Very Reverend Paul Kidner, O.S.B., monk of the Abbey of Saint Mary and Saint Louis and second headmaster of Saint Louis Priory School, died peacefully at the Abbey on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Born John Michael Kidner on Aug. 17, 1931, in Oswestry in the west of England, he attended Ampleforth College from 1943 to 1949 and Brasenose College in Oxford from 1949 to 1952, earning a degree in civil engineering. He entered the monastery at Ampleforth and made his simple profession as a monk on Sept. 22, 1953. He studied theology at the Collegio Sant’ Anselmo in Rome from 1955 to 1959 and was ordained a priest on July 20, 1958. Immediately upon receiving his licentiate in sacred theology he was sent to Ampleforth’s recently founded Priory in St. Louis, where he taught mathematics and theology and coached several sports, some of which were quite new to him.
Not a man of many words, Father Paul was a careful, precise and patient teacher under whom many students attained highest scores in the Advanced Placement Examinations in Calculus. He was calmly able to tease and be teased by students and younger monks. In 1973 when the Priory was granted independence form Ampleforth, he elected to cast in his lot with the young foundation, a commitment that would be confirmed when he became an American citizen twenty years later. In 1974 he succeeded the founding headmaster of the Priory School, Father Timothy Horner, as second headmaster, a position he held until 1983. From that year until his retirement from the School, Father Paul served as Associate Director of College Counseling, spending much time and effort helping each student find the right fit for his further education. When the Priory was raised to the status of Abbey in 1989, he was appointed by Abbot Luke Rigby to the office of Claustral Prior, responsible for the day-to-day running of the monastery. He was meticulous in making out weekly schedules, keeping close watch over Abbey finances, and never seeming to be flustered by contretemps. He was likewise meticulous in observance of prayer and the monastic routine. Father Paul’s many contributions to the Abbey and School were recognized by the English Benedictine Congregation in 2004 when the title of Cathedral Prior of Peterborough was conferred on him.
Father Paul celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood in 2008 and continued teaching until his retirement in 2014 at the age of 82. That year he was honored with the Luke Rigby Award for outstanding service to Saint Louis Abbey. One alumnus summed up well his contribution to the institution: “Truly a big part of Priory history. Remembered everyone, with anecdotes of their foibles. Math whiz, sports coach, face to the world....” Early in his teaching career, he began leading groups of boys on trips to Europe and frequently conducted float trips with students on the various rivers of the Ozarks. In later years he developed a fondness for Alaska, where he spent time in the summer with alumnus friends. In 2018 he celebrated 60 years as a priest. A few months later he was diagnosed with colon cancer, for which he was operated on in February 2019. He endured patiently the many complications following this surgery and after a brief recovery was found in early 2020 to have a recurrence of the disease for which there was no treatment. He died only 12 hours after returning to the monastery and being admitted into hospice care.
If there was a watchword that would characterize Father Paul’s life it would be service. He often preached on the theme and was a living example of it. Not given to rhetoric, he preached homilies that were succinct and always pointed and based on a solid theology. In Rome, he came under the influence of Father Cyprian Vagaggini, O.S.B., a leader in the midcentury liturgical renewal of the Church. From Oscar Cullmann he learned that the Church lives in the between-time between the “already accomplished” and the “not yet fulfilled,” a tension expressed in every liturgy. A typical English Benedictine monk, he did not speak often of the spiritual life, but the Scriptural citation on his ordination card revealed the source of his strength: “In the world you will have trouble, but be brave, I have conquered the world.” Another glimpse into his spiritual life came in the first talk he gave to the faculty as headmaster, in which he said the main duty of the teacher with respect to the boys was “to love them.” This he did with steady commitment and without fuss for nearly six decades.
Two of his maxims well expressed his character. “If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” He was meticulous in carrying out each of his many responsibilities. He gave a rare glimpse into the source of his strength in a homily to the school in which he said simply, “The saints are those who let God help them.”We believe that as he passed from this life he heard the words of his Savior, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter the joy of your master.”
Services: The body will be received at Saint Louis Abbey, 500 S. Mason Road, Creve Coeur, at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31. An all-night vigil of silent prayer will be kept with the body in the Church. Those wishing to pay their respects are welcome from 6 p.m. until the funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. Burial will be in the Abbey cemetery and will be followed by a reception in the monastery.
Memorial contributions for Father Paul may be made to Saint Louis Priory School. They will support both the College Counseling portion of the Sharing the Promise campaign and the Father Paul Kidner Chair of Mathematics, both areas of the school where he made great impact on Priory students. Send contributions to: Saint Louis Priory School Office of Advancement, 500 S. Mason Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63141, or visit www.priory.org/give. For more information or to make a gift over the phone, please contact the Advancement Office at 314.434.3690 ext. 325.