Deacon Danny Flynn revels in serving others

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Being surrounded as a young man by religious men positively influenced the life of Deacon Danny Flynn.

Among his first role models were the Benedictine monks he encountered attending Camp Abbey.

“I originally thought I was called to the priesthood, and was accepted into St. John Prep (a high school for teens open to the possibility of the priesthood),” he said.

But Deacon Flynn said his desire was to attend St. Ben’s in Covington on whose grounds the Knights of Columbus camp was located.

“The seminarians and monks had a big influence on me,” Deacon Flynn said. “They were just people who would play with us and take us fishing. I could tell they had a wonderful life.”

After graduating from eighth grade at St. Mary Magdalen School in Metairie, he attended Archbishop Rummel High School, where the Lasallian Christian Brothers provided loving instruction and care.

“The Christian Brothers took some street-tough kids and made men out of them,” Deacon Flynn said. “They knew how to teach you. I know a lot of guys that they helped out tremendously.”

At home, there were other faith-filled influences. His father, Erin Patrick Flynn, studied to be a Vincentian but left for the Navy to serve in World War II and Korea. Deacon Flynn’s great uncle – native New Orleanian Joseph T. Flynn – was a Redemptorist priest who served in African and Mexican missions, for 20 years at St. Alphonsus Parish and in Omaha, Nebraska, and was a WWII chaplain with the 82nd Airborne Division who also cared for German prisoners of war.

Young deacon
Deacon Flynn said he became aware of the permanent diaconate by “divine intervention.” As a newly married man attending daily Mass, he found a flier in the pew one morning. Two weeks later, the flier appeared again. He approached Deacon Jim Swiler, then the director of the permanent diaconate of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, to inquire.


“He said to go home and pray about it,” said Deacon Flynn, giving Deacon Swiler his name and number.

Deacon Flynn joined the diaconate class of 1988 and was ordained by Archbishop Francis Schulte in 1991, among the youngest dea cons at that time.

“I was kind of an experiment to see if a young father could do it,” Deacon Flynn said. “I was only 38 when I was ordained. ... It worked out pretty well.”

He has been a deacon at St. Rita Parish in Harahan for 30 years, working alongside Father Steve Bruno, and he has been involved in the parish’s Knights of Columbus, Dad’s Club and FOCCUS marriage preparation.

In addition, Deacon Flynn previously assisted Father Stanley Klores at St. Patrick Church on Camp Street for approximately seven years at the solemn High Mass and was involved with the Catholic Committee on Scouting. He also is a motorcycle enthusiast, ministering to the biker community and helping with their charitable work.

“It’s been a real blessing to do this,” Deacon Flynn said of the biker ministry.


Family is important
When not serving the church, Deacon Flynn is surrounded by his large family, cooking weekly dinner with Edie, his wife of 48 years, for their six children and seven grandchildren who can stop by.
“It started with my parents, Eddie and Estelle Laizer,” said Edie, whose family of three sisters and a brother are of French and Spanish heritage. Her parents cooked for their children’s families to keep them close. Edie said she picked up on her father’s enjoyment of experimenting with food, especially Italian dishes.


Now, the Flynns’ variety of foods ranges from Italian dishes to anything seafood – crawfish dishes, trout Almondine, trout Meuniere, redfish courtbouillon, etc., and everything in between. Of course, during Lent, they gravitate toward seafood, which used to be readily available to them fresh from the Gulf of Mexico.

“We had a camp at Point-Aux-Chenes in Montegut, Louisiana, until Hurricane Ida,” Deacon Flynn said, when the wind gauge at their camp broke at 175 mph, and it was damaged.

And as a deacon, Lenten duties include leading the weekly Stations of the Cross on Fridays for the parish and for school children.

“It’s a time that I can focus on the incredible love of our God – that he would endure so much for us,” he said. “Broken as we are, he loves us and wants us to be with him.”

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Fried Eggplant

1 medium eggplant (cut into about ¼-inch thick rounds) 
¾ cup flour or cornstarch
3 eggs
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Canola oil (enough to cover eggplant)

Peel eggplant and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place in separate bowls: flour and beaten eggs. In a third bowl, mix bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic and ½-cup Parmesan cheese.

Dip eggplant slices into flour to coat. 

Dredge in eggs and coat with bread crumbs. Repeat until all slices are coated.

When oil is heated to 350 degrees, fry eggplant until golden brown. Place on a draining rack or paper towels and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce or cream sauce, if desired.
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Bow-tie Pasta with corn, thyme and Parmesan
1 pound bow tie pasta
2   tablespoons olive oil
¾   cup chopped green onions
6   medium garlic cloves, chopped
1¾   teaspoons salt
¼   teaspoon black pepper
1   cup dry white wine
4   large thyme sprigs
1¼   cups heavy cream
2   cups corn kernels
½   cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook as directed.

Meanwhile, start the sauce by heating oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the green onions, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer until wine has reduced by about three-quarters (or about 4-5 minutes).

Remove the pan from heat and set aside.

When the pasta is ready, reserve 1 cup of starchy water, drain pasta and return pasta to the pot.

To finish the sauce, return the frying pan to medium heat and add the corn, cream, Parmesan cheese and ½ cup of the pasta water. Cook and stir until cheese is melted, and sauce is heated through.

Pour sauce over pasta in the pot and stir. If needed, add the remaining pasta water. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on the side.
 

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Crawfish with cream sauce

1 cup crawfish tails (about ½ pound)
½ stick butter
1 onion (diced)
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 tablespoon garlic
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Heat butter in a saucepan and add onions, cooking until they become transparent. Add green onions and garlic and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, Cajun seasoning (Konriko is used here), salt and pepper (to taste) and stir. Add the crawfish and flour and stir thoroughly until combined. Don’t let the mixture come to a complete boil. As soon as you see a simmer around the edges, lower the heat and maintain a low simmer.

Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes more, stirring the pan often until thickened slightly. Can be put on eggplant.

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Cabbage au gratin

1 large head of cabbage
1 (10.5-ounce) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup bread crumbs
1 pound cheddar cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
Quarter cabbage and place in a pot with water and boil until tender. Remove from water and let cool until you can handle.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the core of the cabbage and layer half of the cabbage in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Mix mushroom soup as directed on the can. Spread half of the soup mixture on top of the cabbage. Sprinkle ½ cup of bread crumbs over soup. Top with half the cheddar cheese and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.

Add a second layer of cabbage, reserving a few leaves to add to the top. Repeat the previous steps of soup, bread crumbs and cheeses.

Top with remaining leaves and sprinkle a thin layer of bread crumbs on top.

Bake uncovered until bread crumbs brown, and mixture begins to bubble. About 30 to 40 minutes.