Pope Benedict XVI honors three Diocesan priests JACKSON – Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Michael Flannery, a protonotary apostolic supernumerary. In addition Father Elvin Sunds and Father Patrick Farrell have been named prelates of honor by the Pope and given the title of monsignor.
Persons holding the title of protonotary apostolic supernumerary are the highest ranking non-episcopal prelate at the diocesan level. Msgr. Flannery was named a prelate of honor by Pope John Paul II in March 2002.
A ceremony for the conferral of papal honors in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle is being planned.
Msgr. Flannery, 67, has been pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in Madison since 2005. He was appointed promoter of justice the same year and also serves as canonical steward of St. Joseph High School in Madison.
Born in Limerick City, Ireland, he was ordained at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles, Ireland, on June 14, 1964.
Father Farrell, 71, is a native of Bellaghlea, Ballygar Co., Galway, Ireland. He studied at St. Patrick’s College in Carlow, and was ordained for the Jackson diocese, on June 11, 1960.
Presently he is pastor of Vicksburg St. Paul Parish and Port Gibson St. Joseph Parish. In addition he is a member of the personnel board.
Father Sunds, 61, is a native of Fremont, Neb., who studied at Conception Seminary, St. Joseph Seminary, and Notre Dame Seminary. He was ordained at Our Lady of the Gulf Church in Bay St. Louis on Aug. 5, 1973. He also received his master’s degree in social work from The Catholic University of America.
Patrick Farrell have been named prelates of honor by the Pope and given the title of monsignor.