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Father James D. Flanagan, who served as pastor of two parishes in the Bronx for a total of 32 years and was parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception in Manhattan since 2014, died Dec. 9. He was 74.
Father Flanagan was pastor of Holy Family, 1993-2014, and Holy Spirit, 1982-1993, before spending the last six years as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated Dec. 15 at Immaculate Conception Church with Cardinal Dolan as celebrant and Father Thomas Lynch, pastor of Holy Name of Jesus-St. Gregory the Great in Manhattan, as homilist. A Parish Mass of the Eucharist was offered Dec. 14 with Bishop Dennis Sullivan, of the Diocese of Camden, N.J., as celebrant and Msgr. Robert Ritchie, rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, as homilist.
“He was an extraordinary priest,” Father Lynch said. “I’m so proud to have known him. He was so kind. I will miss his friendship. I will miss picking up the phone to call him and see how he’s doing.”
Father Flanagan and Father Lynch met in 1993 when Father Flanagan, an avid reader, was assigned to Holy Family where Father Lynch served as parochial vicar after being ordained a year earlier. Father Lynch remembered going to the choir loft to hear Father Flanagan’s well-prepared homilies at the Spanish Mass.
“Spanish came so natural to him. His Spanish was eloquent,” Father Lynch said.
Father Lynch said he visited Father Flanagan at the Edward Cardinal Egan Pavilion in the Bronx just before Father Flanagan’s death. The two priests blessed one another.
“His gift was listening, and listening with compassion like Jesus Christ,” Father Lynch said. “He processed what you said and nodded at what you said. He listened with compassion even if he did not agree with it.”
Father Flanagan also served as parochial vicar of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, Manhattan, 1976-1982, and Ascension, Manhattan, 1971-1976.
Born in Manhattan, he was a graduate of Cathedral Prep in Manhattan who studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was ordained at St. Patrick’s Cathedral by Terence Cardinal Cooke in 1971.
His sisters, Kathleen McLoughlin and Ann Hegarty, survive him.
Burial was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne.
