If Paddy Kearney's death 2 years ago was like us losing our father, the passing of Mgr Paul Nadal means we have lost a beloved - and mischievous - uncle!
Paul was born on 14 June 1934 and died on 21 January 2021.
Paul was a pillar of the Church in Durban and, with 61 years of priestly service, the most senior member of clergy in the Archdiocese. We have a photo of the 8-year-old Paul with young Fr Hurley at St Henry’s Marist College in 1940 and their lives remained intertwined.
Paul worked very closely with the Archbishop implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. His particular passion was for adult formation – ensuring that Catholics continued to learn about their faith long after they had left school. He also taught future priests and Bishop Sylvester David OMI (who was the Cardinal’s Vicar General) recalls Paul teaching him History of Philosophy at Cedara: "He had the unusual ability of making the technical jargon of philosophy understandable to undergraduate students.”
As Hurley’s Vicar-General from 1983 to 1994, Paul was effectively the bishop’s deputy and many were disappointed that Paul was not given the honour of being an Auxiliary Bishop, or even becoming Hurley’s successor. But the traditional title ‘Monsignor’ certainly expressed the esteem in which he was held.
It was entirely fitting that Paul should want to help set up the Denis Hurley Centre and he certainly went the extra mile, or rather 250 miles! Paul was a great sportsman having run six Comrades Marathons (in his 50s) and cycled the Cape Argus twice. Aged 81, he walked the Camino Santo in Spain and raised thousands of Rand for the DHC. Paul also served as a Trustee for 8 years; as a Patron, he led the launch of both the Centenary Club and (with Bishop Rubin) the Paddy Kearney Legacy Fund.
As recently as last month, he helped us by mentoring the young seminarians who were volunteering at the DHC: a white priest in his late 80s connecting enthusiastically with 3 Zulu men in their early 20s! He is memorialised at the DHC in the Nadal Garden Terrace which includes a crucifix from Spain that he donated.
Paul died from COVID on 21 January at home in his favourite chair having avoided the trauma of hospitalisation. And, as he told close friends in the days immediately before, he was 'ready to go'. While we will miss him hugely, we can only imagine the reunion of Paul, Paddy and Hurley rejoicing in heaven and – we are sure – praying for us.
The following links can help us remember and mourn him.
E-mail us if you would like participate.