Death of our NEC Director Fr. David P. Reid, ss.cc.
Father David Patrick Reid, ss.cc., a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts
of Jesus and Mary, passed away in Boston on April 19, 2022, at the age of 80.
Father David was born in Dublin, Ireland, on March 9, 1942, during World War II,
when life in Ireland was frugal and centered on the family and church. Growing up
with the family practice of night adoration in the home, an apostolate of the
Congregation, made a lasting impression on David and strongly influenced his
decision to join the missionary community.
He entered the Novitiate in 1959 in Cootehill, Ireland making his first profession the
following year, before going to Queen of Peace Mission Seminary in Jaffrey, New
Hampshire where he made his final profession in 1963. He became a Deacon in 1965 and on June 12, 1966, Father David was ordained to the priesthood at his home in Ireland.
He went on to further studies at Catholic University of America in Washington DC earning an STL in Theology in 1967, and did his graduate scripture study in Rome, where he received a License in Sacred Scripture (SSL) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1970. For eighteen years, Father David taught scripture at the Washington Theological Union in Washington DC, before returning to Rome where, in 1983, he completed a doctoral degree in Biblical Theology (STD) at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Leaving academia to experience a more pastoral life, he headed to the inner-city of Rochester, NY, where he served for eight years as Pastor for the parishes of Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Francis. In 1999, Father David was named Pastor of Our Lady of Assumption in New Bedford, MA, and in 2000 was elected Provincial of the USA East Province, a position he held until 2006.
In 2007 he traveled to India where he spent three years as the first Regional Superior of the Sacred Hearts community there and then became a Formator until visa problems forced him to leave India in 2011. When he returned to the USA, he was named Pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Seat Pleasant, MD for three years until in 2015, he was called back to Rome to work as Postulator General for the Congregation, presenting SSCC causes to the Vatican for canonization.
In 2019, Father David finally began to think about retirement, but as he would say, he would not “fully retire” but “semi-retire”. He spent a year at Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham, MA, followed by more pastoral work at Our Lady of Assumption in New Bedford, MA.
In 2021, Father David was named Director of the National Enthronement Center, an Apostolate of the Enthronement of the Sacred Hearts in the Home, and most recently, he was appointed Director of Damien Residence.
In addition to his brothers and sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts throughout the world, Father David is survived by his siblings, Mary, Margaret, and Alexander, 10 nephews, four nieces and 24 grand nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Stephen, sisters Therese and Elizabeth and his stepmother Mary, who married his father after the death of David’s mother when he was three. Mary mothered the family lovingly until she died at age 96.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Parish in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 10:30 AM followed by burial in the Sacred Hearts Community Cemetery. Visiting hours will take place at St. Joseph prior to the funeral, beginning at 8:30 AM. Principal celebrant will be SSCC Provincial Lane Akiona, ss.cc.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Father David’s memory may be made to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, PO Box 111, Fairhaven, MA 02719. Arrangements are being handled by Fairhaven Funeral Home who will live stream the funeral at https://www.hathawayfunerals.com/locations/fairhaven.html . May he rest in the Eternal Peace of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.