[The Calling] Deaf priest calls out scant teachings about deaf people

Ordained Asia’s first-ever deaf Catholic priest in July 2007 at the age of 39, Father Park Min-seo is a trailblazer.

Park reached another milestone in May, earning a doctor of ministry with a dissertation on how the Korean Catholic Church could better serve deaf Catholics. He worked on his dissertation while serving a three-year term as a chaplain at St. Francis of Assisi Deaf Church in Maryland. The Archdiocese of Washington had asked the Archdiocese of Seoul to dispatch Park, who is proficient in two languages -- Korean Sign Language and American Sign Language.

In a written interview with The Korea Herald upon returning home Saturday, Park discussed his long-held conviction of “respecting differences to bring down discrimination.”

“Unlike Korea, American elementary, middle and high schools teach about the deaf and sign language, from what I gather. That helps people understand the deaf better, look at them more positively and respect them,” Park said, drawing on his 10 years in the US where he earned his master’s degree in divinity in 2004. He was ordained in 2007 by the Archdiocese of Seoul.

Park lost his hearing at two while being treated for measles and his disability was the reason he sought higher education in the US for priesthood, a path counseled by Father Thomas Coughlin, the first deaf priest in the US.

“Korea is known for its hyper-competitive college admissions race, which overlooks character-building. School textbooks rarely deal with deaf people, Korean Sign Language or Deaf culture,” Park said. “I have often come across curious eyes trying to make sense of what’s happening when they see the deaf communicating in sign language,” he added.

“That could change if schools started teaching about the deaf and their culture,” Park continued.

Churches in the meanwhile should rethink the way they deal with deaf Catholics, sparing them blind help and support, according to the 56-year-old priest.

“The deaf should be able to enjoy all the privileges afforded to ordinary Catholics and churches should level the playing field if that isn’t the case,” Park said, alluding to his doctoral dissertation at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. The dissertation, entitled “Ephphatha! Deaf Church Responds to Synod on Synodality,” studies empowering the deaf to more proactively pursue their faith.

Park said he still feels taken aback revisiting his high school memories. No Catholic priests had homilies delivered in sign language, a contrast to sermons prepared by Protestant ministers.

Day after day, Park prayed.

Then came the calling.

“It’s God who decides who gets to be a priest,” Park said, adding, albeit cautiously, “I had felt the calling. I’m not yet made completely aware of how I’m to be used for what exact purpose.”

Park surmises his mission involves helping deaf Catholics find inner peace, starting with homilies that he says should be more anecdotal and less abstract in conveying messages to navigate the word of God. To some extent, Park has already demonstrated competence in this aspect.

Ephatha, the first-ever deaf-exclusive parish under the Archdiocese of Seoul, opened in Seongdong-gu in August 2019. It was a culmination of Park’s eight-year effort to do right by the deaf faithful. For a year after the opening, Park served as the parish priest.

“Impossible becomes possible if God intends it,” Park said of the six-story building that can seat up to 300 congregants, who all have an unobstructed view of the priest on the pulpit. Elimination of blind spots that hamper seeing sign language and facial expressions had been long petitioned for by deaf followers.

Starting Aug. 27, Park will report directly to Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick on matters related to advancing the broader interests of Catholics with disabilities.

“I will have to give it more thought,” Park said of the plan to come.

This article is the second in a series of interviews with religious figures, exploring their lives of spiritual calling. -- Ed.