signed Min-Seo Park, 39, a Deaf man ordained a priest July 6, 2007.

Park's comments came during a press conference in Seoul, on Monday

June 25.

"I am to become a priest after much hardship thanks to so much love

from my parents and the Lord. From now on, I too shall live for those in need

and serve them for the rest of my life." Once ordained, he became the first

physically challenged priest in Asia, joining 14 others worldwide.

Park, born in South Korea, lost his hearing at age two due to medicinal side effects.

His father was a military officer constantly assigned to various posts. Consequently, Park

missed chances to study at schools for the deaf and had to mix with ordinary kids who teased

him mercilessly. "You have no hope," he remembers reading from the lips of class bullies.

His parents cried bitterly when their son was obliged to attend Seoul National School

for the Deaf instead of ordinary high school. Park, on the other hand, felt like he had gone to heaven, having finally found a place where he could fit in.

He became close to an art teacher who was also deaf. Touched by this man's faith in Christ, he too was christened a Catholic. His parents and sister soon followed suit. It was the start of his dream to become a priest and serve others.

He majored in industrial design at college and got a job doing backgrounds for animation the following year. He still hadn't completely given up his dream of priesthood and felt out of place with his work. He settled for doing volunteer work at Seoul Catholic Association for the Deaf.

Father Jeong Soon-o, 54, the priest at Sundong Catholic Church, sympathized with Park and interpreted sign language for him. Jeong had parents who were deaf. It was he who suggested Park study in the United States. He sent a letter to Father Thomas Coughlin, the first deaf Catholic priest in North America, to ask for advice and assistance. Kim Sou-hwan, 80, Korea's first cardinal also sent encouraging words to help Park realize his dream.

Park took off to the States in August 1994 and then began his grueling journey abroad. After majoring in math and philosophy at Gallaudet University, a school for deaf, he entered St. Joseph's Seminary in New York in 1999.

"I studied English sign language just like any foreigner would start with ABC. There is over 90 percent difference from Korean sign language," Park explained, adding how he had to hire part-time typist to type his words at the time.

Then a year later, Cardinal John J. O'Connor,, New York's archbishop, who was interested in training deaf priests passed away. St. Joseph's seminary closed down the program for deaf trainees shortly after.

"I thought my world had come to an end after receiving the notice to leave the school," Park recalled. Father Coughlin was again there to help. He, after much contact, helped Park transfer to a graduate school at St. John's University. The new seminary, also in New York, aided him with two professional sign language interpreters and a typist. Father Jeong provided money for most of his school expenses."

He became a top student there, representing the class to receive his master's degree directly from the dean. All in all, it took him 10 years to finish his studies abroad.

He returned home in 2004 to study at Catholic University in Seoul for two and a half years. He was ordained a deacon in July, 2006. "Last year, my father passed away just a day before my ordination. It made me realize I'm nothing without the love of the Lord."

"My gratitude goes to so many out there who helped me along the way. I wouldn't have come this far if it weren't for them. All the credit goes to the Lord. I wish to help the 300,000 disabled in this country from now on. I hope people see how much God loves the disabled, through me."