After a fully creative and fulfilling life, Paul Harris died on May 19, 2026, at age 99. He was predeceased by his parents Eleanor and Jack, his brother Jim and sister Mary Louise. He is survived by three children: Noëlle (Sean), Catherine (Ivan) and Martin, his three grandchildren, Matthew (Stephanie), Brissa and Sofia and a brother David (Patricia). Paul was descended, on his mother’s side, from a United Empire loyalist who fled the United States during the American Revolution and settled in Canada. On his father's side he was descended from the Catholic Harris family, who emigrated from Worcester, England to Canada in 1818.

Paul had a long and distinguished career in journalism, teaching, and public affairs. In retirement, he was an author and devoted teacher in the global community of Christian meditation. Born in Philadelphia in 1926, he attended Saint Michael’s College in Toronto and Holy Cross College in the USA. He began his journalism career in the 1950’s as a reporter in the sports department of the Toronto Globe and Mail. He was executive Director of the Catholic Information Centre in Toronto from 1960 to 1967, then shortly after his term, joined the federal Department of Manpower and Immigration.

In 1968, Paul began teaching an evening public relations course at Ottawa’s Algonquin College, supporting over 900 aspiring PR students who graduated from his classes over a 20-year span. In addition, Paul served for many years as Director of the Canadian Public Relations Society, receiving numerous awards for his work. For 25 years he reviewed books and films professionally, and edited the publication “The Canadian Book, Film and Record Review”. He was also the editor of “Brief to the Bishops”, a critique of Canadian Catholicism, and authored a genealogical history of the Harris family.

His early retirement from the public service in 1988 led to a dramatic change in the direction of his life and opened up an entirely new line of work. He had accidentally stumbled, as he put it, upon the daily spiritual practice of Christian meditation as taught by the late Benedictine monk John Main. He subsequently wrote about and lectured on this prayer tradition, travelling throughout Canada and the world for his teaching. From 1988 to 1989 he was Director of the Christian Meditation Centre in London, England. Following this, he was a coordinator for 230 meditation groups, including at Ottawa’s Saint Patrick’s Basilica, and in his own home. He wrote extensively on the subject, with articles published in both religious and secular publications, and he authored and edited nine books on Christian meditation and contemplative prayer.

Family was important to Paul, and he hosted or attended family Sunday suppers nearly every week of the year. He spent summers at his beloved cottage near Combermere and took great pleasure in swimming and playing frisbee in the lake. At the end of his life, a painting of his cottage in his room at Lord Lansdowne was a frequent talking point. He was well taken care of by the staff of Lord Lansdowne and other support workers, who were a great help to Paul’s family members in attending to his needs at the end of his life. Paul died peacefully in his sleep with his family at his bedside.

In honour of Paul’s 100th birthday, the funeral mass will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, August 31, 2026, at Saint Patrick’s Basilica, 200 Kent Street, Ottawa, Ontario, with a reception to follow. The burial of Paul’s ashes will take place in the Canadian Martyrs Cemetery in Combermere, Ontario. Donations can be made to the Helping With Furniture at info@hwfottawa.org.