Flynn, John L.
Jesuit Father John L. Flynn died on Oct. 11, 2016 in the infirmary at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos, California. He was 83.
Fr. Flynn was born in Santa Monica, May 24, 1933. He attended Loyola High School, Los Angeles, where he lettered in football and tennis. After graduation, he entered the Jesuit Novitiate at Los Gatos in 1951. He taught Latin and coached football and baseball at Loyola High, 1958-61, and made his theology studies at Alma College, Los Gatos, 1961-65. He was ordained a priest in Blessed Sacrament Church in Hollywood, California, on June 10, 1964.
Fr. Flynn’s ministry was in Jesuit high schools in California, both as a teacher and administrator. A year of teaching theology and counseling students at St. Ignatius High School, San Francisco, was followed by stints as vice principal at Bellarmine College Prep, San Jose (1967-70) and Jesuit High School, Sacramento (1970-73).
He returned to Bellarmine in 1973, where he was to spend the rest of his active ministry. He served as director of admissions, 1973-79, teacher of Latin, and assistant in campus ministry until 2005. He left the classroom in that year but continued his work in campus ministry until 2008, when he retired to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center.
Fr. Flynn was friendly and gregarious. Colleagues found him to be a true and inspirational Jesuit who was willing to volunteer for less desirable assignments in the community.
He is survived by nieces Celia Sartor of San Jose and Mary Green of Escondido, California, and cousins, Fr. James E. Flynn, SJ of Los Angeles and Terence Flynn of Larkspur, California.