Thomas Flanagan

Thomas Joseph Flanagan (October 23, 1930 – October 9, 2019) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in Texas from 1998 to 2005.

Thomas Flanagan was born on October 23, 1930, in Carbury, County Kildare, Ireland. He was the oldest of eight children born to Patrick and Mary McNamara Flanagan. Flanagan attended St Conleth's National School in Carbury and then Mungret College, a high school near Limerick. He then studied at St. Patrick's College in Thurles in Ireland. In 1956, on a visit to Ireland, Archbishop Robert E. Lucey recruited Flanagan to serve as a priest in Texas after his ordination.

Flanagan was ordained into the priesthood by Archbishop Jeremiah Kinane at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles on June 10, 1956, for the Diocese of San Antonio.

After emigrating to the United States, Flanagan served in eight parishes in Texas. He also served as spiritual advisor of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, chair of the board of Assumption Seminary in San Antonio and diocesan chapter chaplain for its Knights of Columbus.

In 1969, Flanagan was appointed as administrator, then pastor, of St. Agnes Parish in Edna, Texas. Flanagan was awarded a Master of Divinity degree from the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio in 1979. He was named a monsignor by Pope John Paul II on November 29, 1989.

On January 5, 1998, Flanagan was appointed titular bishop for Bavagaliana and auxiliary bishop of San Antonio by John Paul II. Flanagan was consecrated on February 16, 1998 at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio. His principal consecrator was Archbishop Patrick Flores. with Bishops Edmond Carmody and John E. McCarthy serving as co-consecrators.

Flanagan retired as auxiliary bishop of San Antonio on December 15, 2005, at age 75. He died in San Antonio on October 9, 2019.