Thousands of people, including bishops, priests, a cardinal and community members filled St. Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the life of former Archbishop Harry Flynn.

Flynn died Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at age 86. He served the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from September 1995 to May 2008. Flynn served as chair on the Board of Trustees at St. Thomas from 1995-2005.

In 2009, St. Thomas honored him by re-naming Selby Residence Hall to Flynn Hall.

Speakers noted his kindness, strong intention to acknowledge and get to know those around him, as well as his hospitality, sense of humor and love for dogs.

Before the funeral Mass began, Sister Andrea Lee, former president of St. Catherine University, recalled several moments with Flynn, including his strength and continued involvement within the community despite his health challenges.

“He showed love through prayer and by showing up, by his holy hospitality and wicked blueberry pies. He showed it with his flip phone every day and with his prodigious memory for names and the details of people’s lives,” Lee said.

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who was guided by then-rector Flynn as a seminarian at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland, delivered a heartfelt homily remembering Flynn’s warm personality and intellectual thought in interpreting and teaching theology.

“I’m pretty sure he was happy his former student became the archbishop of Baltimore, but I’m even more certain that he really liked the fact that I own a dog,” Lori said.

Lori recalled his first day moving into the seminary in 1973. Flynn had already learned the names and faces of all 170 seminarians.

“It’s not just that he remembered us by name, he knew us; he loved us,” Lori said. “He had this beautiful capacity for hospitality and friendship. A capacity that created a real sense of community, a real sense of camaraderie, not only in the seminary but in the parishes and dioceses where he served.”

Lee and Lori also told stories about his time spent at Schroon Lake in New York with his two dogs.

Lake Elmo resident Lilly Riordan knew Flynn for 25 years through her husband Deacon Rip Riordan, who read the Gospel during the Mass. Flynn helped with her husband’s vocation and his decision to become a deacon.

“He was so personal,” she said. “He would laugh and joke, but he was also so spiritual.”

They would visit Flynn’s home several times a year for dinner.

“He was a fantastic cook,” she said. “He would keep his table set for entertaining.”

Retired St. Thomas employee Mary Jean Loomis, 81, attended the funeral Mass. She encountered Flynn a few times on campus and at parish retreats.

“His presence was so charismatic. You just felt like you were in a holy place,” Loomis said.

She noted that the Mass’ procession song “Come, Lord Jesus” was known as Flynn’s “mantra.” The song “would always begin and end his retreats.”

In an interview last week, St. Thomas President Emeritus Dennis Dease noted Flynn’s constant support and pride for St. Thomas.

“He was a wonderful goodwill ambassador for the university,” Dease said.

Flynn was buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights.

Samantha HoangLong can be reached at hoan1058@stthomas.edu.
Noah Hanlon contributed to this report.