Father Roman’s Perseverance Recalled

4-9-10

By LAURA COX

‘God give me the strength to persevere.”
The Rev. Paul Roman, St. Mary’s Catholic Church pastor from 1989 to 2003, used to often say that, and his successor, the Rev. Joseph A. Benintende, repeated it for the benefit of the 200 parishioners who gathered at St. Mary’s Monday, April 5, to reflect on the priest’s accomplishments.
“That’s what all of us ask for, that’s what it’s all about, to dance our dance, sing our song, to be our unique self and to persevere,” he said.  “To go when the Lord calls us home.”
The retired priest, who was also dean of Otsego County’s priests, passed away March 22 after a long illness.  He was 73.
He was appointed to St. Mary’s after serving three churches in Granville. He entered the Mater Christi Seminary in 1962 and studied at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, Yonkers, where he was ordained in 1971.
 “Paul Roman came to Oneonta as a priest to proclaim the Gospel,” Father Benintende said during the homily, “to teach others to live the Gospel message. Live life to best you can in the presence of God. That’s what Paul Roman called the people of St. Mary’s to do… Paul Roman called you to serve God by dancing your own dance, ” said Father Benintende.
During a coffee and cookie reception following the service, many parishioners recalled some of their most memorable moments with Father Roman.
Joe Pondolfino and his wife Meri-K remembered the time when their grandson James was in town from Florida and Father Roman was to baptize the boy, who was 3.
Their granddaughter Heather was standing near when they were discussing the baptism and heard Father Roman whistling.
Being young and not fully grasping religious concepts, Heather said, “I didn’t know God could whistle.” The Pondolfinos and Father Roman got a laugh over this for years.
Additionally the Pondolfinos were grateful to Father Roman for helping them through Meri-K’s conversion to Catholicism and they considered him a good friend.
Another church member, Patricia Lent, had fond memories of the way that Father Roman involved her three children in church services.
“Every service he had a job for them, it made them feel like they had a part and they wanted to be here. They were excited to go to church,” said Lent.
Other parishioners remembered the great effort Father Roman went through to decorate the church on Holidays. A trained florist – he worked in a florist shop at the age of 14, Martie Meadows of Oneonta said – he decorated everything differently each year. A few other parishioners remembered he spoke fluent Polish, he always had his martini with three olives, and if anyone ever needed him, he was always only a phone call away.
“He had a very vibrant and real faith,” said Mary Ann Hartman.