Background
Flanagan, Thomas Joseph was born on October 23, 1930 in Rathmore, Ireland.
Flanagan, Thomas Joseph was born on October 23, 1930 in Rathmore, Ireland.
He studied at St. Patrick's College, Thurles, and was ordained a priest on 10 June 1956 for the Diocese of San Antonio.
Thomas Flanagan is the oldest of eight children born to Patrick and Mary McNamara Flanagan. Flanagan served in eight parishes and also as spiritual advisor of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, Chairman of the Board of the archdiocese's Assumption Seminary, as well as diocesan chapter chaplain for its Knights of Columbus. Following further study he was awarded a Masters of Divinity from the Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio in 1979.
On 5 January 1998 he was appointed Titular Bishop for Bavagaliana and Auxiliary Bishop for his home diocese by Pope John Paul II. Flanagan was consecrated a bishop on 16 February 1998. His Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Patrick Flores. Flanagan's principal co-consecrators were Bishop Edmond Carmody, and Bishop John McCarthy.
Flanagan retired on 15 December 2005 at the age of seventy-five.