FATHER PAUL KAJDAN OF SAINT MARY'S DIES
March 19, 1991|By Bill Bond, of The Sentinel Staff.
Father Paul Kajdan had a special way with youngsters. He talked their language. Parishioners Mike and Trudy Johnson tell of the time they invited Father Kajdan, associate pastor at St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church in Eustis, to their home for dinner. The couple's 8-year-old daughter, Julie, wanted to show off her new pet, a goldfish, but she hadn't given the fish a name yet. The mild-mannered priest softly asked Julie if he could see the fish. A few minutes later, she bounded into the dining room and proclaimed, ''I'm naming the goldfish after Father Paul. I'm calling it 'Father Fish.' '' Knowing Father Kajdan the way I did, he probably blessed the fish during the impromptu naming ceremony. The 46-year-old priest died early Monday morning at Florida Manor Nursing Home in Orlando after a long bout with a virus. His parents and the two nuns from St. Mary's - Anne Gargan and Agnes O'Connor - were with him when he died at 5:05 a.m., said Father Antonio Pons, pastor of St. Mary's. ''Father Paul was dedicated and concerned for all needs of the parish, and always gave the best of himself,'' Pons said. ''He was an inspiration for everybody who saw his suffering and how he dealt with it. As a priest and my friend, he will be missed.'' Father Kajdan (pronounced Kay-den) was a caring, conscientious and dedicated clergyman who was ordained into the priesthood for the Diocese of Orlando in 1972, Trudy Johnson said. He became associate pastor at St. Mary's in November 1988. His death ''is just a shame. He was so young and had so much to share and give,'' she said. The Johnsons were pleased to learn the funeral will be at the Eustis church. ''It will give us the opportunity to tell his parents how special their son was to so many people,'' Trudy Johnson said. One of the parish's leaders recalled Monday that Father Kajdan was a perfectionist, and a man of his word. He was a stickler for details when celebrating Mass. ''Everything had to be just so,'' said Richard Donahue, principal at Lakes and Hills School in Eustis. ''Father Paul was one priest who always kept his word,'' Donahue said. ''Whenever he said he would do something, he would do it.'' When Father Kajdan came to Eustis, he told his parishioners he wanted to be part of the community. He often attended parish activities as well as award programs for students. He had been hospitalized in Orange County for several months and was moved to the nursing home about a month ago. Before moving to Eustis, Father Kajdan was assigned as chaplain at Florida Manor. He was working toward a doctorate degree at the University of Florida.
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