Fr. Daniel McCotter, CSP
(1944-2026)
With great sadness, our former beloved pastor, Fr. Daniel has passed away on Monday afternoon, 2026 March 16th. He was at the Cedarhurst of Arnold, a care facility in Arnold, Missouri.
He was assigned as director of the Chinese Mission on February 1984 and served until August 2010. At that time, Old St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Chinese Mission was merged and Fr. Daniel was made pastor of the combined ministries until September 2014. On July 2018, he retired at Old St. Mary’s in Chicago to be near his family.
Being a Christian Brother before coming a Paulist, he had an affection towards Catholic education, and was instrumental in keeping St. Mary’s Catholic School going despite the 1989 earthquake closing the Stockton school building. He spearheaded the building of a brand new school building on Kearny Street that is now home for St. Mary’s Chinese Language and Cultural School.
Fr. Daniel is remembered for his dedication to the Chinese community and the quality education provided for the children of Chinatown and beyond. From his experience as a religious with the Christian Brothers, he promoted a rich and joyful community life environment to the Paulists living in San Francisco. He was also a culinary chef and provided many fine meals in the rectory for Paulists and friends.
Funeral Arrangements
8am (Pacific Time), Saturday, March 21, 2026
St. James the Greater Church, St. Louis, MO
Visitation at 9am
Mass of Resurrection at 10:00am
(8am Pacific Time)
Fr. René Constanza, CSP is the presider.
Fr. Jerry Tully, CSP is the homilist.
Reception/Luncheon to follow hosted by McCotter family
Monday, March 23, 2026
Burial at Christian Brothers Cemetery
Glencoe, IL
Fr. John Ardis, CSP is the presider.
Memorial Mass
for Fr. Daniel McCotter, CSP
11am, Saturday, 2026 June 20th
Our beloved former director of the Chinese Mission and pastor of Old St. Mary’s Cathedral has passed away in Illinois on March 16, 2026. He was a Paulist priest for 44 years and prior to the Paulists, he was a Christian Brother.
He is remembered for his years of dedication to St. Mary’s Chinese School on Stockton Street. Education from his Christian Brother days never left his heart. With the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake making the original school unsafe for children, through years of effort, he with wonderful St. Mary’s benefactors coordinated the building of a new St. Mary’s Chinese School building on Kearny. He then moved the school from a temporary church site to the new building. He also was instrumental in the merging of Old St. Mary’s Cathedral parish with Holy Family and Chinese Mission.
Everyone is invited to join us for a Memorial Mass in honor of Fr. Daniel as we give thanks to God for the gift of his life for the Church and send up our prayers for him. This will be at 11am on Saturday, June 20th. It will be followed by a luncheon reception.
