Bishop Harry Flynn

The Lafayette diocese in 1986 welcomed Bishop Harry Flynn as coadjutor with right of succession to Bishop Frey. Bishop Flynn came to Lafayette from the Albany, N.Y. diocese of which he was a native.

Bishop Harry Flynn took over responsibilities as fourth Bishop of Lafayette in May, 1989, when Bishop Frey retired. As Ordinary, Bishop Flynn conducted parish and school visitations, encouraged vocations to the priesthood and religious life, promoted Catholic education and expanded religious education.

Along with Bishop Frey, he joined other Louisiana bishops in pastoral letters condemning capitol punishment, warning of the evils of gambling, opposing abortion, supporting Catholic schools, and promoting financial support of the Catholic church.

In February, 1994 Bishop Flynn was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of St.Paul-Minneapolis in Minnesota and assumed those duties in April, 1994. Upon the retirement of Archbishop John Roach, he became the seventh Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis on September 8, 1995.  Archbishop Flynn retired as Archbishop on his birthday, May 2, 2008. After a long battle with bone cancer, Archbishop Flynn died at the age of 86 on September 23, 2019. 

Coat of Arms

For his personal coat of arms Bishop Flynn continues to use a design that he adopted upon his elevation to the episcopacy as Coadjutor Bishop of Lafayette.  The Bishop’s arms are composed of a blue field on which are displayed the unusual arrangement of two silver (white) chevrons placed side-by-side across the shield.  These two chevrons form a stylized letter “M” to represent the years of service and rectorship that Bishop Flynn gave to Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary and College in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  These chevrons can also be seen to represent mountain peaks to recall the Bishop’s love of mountaineering.  Above the chevrons are a silver (white) lily, to honor the Bishop’s patron Saint Joseph, and two gold (yellow) bezants that are taken from the arms of the family O’Flynn and by which His Excellency honors the heritage of his family.  Below the chevrons is the head of a Celtic cross, also in silver (white).  This is used to honor the Bishop’s Irish heritage.

For his motto, His Excellency continues to use the motto “Come Lord Jesus”.  This phrase is taken from the book of Revelations (Rev. 22:20) and by its used, His Excellency, Bishop Flynn expresses his deep conviction that we as devout Catholics and Christians, should implore our Divine Lord to come into every part of our lives so that we may live lives that will make us worthy to be called the children of God.

The device is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold processional cross, which is placed in back of the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and a pontifical hat, called a gallero, with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green.  These are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of bishop, by instruction of The Holy See of March 31, 1969.