coadjutor bishop of Lafayette
Which position did Harry Joseph Flynn hold from Jun 1986 to May 1989?
Harry Joseph Flynn Harry Joseph Flynn ( May 2 , 1933 – September 22 , 2019 ) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis , where he served from September 8 , 1995 to May 2 , 2008 , when his resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI . Previously , Archbishop Flynn was the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette in south-central Louisiana . Biography . Early life . Born in Schenectady , New York to William and Margaret Mahoney Flynn , he was orphaned when he was twelve and raised primarily by two of his aunts . Flynn was a graduate of Siena College , having earned both a B.A . and a M.A . in English . After attending Mount Saint Marys Seminary in Emmitsburg , Maryland , he was ordained on May 18 , 1960 . He later became a priest of the Diocese of Albany , New York . After his ordination , he taught at Catholic Central High School in Troy , New York . From 1965 to 1979 , he served on the faculty of Mount Saint Marys Seminary in Emmitsburg , Maryland . From 1965-1968 he was the dean ; he was vice-rector from 1968-1970 ; and the rector from 1970-1979 . Bishop of Lafayette , Louisiana . While Flynn was serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Albany , his secretary received a phone call from the papal nuncio . When she passed along the call , Flynn realized he was about to be appointed a bishop and in an attempt to dodge the appointment drove to a family cabin in the Adirondacks . Cardinal John O’Connor of the Archdiocese of New York sent a state trooper to bring him back . He would often say in his later years If I had 100 lives , I’d live every one of them as a priest - and none as a bishop ! Flynns appointment as the coadjutor bishop of Lafayette , Louisiana was announced on April 19 , 1986 and he was consecrated as a bishop on June 24 , 1986 . He took on the role of bishop of the diocese on May 12 , 1989 , succeeding Bishop Gerard Louis Frey . He became the bishop of Lafayette , Louisiana , in the aftermath of one of the earliest public scandals involving the sexual abuse of minors by a priest . Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis . In 1994 , Flynn became the Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis , and succeeded to that see in 1995 . He was especially noted for his devotion to Catholic education and the emphasis in his ministry on social justice , especially within his own archdiocese . He was also a strong advocate for Catholic economic justice abroad , and many of the parishes in the archdiocese have sister parishes in impoverished nations , such as Costa Rica . On September 12 , 2003 , he released a pastoral letter dealing with the issue of racism titled In Gods Image , in which he called for the parishes of the diocese to unite in an effort to end racism and promote diversity and harmony , and in so doing , to make Gods love more present to the rest of the world . In May 2005 , Archbishop Flynn publicly criticized Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty in the Star Tribune for what he perceived as irresponsible tax policies . Flynn was an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq . In keeping with Catholic tradition , Flynn instructed his priests to refuse communion to any person wearing a rainbow sash—a symbol associated with those advocating change in the Churchs position on homosexual activity . After serving as Archbishop for 12 years , Flynn requested that the Holy See assign a coadjutor archbishop , and on April 24 , 2007 , Pope Benedict XVI appointed John Clayton Nienstedt , Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm , Minnesota as Flynns coadjutor . In January 2008 , Flynn , citing a Vatican instruction from 2004 , ordered an end to the practice of lay preaching at Mass , sending as the end date for the practice his final day as Archbishop . He said : There has to be that kind of training and theological background that even a person with a masters degree in theology would not have . The church does not want people just standing up there and giving opinions or even things theyve read in books . Retirement . On May 5 , 2008 , Pope Benedict XVI accepted Flynns resignation and Nienstedt succeeded him as Archbishop . He continued to assist in the Archdiocese after his retirement , administering confirmations , leading retreats , and other liturgies . In November 2010 , the Little Sisters of the Poor honored Flynn with their St . Jeanne Jugan Award on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his ordination . Flynn resigned from the board of the University of St . Thomas in St . Paul on October 14 , 2013 . Flynn died on September 22 , 2019 from bone cancer in Saint Paul , Minnesota at the age of 86 . Appointments . Archbishop Flynn was a member of several boards and committees . - Member of the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America - Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity - Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of St . Thomas - President of the Saint John Vianney Seminary Board of Directors - Member of the College of Saint Catherine Board of Trustees - Member of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Committee for Black Catholics - Member of the USCCB Committee on Sexual Abuse - Member of the USCCB Committee on the Charismatic Renewal Movement Flynn was named to chair the USCCB Committee on Sexual Abuse in 2002 . Legacy . In 2009 , the University of St . Thomas renamed a residence hall , formerly Selby Hall , to Flynn Hall to recognize Archbishop Flynn .