Monday, December 22, 2003

Father Bill O’Donnell, Pastor of Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Berkeley January 1 1930 to December 8, 2003. by Richard Bermack Father Bill O’Donnell, the blue jean priest of Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Berkeley, was described as someone who could never say no to joining a picket line, supporting a boycott, or going to jail for a good cause. He was arrested over 220 times for civil disobedience. California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski described the experience of being arrested with Father Bill demonstrating in front of a Wal-Mart, a week before his death. They were sitting with their arms linked, and as the riot squad approached, smacking their batons against their black leather gloves, the 72-year-old priest began taunting them. “What are you doing? You’re going to get us in trouble,” Pulaski pleaded. Father Bill elbowed him in the ribs and said, “Buddy, you’re already in trouble. Let’s have some fun.” And then he started dressing down the police: “That was a pretty ragged march. I want you guys to go back and do it again,” he ordered them. “I realized he was letting the union members know they didn’t have to be intimidated,” Pulaski stated. Teamster Western Region Vice-President Chuck Mack recalled Father Bill approaching him during the jurisdictional conflict between the Teamsters and the United Farm Workers union in the early 1970s. “He actually convinced Local 70 to back the UFW,” Mack told the audience. “When they consider sainthood for Father Bill, I’ll testify that I saw him perform a miracle.” Father Bill was known as a person who never hesitated to speak truth to power. Shortly before his death, he served six months in jail for attempting to close down the U.S. military’s School of the Americas. During the sentencing, he looked the judge straight in the eye and told him that he was “pimping for the Pentagon.” Other speakers at the memorial included Dolores Huerta, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and the President of the United States, Martin Sheen. His pine casket was carried by a delegation of the UFW, to the cemetery where he was buried in the popper's section. Film maker Mary Joe McConahay, who is working a on a film about Father Bill, recalls as they were saying their last words, being distracted by chants of demonstrators picketing a Safeway several hundred yards down the hill. Something caught her eye, one of the picketers gave her a wink as the line made it's turn. "Oh my God, I swear it was Father Bill." 11:28:45 AM    comment []

Father Bill O’Donnell, Pastor of Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Berkeley January 1 1930 to December 8, 2003. by Richard Bermack Father Bill O’Donnell, the blue jean priest of Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Berkeley, was described as someone who could never say no to joining a picket line, supporting a boycott, or going to jail for a good cause. He was arrested over 220 times for civil disobedience. California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski described the experience of being arrested with Father Bill demonstrating in front of a Wal-Mart, a week before his death. They were sitting with their arms linked, and as the riot squad approached, smacking their batons against their black leather gloves, the 72-year-old priest began taunting them. “What are you doing? You’re going to get us in trouble,” Pulaski pleaded. Father Bill elbowed him in the ribs and said, “Buddy, you’re already in trouble. Let’s have some fun.” And then he started dressing down the police: “That was a pretty ragged march. I want you guys to go back and do it again,” he ordered them. “I realized he was letting the union members know they didn’t have to be intimidated,” Pulaski stated. Teamster Western Region Vice-President Chuck Mack recalled Father Bill approaching him during the jurisdictional conflict between the Teamsters and the United Farm Workers union in the early 1970s. “He actually convinced Local 70 to back the UFW,” Mack told the audience. “When they consider sainthood for Father Bill, I’ll testify that I saw him perform a miracle.” Father Bill was known as a person who never hesitated to speak truth to power. Shortly before his death, he served six months in jail for attempting to close down the U.S. military’s School of the Americas. During the sentencing, he looked the judge straight in the eye and told him that he was “pimping for the Pentagon.” Other speakers at the memorial included Dolores Huerta, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and the President of the United States, Martin Sheen. His pine casket was carried by a delegation of the UFW, to the cemetery where he was buried in the popper's section. Film maker Mary Joe McConahay, who is working a on a film about Father Bill, recalls as they were saying their last words, being distracted by chants of demonstrators picketing a Safeway several hundred yards down the hill. Something caught her eye, one of the picketers gave her a wink as the line made it's turn. "Oh my God, I swear it was Father Bill." 11:28:30 AM    comment []

Copyright 2004 Lincoln Cushing