered in the work that was the responsibility of others. He always
approached those who worked with him, especially the younger priests, in the
same way.
Background 497

23.6 Page 226

▲back to top
Fr. Trisolini knew that the contribution he could make to the mission of the
local church had been accomplished already. The Provincial of the Salesians
in Korea asked Fr. Jack to return to ministry within the community numerous
times. He was being asked to help in the formation and training of young
Salesians who would continue his work to the local church. In this effort, the
Salesian Provincial in Korea assigned Fr. Mark Kim Pyung An, S.D.B. to
the community at Samseon-dong in order to be trained in youth and parish
ministry. This was an effort at training someone to take Fr. Trisolini’s place in
labour ministry and in migrant workers’ issues. To this end, Fr. Jack asked Fr.
Kim to work in the Seongbuk-gu Multicultural Family Support Centre in order
to learn that special apostolate as well.
Fr. Trisolini and Fr. Hur were asked by the Chancellor of the Diocese, Bishop
Andrew YEOM Soo-jung to draw up a future perspective for the Labour
Pastoral Commission – especially regarding the appointment of personnel to
the Commission. Because of the circumstances in the Diocese at the time, this
was not an easy issue. Fr. Simeon Jang Gyeong Min, ordained in 2005, an after
having served in Daebang-dong and Myeong-dong parishes, was assigned to
work in migrant workers ministry in December 2009, assuming the role of
Director of that department. Fr. Trisolini did not immediately put Fr. Jang to
work, but rather sent him abroad to the Philippines and to Rome so that he
would have an opportunity to study in depth the issues regarding this ministry
to migrant workers.
  
498

23.7 Page 227

▲back to top
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

23.8 Page 228

▲back to top
Fr. Trisolini, since being stricken with poliomyelitis in 1960, when he was
a seminarians in the midst of his training period, until the day of his death
on November 22, 2010, had over 30 surgical interventions in his lifetime
- including the final surgery for hernia. He suffered from a wide variety of
other illnesses over the years. He knew what physical suffering was all about.
Until his death, when being treated for any illness, he was always particularly
faithful to the health-regime imposed upon him by medical doctors. His last
year of life, while he was given chemotherapy for the renal and spinal cancer
he was suffering from, he faithfully consumed the various drugs that doctors
had prescribed up until the time he could no longer tolerate them - determined
to overcome this new challenge to his physical health. Until his last day of life
he continued to exercise, taking walks around the neighbourhood of the offices
of the Labour Pastoral Commission building. On rainy days or when it snowed
he would walk on the first floor of the building or in his room, so that he would
always have his daily exercise. Fr. Hur, seeing Fr. Jack one day said:
“Father, it’s too hard for you to do this. Just walk a little bit.”
“I have to do this, because until the day the Lord calls me home, I want to be
able to help you with your work, even the little I can do. Just let me do what I
have to do.”
Fr. Hur had no response to this statement of fact.
Outside of the times when Fr. Trisolini was hospitalized for surgery and he
could not physically move, he was one to plan his every moment. He planned
his days in full, his weeks and months and years were all outlined. He arose
every morning at 4 a.m. so that he would have sufficient time for his Mass, the
Divine Office, the Rosary, praying for his benefactors, meditation, etc. From
the time he arose until he returned to his bed at night - every moment was
planned: meeting people, telephoning people asking their help, writing memos
to himself about the next project he was to undertake. His life was a very full
500

23.9 Page 229

▲back to top
one. Salesian Brother Peter Choi Deok Gyeong reflected on this aspect of Fr.
Trisolini’s life:
“Whenever Fr. Trisolini was ill, the most impressive thing about him was
certainly his heroic ability at being patient, but even more than that was
his ability to remain totally rational. Following every surgery, during the
recuperation phase, the physical pain he was suffering was evident by the
expression on his face. He would do the necessary exercises, twisting his
body and stumbling to do what he had to do that day, as well as perform the
necessary functions of his priesthood, before he would ever consider resting.
Whenever I witnessed this, I thought ‘This man is a bit scary!’ but at the
same time I realized that he had the ability of creating separate worlds for his
emotions and his reasoning abilities. For those who would every try to imitate
him, it is precisely this point that would be most difficult to replicate for most
normal people. Because we are human beings, we all experience negative
emotions, but Fr. Jack’s ability to separate the world of emotion from his clear
headed, clinical rationalism was a most striking fact of his life. This ability to
face reality so rationally meant that he led a very serious life. For us Koreans
this aspect of Fr. Jack’s life was the one thing that was always difficult to
understand and to accept. Certainly, he had his warm human side as well, but
he could also present a cold and unapproachable face as well. Probably for this
very reason he was able to accomplish so much in his lifetime.”
He practiced this life of intense interest in the lives of others, especially
those who were seriously ill, this in spite of his own physical limitations. He
displayed this same human interest in those whom he met on the streets or
the gas station attendant, or the person working behind the counter in a shop,
or the waitress in a restaurant. He was everyone’s friend. He kept a notebook
in which he jotted down all the pertinent information about everyone he met.
Until shortly before he died, Fr. Simeon Lee Sang Bum, lived in the room next
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness 501

23.10 Page 230

▲back to top
to Fr. Trisolini’s. He recalled:
“Even when Fr. Trisolini was very ill, he would always awaken with the bell
at Bomun Temple at 4 A.M. every morning. He would first take care of his
priestly responsibilities. He would sometimes ask if the sound of his coughing
when he first woke up prevented me from sleeping, and with his special brand
of humour would always say “Sorry about that, Father!” When he was on
chemotherapy, one of the side effects was that large blisters would form on the
palm of hands and on the soles of his feet, often with more than one in each
place. This caused great difficulties with locomotion for him, but he would
usually decline being helped as he clung to the walls for support as he moved
around. He was able to give help to others freely, but he was always hesitant
in receiving it from others. He would say something like “I can do it. I’m fine.
Thank you.” in response to offers of help. As he would slowly recover, he was
anxious to return to work as soon as possible and pushed himself to return to
his old habits. He often said while laughing “The day I don’t work is the day
that I die!” and he would throw himself into his work as before. When there
were only a few of us home for a meal and not too busy, he would share the
jokes he received from a Brother in the U.S. If when he was ill he continued
his practice of walking through the neighbourhood for his daily constitutional.
Sometimes I would join him and he would go all over the place, it seemed like
there was no one he didn’t know. Stopping at a local petrol station, he told me
“that young man working at the pumps is the owner’s son” or stopping at a fruit
stand greeting the old man who was working there, whom he said “told me that
when the fruit got a little too ripe I could buy a lot of fruit and bring it home
and ask them in the kitchen to make jam out of it.” I often had to eat out, and
sometimes I would invite Fr. Trisolini to join me, he would invariably respond
“What an honour, Father! Thank you for asking!” I can hear his saying that
now, with his unique voice, as if he was still with us. On Saturday and Sunday,
502

24 Pages 231-240

▲back to top

24.1 Page 231

▲back to top
our kitchen staff had the day off. Fr. Trisolini knew all the local restaurants. The
owners of these places all knew him well. When Fr. Lee wanted to pay for the
meal, Fr. Trisolini would insist on paying for it. He would always say to him
that he had to pay his own bills! The day before he died, he told me “I don’t
have much energy these days. Today I think I’d like to eat something spicy
though. Let’s go to the restaurant across from the Centre and have kimchi stew
and rice.” Fr. Lee said I’ll pay this time!” He answered “That’s fine Father. You
pay this time.” He laughed, and little did I know that was to be the last time I
would pay for a meal with him. He told me that if he could be of any help with
the work I was doing, that his door was always open. That was Fr. Jack – while
always hesitant to ask for help, for those around him he was always ready to
be of service, always in good humour. This was a man who had suffered more
than most his entire life long, and still he could keep his good humour in order
to make us feel good.”
Many people sought him out frequently, whether it was to just say hello, or
perhaps to go to confession or have a counseling session with him. No matter
what his physical condition may have been at the moment, he always greeted
those visiting him with great joy. Receiving invitations to go out for a big meal,
he would normally decline with regret expressed to the one inviting him.
“Thank you so much for asking! My back is very sore, and I just cannot
manage going out at this time. Please stop by for a visit then instead. I would
be happy to see you.”
Those who knew him well, whether through his work or people he had
known for years, couldn’t help but be surprised at his attitude. He would not
give into the terminal cancer that was consuming him through sheer steely
determination, displaying always great patience with everyone, despite the fact
that his days remaining on earth were becoming fewer and fewer. However,
the predictions of his imminent demise were often proven to be false alarms.
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness 503

24.2 Page 232

▲back to top
So many times he was able to beat the odds that seemed insurmountable. He
was completely faithful to the doctors who prescribed the medications and
chemotherapy that kept him alive his last year, in the end the cancer cells were
gone, but his body was left vastly weakened. Those with whom he worked
expected him to recover completely and to live longer. Knowing that his
condition was not good did not diminish Fr. Trisolini’s desire to be of service.
Two days before he died, he met with the priests assigned to the pastoral
ministry for migrants by the Korean Bishops’ Conference, with his light
shining until the last drop of oil was consumed in the lamp of his body.
In many ways, Fr. Trisolini was very different from the founder of the
Salesians, St. John Bosco. He was more in the line of Blessed Michael Rua, the
second Rector Major of the Salesian Society. He modeled his life on this holy
Salesian’s witness - choosing to live by the Gospel and the teachings of the
Church, which became his very heart and soul. Fr. Trisolini was a determined
man, who never wanted his weak physical body to be an obstacle to the work
in which he gave his life and energy. He died writing his last book. After his
last surgery for hernia, upon being discharged from the hospital, Fr. Andrew
Hur Yun Jin, with whom Fr. Trisolini had worked for over ten years - and was
as close to him as his own son - asked him:
“Fr. Jack, what will we do the next time you have to have surgery?”
Fr. Trisolini responded: “I will never have surgery again. I have prayed to the
Lord that this be the last.”
Fr. Trisolini was a man of prayer his entire life. Even undergoing the rigors
of pain and disease, he left everything in the hands of God. Did not the God he
loved so deeply give him the grace of beginning a new life without pain on the
day he left this world?
Fr. Trisolini, despite his full days of work, during which he would often
counsel those with serious problems, would always take time to read a book,
504

24.3 Page 233

▲back to top
the newspaper and watch the news. He always noted the important topics in the
news, writing them down so he would not forget them. As a result of this habit
there are many notebooks filled with his memos to himself, regarding talks he
heard in the seminary, notes on his friends and family, notes on the Salesian
Society, the Young Christian Workers Movement, the Christian Workers
Movement and the Labour Pastoral Commission.
On the basis of all his written notes over the years, Fr. Trisolini and Mark Lee
Geon were able to publish the following books:
By the Sweat of Your Labour Shall You Get Bread to Eat and The Church,
Ideology and Labour
Besides these he was able to write and publish as well books with a more
spiritual theme:
The Source of Life is Really With You, and The Father’s Will – as It is in
Heaven, and God Who is Always with Us and the book The Poor you Will
Have With you Always.
Books that Fr. Trisolini had written were published after his death as well. On
December 1, 2010 a book on the Liturgy was released – I Worship and Liturgy
as well as for the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Labour Pastoral
Commission the book Catholic Social Teaching was released on May 1, 2011.
That latter book was compilation of his sermons and talks over twenty years for
clergy, religious and laity as an introduction to and summary of the basic labour
social doctrine of the church. The former Archbishop of Gwangju, Archbishop
Andrew CHOI Chang-mou praised this book as an excellent resource. For
the laity and especially for seminarians, this book was also published in the
original English as a tool to learn English while coming to know the church’s
social doctrine as well.
It is understandable that for all the people that Fr. Trisolini met and knew
during his lifetime - their individual memories of him, of his failings and
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness 505

24.4 Page 234

▲back to top
human weaknesses are quite diverse. As a priest, a missionary, a religious he
was always the same - but according to the needs of the individual persons he
met his response could be very different. He was consistent in always wanting
to be of service - even those who continued to make the same mistake he
never dismissed nor harangued - he was a father who waited for his child to
return to the right path of life. While he could be uncompromising on matters
of principle - he also would be the last to close his eyes to possibilities and to
new ways of looking at problems. Before arguing on the basis of principles, he
would look at a person’s individual needs and situation with compassion and
understanding.
Fr. Trisolini had the gift of seeing right through an issue, even when he
turned 70. Seeing human weaknesses and human failures - he was a man who
was capable of infinite patience, even when confronted with burning anger
or personal failure in another or himself. It would be difficult to estimate at
what personal cost this posture was to himself. He tried to repent of his own
mistakes, and was always anxious to try and correct those parts of his life he
felt needed correction. He had a sense of himself that resonated with John
1:23-24: I am, as Isaiah prophesied: A voice of one that cries in the desert:
Prepare a way for the Lord. Make his paths straight. These are the words of his
patron saint, John the Baptist, and like him; Fr. Trisolini felt his call to mission
to change the world deeply - despite knowing all too well his own personal
limitations.
Because of this sense of being called, he knew how to maintain his energy.
He had the capability of setting targets and objectives that he was capable of
fulfilling. Despite the times of failure and discouragement, he had the tenacity
to try again until failure was turned into success. He even wanted his body after
his death to be given to science through the Medical School of the Catholic
University of Korea. This despite his many illnesses and diseases that he
506

24.5 Page 235

▲back to top
suffered over the years – giving his very body away so that he would go to
God with absolutely nothing in his hands. Those who were closest to him did
not realize that he was determined to give everything away, even his own body.
The Salesian Community, aware of his decision to give his body away, did
that, thus fulfilling Fr. Trisolini’s desire. After all of his desires were fulfilled,
his remains were laid to rest on April 16, 2011 in the Gwangju Archdiocese
Garden Cemetery near Damyang. While he was alive, he would sometimes say
to people:
“When I die, don’t bury me in Damyang! It is too far for people who know
me to go. Maybe it would be best to put my remains in the Mausoleum of St.
Mary’s Hospital, which is easy to get to. Bury me there.”
The Mausoleum that Fr. Trisolini was talking about is not located in the
Hospital proper, but is located in Gyeonggi Province near the town of Yongin.
That is the location of the Seoul Archdiocesan Cemetery. While closer than
Damyang, it is still a fair distance from Seoul. Fr. Jack was not a member of the
clergy of the Seoul Archdiocese, but rather was a Salesian. Thus for the future
care of his remains, it was felt that the Salesian Community’s common grave
in Damyang was the best location for them. He has truly left us, and is with the
Lord. Yet we feel his presence through the prayers that he is no doubt offering
for our benefit. Fr. Hur wrote regarding the love and training that Fr. Trisolini
passed on to him during the ten years that they lived together:
Fr. Jack Trisolini was a man who, humanly speaking, suffered a very great
deal. From birth he was poor. When he was appointed to Korea, he came to
a very poor country. He left his native land to live with us for over fifty years.
From a very young age he knew the challenge of physical suffering. During
the time of the dictators, all of his activities were monitored because he was
a foreigner. Everything he did was questioned and examined. During the
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness 507

24.6 Page 236

▲back to top
1980s and 1990s, because he was an American and a priest he was despised.
Anybody who saw him then knew that he had suffered a very great deal.
That may be true, but he lived as a priest with great happiness. Perhaps
we cannot compare him to Jesus in the crib at Bethlehem, but he was drawn
to those who suffered infirmity and injustice. For him to serve poor workers
as they came and left this country was a grace. Carrying the cross of illness
himself, he was able to offer consolation and courage to those who suffered
themselves in body or in spirit. Without time to eat, he was busy as Jesus
Himself, welcoming those to the confessional, offering spiritual direction, he
never refused anyone who came to him. He remembered all those who came to
him, a priest who prayed for the people he served. With the face of a father, he
would encourage couples to seek reconciliation, and to raise a Holy Family.
He rejoiced in people, with a welcoming smile he would greet them. Whether
he was walking or on a bus or train, or hearing confessions, the people he met
became his friends. Whether man or woman, or of whatever faith, whether rich
or poor, he did not care, Fr. Trisolini welcomed everyone. He was a true fisher
of men.
He was a faithful son of the Church, always obedient. His zeal in action
was balanced by his perfect obedience. He was a man who sought God’s will,
wanting always to know more deeply the teachings of the Church, seeking
renewal through respectful obedience to the Bishops, he was rewarded with
support and respect himself by them. He lived a simple and honest life, without
bending to popular opinions. He lived as John the Baptist, speaking of God’s
teachings, as a man of faith, wanting others to live uprightly in society.
Fr. Jack Trisolini was a priest immersed in the love of God. He wanted
only to live in the midst of the poor and be of service to them and a loving
God heard his prayer. A loving God led him to be prepared by a deep study
of theology and spirituality, sociology and liberal arts, he drank at the well of
508

24.7 Page 237

▲back to top
social doctrine, being led by God to prepare his future. He was able to learn to
speak five languages, along with accumulating a large measure of wisdom and
learning. Fr. Trisolini was given ample opportunity to live and work among
the poor, seeing and hearing their stories, which added to a vast store of
experience. He was finally sent to live and work in a Korea that was very poor,
and lived in the midst of people with great difficulties. He became a partner
with these people, looking for ways to move forward, becoming their friend.
“You have the poor with you always.” (Mark 14:7) is Jesus’ promise to be with
us always and Fr. Trisolini’s life gives witness to that. What greater happiness
can there be for a priest than to live in the love of God?
To the last moment of his life, walking on crutches so many times, he did not
cease his apostolic life. Until the moment he died, he continued writing on the
Word of God and the teachings of the Church. God answered by giving him
eternal life. Fr. Jack Trisolini was happy as a priest. Now, in God’s land he is
hearing: You are my beloved son, the son upon whom rests my favour. (Matthew
3:17) A happy priest, a father, a friend - I pray for the eternal rest of Fr. Jack
Trisolini.
Monday, November 22, 2010 was a day that wasn’t much different from any
other day, but there were slight differences to the normal pattern. Usually, twice
every week on Monday and Friday Fr. Trisolini received kidney dialysis at St.
Mary’s Hospital. But this week, his normal dialysis was scheduled for Tuesday.
Because of the oral medication used for a scheduled CT scan that Monday
is not good for the dialysis – the following day had been scheduled for the
dialysis.
However, when Fr. Jack got the hospital, the decision was made to do the
dialysis that day rather than the CT scan. That morning his condition was
not good, and the doctors, after consulting with one another, decided that the
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness 509

24.8 Page 238

▲back to top
dialysis was more urgent. Thus Monday morning he had the dialysis. While
it was a different Monday morning – it ended up being the same. After the
dialysis, he returned home by 2 p.m. and had a late lunch, during which he had
an hour’s conversation with Fr. Hur.
“Next May is the 40th anniversary of the Labour Pastoral Commission and
I’m a bit concerned about what to do about it.”
Fr. Jack replied “Fr. Hur, don’t be overly concerned about it now. We can talk
about it at leisure later – let’s do it that way for now.”
“That should be ok. During your years here you have taught the church’s
social doctrine to many seminarians, clergy, religious and laity. We are planning
on publishing your book in commemoration of the celebration. I see you look
tired, please go and take a rest. When you get up we can talk about then.”
“I just finished the book on the Liturgy for our benefactors’ Christmas gift.
There is something I’m a bit concerned about though. Recently Pope Benedict
XVI issued a new document, and I would like to make some changes to the
book on social doctrine that reflects that. I hope we can hold off on publication
for a bit longer.”
Fr. Hur responded “Of course, I am happy to do as you say. I have a meeting
now with the administrator and the Professional Committee about the 40th
anniversary celebration; we will be talking about these very things. Please take
a rest now, Father.”
“Certainly, Fr. Hur, that’s what I will do.”
Thus they parted, and Fr. Hur went on to the meeting with the administrator
and the full-time members of the Professional Committee to discuss the 40th
anniversary celebration of the founding of the Labour Pastoral Commission.
510

24.9 Page 239

▲back to top
Epilogue: And on that day...

24.10 Page 240

▲back to top
As soon as the evening meal was prepared, the cook went to the door closest
to the entrance to the kitchen, Fr. Simeon Lee Sang Bum’s room, calling him
to the meal. Next she went to Fr. Trisolini’s room. She opened the door and, as
sometimes happened, he seemed to be sitting at his desk with his legs crossed –
and appeared to have fallen asleep. She said
“Father, it is supper time.”
Normally, he would respond
“Yes”
Arise from his desk and go to the dining room. But this time, he remained
silent. She said a bit louder
“Father it’s time to eat!”
Still he did not reply – and for the third she called out
“Father, please, it is time for supper.”
Still there was no response, so she approached Fr. Trisolini. Taking a closer
look at him, his head seemed to be at an awkward angle, and appeared to have
no strength in it. She stepped back – feeling surprised and a bit afraid – she
stepped back a bit. Since his surgery and the chemotherapy that followed it,
he had frequently fallen asleep while working at his desk, and the cook would
wake him up with no problem ….
“Father Lee! There’s something strange about Fr. Trisolini!”
Fr. Lee heard the urgency in her voice and realized that something unusual
was happening. He hastened to Fr. Trisolini’s room, feeling an intuition that it
could be a serious situation. He put his hand under Fr. Jack’s nose, he said to
the cook
“Fr. Trisolini is not breathing, Please go to Fr. Hur and him to come here
quickly.”
Going to the meeting room she said “Fr. Hur!”
“Yes, what is wrong?” he replied.
512

25 Pages 241-250

▲back to top

25.1 Page 241

▲back to top
Hearing what the cook had to say, he jumped up and ran to Fr. Trisolini’s
room. Entering Fr. Lee said to him in a small weak voice
“Fr. Jack seems to have died.”
On the computer monitor was an article outlining the Pope’s views on
condoms, something he had been discussing with Fr. Hur that morning. His
last work on earth was double checking the church’s social doctrine – and
suddenly he was in the arms of God. This sudden transfer to a new life was so
quick it was obvious that he had little discomfort. On the front and side of the
desk, within easy reach, was an emergency bell which he did not use. He was
in his normal working posture before the computer, sitting on his crossed legs,
looking at the monitor when the end came. His facial expression was peaceful,
his glasses still in place on his nose, like he had bowed his head and was
squinting. His hands were on the arms of the chair, and anyone would have
thought he was sleeping. The moment of death came in an instant, and perhaps
even he was not aware of it. The death desired by most priests – that of dying
when sleeping in silence and quickly – seemed to be God’s grace at work for
him. The emergency services were called (119) and arrived within five or ten
minutes. A female medical assistant lowered Fr. Trisolini’s from the chair on to
the floor and attached electrocardiogram leads on his chest.
“It has been two or three hours since the time of death. Let’s move him to the
bed.” Three police officers had arrived and said:
“Since it is a sudden death an autopsy must be performed.”
Fr. Simeon Lee Sang Bum, with his face reddening questioned this.
“What do you mean? If he had died in an accident someplace outside, or died
suddenly for no obvious cause, that is understandable. But this man has been
undergoing cancer therapy for a long time now, and has died peacefully. I do
not believe an autopsy to be appropriate.”
The police asked to speak with Fr. Lee outside of the room.
Epilogue: And on that day... 513

25.2 Page 242

▲back to top
“An autopsy must be performed on anyone who has suddenly died, that is
standard operating procedure. Please understand.”
Fr. Lee responded “Yes, I understand what you are saying. However, this just
does not seem right to me.”
“Father, if we can confirm that he died receiving therapy from the doctor, we
can move more quickly here. That seems the best thing to do.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If you can go to the hospital and receive a transcript from the hospital
and doctor where he was being treated for cancer, just give that to us. We will
accept that.”
Fr. Lee contacted St. Mary’s Hospital in Yeouido and explained the situation
thoroughly to them there, asking them to prepare a transcript verifying that Fr.
Trisolini had been a patient there receiving cancer treatment. Meanwhile, Fr.
Hur phoned the Chancery office and spoke with Bishop Andrew YEOM Soo-
jung informing him of Fr. Trisolini’s death.
“Your Excellency, I have some sad news for you. Just a little bit ago Fr.
Trisolini died.”
“What did you say, Fr. Hur?”
“Bishop YEOM, you were the first person we wanted to speak with.”
“Fr. Hur, you are to bring Fr. Trisolini’s body to Myeong-dong Cathedral
quickly. Also prepare to have the funeral mass celebrated in the Cathedral as
well.”
“But Bishop, Fr. Trisolini is not a diocesan priest; he belongs to a religious
congregation…”
“Yes, that is correct Fr. Hur. But he has done work for the Archdiocese that a
diocesan priest had been unable to do for so many years. He is someone who is
certainly worthy of being treated honourably. Just do as I say.”
“Certainly Bishop you are right. Fr. Trisolini spent many years of his life
514

25.3 Page 243

▲back to top
working for the Archdiocese of Seoul, but still it would not be correct if we did
not contact the Salesians at this time, because he was a Salesian. I will contact
them now, and after listening to what their intentions are – and if they decide
that the funeral will take place in their Church, that is what we must do. I will
ask them about whether or not the funeral mass can be held at Myeong-dong
Cathedral, and I will get in touch with you afterwards.”
“Yes, of course you are right, Fr. Hur. I can only guess at how hard it is for
you now. You must be very upset and your heart very sad. The Lord has taken
Fr. Jack, and he no longer has to suffer. Please don’t be too sad about this.”
“Yes, your Grace. Thank you.”
Hanging up, Fr. Hur immediately phoned the Provincial of the Salesians in
Korea.   
“Fr. Provincial, I have the sad duty to inform you that Fr. Trisolini died just a
short time ago.”
“Yes?”
“Bishop YEOM, the Chancellor of the Diocese has suggested that the
viewing and the funeral mass should take place at Myeong-dong Cathedral. I
am phoning to ask you thoughts and what you would like us to do.”
“Father, please thank the Bishop for us. But he is one of us, and the viewing
will take place at our church. The funeral mass can be held at the Cathedral as
the Bishop suggests.”
“Thank you, Father. That is what will be done then. We will prepare things
and bring his remains to you.”
Fr. Paul Yong Dong Jin was staying in Jecheon, Chungbuk Province, on a
rest leave. He was in Seoul at that time, getting the results of some medical
examinations he had received some time earlier. He was eating a late dinner
at the time he heard about the death of Fr. Trisolini. He rushed to the Centre,
deeply distressed. Frs. Hur and Lee comforted and calmed him and brought
Epilogue: And on that day... 515

25.4 Page 244

▲back to top
him into Fr. Trisolini’s room, where his body was laid out on the bed, wrapped
in a sheet. They prayed together quietly. The three priests accompanied
the body to the Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, where the physician who had
provided care for him for many years was asked for the document that
confirmed that Fr. Trisolini had died of kidney cancer. This was graciously
prepared by Fr. Trisolini’s attending physician. Afterwards, the same three
priests accompanied the body to the Salesian Provincial House. Fr. Mark Kim
Pyung An, S.D.B., a member of the Salesian Samseon-dong community and
Director of the Multicultural Family Support Centre in Seongbuk-dong, had
gone ahead and made arrangement for the placement of the remains at the
Salesian Provincial House.
The Chancellor of the Diocese, Bishop YEOM Soo-jung, directed the
secretariat in the Chancery office to inform all clergy of the diocese of the
funeral arrangements for Fr. Trisolini. Many of the diocesan clergy went to the
Singil-dong Provincial House of the Salesians to pay their respects. Having
been informed of the death Gwangju Archbishop Andrew CHOI Chang-mou
and Daejeon Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, chairperson of the Bishops’
Conference Office of Migrant Labour, came the next day and celebrated the
mass, and offered their prayers before the bier.
  
During the three days that Fr. Trisolini’s body was available for visitation, a
great number of people passed through the doors. These people had all been
touched by Fr. Jack over the years: graduates of the Salesian High School in
Gwangju, former students at the Don Bosco Youth Centre, Salesian Laity,
members of the YCW movement, and many others. People from all walks of
life came in an unending stream to pay their respects. They all came to offer
their condolences, express their sorrow and to pray for the eternal repose of his
soul in God.
516

25.5 Page 245

▲back to top
The funeral mass was held at Myeong-dong Cathedral on November 24 at 10
a.m. – and likewise was attended by great crowds of his friends and colleagues.
Those assisting at the mass were: the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Seoul,
Bishop Andrew YEOM Soo-jung; the Bishop of Euijeongbu Bishop Joseph
Lee Han-taek; the Bishop of Chuncheon Lucas Kim Woon-Hoe; the Director
of the Seoul Archdiocesan Labour Pastoral Commission Fr. Hur Yu-Jin ; the
Provincial Superior of the Salesians in Korea Fr. Stephen Nam Sang Hun plus
many Diocesan and religious priests also participated in the funeral liturgy.
Many religious and laity also attended the funeral mass, united in one heart
filled with affection for the deceased. It was the first time that a funeral liturgy
for a religious had been celebrated in Myeong-dong Cathedral since it was
founded. Fr. Hur offered the parting prayers over the body, said through tears
flowing:
“Fr. Trisolini has left us, though he had much more to do here on this earth.
The last words I ever said to him were that he should rest, though I didn’t
realize at the time it would be last I would ever say to him. If I had known it
was the last opportunity to speak to him I would have said ‘Father, you are a
good man.’ or ‘I love you’ or ‘Thank you’ and I would have said that tens of
times every day. I regret that I did not say these things to him when I could. I
know all too well that I will never have a chance to do this. Father Jack, the
time of your pain and suffering have come to end. You no longer have to suffer
because you are in the arms of God. The last time I saw your face, you were
so much at peace, thank you for that memory. I have one favour to ask of you
still, and hope that you will hear what I say now. Do not forget us here on earth
from your place in heaven. May we once again one day meet again and spend
eternity together. Until then, I remain grateful. I appreciate very much having
been there at your final moments of life. It was a great honour for me, more
than I could ever say.”
Epilogue: And on that day... 517

25.6 Page 246

▲back to top
The funeral mass and final blessings ended. There was sorrow and some
regret, but also the hope for eternal happiness on everyone’s mind. His body
was placed in the ambulance for his last act of offering of himself to others.
Just before the ambulance departure, holding the casket, Fr. Hur reflected
“Father, when I saw you collapsed, I didn’t hear your last wish and I was not
with you at the moment of your death. I’m sorry that I was not your faithful
son. Go in peace. Remember us all.”
After the funeral mass, the priests and staff of the Labour Pastoral
Commission returned to the Centre and went back to work. A large turkey was
being cooked. It was for the yearly celebration of Thanksgiving. Each year, Fr.
Trisolini would buy a turkey, cook it and share it with his close friends. This
year, Fr. Jack was not at the table. All ate the turkey in silence.
518

25.7 Page 247

▲back to top
The Ones Left Behind

25.8 Page 248

▲back to top
“You’re going to be fine. Have hope!”
On November 22, 2010, I had come up to Seoul to obtain the results of some
medical examinations. I had just begun eating a late supper, when I received
word that Fr. Trisolini had died. I rushed to the Centre. It appeared that he had
died around 3 P.M., and was discovered at 6 P.M. I arrived at around 7:10 P.M.
Fr. Jack had been writing at his desk, his head fell to the left when he died. I
accompanied Fr. Hur to Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital with the remains of Fr.
Jack, obtaining the necessary documents from the doctor there. We proceeded
immediately to the Salesian Provincial Building, arriving after midnight.
Father’s death was a big shock to me personally. The next day I awoke
with my whole body feeling numb – the death of Fr. Trisolini had affected
me more deeply than I had realized at first – thus making some difficulties for
the Director. Without some medical assistance, I would have ended up in the
hospital myself. Without the care, the numbness could have easily progressed
into something more dangerous. The funeral mass was held in Myeong-dong
Cathedral at the orders of Bishop YEOM.
The death of Fr. Trisolini left a big void in the labour ministry that became
evident with his passing. For Fr. Hur and the staff at the Centre, his death
left them all in a daze. For Fr. Lee Sang Bum it was the same… Fr. Jack was
a model of good humour even after his cancer surgery and all the suffering
that followed – revealing his profound love for the church, and the zeal he
520

25.9 Page 249

▲back to top
had for training young priests sharing his love for the poor with them. To
me personally he was example of a life well led, a sign of a deep personal
character. He taught not just with words, but through his sharing his experience
with me. He was sometimes like my father, sometimes he was a fellow priest
who cherished me and loved me, he showed me his fear of death and the pain
he endured in his illnesses; he taught me how to live as a priest. I remember his
robust nature and unshakable will - someone who practiced what he believed.
He died a poor man, a religious who had nothing material left when he died.
He died writing a book in his last minutes. Even though some did not care for
him, this did not prevent him from being firm in his commitment; he hated any
form of bullying people. He was totally familiar with the basics of his faith.
He was convinced of the righteousness of what he was doing – like John the
Baptist calling in the wilderness, calling his contemporaries to Jesus. He never
caved into pressure, when he was Director he called the priests working with
him to a higher standard of service. He would remind those who worked with
him who had doctoral degrees that those degrees were not the important thing.
Sometimes they become the cause of failure. He was not a Ph.D., but he was a
Doctor of the Gospel, spending time every day with the Word of God in study
and meditation.
Every day he would spend time studying the teachings of the church so that
he could understand reality more deeply, and to become better able to explain
these teachings to the people of God. Even having had cancer and beating the
odds for a time, when illness again had him its grip, he did not worry about the
future. When I was sick he would advise me “You’re going to be fine. Have
hope!”
There were some diocesan clergy who did not like Fr. Trisolini, but it
was very clear that he did not reciprocate those feelings. He was always a
churchman, someone who attempted to adhere to the church’s teaching and
“You’re going to be fine. Have hope!” 521

25.10 Page 250

▲back to top
pass them on to people. There were times when confronted with people who
were filled with emotion; he could remain cool and collected. He deeply
respected the humanity and the dignity of people. There were times when the
staff considered him a villain, and would express their anger at him over an
issue. He would be angry only when he thought people did not live up to the
dignity of being an employee of the church and not being more committed than
someone working in society. This would spur him to work harder to show that
what was considered impossible in theory was possible in reality. He would not
blame others for their weaknesses, but would encourage them to be more than
were.
When I was a child, I thought Fr. Jack was like a tiger, not knowing his
internal wounds suffered. He was a great educator of young people, who gave
his everything in attempting to educate them. Those who did not know his
heart thought he was a frightening person. Working with him, after he had
become a lot older, he was someone who was always ready to help and to
listen – especially his successors Fr. Yong and Fr. Hur – always being helpful
and obedient to them. Someone like this is hard to find in Korea! Fr. Trisolini
and Archbishop Andrew CHOI Chang-mou are very similar to each other. The
deceased Professor Park Yeong Ki and Mr. Kim Mal Ryong used to say this.
They were all close friends who worked together for many years.
When he would work on a document on the church’s commitment to poor
workers, he would reveal his knowledge of the teachings of the church and the
Pope’s and how faithful he was to their teachings. Always there are copious
references to the Gospel and to the church’s teachings. He always spoke well
of the Bishops when conversation would come up, revealing his deep respect
for the church’s leaders. He also possessed the gift of diplomacy. When the
Bomun-dong Centre was built, he would say to Chairman Lee Jin Gi, of
Samyang Construction Company, that “this building is the last thing I will do.
522

26 Pages 251-260

▲back to top

26.1 Page 251

▲back to top
Please help us out!”
After I became a priest, I became aware that Fr. Trisolini kept prodigious
amounts of notes. I would suggest to him that because of this, he should write
a book about the labour apostolate. From that time on, whenever he had a little
time, he began to work on a book, working wholeheartedly on the project. The
YCW should help defray the expenses for this book. I helped him a little on
this project, and Fr. Hur and Fr. Jack eventually completed the project.
It’s easy to pay for a book. His priest friends in the U.S. and Europe would
often send him articles or tapes of famous authors or speakers that he would
faithfully read or listen to. He would prepare a transcript of the talk, listening
again, typing, listening and typing again. In order to remember what people
said, he would listen with great attention. Likewise, he would ask people
to read a transcript in advance of publication, and would enjoy having a
discussion about the book, always receptive to the opinions of others.
Fr. Trisolini, embracing even those who disparaged and thought little of him,
he embraced: he was a priest who gave his all.
From the diary of the late Fr. Paul Yong Dong Jin
“You’re going to be fine. Have hope!” 523

26.2 Page 252

▲back to top
To the Friends and Family of Father
John Trisolini, S.D.B,
Hello and Happy New Year to all. On behalf of my brother, known to his
family and many friends in the States as “Jack”, I would like to say thank you
for everything that was done for him over the years. Jack loved Korea and its
people. He would always share with us how he was highly regarded, respected,
and received by all.
Much of his life was lived in Korea, which he certainly called “Home”. Jack
fought much illness and health obstacles throughout his life, and he did it with
grace. The last few years were especially difficult and a challenge which he
fought with dignity. Between the many Doctor visits, dialysis, and side effects
of his illnesses, he never complained or felt pity on himself. Without the love,
support, and sympathetic help he received, especially from those he lived with
the last 10 years, he would not have been able to enjoy what life has offered
him as a functioning participant.
I am sure Jack is looking down on each and every one of you and praying for
you with the closure of “I Love You”. My thanks to all who touched his heart, as
well as my family, by adopting him in to your lives and being his Korean family.
524

26.3 Page 253

▲back to top
Best Regards and Gratitude,
January 6, 2010
Kathleen Trisolini-Di Laura
Sister of Father Johns [Jack] Trisolini
To the Friends and Family of Father John Trisolini, S.D.B, 525

26.4 Page 254

▲back to top
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and
Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in
Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini
Labour Pastoral Commission – Professional Committee
Introduction
Fr. John Trisolini, a foreign-born worker priest, offered up his life for over
fifty years for poor labourers in Korea. His objective was to develop Christian
spirituality through a pastoral ministry centred on the formation of faith and
spirituality for labourers and the faithful. He desired for all to experience
Christian spirituality, and to lead people to a life based on this spirituality. I
believe that if he were still alive today, he would have continued this ministry
through his preaching and writings.
Fr. Trisolini gave priority to a Christian life that was consistent in its
spirituality for workers and for those laity dedicated to this ideal. Up to the
time of his death he had written on this theme, using Christian doctrine that
was the foundation of this spirituality lived in society, in a manner that was
526

26.5 Page 255

▲back to top
clear and understandable. Furthermore, he worked as a priest using the method
of “Observe – Judge – Act” in his daily life that proved to be a fruitful tool in
actualizing this spirituality for workers and the laity. The books that he wrote
during his lifetime offer an exposition of this spirituality.
Written during his life time “The Source of Life is Really With You”; “The
Father’s Will: As it is in Heaven”; “God Who is Always With Us”; “The Poor
You Will Always Have With You” are four books that were published. Shortly
after his death, on December 1, 2010 one other book was published - “Church
Liturgy: Praying and Meditating Together” thus bringing to five volumes his
works on spirituality. Previous to these books, a work done together with Mark
Lee Geon “The Church, Ideology and Labour” had been published earlier.1
Fr. Trisolini frequently used this verse as an expression of his dependence
on God: “Please, Lord, rescue me; hurry Lord, help me.” (Psalm 40: 13). He
confessed that this prayer best expressed his own attitude toward life.2 In 1993
Fr. Jack had cancer of the kidney and had two surgical interventions. When
it was particularly difficult to endure the ensuing treatment, he began to write
about his own spiritual journey.3
Fr. Trisolini had taught the Theology of Spirituality for a number of years
in the Catechetical Institute of Korea. In the simple interest of helping people
to develop their own spiritual lives, and in turn help them through the difficult
1 The Roman Catholic Diocese of Seoul, Labour Pastoral Commission: A Voice Crying in the
Wilderness – the Life of Fr. John Trisolini, Catholic Publishing House, 2013.
2 John Trisolini, Spirituality for priest, religious and dedicated laity – “Please, Lord, rescue me; hurry
Lord, help me.” Catholic Publishing House, 2000.
3 “During my recuperation after surgery, in order to revive my heart and body I listened to a tape by
a fellow Salesian, the Irishman Fr. Jack Finnegan of a he retreat he gave on the spirituality of the
Intercession for Priests, later publishing a book using this resource.” Editor
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 527

26.6 Page 256

▲back to top
challenges of their lives, he wrote on the subject. He had learned through his
years of physical suffering, through prayer and meditation, that a life lived
in spirituality help solve the internal tensions in his own life. In the most
difficult periods of physical suffering he had come to experience the love of
God. That is the focus of this article as well. Fr. Trisolini, through his vocation
as a priest, came to adhere to a living God, consistent with the principles of
Christian theology, through developing a method of spirituality. At the time of
a graduation ceremony at the University he heard a commencement talk that
led him to choose a life as a missionary priest – where he found true happiness.
Thus he spent a lifetime training poor workers and laity, using all of his energy
to that end. He gave no better witness than his life lived in the spirit of poverty
and humble obedience.
II. Christian Spirituality
Definitions and models of spirituality
Spirituality is about trying to experience God in our lives – and it is the most
fundamental value of our lives. That is, in our effort to follow the teachings
of the Gospel and the example of Jesus Christ, desiring to become a person
of love through loving our neighbours, we develop spirituality through this
unfolding experience within ourselves. 4 We realize this through our own
experience of good, evil and indifference. This process means ripping off
the mask of pretense and hypocrisy and to live a more centred life. Christian
4 Ibid., Note 1, page 3.
528

26.7 Page 257

▲back to top
spirituality is living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in a very specific
way, like the disciples of Jesus Christ, through a life of faith, hope and love.5
In order to understand well the meaning of spirituality, we must ask of
ourselves “Who am I?” At the same time we must ask “How can I develop into
a human being that is fully mature and walking towards Christ?” – these are
the questions that must preoccupy us. We look at goodness, evil and human
indifference through the prism of our personal pride and self-interest, and this
forms our view of our neighbours. Fr. Trisolini saw three patterns of spirituality
in the church in three models of his spirituality, namely interior spirituality,
creational spirituality and finally, societal spirituality.
First of all, interior spirituality is formed in solitude through private prayer
where we deepen our life of faith and develop an intimate spirituality that is
based on the theological conviction of the value of the experience. Dedicated
time that is centred on prayer or meditation in silence is the main characteristic
of this model. This is reflected by the words “But when you pray, go to your
private room, shut yourself in, and so pray to your Father who is in that secret
place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.”
(Matthew 6:6)
Secondly, creational spirituality “Think of the flowers in the field, they never
have to work or spin.” (Matthew 6:28) reflects those who meditate in the fullness
of joy, who are not content to be in isolation and to do without spiritual gestures
and actions, as love reveals itself with their hearts.
Thirdly, societal spirituality leads the heart to consider justice and peace and
their theological weight reflecting and acting in solidarity with workers and the
poor.
“…and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll
5 Ibid., later on page 3.
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 529

26.8 Page 258

▲back to top
he found the place where it is written: The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has
anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim
liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a
year of favour from the Lord.” (Luke 4:17-19)
Through these three levels of spirituality, the individual comes to an
understanding of their own spirituality in different ways, each of which is
connected to real life. Emphasizing one level over another, a person can
become blocked at one point or another, failing to understand or appreciate the
real problems before them. For others, they are led to attempt radical solutions
to social justice issues, and end up dying or trapped in a prison. For still others,
they are led to a slower more natural approach to the problems before them
and their society. Whatever may unfold, these three approaches and models of
spirituality have been recognized by all as valid.6
Thus Fr. Trisolini attempted to integrate these three models of spirituality
as a form of “body and soul” spirituality. He attempted to integrate these
three models in the following manner. The entirety of any one of the models
is actually only a part of something larger. For example a given organ in the
body is only a part of the body just as our earth is only a small part of the
much larger solar system – which leads us to the epistemological concept that
this implies. That is the “I” that is the individual exists only in relationship to
the larger reality that is society. As a Christian, this experience of being “I” in
relationship with the greater “others” leads to a sense of responsibility for the
greater reality.7 In fact each of the models of spirituality outlined above each
has its own strengths and weaknesses. For those who centre only on first model
fail to connect on a moral level to the wider reality around them, and their life
6 Ibid., Pages 7 and 8.
7 Ibid., Page 9
530

26.9 Page 259

▲back to top
of meditation can end up being a life of obsession. Centering on the second
model of spirituality exclusively can lead to concentration on the mystical
elements alone – looking for miracles and spiritual experiences – which is
another form of obsession as well. For those who use only the third model for
spirituality, the danger is to become obsessed with liberation theology or its
variants, and end up concentrating on strategy and tactics for conflict resolution
within the church and in society. Oftentimes this leads to divisiveness and not
healing and communion. Thus, in a more holistic approach to spirituality, one
is forced to analyze the benefits of each of the models in a given situation.
The Incarnation of Spirituality
Priests, religious and consecrated laity, using all of the models of spirituality
at the same time, leads one toward the Christian community in the spirit of
Jesus Christ with an open mind. But doing so, we allow ourselves to live in
faith and must accept the challenges before us. This was precisely the point
that Fr. Trisolini continuously stressed to poor workers and consecrated laity –
he considered this the font of spirituality.8 If in using these forms of spirituality
and we are not aware of what they are asking of us, how can we lead the
Christian community spiritually towards Christ? What is Christ asking of the
Christian community today? Fr. Trisolini would ask us to “look at what is
happening in society today and how it is affecting people is something that we
must be aware of.” 9 And how can we know the signs of the times? Fr. Trisolini
8 The following analogy was often used by Fr. Trisolini: “If we meditate on a regular basis and, if
through meditation we are rested enough to reflect on our neighbours, we will not be wearied by
whatever voluntary action we may do for them. People who do not reflect are at times liable to
feel the boredom associated with being still. On the other hand we have the activist who leaves
reflection and contemplation aside, and filled with outrage, they become busy, even hectic, and
not very fruitful. Leaving one part of the entire spirituality aside can often lead to imbalance and
immature action and/or profound laziness.” (Ibid. Page 9)
9 As the Scriptures say “In the evening you say, ‘It will be fine; there’s a red sky,’ and in the morning,
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 531

26.10 Page 260

▲back to top
would then go on to speak of self-reflection that would lead us to an interior
conversion, examining our attitudes and find the appropriate method, asking
for the following steps.
First of all, we must be converted to the Word of God. If we are not familiar
with the Word of God, how can we meaningfully reflect on the present and
plan for the future? We ask for our daily bread every day, what does that
mean? “Lord, what do you want us to do now, what is your Will for us at
this moment?” If you want to understand what the Lord of all wants at any
particular moment, we must be converted to the Word of God – we must wake
up to that pressing call now.
Secondly, we must be converted to contemplation and adoration. If we wish
to be converted to the Word of God, we need to be more inclusive. If we are
able to accept the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have to mold ourselves to God. As
Archbishop Fulton Sheen used to say, paraphrasing the words of Jesus to his
disciples “He is asking us to pray with him”. (Cf. Matthew 26:40).
Third, we must be converted to the sacraments. The conventional method for
the Catholic believer to meet Jesus is through the sacraments. Thus, in order for
the faithful to enjoy this sacramental intimacy with the Lord, priests must offer
the sacraments to the faithful. Of course, the priest must have the zeal to seek
out the sick and celebrate the mass and sacramental confession for them as
well. If the priest is unable to offer the healing sacraments to the faithful, how
will they be able to offer healing to those whom they meet?
Fourth and finally, we must be converted to service (diakonia). For Christians,
‘Stormy weather today; the sky is read and overcast.’ You know how to read the face of the sky, but
you cannot read the signs of times.” (Matthew 16: 2-3). Fr. Trisolini, when he would lecture, would
always ask workers or other laity to be able to read the signs of the times, to be a person sensitive
to what is going on around them. Editor
532

27 Pages 261-270

▲back to top

27.1 Page 261

▲back to top
in terms of service, the sky is the limit. The only thing limiting the service we
offer to others is our own ability to do so. Of course, being converted to a life
of service is not easy, growth in maturity is always accompanied by pain. When
the Lord calls us to service, he gives us the grace to change and mature. We are
always living in fear. How can we overcome the fear in our hearts? Jesus says
many times in the Gospels “Do not fear!” and “Do not be afraid!” A life given
to love is one that slowly becomes aware that fear diminishes to the extent that
we love. If we define love as the absence of fear, and if we still have fear in our
hearts it means that our love is not yet mature and healthy.
The Experience of God – Spirituality Made Manifest.10
This is not a simple experience that is gained quickly; rather it is an
experience of the fruit of a long reflection and contemplation. When we need
God the most, which is when we are aware of our own weakness and inability -
that is the best time to experience God in our lives. Fr. Trisolini used to say that
when we can say “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (See Luke 18: 9-14) is when
we arrive at the moment of joy.
However, the experience of God can be seen in three distinct phases.11 First
of all, people who personally meet God in their beings and interior dimensions.
Each is capable of meeting God, and this step is the meaning of the biblical
verse “the Kingdom of God is within us.” In other words, our spirituality
reveals what is inherent within each of us and is a model of interior spirituality.
Secondly, we meet God in the universe or in nature.12 God can be discovered
10 Ibid. Page 18
11 Ibid. Page 19.
12 Looking in the scriptures the Gospel speaks of this as follow “Look at the birds of the air, that they
do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns” and “Observe how the lilies of the field
grow, they do not toil nor do they spin.” (Matthew 6: 26 and 28) If one thinks that this, creational
spirituality, is the only way to meet God, it would result in a very limited experience. Ibid. Page 19.
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 533

27.2 Page 262

▲back to top
or experienced in this beauty of nature around us.
Third, it is possible to meet or experience God throughout human history,
through the misery and suffering of our brothers and sister (for example, those
who died during the Nazi persecution and murder of the Jews, etc.). In looking at history,
this is where we must meet God. All expressions of the human person is the
place where we see God revealing himself.
In order to meet God, we must be familiar with these three ways of
experiencing him. It is possible to have these experiences of God in our daily
lives - living and moving in faith. In our interior lives, we must vividly perceive
ourselves as creatures of God, aware of the structural evil around, using our
faith to overcome it. This is making incarnate our faith. This living faith is
what causes us to be concerned about ourselves, about the creation around
us, and about our brothers and sisters with a deep sense of responsibility. Our
experience of the incarnation of our religious experiences is at the same time an
experience of God’s presence within ourselves, within creation and within the
experience of our brothers and sisters. In other words, God and our neighbour
and the history of relationships is a communion with God, with nature and with
history. Fellowship with our brothers and sisters is something that should never
be avoided – it is the reality that gives us meaning.
Spirituality - Devotion to the World
Spirituality is something associated with concrete reality – a person, a place,
a time. If spirituality is to become truly useful for us, it should be looked at
with a new perspective.
And that is that it is something that demands positive change. Jesus Christ
never tolerated the “status quo”, but rather criticized and rebuked it and made
people feel uncomfortable. To ignore the social dimension of spirituality is
to ignore the Gospel, thus making spirituality loose its relevance. Over the
534

27.3 Page 263

▲back to top
last one hundred years or more, that is why the church has emphasized social
doctrine. This is seen in the spirituality of Catholic social teaching an emphasis
on the common good, fair redistribution of wealth, making a priority the poor
and their care. The Catholic Church’s social doctrine is a gift, and is the result
of many years of experience and deep and long reflection. The church will
continue this commitment to social issues for the entire universal church –
obliging the faithful to know the problems associated with society today. Each
of us individually are led to prayer and reflection about contemporary social
issues, and if we are to attempt to correct the social issues that exist today, we
must share with other people this prayer and reflection and we must become
knowledgeable about what the church has taught regarding social doctrine and
choose to live according to these teachings.
We should pay attention to the following topics as follows. First of all,
we should develop a deep interest in the common good. We have to think
about social side of the common good and its purpose. Using the principle
of subsidiarity, we can at the same time come to an understanding of the
communitarian aspects of our environment that demand that we make every
effort to develop solidarity with one another with enthusiasm. We must never
forget the obligation to begin with a preferential option for the poor. Regarding
social issues, the French Fr. Michel Quoist described three ways in which a
priest responds to them: number one, becoming a type of a worm living in a
sacristy. Number two, becoming an activist centering his ministry on liberation
theology. Number three, is one who becomes a shepherd and an educator.
The sacristy worm is concerned mostly about ecclesial matters, centered
on liturgical functions and protecting the faithful. The fierce activist, aware
of the many forms of social evils and injustices, will always lead the protest
against them. The priest who is a shepherd should be educators who uplift the
consciousness of the faithful spiritually and allow them to take the lead for
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 535

27.4 Page 264

▲back to top
change in society as Christian laity who are well developed and trained.13 Fr.
Michele wants priests today to lead Catholic laity by teaching them their role
as the ones responsible for the social changes needed for a more just society.
Third, Fr. Trisolini, during training and education programs always emphasized
that the priest is to be an educator and spiritual leader, concerned with the
strengthening of the laity who can much better do the job of working for social
justice. Because Fr. Jack understood better than most the actual situation of the
poor worker in today’s Korea, he could say with Pope Pius XI “the church is in
need of workers and workers are in need of the church.” He truly believed that
Catholic clergy and the labourers work together to work out their salvation by
collaborating and working together.
The Oppressed and Marginalized: Conversion to their Plight
(The Preferential Option for the Poor)
Spirituality is freedom. The word “freedom” implies conversion and
repentance. We as Christians, being full members of society, chose to repent
of our failures so that the human family can grow again. We must choose
conversion throughout our lives, journeying with our fellow human beings,
fully aware of the nature and meaning of the journey we are making together. If
on the journey, we come upon those who are oppressed and marginalized, can
we stand on the sidelines passively?
In 1959, Fr. Trisolini came to Korea from the richest country in the world
– the United States, in order to live and work in what was then the poorest
country in the world during his three year training period as a seminarian.
After three years, he went to France and was ordained a priest in 1967,
13 Ibid. Page 21.
536

27.5 Page 265

▲back to top
returning to Korea shortly thereafter.14 In 1967 he was assigned to Dorim-
dong Parish, where he met and learned from the many poor working youth
and labourers, knowing their conflicts and difficulties well. He loved them
and felt a deep compassion for them all. His preaching was often centred on
the theological approach to the social issues that were in existence at that
time. With the growth of new industries and new technologies, the industrial
relations changed – with management becoming enormously wealthy while
the workers remained poor. He spoke to the moral struggle that was needed
to correct this situation – the need for solidarity of the workers reflecting the
sentiments of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum. He began his
actual work with labourers beginning in the 1970’s, but the Catholic Church
had been involved in the struggle since the early 1960’s. In those years, the
majority of workers lived in injustice and poverty, and the need for solidarity
with workers was seen as urgent. In the legislation being approved at that time
there was no shadow of the spirit of Christ, and an effort to isolate activists in
order to prevent threats to the interest of management was the norm. Greed had
victimized those who created the wealth by their labour. The first challenge
was to understand the fundamentals of action, that is, to recognize the inherent
dignity of the human person and to work that each human person be respected
because of that fundamental dignity. When seen in the light of shared human
dignity, the obvious social inequity was impossible to ignore any longer. The
effort to ameliorate plight of workers was not going to be an easy task, but a
beginning had to be made. It would be deceptive to promise easy solutions
when it was obvious that solutions would only come into being after even more
pain and more injustice to be endured. Thus the most appropriate attitude was
14 In 1959 the annual income of workers in Korea was only 59 U.S. dollars; Korea was among the
poorest nations of the world. Editor
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 537

27.6 Page 266

▲back to top
to face the evil of the obvious, de facto, human suffering and begin to find a
solution by another means.15 Rerum Novarum gave the future direction to the
labour ministry – centred on the sufferings of the workers and the poor. In this
context, Fr. Trisolini centred on the theological interpretations that he had to be
concerned with will be discussed in the next section.
III. True Happiness and Poverty of the Christian
The definition of true happiness
In the spirituality and preaching of Fr. Trisolini to workers and youth, he
centred on the evidence and contents offered by the New Testament, especially
of the Synoptic Gospels. There he found the important themes that guided him.
In the books he published over the year, his most often cited Gospel verses
come from the books of Matthew and Luke in particular.
Fr. Trisolini found two ways of looking at “true happiness” in the Gospels of
Matthew and Luke.16 The Gospel of Matthew is targeted towards the Jewish
community, especially the rabbis or teachers of that community. Luke, in
contrast, was not familiar with the traditions found in Judaism, and targeted
rather Gentiles. In particular, Luke has Jesus speaking to all people, including
Jews of course, but his concern was a much broader audience. Luke intended
that the teachings of Jesus were the same for all.17 True happiness is a summary
15 The Korean Catholic Conference of Bishops, The Social Doctrine of the Church for Church and
Society, 1994, on pages 18-19.
16 John Trisolini, The Poor You Will Have with You Always, Catholic Publishing House, 2009, page 72.
17 Ibid. Note 13, Page 73.
538

27.7 Page 267

▲back to top
of the teachings of Jesus, and the key to understanding his program. Luke
proclaims that true happiness is found in those who live in poverty and where
the Kingdom of God is to be proclaimed, giving happiness and joy to those
who accept the Good News. Matthew presents true happiness in a slightly
different manner than Luke, and provides a unique perspective among the
evangelists. That is that the environment – that is the culture of the people who
are hearing the proclamation – colours the message according to the specific
situation in which the proclamation is made. To become followers of Christ
means to live in a spirit of true happiness. As we lead our daily lives, and for
blessed and true happiness to increase, Christians need to live zealously and
seriously in order to realize true happiness.
Fr. Jack was impressed for the first time about living seriously in order to
obtain true happiness during his time at the Montclair Teachers College in
New Jersey State.18 He vividly remembered a talk that he had heard during his
years there – on the subject of a truly happy and meaningful life. He recalled
nothing else about that talk, but the reflections on what true happiness really
was all about. When he heard that talk, he was concerned about his future life
direction – whether he should dedicate his life to education or to becoming a
missionary priest. In that talk he heard the precious kernel of the teachings of
Jesus presented in such a clear and meaningful way that it made a deep and
lasting impression on him. In other words, for Fr. Trisolini living a truly happy
life had begun to mean having a sense of mission – and that mission was to
proclaim the Gospel as a poor man. That meant for him that he was on the
18 Op. cit. John Trisolini, Spirituality for priests, religious and dedicated laity, (Week 13) page 75. At
the Montclair Teachers College graduation ceremonies in 1956 the commencement speaker was
U.S. Representative Dean Judd. Representative Judd, noting that they were soon to begin their
professional careers soon, challenged them to teach students as people filled with “true happiness”
– that is that they instill a certain toughness in their students, and lead by the example of their own
true happiness and commitment.
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 539

27.8 Page 268

▲back to top
verge of choosing life as a missionary priest in order to live a faithful life of
service to others.19 The second time he heard the theme of “true happiness”
spoken about what in Rome in 1963, on the eve of the opening of the Second
Vatican Council. Fr. Trisolini was then a seminarian living in Rome. The
person speaking about “true happiness” was Blessed Pope John XXIII.20
How do we read and meditate about and apply “true happiness” to our daily
lives? Cardinal Joseph Cardijin realized that present the Gospel of Christ to
young people that applied only to their personal lives was not sufficient. If a
young person’s conversion to Christian belief is sincere, it must go beyond
the intellectual level and must involve a life of activism. Their conversion
should develop into a commitment to changing their own personal lives, but
beyond that it should lead to a further commitment to help change society for
the good of others. Cardinal Cardijin developed the “Observe-Judge-Act” to
help young people to evaluate themselves and the reality that is around them.
This methodology proved useful in helping evaluate personal and societal
failures as well leading to a reflection on the spirit of poverty in their lives. This
methodology also raised the awareness that each individual, each family and
that each faith community are separate entities from the secular world – and
that secular world does not supply enough to nourish a Gospel-centred life. The
spirit of the Gospel must overflow from personal experience to the family and
religious communities that we are part of. The path to the future is applying
these Gospel experiences beyond us, and to allow our experience to overflow
into society as well, thus becoming a leaven in that society, affecting every
person in society in a diverse but deep ways.
19 Ibid., Note 13, Page 76.
20 Ibid., (Note 13) Page 76. Pope John XXIII received the Balzan Price for his contribution to the
promotion of humanity, when he spoke in a very positive vain about the true happiness of the
Christian in the 20th Century.
540

27.9 Page 269

▲back to top
This living spirit of true happiness is right for our era today. In applying
the Gospel to our own lives, we must learn how to express the good that in
that commitment to others. However, frequently our reflections about what is
happening around us, does not flow over into witness. We constantly forget
that the Holy Spirit is with us, leading us through history. Therefore we must
learn that through our regular reflection on life and what is going on around us,
we must come to reap the benefits of the goodness and grace that is abundantly
present within and around us.21 True happiness is paradoxical. It is the opposite
of the values of the wisdom of this world, and contrary to the common sense
experience of many. Jesus told us that “blessed are the poor in spirit”, and
thus clearly outlines the teachings of Jesus are. These teachings lead us to find
this true happiness or blessedness and it is to be found in poor workers – a
spirituality that can be shared with lay people as well.
The Poor and True Happiness
The relationship between the rich and the poor is a theme that comes often
in the Bible. Who are the poor in the Old Testament? In the Old Testament the
poor are the needy, the people who are hungry yet humble or the anawim ) םיינע(.
This includes the hungry or those who lack the necessities of life, and those
who must beg to survive. Included in these would be the sick and disabled,
the elderly or anyone who depends upon charity. These are ones who can no
longer move their own bodies to support themselves, and survive by the charity
of others.22 Included in the anawim, in the Jewish tradition, are those who
21 In February and March 1990, the Taize community’s Brother Roger Shultz sent a letter through his
brothers to the pilgrim miners in the Silesian region in Poland in which he reflects on the effort to
practice true happiness. Ibid. (Note 13) Pages 80 thru 81.
22 Ibid., (Note 13) Page 83.
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 541

27.10 Page 270

▲back to top
have been denied access to work.23 Concern for the poor and taking specific
measures to alleviate their suffering, became with time an essential element of
the faith-life of the Jews. This is seen in these lines from the fourth chapter of
the book of Tobit:
Set aside part of your goods for alms-giving.
Never turn your face from the poor
and God will never turn his from you.
Measure your alms by what you have;
if you have much, give more;
if you have little, do not be afraid to give less in alms.
So doing, you will lay up for yourself a great treasure
for the day of necessity.
For almsgiving delivers from death
and saves people from passing down to darkness.
Almsgiving is a most effective offering
for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High. (Tobit 4: 7-11)
In the Old Testament those in poverty are at first, those denied the blessings
of God. But as the tradition matured, the poor were no longer considered evil
because of their plight. Finally the prophets taught the Jews about their spiritual
poverty, and further diminished the thought that those in physical poverty
were cursed.24 Jesus taught his disciples about “true happiness” and the way of
achieving justice, showing them a new path of life. We do not achieve justice
23 Included in these would be shepherds, doctors, and washer-people, and butchers, people sick with
infectious diseases (lepers and others with skin diseases), prostitutes, tax collectors and gentiles.
Editor.
24 Ibid., (Note 13) Page 87.
542

28 Pages 271-280

▲back to top

28.1 Page 271

▲back to top
because of what we have done, but because we empty ourselves and become
poor by choice. The person who lives justly is the one who opens their hearts
to the love of God, allowing that love to flow through them. True happiness
is not gained by adhering to the law, but is won by faith. For most the way to
happiness is precisely the opposite meaning. In reality, most people accept
the evil that exists in the world, and normally do not attempt to change the
injustices they find in life. Even knowing that there are many people in this
world who suffer from hunger and disease, and violation of their basic human
rights, they do not move to change reality. Those who follow Jesus, accept the
standards he presents for obtaining true happiness and spiritual blessings. He
has taught us about happiness, so that we will become happier as we live more
just lives.25
IV. Closing Remarks
While presenting his views, Fr. Trisolini was well aware of the numerous
political, social and economic solutions he was suggesting were contrary to
the political effort behind the industrialization and gradual democratization of
Korea. He always presented his insights to the dedicated laity on a professional
level, pondering and reflecting from a biblical perspective and sound theology,
so that they could stand in opposition, with true wisdom fed by the social
doctrine of the church, to the stance of the governing class. In evaluating his
efforts, his commitment at enhancing the spirituality of laity and workers were
consistent with basic pastoral principles.
25 Ibid., (Note 13) Page 105.
Teacher of Catholic Spirituality and Pioneer in the Labour Ministry in Korea: +Fr. John Trisolini 543

28.2 Page 272

▲back to top
When the faithful received training in the bible and doctrine, they often
studied using the writings of biblical scholars and spiritual directors. However,
Fr. Trisolini’s lectures on the bible and theology as well as the spiritual
foundations of the social doctrine of the church that he presented were clear
and much easier to understand. He had an unfailing understanding as a priest
and shepherd about what important about lay spirituality and what was useful
to those whom he lectured to. His spirituality was always based upon the
bible. He believed that in order for the living Word of God on a personal,
societal and ecclesial level to become something almost organically a living
reality, the sense of communality, solidarity and the ethical basis of mutual aid
needed to be clear and concrete when used to consider the various issues being
discussed. He spoke passionately and with great devotion about the preferential
option for the poor – that is consciously choosing to be of service to the most
marginalized in society was a response to the obligation we assume to be
part of God’s work of salvation to be of loving service to the human family –
especially for the working poor and migrant workers and migrant women in
multicultural families with the purpose of improving their human rights.
Above all, Fr. Trisolini’s vocation as a missionary in the Korean Catholic
Church was a sign of God’s grace and love. He was a teacher of spirituality
to Korean clergy and committed laity and the founding father of the labour
ministry in our country. He was a shepherd of God – a voice that cried out in
the desert. Spirituality is not something that is important only to those who
choose to study it, any normal person with some effort on their part, can benefit
from it; as is noted in the last chapter of the regulations “The Working Person”
– Fr. Jack Trisolini was the one who most thoroughly understood and practiced
most precisely this conviction.
544

28.3 Page 273

▲back to top
A list of the Books translated and / or published
by Fr. Jack Trisolini into Korean
1998
·‌E conomic Globalization: Implications for the Church
·‌C os´è la dottrina sociale della Chiesa?
·‌L a Rerum Novarum oggi
·‌D iversi aspetti del concetto di lavoro
·‌M adre Teresa di Calcutta
·‌Instrument of God’s Peace
·‌T he shortcomings of the market
·‌M oral Imperatives for addressing Structural Adjustment and Economic Reform Measures
·‌M ass Unemployment and the Expansion of the Social Safety Net
·‌G lobalization and neo-liberalism and the church
·‌W hen will it end?
·‌C ano Foundation: The Life of Blessed Marcel Gallo, Martyr
·‌S enso del lavoro alla luce della fede cristiana
·‌Il Principio di Sussidiarietà
A list of the Books translated and / or published by Fr. Jack Trisolini into Korean 545

28.4 Page 274

▲back to top
1999
·‌La Solidarietà
·‌P unto centrale dell’etica del lavoro: il fine del lavoro è l’uomo
·‌International Labour Organization (ILO) report on industrial accidents
·‌L a Destinazione Universale dei Beni
·‌R apporto tra dovere di lavorare ed esigenza di liberazione dal lavoro nel <riposo>
·‌F oreign (Philippines) Workers Survey Report
·‌S outh Korea’s labor movement and the Catholic Church’s Involvement
·‌Pope Karol Wojtyla
·‌Il Bene Comune
2000
·‌J ubilee Memorial temporary workers labor survey
·‌W ork for Everyone: The Way of Solidarity and Justice
·‌C atholic Social Teaching and Trade
·‌International Council of Catholic Youth Labor (CIJOC) constitution, the basic principles of
the declaration, bylaws, and other documents related to the International Conference.
·‌C hiesa e movimento operaio: un percorso storico dalle origini al Concilio Vaticano II
·‌B ibbia e lavoro: alienazione e liberazione del lavoro nel messaggio biblico della salvezza
·‌S ocial doctrine and labor: The Church’s social teachings for labor, workers and workers’
solidarity
·‌D ottrina Sociale e lavoro: lavoro, lavoratori e solidarietà dei lavoratori nel Magistero
sociale della Chiesa
546

28.5 Page 275

▲back to top

28.6 Page 276

▲back to top