Right Reverend Thomas Edward Flynn

Born: Portsmouth, 6th January 1880
Ordained Priest: Upholland 13 June 1908
Nominated Bishop: 12 June 1939, second Bishop of Lancaster
Died: 3 November 1961

Bishop Flynn was the eldest of six children and his father was a regular soldier. Three weeks after his birth the family moved to Warrington. He attended St Francis Xavier's college, but served Mass before school at the Notre Dame Convent, where he served Mass for Bishop O'Reilly's secretary. When asked whether he wanted to be a priest, he is reputed to have said: 'No, I want to be a bishop.' A family friend had suggested to his parents that he became a Jesuit, but the Bishop's secretary had made a direct approach.

He was a minor professor at St Edward's where he taught mathematics. He served at Pemberton for a short while before being sent to St Edmund's House, Cambridge, where he took his Natural Science Tripos, and then to Friburg University in Switzerland. In 1912 he returned to the teaching staff at St Edward's college where he stayed for four years before a curacy at St Thomas', Waterloo. (1916-1917)

He volunteered to be a chaplain during the First World War, but was sent to teach at St Edmund's, Ware instead, where his primary task was to set up a science department. It was during this period that he became an authority on medico-moral problems and made contact with leading doctors, surgeons and psychologists. He was also voted an associate member of St. Luke's Catholic Medical Guild. He also became a noted preacher in the Westminster Archdiocese.

He and Mgr Myers, later auxiliary bishop in Westminster were joint editors of the Clergy Review founded in 1931. By this time Dr Flynn had succeeded Dr Downey as vice-president of Upholland, having been headmaster since 1924. The joint editors are reputed to have travelled to Crewe station to discuss editorial problems. In 1935 Dr Flynn became sole editor and continued until June 1939 when following his appointment as Bishop of Lancaster.

In 1938 the future Bishop visited the United States and is recorded in the Congressional Records for the House of Representatives when he offered the opening prayer on 19th April 1938.

When the Diocese of Lancaster was formed, Cardinal Bourne remarked that "It is the best title in England after Westminster'. Bishop Flynn soon developed a great pride in his diocese and years later in his Jubilee speech he was to quote St. John Fisher 'I am not going to swop my old woman for the richest widow in England.' His sense of obedience was such that he would have gone wherever the Pope sent him.

Like his predecessor he was keen to increase the number of churches in his diocese, but wartime restrictions were to cause him problems. At last he was able to lay the foundation stone for Our Lady and St Edward's, Preston. He carefully checked new housing developments to ensure there was adequate provision. His last instruction was to confirm the establishment of St Benedict's at Whitehaven. Before he died, he was also able to be present at the opening of Our Lady of the Assumption, Blackpool. The Bishop had promised to build a church in honour of Our Lady if his diocese was spared destruction in the war and was able to consecrate the church at Layton, Blakpool, in May 1957.

The bishop made a point of seeing all his students annually, although in later years he found it difficult to remember the names of the younger priests. By the time of his death there were 194 secular priests in the diocese. During the war he released twenty three priests for war duties; four of them died on active service.

The Council of Trent (1545-63) had expressed the desire that the faithful receive Holy Communion more frequently and the Bishop was a firm supporter of this. He was delighted when the Pope simplified the rules to encourage this.

He was also very aware of the importance of vocations and this led to the establishment of a junior seminary at Thistleton Lodge, which later moved to Underley Hall, near Kirby Lonsdale in 1958.

The Bishop was a great believer in holding celebrations and these were to include a special Mass on the liberation of Rome, the Congress of Catholic Youth and the silver jubilee of his diocese. It was at the discussion for this latter event that a younger priest suggested a 'good preacher'. When the Bishop explained he was going to preach, the young man added he really meant 'a distinguished preacher.' The celebrations continued with a special Mass at Thistleton Lodge for centenary of the restoration of the hierarchy and the centenary of John Lingard's death. He actively promoted the Rosary Crusade in his diocese and Father Peyton visited the diocese and addressed several outdoor meetings. Other diocese invited Father Peyton to conduct the crusade the following year, but by then the Bishop had suffered a stroke. He was sufficiently fit to attend the Preston Guild in 1952 and two years later he celebrated another High Mass in Preston to mark the canonisation of Pope Pius X.

His own golden jubilee was to prove a celebration for the whole diocese and he regarded it a special mark that Pope Pius XII appointed him an Assistant to the Pontifical Throne. His last great celebration was the Rally for the Canonisation of Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. His loyalty to the Holy See was well known. This extended to his concerns about illicit changes in the liturgical practices and, although he would not criticise the laity for saying the rosary in Mass (on the grounds they may not understand), he objected if any his priests said their office when the Bishop was officiating at Mass.

In his day to day work he tried to be fair and realised that he was dealing with immortal souls. He was not beyond varying the words of a document after a period of prayer and reflection. He was also involved in the Knox translation of the Bible and worked hard to ensure that the translation was as true as it could be. Much of the Bishop's time was devoted to education and he strenuously worked to ensure that the interests of the Church were protected in the Education Act 1944. He also took a great interest in the establishment of the University of Lancaster.

On his way to Rome in 1952, the Bishop suffered a stroke and had to return in an ambulance coach attached to the normal train. Two stages in his recovery occurred about the time of Solemn Exposition and a blessing by the relics of St Maria Goretti. The bishop never claimed they were more than coincidences, but was impressed and the next church he opened was dedicated to St Maria Goretti. Although he made a good recovery, he was no longer as active as he used to be. Always sympathetic to the sick, he was now able to address in a more personal way.

From the summer of 1961 his health deteriorated and eventually at the end of October he was admitted to hospital for the last time.

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