A funeral Mass for Marianist Father David Paul was celebrated March 11 at Our Lady of the Pillar Church in Creve Coeur.
Father Paul, 78, died Feb. 22 at a Marianist health care facility in Cupertino, Calif. Father Paul was an educator, school administrator and fundraiser.
Born in St. Louis, he attended St. Mary's High School, where he was taught by Marianist brothers and priests. He entered the Marianist novitiate and professed first vows in 1957. He earned a bachelor's degree in English at St. Mary's University in San Antonio in 1960 and began teaching that fall at McBride High School in St. Louis. He professed perpetual vows in 1961.
In his early years of ministry, Father Paul taught at Marianist high schools in Texas. He entered the seminary to study for the priesthood in 1966. He earned master's degrees in theology and divinity from St. Louis University and was ordained in 1970. He then served at a Marianist high school in Omaha, Neb., and in the early 1980s was president of St. Mary's University in San Antonio.
Beginning in 1985, Father Paul attended Creighton University in Omaha, earning a law degree in 1988. He then was associate dean of the Creighton Law School for the following four years. Father Paul returned briefly to secondary education in Fort Worth, Texas.
Beginning in 1995, Father Paul worked for St. Michael's Center in St. Louis. He served in administrative and fundraising roles and was successful in obtaining grants and donations for a major building project. From 1999 until 2016, Father Paul promoted Marianist ministries in developing countries. He was a passionate fundraiser whose efforts yielded significant funds for Marianist ministries in India and Eastern Africa. In his final years, Father Paul continued his ministry as best he could, despite battling cancer and Parkinson's disease. In late 2016, he moved to a Marianist health care facility in Cupertino.
Survivors include a brother, Dr. Glen Paul, and a sister, Dominican Sister Barbara Paul, both of St. Louis. Burial was at Maryhurst Cemetery on the grounds of St. John Vianney High School.