DETROIT — Msgr. Gerald A. Flanigan was a “good friend, a good priest and a good man — the kind of priest you never forget,” said seminary classmate and fellow Senior Clergy Village resident Msgr. Robert Monticello.

Msgr. Flanigan, a senior priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit, died the evening of Monday, Jan. 21. He was 85.

“I had known him since we entered the ninth grade at the (Sacred Heart) seminary in 1940 at age 13,” Msgr. Monticello said, adding that at Senior Clergy Village in Livonia “we shared a living-room wall.”

“He had to endure very severe health problems, but he was always a people’s priest, and even after retirement helped out at St. Edith Parish in Livonia several days a week,” Msgr. Monticello said.

Msgr. Flanigan was also “an extremely effective preacher and an extremely effective spiritual director to many people,” his longtime friend added.

Fr. James McNulty, pastor of St. Edith Parish, said Msgr. Flanigan had been active there until just several weeks before his death. “His body has been failing for a long time, but mentally he was very sharp,” Fr. McNulty said.

“Msgr. Flanigan was a great example of how to grow old with dignity, and how to remain active in his ministry despite his limitations,” Fr. McNulty said. Those included heart problems, back problems and difficulty in the manipulation of his hands; Msgr. Flanigan used a scooter-walker to get around.

“His ministry was really central to his life. Recently, I know, it would take him a couple of hours to get ready to come here, but he did it,” Fr. McNulty said.

Gerald A. Flanigan was born in Highland Park on Jan. 27, 1927, and attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit; Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Norwood, Ohio; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township.

He was ordained June 2, 1951, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Benedict Church in Highland Park.

Then-Fr. Flanigan served as associate pastor in 1951 at both St. John Parish, Ypsilanti, and St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Pontiac. He then was associate pastor at Epiphany (1951-56) and St. Rose parishes (1956-57), both in Detroit; St. Pius X Parish, Southgate (1957-62); of St. Hugo of the Hills Parish, Bloomfield Hills (1962-66); and Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Redford Township (1966-68).

He was pastor of Madonna Parish, Detroit (1968-70); St. Blase Parish, Sterling Heights (1970-77); St. Raymond Parish, Detroit (1977-85), St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, St. Clair Shores (1985-91); and St. Colman Parish, Farmington Hills (1991-95).

Msgr. Flanigan was named a prelate of honor to His Holiness (monsignor) in 1990. He was granted senior priest status in 1995.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 26 at St. Edith Parish, Livonia, by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, with Fr. Tim Babcock as homilist.

Burial was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield.