Eulogy for Fr. Paul
It is my opinion that you can tell the holiness in a person by the love they show in what they teach you and the durability of what they teach you, both as an individual and when you are part of a group.
Fr. Paul, born John Michael Kidner, was an exceptionally holy man.
My first lesson from Fr. Paul was in a group called the Priory Cross Country team. We were a reluctant crowd, and rightfully so, after classes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Who in their right mind would want to then round out the school day with a 3- to 10-mile run across hills and roads?
Fr. Paul always insisted we start the gym class with 20 sit-ups, 20 jumping jacks, and so on. This discipline of warming up for any exercise or physical work was the pearl for preventing injuries for the rest of our lives. We named it the Father Paul 20.
The second time I encountered Fr. Paul was in another group, math class in the Upper School. The lessons he taught at this time weren’t Algebra, Geometry or Calculus, which became fuzzy or forgotten after the last exam. It was “Enjoy whatever work you do in life.” That was why he happily persisted in teaching math for more than 40 years.
“Be prepared.” His lectures were always up to date, organized and just the right amount of new information per class.
“Know who you are talking to.” From the smartest student to the less interested students, he presented and paced his information so thoroughly that everyone could understand the concepts and logic inherent in the math presented.
“Do the math homework.” The teaching point here was that you don’t know anything about what I taught you in class or life until you experience the logic and precision in mathematics and the ups and downs in life.
The third group where I learned something from Fr. Paul was the two-month European tour during the summer of 1970. Fifteen Priory students, Mr. Cook and alumnus John Daake were led across Europe for two months by Fr. Paul.
As the rules of his Order of St. Benedict required, Father needed to say or attend Mass every day. On a rotating basis he would select a student to go with him to a nearby Catholic church and start and finish Mass in 10-15 minutes.
The only other person who had ever asked this of me was my mother. Mom taught me it was okay to go anytime. Fr. Paul taught me to want to go to Mass anytime, even daily.
The fourth encounter with Fr. Paul was as his physician. Together we faced serious illnesses.
He always brought his bookbag, full of prior tests, a med list, stories about his travels and his dry sense of humor.
The lesson here: take care of yourself physically, mentally and, of course, spiritually.
I went to Father Paul’s funeral Mass. Abbot Gregory gave an excellent eulogy. He was spot on with a description of Fr. Paul as a person with an always happy, innocent, positive attitude. I believe Fr. Paul drew upon his understanding of math and engineering. Their symmetry, precision, indeed beauty, gave him an unshakable faith in God and Jesus’s truth. That is why he could handle stress and problems to a pleasant and successful conclusion.
I shall miss Fr. Paul as much as I miss my parents, Fr. Timothy, and Fr. Luke, because these are the people in my past who believed in me to always try to be good and do good.
Thank you, Father Paul.