Mr. Speaker, the entire Catholic community in the Ottawa-Carleton region is in mourning today at the death of Father David John Corkery.
While he has been honoured for his significant contributions to the church, to many of us, for most of our adult lives, he was simply Father Corkery.
Those who served mass at his altar when he was first ordained remember that he could never be rushed, because for him each celebration of the mass was an important expression of his faith.
Throughout his life among us he was truly a saintly, humble and gentle man. We say farewell to him with a deep sense of personal loss and extend to his family, friends and parishioners our deepest sympathy.