1902 – 1964 (July 30)
Peter Joseph Paul was born in Astoria, Long Island, New York on February 5, 1902, the son of Joseph Paul and Rose Hofman. He received his early education at Cathedral College in New York. In September 1922, he entered Saint Rita’s Hall in Villanova, Pennsylvania, as a postulant to begin the third year of college. He was accepted into the novitiate on October 10, 1923, and made his simple profession of vows on October 12, 1924. He wass solemnly professed on May 25, 1927, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1927 in the Cathedral in Philadelphia by Bishop Michael Crane, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. He obtained his M.A. in History from the Catholic University of America in 1928.
For several months in 1928, Father Paul was sub-master at the novitiate in New Hamburg, N.Y. In 1929, he was assigned to Saint Rita’s High School in Chicago, Illinois, where he lived while he worked on his Ph.D. in history at Chicago University. From 1947 to 1951, he was Professor of History at Villanova University. He later served at Saint Thomas Parish, Ojai, California from 1955 to 1956.
Father Paul was appointed prior of Augustinian Academy on Staten Island, N.Y in 1956. From 1959 until his death he was prior and pastor at Our Lady of Angels in Jacksonville, Florida He died on July 30, 1964 at the age of 62. Prior Provincial James Donnellon, O.S.A., was celebrant of his Funeral Mass at Villanova. Father Robert Regan, O.S.A. was homilist. Father Paul is buried at Villanova in the Community Cemetery.
