Beloved Shelby priest passes away from brain disease
In the weeks before his death, Father Michael T. Kottar encouraged others to hold strong to their faith in God and to continue to strengthen others’ devotion to the Lord.
Diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, an extremely rare and aggressive brain disease for which there is no effective treatment or cure, Kottar began feeling dizzy in December, at times having to cancel mass. After what seemed like endless testing, in April he received the terminal diagnosis.
“It was hard to hear. I thought I’d have a few more years. But if God wants me now, then that’s what will be. I just can’t understand how anyone could get through something like this without faith,” Kottar said in early May before meeting a group of college seminarians.