Meet Our Own: Father Paul Golden, CM

As director of Vincentian Canonical Services, Father Paul Golden, CM, is called upon to answer many questions about the Church’s laws and rules concerning religious life, the rights of Church members, the administration of sacraments, the buying and selling of Church property, and judicial processes. In fact, Father Golden is a Church lawyer.

Fr. Golden is an expert in canon law, the norms that govern the life of the Church. He describes canon law as the practical expression of the Church’s understanding of itself. “The main difference between Church and civil law is that the purpose of Church law is to guide and support the people of God in fulfilling their destiny – that is, life with God,” Fr. Golden says.

His canonical ministry has three thrusts: consulting, advocacy, and education. He is the canonical consultant for the Southern, Western, and Mid west Provinces, as well as for other religious communities and dioceses. In this role, he advises on canonical issues about membership, temporal goods, sponsorship, rights, and other topics. As an advocate, he represents and counsels clerics and religious women accused of misconduct. Fr. Golden also teaches and writes extensively, reaching both lay and religious audiences.

He began preparing for his canonical ministry shortly after his ordination in 1965. He was sent to Rome, Italy, where he earned his Licentiate in Canon Law from Gregorian Univer sity and Doctor of Canon Law from St. Thomas University.

The knowledge he gained has served as the basis for many academic appointments at various seminaries and universities, including the University of Dayton, (Ohio); St. Mary’s University (Minne sota); Aquinas Insti tute of Theology (Missouri); Regis University (Colorado); Loyola Univer sity (Louisiana); DePaul Univer sity (Illinois); and others.

After serving as President-Rector of St. Thomas Theological Seminary in Denver, Fr. Golden also served in academic and administrative capacities at two of the three American Vincen tian universities: DePaul University and Niagara University, where his academic career culminated with a stint as president from 1995 to 1999. The following year, he moved to DePaul House in Denver and began his consulting ministry.

Although Fr. Golden did not set out to become a canonical expert, in retrospect his Vincentian service seems like a natural progression of experience, abilities and talents.

So, too, was his decision to enter the Vincentian community. “I didn’t have a great epiphany about being a priest. I just took one step at a time, and at some point, it became clear that God was calling me to this life,” he says.

The first step involved a beloved family friend, Father Paul Lloyd, CM, and “a slow boat to China”, Fr. Golden laughs. “My father was a doctor at a hospital run by the Daughters of Charity in San Francisco,” he explains. “At that time, in the 1930s and 40s, the Vincentians had a strong mission to China. My father met many Vincentians passing through San Francisco, giving them vaccinations and tending to their medical needs. The boats to China were irregular, so these Vincentian priests frequently stayed with us while they were waiting,” he says.

Father Lloyd became a special family friend and eventually the namesake for Fr. Paul Lloyd Golden when he baptized the newborn. After Fr. Golden’s brother decided to attend the high school seminary in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Fr. Lloyd offered to bring 13-year-old Paul for a visit and a look at seminary school. “It was a long way from home, but I wanted to do it and my parents supported it,” says Fr. Golden. “At each opportunity, I took the next step toward Vincentian life. It was a natural evolution.”

Since that earlier time, “every thing has changed: the Church, the world and the Vincentians. But the Vincentian mission and charism has not changed: the need to serve the poor and to form the clergy,” says Fr. Golden.

“My work is about the education and formation of both clergy and laity. We achieve our purpose when we help in their formation and lead them to a fuller participation in the evangelization of the poor.

“When I am teaching a class, I realize I am helping to shape the Church of the future. I am amazed and delighted at the commitment and dedication I see in my students. I leave class greatly encouraged that our Church is in good hands.”