Paul Edward Scanlon

January 22, 1933 - November 19, 2015 Fr. Paul Edward Scanlon, O.P., died in Los Angeles on November 19, 2015. He was born on January 22, 1933, in Detroit MI, the only child of Mervin and Mary Ann Smithbauer Scanlon, whose great faith laid the foundation for his lifelong friendship with Jesus. After college at St. Mary's in Moraga, CA, he entered the Dominican Order, receiving the habit on August 14, 1952. He was ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco on June 12, 1959. Fr. Paul served in parishes, campus ministries and as a missionary in Mexico. He spent forty years in leadership, helping to form and guide his fellow Dominicans. In 1969, at 36, he was elected Provincial, serving for eight years. Under his leadership, the Province opened new ministries up and down the West coast. Realizing his dream of being a missionary, he became pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary in Mexicali, Mexico, an experience that heightened his interest in social justice. He was pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Eagle Rock, where he developed a love for the Filipino community; he then served at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage. He spent a year at St. Christopher by the Sea in Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, 850 miles west of Anchorage in the Aleutian Islands, writing his book, Finding the Elusive God, committing his experiences and contemplative heart to paper. Among his last words were, "I give thanks to the Lord for His faithful friendship despite my own frailties; for the joy of preaching and for the gift of having ministered alongside marvelous Dominican Brothers and Sisters." The Vigil will be at 7:30pm on Monday, November 30, and the Funeral Mass at 10am on Tuesday, December 1, both at St. Dominic Church in Eagle Rock. In memory of Fr. Paul, donations may be made to opwest.org/frpaulmemorial for the education of future priests of the Western Dominican Province.