Remembering “the people’s priest” of the Bronx

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:04 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Remembering “the people’s priest” of the Bronx 2016-09-30T17:04:52-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Every now and then, we receive a blessed reminder of what it means to follow in the footsteps of Christ.

Here’s one, from the New York Times:

The Rev. John C. Flynn could have been a monsignor, but as he told the story in later years, he refused the elevation because he already held a title more to his liking: the people’s priest.

Father Flynn, 83, who spent a half-century championing the poor, the disadvantaged and the forgotten of the Bronx, died on Monday at the Schervier Nursing Care Center in Riverdale after a long debilitating illness, according to his family.

“He did not need any title, he did not need any accolades, he just wanted to be a parish priest,” said Heidi Hynes, the executive director of the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center, who used to receive regular visits from Father Flynn asking what could be done to help the needy.

Tall and lanky with bright blue eyes, Father Flynn reached into the seediest corners of the Bronx and offered a helping hand, relatives and friends said. He started a campaign called Save a Generation to give education and job training to high school dropouts; walked the streets trading crucifixes for guns in an optimistic but futile effort to make neighborhoods safer; and attended hundreds of meetings to lobby for a better life for families, by building more low-cost housing or saving community gardens.

In the late 1970s, when the South Bronx was awash in crime and despair, he joined with local activists to help tenants who were living without heat or hot water for weeks at a time. He showed them how to stand up for themselves and reclaim their neighborhoods.

“These were human beings and not pieces of furniture to be thrown out,” said the Rev. Neil Connolly, who worked alongside Father Flynn in the Bronx and is now pastor of St. Mary’s Church in the Lower East Side. “All of us knew we would not be forever in the South Bronx, so there had to be not only development of buildings and property but also the development of people. Our way was not to do things for people but to help them do things for themselves.”

Read more.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him…

Photo: Marcus Yam/The New York Times

Previous Post

September 25, 2012

Ordination update: the new deacons of Milwaukee

Next Post

September 25, 2012 Notre Dame invites Obama, Romney to speak

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: 1 Peter teaches that judgment must begin with the family of God.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »