Father George G. Cotter, one of four children of George and Helen Brennan Cotter, was born in Orange, New Jersey, on November 22, 1929. His early education was at Our Lady of Lourdes grammar school and West Orange High School. After working with his father for two years, he entered Maryknoll in 1950 and was ordained on June 11, 1960.

Father Cotter was assigned to the Africa Region and worked in the Gula and Ndoleleji parishes in the Shinyanga Diocese of Tanzania. In 1972 he returned to the United States for home leave and studies in theology and on January 1, 1973 was assigned to the Central America Region and after language studies in Cochabamba, began work in Guatemala and El Salvador. On April 1, 1974, Father Cotter was assigned to the United States Region and on May 1, 1974 was assigned to the Mission Research and Planning Department and worked for a time at the International Liaison in New Jersey. 

In the fall of 1977, Father Cotter, working under MRPD, established the Mission Project Service, which was designed to help fund Third World church workers in urban and rural community projects. One of the results of the Mission Project Service was a booklet that outlined the steps necessary to successfully obtain mission funding. In November 1981, he was assigned to the Justice and Peace Office at Maryknoll, New York. During his time in the J&P Office, he wrote a book, “Agencies for Project Assistance” which was sent out to several Society members. He also served on the Agricultural Missions Board of the National Council of Churches. 

After leaving the J&P Office, in May 1983 Father Cotter was given permission to work in the Bridgetown-Kingstown Diocese of Barbados, West Indies. Following this one-year assignment to Barbados, Father Cotter returned to Maryknoll, New York in June 1984,and was assigned to the Social Communications Department to fill the position of Press Desk Assistant in the Media Relations Section of that Department for three months.

In late 1985, Father Cotter moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to work with the Vincentian Fathers and also worked for a while in Nekempte, Gimbi Mission, Ethiopia. In 1993 Father Cotter became a member of the United States Region, with continued residence in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. Father Cotter became a member of the Retirement Community on April 1, 1999, but continues work on his writings at the Galilee Oromo Research Center in Debre Zeit. Among Father Cotter’s writings are: The Gospel Through Ethiopian Eyes, Relating the Proverbs of the Galla People to the Revelation of Jesus Christ; Salt for Stew, Proverbs and Sayings of the Oromo People, with English Translations, as well as a book entirely in the Oromo Language which helps ministers relate the Gospel to the Oromo culture. George's most recent book is Ethiopian Wisdom: Proverbs and Sayings of the Oromo People (1997) which is Volume 1 in the "African Proverb Series." This book is also available on the African Proverbs CD ROM. George has contributed an Oromo Proverb and a Sukuma Proverb to the African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories Website. His latest project is to assist Don Sybertz in revising a list of Sukuma Proverbs starting with the List of Sukuma Proverbs With Verb Root B.

George's Reflections             George's Ministry

Maryknollers in Ethiopia