Rev. David Cottingham, C.Ss.R. passed to his eternal reward March 23, 2013. Born on February 14, 1940 in Moose Jaw, son of Albert and Marie Cottingham (nee Diemert) and survived by two sisters; Mary Louise Severson and Carol Ann White. The family moved to Caron, where David attended Caron public school (1946-1952). Since there was not a church in Caron, the Redemptorists, who served the area, celebrated Mass in the Cottingham home.
When the family returned to Moose Jaw in 1952, they attended the Redemptorist parish of St. Joseph’s, where David was an altar server. He attended St. Louis College (1952-1954) and travelled to St. Mary’s College, the Redemptorist juvenate just outside Brockville, ON in September 1954, graduating in June 1959. A month later, he entered the Redemptorist Novitiate in Keswick, ON, professing first vows on August 22, 1960.
Fr. David studied at Holy Redeemer College, Windsor (1960-1964) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in 1963. On June 18, 1966, he was ordained by Archbishop Michael O’Neill in the home parish of St. Joseph’s, Moose Jaw. He continued seminary studies at Mont St. Joseph at Aylmer, Quebec (1964-1967). After earning a bachelor of education from the University of Alberta in 1968, he taught at Holy Redeemer College, Edmonton, (1968-1969) and was a chaplain and teacher at Canadian Forces Base, Edmonton (1970-1972). He was appointed vocation director (1973-1975) for the Edmonton Province.
In 1975, he was asked to join a new mission preaching team, on which he served for almost 25 years (1975-1984, 1991-1998 and 2002-2010), travelling to parishes across Western Canada. Fr. David was a true son of the prairies and felt most at home with the flat earth and open skies. He observed that, “there’s an unhurried, patient quality about a prairie spirituality.”
Between appointments to the mission team, Fr. David obtained a Masters of Arts degree in spirituality (1985) at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and served as director of formation and the novitiate in Edmonton (1985-1991). His warm smile and his gentle heart made him a compassionate channel of the Good News of Jesus, in his preaching and in a very powerful way as a confessor and counsellor. In 1999, he returned to his home parish of St. Joseph’s as the last Redemptorist pastor. The order left the parish in 2002.
Based in St. Mary’s parish, Saskatoon, he returned to preaching missions until retirement. Among the Redemptorists, there are only a few who were seen as "giants" in their preaching of Parish Missions. Fr. David can be counted among those who were gifted to move people to a conversion of heart by his preaching.
Close to his death, he shared with his old mission partner, Bob Williston, that there is only one thing more he'd like to do before going to heaven; to go and preach some missions once again.
Vigil prayers for Fr. David will be on Tuesday, March 26 at 7pm with Mass of Christian burial on Wednesday, March 27 at 10:30am. Both celebrations take place at St. Mary’s parish, 211 Avenue O South, Saskatoon.
In memory of Fr. David, donations to the St. Mary’s Parish Nurse Program will be gratefully accepted. Condolences may be emailed to mail@westwoodfuneralchapel.com Arrangements are entrusted to WESTWOOD FUNERAL CHAPEL, (306) 653-3434.