A funeral Mass for Father Jay M. Flaherty was held Oct. 10 at Holy Cross Church in Pigeon Forge. Father Flaherty was the founding pastor of Holy Cross.
Father Jay Flaherty
Father Flaherty’s family received friends and a rosary was said Oct. 9 at Atchley Funeral Home in Sevierville. The Mass of Christian Burial was held at Holy Cross Church, and Father Flaherty was buried in Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens in Pigeon Forge.
The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Stika, with priests from the Diocese of Knoxville and visiting priests concelebrating. Father Dan Whitman, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City, gave the homily.
Father Flaherty was named the first pastor of Holy Cross Parish in 1993, shortly after joining the Diocese of Knoxville, and served in that position until 2011.
He was ordained a priest on May 11, 1985, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. He served as a priest in the Diocese of Nashville, first as an associate at the cathedral in 1985 and then as an associate at St. Henry Church in Nashville from 1987-1989. He also served as an associate at Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville from 1985-1987.
He was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Hohenwald, Tenn., and also served as pastor of St. Cecilia Church in Waynesboro, Tenn., and at Christ the Redeemer Church in Centerville, Tenn.
Father Flaherty joined the Diocese of Knoxville in 1992.
Bishop Stika has asked for prayers for the repose of the soul of Father Flaherty and also prayers for his family.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Comments 1
I would be happy to contact the family of father flirty. I was a parishioner that helped start to church in the post office and suburb all with him. If the family can get this message in contact for me, that would be wonderful.